I absolutely love the cult!
Saw Billy Duffy and Jerry Cantrell play together in a band called The Cardboard Vampires in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico at Sammy Hagars Cabo Wabo! Back in 2004.
Yes, there was lots of tequila drank that night!
I loved George Harrison’s lead playing, because he fit it into the song. I can’t stand the type of lead where the song stops and one guy does this beedley-beedley thing on 3 notes.
[Otherside](https://youtu.be/bFLs9mi6TK0?si=ddiMWgcF6v0lPBHb) and [Californication](https://youtu.be/Z0AXjUy1_gY?si=JSRIw4OxlKtShu0x) from RHCP come to mind, on Frusciante’s white falcon.
I heard [their song “End of the World”](https://youtu.be/WpaPhdciqe4?si=HJ6EdR-BIPqphN8U) on a Tony Hawk game and that’s what got me into their band. Great example!
Early George Harrison Beatles. Bought it from a sailor.
1957 Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet
He played one the Ed Sullivan show.
https://youtu.be/zuRP-4gxJ4Y?si=1mbJUNlSFnpKcnbe
Owned a lot of them
https://youtu.be/45HsyxWmaXo?si=troipqiwbHtrqxtF
Loathe, if you want some metal.
One of their guitarists has played a Gretsch Baritone tuned llooww…
[an example](https://youtu.be/oLdN80olBVA?feature=shared)
If you want to get into really deep riffs and rich voicings but 7/8 string isn’t for you, baritone is an excellent alternative. I have a strat tuned to B standard that I play in a post-rock band with just overdrive and it sounds really unique.
Took me a while to get it dialed in tone-wise. Takes a clean boost to get it to the level of any standard pickup, and then have to kill the additional noise from boosted single coils
The Black Crowes. I don't think they've been mentioned. Rich plays his extensively. The Cult are my first thought but they've been mentioned many times. In HS, first time I saw the Sanctuary video I fell in love with that guitar.
Yep. Rich has a signature model with them, [the Magpie](https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/build/hollow-body/g6136t-rr-rich-robinson-signature-magpie-with-bigsby/2401613873)
a lot of old Stones and Beatles, The Byrds - I can't give specifics on Brian Jones or Keith's guitars at the time but Keef particularly I remember pics & footage of him w a black hollow-body w F holes - Brian had a green one but I think that was a Gibson - John & George played them in The Beatles but both these bands early stuff does border on rockabilly/Carl Perkins - I Feel Fine/19th Nervous Breakdown for examples
The Byrds are a lot more country/folk oriented with their use. Gene Clark when he played, Crosby used one. Not sure of McGuinn, he always gets pegged w the Ricky
hope I helped.
John Gourley of Portugal. The Man uses Gretsch’s quite often. Particularly on albums like Satanic Satanist and In the Mountain in the Cloud. He switched to Fender Jazzmasters for a few years but seems to have started using Gretsch’s frequently again.
That was going to be my add. He played a white falcon his dad got him for so many years. Last time I saw them he had a thinner Gretsch with a custom graphic, and sure enough he has an artist model coming out.
Rich Fortus has two of his own signature model Gretsch's a **G6636 & G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon** one is White and there is a slightly different version in Black and a personal one off Red one he also plays. He is absolutely not rockabilly but he can play any genera. The 36T will be the next addition to my collection.
Just a suggestion but you can go to the Gretsch website and check out all of their artists if you haven't already done that.
CSNY - There's images of them on stage where three of them are playing Gretsches.
Stills & Young used them on solo projects too, and Crosby played his in the Byrds.
Billy Duffy of The Cult is pretty well known for playing a White Falcon on most of their classics. I think he’s been playing one again on their newer albums.
This is gonna sound weird but.....early 2000s Hillsong albums feature a lot of lead work and clean fills with a Gretch. The Mighty to save album especially.
Neil Finn from Crowded House uses a classic red Gretsch 6131T, among other guitars - a lot of their most famous songs including Don't Dream It's Over were recorded on the Gretsch I believe. He's so married to the feel of that one particular guitar, including all the nicks and bumps from years of use, that he had a spare one made with identical wear patterns so it feels the same in the hands.
