GRETSCH CUSTOM SHOP
BUILD YOUR DREAM WITH THE GRETSCH CUSTOM SHOP
That great Gretsch sound, made to order!
Since 2004, the Gretsch Custom Shop, led by Master Builder Stephen Stern, has elevated the brand’s traditional catalog to a new echelon of design, building modern models and perfecting old ones, paying tribute to the greats with spot-on artist replicas, and carefully crafting custom one-offs with the deft touch and extraordinary skill of true Master Builders.
Fresh off its 15th anniversary, the Gretsch Custom Shop is absolutely humming, turning out mind-melting pieces that are better than ever, and at a serious clip that defies their made-to-measure process. Our regular stream of incredible Caddy Bos is proof positive of their consistent ability to deliver uncompromising quality with a singular aesthetic.
These crazy Caddies go to show that it’s not all White Falcons, although we wouldn’t complain even if it were. When it comes to Gretsch Custom Shop, if you can dream it, they can build it, and we can help make it happen.
So dream big, and let Gretsch Master Builders like Stephen Stern, Gonzalo Madrigal, and others build your dream. Give us a call to place your custom order with the Gretsch Custom Shop today.
The bo-down: gretsch's caddy bo
In 1955, Bo Diddley shook up more than just Chicago when he released his first two singles, “Bo Diddley” b/w “I’m A Man,” a double-sided smash that rocketed to number one, with the former featuring a unique rhythm that would come to define his career and go on to change the course of rock and roll forever. But it wasn’t just the Bo Diddley beat that made the Mississippi native an American original. His unique guitars, homemade square- and trapezoid-bodied boxes known as “Billy-Bos,” belong to an elite club of immediately recognizable, signature instruments that would influence generations of artists to come, and you can build your own with us! Contact us today to discuss your dream Bo or any other custom Gretsch model!
GRETSCH CUSTOM SHOP EBONY CADDY BO
MASTER BUILT BY STEPHEN STERN
The Caddy Bo is back in black! Another masterpiece from the bench of Gretsch Master Builder Stephen Stern, this Custom Shop stunner is about as blacked out as it gets, save for a lightly aged gold hardware set, giving it a lived-in feeling right off the line, and low-output Throbak humbucking pickups for a smooth, sweet sound no matter how hard Joel tries for the opposite.
GRETSCH CUSTOM SHOP KORINA CADDY BO RELIC
MASTER BUILT BY STEPHEN STERN
From the mind of our CEO, Andrew Yonke, and the bench of Gretsch Custom Shop Master Builder Stephen Stern, comes this Custom Shop Korina Caddy Bo Relic, a handmade, vintage-inspired electric korina-ed to the bone.
In a recent conversation with Stern, our CEO Andrew Yonke mentioned his love for korina and the ground-breaking, mod styling of caddy and billy bo guitars. The Gretsch Master Builder took it upon himself to do the rest and turned out this retro masterpiece, equipped with an Adjust-O-Matic bridge and "G" cutout tailpiece, inlaid script logo, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, and dual ThroBak SLE-101 humbucking pickups.
Stephen Stern insists, building this was–and always is–a team effort. Stern jokes that he's "merely the conductor of the orchestra," and credits the Gretsch Custom Shop's success to the talented team aiding the Master Builders in each part of a guitar's construction.
In this particular case, it's essential to mention the Custom Shop's dedication to sourcing the best woods available, the right way. Stern constructed the body of this Bo with solid korina for the back, sides, and top. He used a one-piece korina blank for the neck and beautiful Brazilian rosewood for the fingerboard, and all was ethically sourced through the proper channels to ensure both quality and authenticity.
As with music itself, the best always comes from a marriage of minds working in harmony. It starts with an idea, then the drive to develop and pursue it, followed finally by the know-how to execute. It happens the same way in the everyday collaboration that makes the Gretsch Custom Shop what it is, and the Korina Caddy Bo, just like a beautiful melody, is proof.
SHOP GRETSCH
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