Gretsch unveils the latest model in their artist signature series, the Limited Edition John Gourley Electromatic Broadkaster, a signature guitar model paying homage to John Gourley, the lead vocalist and guitarist for the experimental, indie rock and Grammy-winning band, Portugal. The Man. Gourley joins a roster of iconic Gretsch signature artists including legends like AC/DC’s Malcom Young, George Harrison, Billy Duffy, and more recently, indie group boygenius. The Alaska native and Gretsch have a shared commitment to inspiring musicians of all levels and styles and hope this launch will inspire new creative forces within the music industry.

As the founding member, lead singer and songwriter of Portugal. The Man, Gourley has captivated his audiences with his distinctive vocal and innovative musical style. With a dynamic and eclectic approach to his craft, Gourley continues to leave an indelible mark on music through his genre-agnostic contributions and his commitment to driving meaningful transformation through activism.

Gourley has been influenced by his affinity for hip-hop and his exploration of difference music genres that have shaped his unique style and approach. His positive outlook goes beyond music, first by helping create the PTM Foundation — which focuses on building community resilience, empathy and awareness through music, stories, art, education and conductivity — and through the Frances Changed My Life initiative, which honors his daughter Frances and aims to provide support for other families dealing with rare disease diagnosis. Now, boasting a signature guitar bearing his name, Gourley aspires for his Broadkaster to become a go-to choice for musicians of all levels, providing an accessible entry point for players seeking to attain their desired sound.

“The first time I heard a Gretsch was when I walked into a guitar shop in Memphis and I know instantly that that was the sound I’ve been looking for this whole time. It was such a cool experience when I finally got to design my own,” explains John Gourley. “I knew I’d want to go with the Broadkaster shape and I specifically opted for Broadkaster pickups, though the standout feature for me is Bigsby. Choosing a thinner body was intentional; it grants me greater mobility on stage, providing a heightened level of control over the sound. As for the artwork, I’ve been following Cleon’s work in some form since I was a kid. He has so much influence on my personal style. His art represents humans. I love his honesty, his views and interpretation of the world.”

The Limited Edition John Gourley Electromatic Broadkaster was built for musicians from every genre in mind. The guitar boasts a double-cutaway maple body featuring a chambered spruce center block for enhanced resonance and tonal richness. It’s thin “U”-shaped maple neck features a 12”-radius laurel fingerboard, hosts 22 medium jumbo frets and pearled “cloud” inlays for a touch of style.

Equipped with USA Full’Tron hum bucking pickups, the guitar delivers a powerful and versatile sonic range. The control layout includes a master volume with treble bleed circuit, master tone, individual pickup volume control and a three-position pickup selector switch, offering precise tonal shaping. The Anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge ensures stable tuning while the Bigsby B70 vibrato tailpiece adds expressive pitch modulation. Additional features include a Graph Tech NuBone nut, silver sparkle binding, locking tuners, strap locks and nickel hardware.

Gretsch announced an update to their flagship electrics series with the launch of all-new Players Edition Hollow Body guitars. Available in different styles across five distinct models – FalconTM, Country Gentleman, NashvilleTM, Tennessee RoseTM, and AnniversaryTM – the state-of-the-art guitars in the collection feature the authentic Gretsch sound and style while incorporating cutting-edge features that are designed to instill complete confidence in the instrument.

The Players Edition Hollow Body line was crafted for both gigging players and studio recordists and contains modern features that still hold true to its vintage roots. Each model pays homage to its vintage predecessor by preserving the sound and style of classic Gretsch while adding performance-centric features for the player craving a recognizable big-body sound.

On stage, they can be played for an entire set across a variety of genres – from worship and neo-soul to rock and roll, country and hard rock. In fact, many major recording artists have historically utilized variants of these electric guitars during their own sets.

The Falcon model guitars can be heard in the dark sultry sounds of Orville Peck as well as the pop rock melodies of Tori Kelly while the Country Gentleman’s electric range can accommodate the fashion-art rock style of Palaye Royale’s guitarist Sebastian Danzig. The Tennessee Rose’s ability to integrate into any musical mold, from country to alt rock, has been leveraged by singer songwriter Brandi Carline and the Anniversary model has grace rock and roll stages by the likes of We the Kings and War on Drugs.

“These new Players Edition Hollow Bodies represent the pinnacle of Gretsch performance and give players full control over a powerful sound that lasts every song, every night,” said Jason Barnes, VP Category Management-Gretsch. “With incredible features like our all-new FT67 Filter’Trons, these guitars drive a robust and vibrant voice with control sets that allow tone shaping possibilities and maximum versatility. These models are dedicated to Gretsch pros and enthusiasts seeking the best of the best.”

These guitars feature classic Gretsch tone and cutting-edge features for maximum power, comfort, and versatility. At the intersection of innovation and tribute, these Players Edition features include best in class mechanics such as ML or Parallel bracing options for classic hollow body tones, all-new FT-67 Filter’Tron pickups for a powerful body and open chime, rolled fingerboard edges, Luminlay side markers, String-thru Bigsby vibrato for uncompromising stability and much more.

Images of the various Players Edition guitars can be found on the Gretsch website.