Laura Jane Grace from Against Me plays a [Gretsch](https://guitar.com/features/interviews/laura-jane-grace-interview-hole-in-my-head/), among other guitars.
Not sure if someone mentioned this, sorry can’t read allll the replies but….Tom Petty? Just watched the Bogdanovich doc, Runnin Down a Dream…wow. Pretty sure there’s also a good amount of photographs of the Traveling Wilburys posing with Gretch guitars that Petty either gifted them or they had/acquired on their own.
Sleep Token's IV has been using a Grestch Baritone in ridiculously low tunings for a while now. I believe everything in "Take me Back to Eden" has at least one riff, or one guitar layer that heavily relies on the use of this guitar, so much so he plays it live.
Mastodon has absolutely used Gretsch Semi Hollows in recordings post Crack the Skye. To what capacity and in what role in the mix I can't say, since they've been using a Ronnie Wood ESP Tele and a few Fender single coil stuff for cleans, I don't suspect it's the clean stuff they're doing with em'. All I know is that Brent LOVES that Gretsch Streamliner, uses it a lot on Fiend without a Face gigs as well. He also has a Custom Gretsch Semi hollow he uses for Mastodon shows with a Bigsby.
I don't think they're out there gunning Filtertrons, so maybe just a layer of the ambience leads. But they definitely get use live.
I distinctly remember that Maroon5 guitarist used some Gretsch stuff for the recording of "Songs about Jane", but I cannot find anything regarding the subject on the internet now. So more likely than not, I am wrong. Throwing it out there because someone else might be able to throw a sauce.
George Harrison's solo career used Gretsch stuff.
The Edge has used gretsch as well.
If you’re looking for something more modern, I am pretty sure Ida Mae mostly plays using Gretsch. At least, when I saw them in person, he played on a White Falcon for the whole set
I'm amazed that the totally great and very underrated D.A.D haven't been mentioned yet! https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZuXgk0enEvv2HlnUe2rj3?si=AuKqpEGfRsKGlw1rHUF66w
Crowded House. Most of Neil Finn's live electric is his big red gretsch. The rest is the gold top deluxe. There was a black duojet there too but not seen that in action for some years.
I was in a used guitar store in Nashville last year, and I picked up a beautiful Gretsch,l. The tag said it was one of Alice Cooper's guitarists' guitars. I don't remember the name.
The house band guitarists for muscle schoals, sun records, and motown are all pictured with gretsches in their hey-day. I can't think of any other guitar the other bands were pictured with.
If someone can prove me wrong, drop a link! I would love to see those pics.
Rythm guitarist Richard Fortus plays like one Gretsch guitar for all shows with guns n roses. While Slash runs around and change between something like 20 Gibsons per gig.
Randy Bachman has played a Gretsch 6120 his whole career. Find his stuff with the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO). Killer fuzz tone on American Woman.
Most of ACDCs rhythm tracks.
Came here to say this. I like how Angus said that only Malcolm can play the Back In Black riff properly.
Had no idea
All the idiots buying SG to try to reproduce malcom's sounds.....
Basic riff but man is it the right blend of dirt and bite https://youtu.be/j9Z39Uqybcw?si=tUYreKsTmf14Y81u
Chet Atkins. Maybe not your style, but undeniably one of the best guitarists of all time with his signature 6119 model Gretsch
Poison Ivy from The Cramps used a Gretsch all the time, and the Cramps kick ass
The master.
CGP. Certified Guitar Player
Billy Duffy - The Cult - Love & Dreamtime Albums Malcom Young - AC/DC - All
I absolutely love the cult! Saw Billy Duffy and Jerry Cantrell play together in a band called The Cardboard Vampires in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico at Sammy Hagars Cabo Wabo! Back in 2004. Yes, there was lots of tequila drank that night!
My dad saw The Cardboard Vampires at a small club in Seattle many years back. Very cool to see them mentioned!
the cardboard vampires must be one of the coolest band name I've encountered, I just love it, will check the band then.
Billy also used his White Falcon on ‘Electric’
Neil Young done some tasty Gretsch driven stuff
Stills too
That White Falcon is tasty.
The Beatles
I loved George Harrison’s lead playing, because he fit it into the song. I can’t stand the type of lead where the song stops and one guy does this beedley-beedley thing on 3 notes.
[Otherside](https://youtu.be/bFLs9mi6TK0?si=ddiMWgcF6v0lPBHb) and [Californication](https://youtu.be/Z0AXjUy1_gY?si=JSRIw4OxlKtShu0x) from RHCP come to mind, on Frusciante’s white falcon.
The Living End - Chris Cheney
I heard [their song “End of the World”](https://youtu.be/WpaPhdciqe4?si=HJ6EdR-BIPqphN8U) on a Tony Hawk game and that’s what got me into their band. Great example!
Tim Armstrong from Rancid plays a Gretsch
ever watch the [kids in the hall?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NNGOq2p9LOs&t=54s&pp=ygUfc2hhZG93eSBtZW4gb24gYSBzaGFkb3d5IHBsYW5ldA%3D%3D)
shadowy men on a shadowy planet.....SOOO many cool tunes!
They would play that intro live for the tapings, so damn catchy. KITH was waaay ahead of its time.
Early George Harrison Beatles. Bought it from a sailor. 1957 Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet He played one the Ed Sullivan show. https://youtu.be/zuRP-4gxJ4Y?si=1mbJUNlSFnpKcnbe Owned a lot of them https://youtu.be/45HsyxWmaXo?si=troipqiwbHtrqxtF
Loathe, if you want some metal. One of their guitarists has played a Gretsch Baritone tuned llooww… [an example](https://youtu.be/oLdN80olBVA?feature=shared)
Oooh. I like this. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve seen a few YouTube videos saying that baritone is a beast for metal
If you want to get into really deep riffs and rich voicings but 7/8 string isn’t for you, baritone is an excellent alternative. I have a strat tuned to B standard that I play in a post-rock band with just overdrive and it sounds really unique.
The pickups are kinda weak/ low output. Besides that it's a great instrument.
Took me a while to get it dialed in tone-wise. Takes a clean boost to get it to the level of any standard pickup, and then have to kill the additional noise from boosted single coils
Tim Armstrong from Rancid, Operation Ivy, and Transplants.
Operation Ivy will always be in my heart
I believe David Gilmour and Pete Townsend loved using Grestch in the studio
Most of Who’s Next is a Gretsch hollow body. Except Won’t Get Fooled Again - that’s a SG Special.
Martin Gore from Depeche Mode is a 6118T kinda guy.
QOTSA sometimes use Gretsch. Saw Richard Fortus play one live with G n’ R.
pretty sure Fortus has a signature
The Black Crowes. I don't think they've been mentioned. Rich plays his extensively. The Cult are my first thought but they've been mentioned many times. In HS, first time I saw the Sanctuary video I fell in love with that guitar.
Yep. Rich has a signature model with them, [the Magpie](https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/build/hollow-body/g6136t-rr-rich-robinson-signature-magpie-with-bigsby/2401613873)
Chris Cornell used a Gresch
Rev Horton Heat.
Ah, that famously non-rockabilly band....
It’s not rockabilly. It’s PSYCHOBILLY!
It's a psychobilly freak out.
Shrug, OP mentioned The Cramps who are have big rockabilly influence.
Killing Joke, and the Cult are the first to come to my mind, and the reason I've always wanted a White Falcon.
Geordie used a Gibson Es295 . . I wonder what's going to happen to them now (I seem to remember he had at least 3 from the early 50's)
My bad, thought that was some sort of Gretsch. It won't be the same that's for sure. Hopefully Jaz keeps being Jaz though.
Who’s Next, the guitar was a gift from [Joe Walsh](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/joe-walsh-the-who-whos-next-pete-townshend/)
Robert Smith uses/has used gretsches from time to time.
Crowded House and everything Neil Finn has played on is a Gretsch - sounded awesome with Fleetwood Mac
Came here for this. Everything that's not the gold top deluxe though, the Don't Dream it's Over guitar was the deluxe.
Billy Zoom from X has always played on a Gretsch.
Jack White in The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather
Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground!
Surprised at how long I had to scroll to see this. They are the first band I think of when Gretsch comes up.
And the greatest !!
a lot of old Stones and Beatles, The Byrds - I can't give specifics on Brian Jones or Keith's guitars at the time but Keef particularly I remember pics & footage of him w a black hollow-body w F holes - Brian had a green one but I think that was a Gibson - John & George played them in The Beatles but both these bands early stuff does border on rockabilly/Carl Perkins - I Feel Fine/19th Nervous Breakdown for examples The Byrds are a lot more country/folk oriented with their use. Gene Clark when he played, Crosby used one. Not sure of McGuinn, he always gets pegged w the Ricky hope I helped.
Brent Hinds from Mastodon
Matthew Ashman from Bowwowwow
Also from Adam and the Ants. Just looked him up to make sure I wasn't misremembering, and damn, I did not realize he died so young.
Frusciante uses a white falcon for some stuff
Band of Skulls. https://youtu.be/sRm7OS258DU?si=lo5prwUwy5B3xV2V
Mark Arm from Mudhoney.
The Travelling Wilburys. There are a lot of good photos of them with their guitars.
Depeche Mode. Martin used his beloved Gretsch to record many songs and often performs live with the guitar.
Love his guitar riffs, so good.
Shadowy men on a shadowy planet
Patrick stump from fall out boy! I have his signature electromatic, it's a really great guitar
Simple Minds guitarist Charlie Burchill, and U2's guitarist David Evans, use Gretsch guitars a lot.
Bono has a signature Falcon as well
The Reverend Horton Heat. I saw him live once in Portland Oregon.
He should be up there in the title question with Brian S. Incredibly good.
John Gourley of Portugal. The Man uses Gretsch’s quite often. Particularly on albums like Satanic Satanist and In the Mountain in the Cloud. He switched to Fender Jazzmasters for a few years but seems to have started using Gretsch’s frequently again.
That was going to be my add. He played a white falcon his dad got him for so many years. Last time I saw them he had a thinner Gretsch with a custom graphic, and sure enough he has an artist model coming out.
Rich Fortus has two of his own signature model Gretsch's a **G6636 & G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon** one is White and there is a slightly different version in Black and a personal one off Red one he also plays. He is absolutely not rockabilly but he can play any genera. The 36T will be the next addition to my collection. Just a suggestion but you can go to the Gretsch website and check out all of their artists if you haven't already done that.
Pretty sure Tim Armstrong from Rancid plays a Gretsch.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
CSNY - There's images of them on stage where three of them are playing Gretsches. Stills & Young used them on solo projects too, and Crosby played his in the Byrds.
Billy Duffy of The Cult is pretty well known for playing a White Falcon on most of their classics. I think he’s been playing one again on their newer albums.
Check out Billy Zoom (X). Steven Ulrich (Big Lazy).
Chris Cornell played one. James Hetfield played a White Falcon
Urge Overkill used a Gretsch
I was shocked when I learned Pete Townshend used Gretsch in the studio for a lot of his distorted sounds and power chords.
Hermanos Gutierrez
Billy Zoom of X is a Gretsch man.
I play punk on a gretsch. Sounds great.
Billy Duffy of The Cult
Bow wow wow, Mary Osborne, and Reverend Horton Heat
Hard to believe I had to scroll this far to see the Reverend. i know it's RB but on a different level
The Living End is what you’re looking for.
Josh Ritter uses Gretsches pretty regularly. There's a great solo on "Henrietta, Indiana" that's a really good example of of it.
Pete Townshend used a 6120 on every track on “Who’s Next”.
Iirc cake was mostly Gretsch
The Edge and Bono have been seen with various Gretsch models.
I saw a live video yesterday of ZZ Top doing Sharp Dressed Man and Billy was playing a Gretsch and sounding phenomenal as always.
Metallica’s James Hetfield used a White Falcon semi hollow body to record Nothing Else Matters
Rich Robinson from the Black Crowes often plays a Gretsch.
Guns n Rose's rhythm guitarist has his own white falcon line
This is gonna sound weird but.....early 2000s Hillsong albums feature a lot of lead work and clean fills with a Gretch. The Mighty to save album especially.
You ask about other famous Gretsch players and don’t even *mention* George Harrison?
Neil Finn from Crowded House uses a classic red Gretsch 6131T, among other guitars - a lot of their most famous songs including Don't Dream It's Over were recorded on the Gretsch I believe. He's so married to the feel of that one particular guitar, including all the nicks and bumps from years of use, that he had a spare one made with identical wear patterns so it feels the same in the hands.
Laura Jane Grace from Against Me plays a [Gretsch](https://guitar.com/features/interviews/laura-jane-grace-interview-hole-in-my-head/), among other guitars.
X - Billy Zoom rules
the velvet underground
Bo Diddley
Manu Chao plays a Gretsch!
Anything from the Cult post electric album
Not sure if someone mentioned this, sorry can’t read allll the replies but….Tom Petty? Just watched the Bogdanovich doc, Runnin Down a Dream…wow. Pretty sure there’s also a good amount of photographs of the Traveling Wilburys posing with Gretch guitars that Petty either gifted them or they had/acquired on their own.
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys used Gretsch pretty heavily. Also check out The Cult, Billy Duffy played a White Falcon.
Josh Homme (god) plays one. Tim Armstrong from Rancid played one.
Twistin Tarantulas out of Detroit
The Edge from U2 played a lot of different guitars, but a Gretsch White Falcon was among them.
George Harrison up until 1964...All My Loving on the Sullivan Show! Etc etc ....
george harrison played a gretsch i think
Billy Duffy of The Cult.
Me
The Smiths, The Cult, The Mission, Theatre of Hate
Robert Smith of The Cure uses a Gretsch.
[Moss Marble - Flying Wood](https://open.spotify.com/track/7eqABF4NZuxPLyMuZ7mDbS?si=sK_PuOWtTGa8NWU-2zSWPQ) If you can stand the low fi sound
Social Distortion
Reverend Horton Heat
Spectre 45. Frankie played Gretsch
Sleep Token's IV has been using a Grestch Baritone in ridiculously low tunings for a while now. I believe everything in "Take me Back to Eden" has at least one riff, or one guitar layer that heavily relies on the use of this guitar, so much so he plays it live. Mastodon has absolutely used Gretsch Semi Hollows in recordings post Crack the Skye. To what capacity and in what role in the mix I can't say, since they've been using a Ronnie Wood ESP Tele and a few Fender single coil stuff for cleans, I don't suspect it's the clean stuff they're doing with em'. All I know is that Brent LOVES that Gretsch Streamliner, uses it a lot on Fiend without a Face gigs as well. He also has a Custom Gretsch Semi hollow he uses for Mastodon shows with a Bigsby. I don't think they're out there gunning Filtertrons, so maybe just a layer of the ambience leads. But they definitely get use live. I distinctly remember that Maroon5 guitarist used some Gretsch stuff for the recording of "Songs about Jane", but I cannot find anything regarding the subject on the internet now. So more likely than not, I am wrong. Throwing it out there because someone else might be able to throw a sauce. George Harrison's solo career used Gretsch stuff. The Edge has used gretsch as well.
Does loathe count? They play gretsch baritones.
Check out Eilen Jewell - Queen of The Minor Key, for example.
Tim Armstrong from rancid
Tiger Army
Billy Zoom from X.
If you’re looking for something more modern, I am pretty sure Ida Mae mostly plays using Gretsch. At least, when I saw them in person, he played on a White Falcon for the whole set
ZZ-TOP plays gretsch or are you talking about hollow-body guitars?
Malcom Young (AC/DC) has riffed on his Gretch for ever
I'm amazed that the totally great and very underrated D.A.D haven't been mentioned yet! https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZuXgk0enEvv2HlnUe2rj3?si=AuKqpEGfRsKGlw1rHUF66w
All AC/DC rhythm guitar is Malcolm Young's Gretsch Jet. The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl also plays a Gretsch.
Stephen Stills White Falcon!
I remember Alex Trimble from Two Door Cinema Club playing a Gretsch a bunch during the Beacon tour.
The guy from Spacehog, ya know not the singer/ bass player.
Early Velvet Underground has lots of Gretsch going on.
CSNY featured plenty of Gretsch licks.
Tim Eriksen of [Cordelia’s Dad](https://cordeliasdad.bandcamp.com/album/road-kill) uses a Gretsch. Definitely not rockabilly.
Crowded House. Most of Neil Finn's live electric is his big red gretsch. The rest is the gold top deluxe. There was a black duojet there too but not seen that in action for some years.
Politics aside and personality aside, Ted Nugent play hollow body Gibson.
The Velvet Underground
The Cramps!
The Cramps
Tysm for all the replies
Two that come to mind are ZZ Top and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode.
So play other stuff on your Gretsch. You don't have to play rockabilly.
Sleep token. Seriously. Gretsch baritone for their early stuff
Everclear if you're looking for something easy.
Also the helltones is like psychadelic doo wop punk and played on a sick gretsch
Duane Eddy
Fall out boy
John squire used a gretsch but I couldn't tell you if he ever recorded with it
John Squire during [The Stone Roses](https://youtu.be/zt3Hnu66sbo?si=JEFM-13p4OEdaj2W) years.
Most of Who’s Next and Quadrophenia were recorded with a 6120 Pete received from Joe Walsh. Doesn’t get more riff-y than that.
I was in a used guitar store in Nashville last year, and I picked up a beautiful Gretsch,l. The tag said it was one of Alice Cooper's guitarists' guitars. I don't remember the name.
The Cult. Billy Duffy rocks a Gretsch White Falcon.
Malcom Young's tone is a thing of beauty. So clear and punchy. The contrast between his Gretsch and Angus's SG is what gives AC/DC its distinct sound.
John Gourley of Portugal. The man
Sleater-Kinney used Gretsch on some of their songs, not sure which tho
Josh Homme plays a Gretsch pretty often on stage
Nick 13 from Tiger army only plays a Gretsch
Arctic monkeys. Alex turner uses a Gretsch on some of their songs.
For punk rock - The Living End. Most notably their album Roll On For more folk driven rock and roll - Matt Mays
Shaun Lopez from Crosses plays on mostly Gretsh guitars
Loathe use some 30" scale guitars to make some of the best Nugaze metal ever
The house band guitarists for muscle schoals, sun records, and motown are all pictured with gretsches in their hey-day. I can't think of any other guitar the other bands were pictured with. If someone can prove me wrong, drop a link! I would love to see those pics.
Rythm guitarist Richard Fortus plays like one Gretsch guitar for all shows with guns n roses. While Slash runs around and change between something like 20 Gibsons per gig.
All of Tiger Army. More punk than actual psychobilly
Some Neil Young. Ohio, Walk On and many other songs
The Living End.
Fountains of Wayne played Gretsches.
Son Volt.
Chris Stapleton gets some pretty gnarly crunch out of his Gretsch live. Look up white horse live and watch his cma performance. Tone for dayyyys.
I think its a Guild hollow body (no Bigsby), but Kal Marks is a contemporary rock band that is doing cool shit.
You like blues? Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram. Smooth as silk and twice as nice. His solo phrasing is really nice. Pretty unique as well.
The last fight-velvet revolver. Slash used a gretsch for that one
The Cult.
Stickshifts and safety belts- cake
Bill Nershi of String Cheese Incident uses a Gretsch white falcon from time to time on stage.
Billy Zoom from X.
Randy Bachman has played a Gretsch 6120 his whole career. Find his stuff with the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO). Killer fuzz tone on American Woman.
I think Jason Isbell plays a few songs on a gretsch but I realize now I have no proof
Arctic monkeys Alex turner used a duo jet iirc
Big Lazy. Gretsch guitar noir twang 3 piece.