Vintage Gretsch advertisements; 25 adverts covering a period of 24 years, from 1955 to 1979. Click the images to have a closer look.
"Try this Fast Easy-Playing Guitar" Says Chet Atkins
Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody / Nashville 6120 - 1955
Chet Atkins says "Try the Guitar I Used in Recording these Best-Selling RCA Victor Albums"
Gretsch Chet Atkins Solid Body 6121 - 1957
Theres only one thing as comfortable as the back of this guitar
Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody / Nashville 6120 - 1963
Guitarists go for the new Gretsch extras... See them in the new Gretsch guitar catalog
Gretsch Guitars - 1963
Chet Atkins Says: Look at it My Way and You'll Play a Gretch Too!
Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman 6122 - 1964
"Gretsch", Says Chet, "Is Where The Authentic Sound Is."
Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman 6122 - 1966
Guitar makers have advertised in music magazines such as Down Beat, Guitar Player and very many more. Some manufacturers advertised widely (Guild, Gibson, Fender) but many more didn't and adverts are few and far between. Here are some of my favourite ads out of the ones i've seen. You can browse through all the images from the category links above, or by manufacturer from the links below.
AMPS
Ampeg, Leslie,
Marshall, Orange, Peavey, Sunn
GUITARS
Epiphone,
Fender,
G&L,
Gibson,
Gretsch,
Guild,
Hagstrom,
Harmony,
Martin, Music Man, Rickenbacker,
Vox
$7500
$5250
$2795
$2400
$2000
$4997
$4200
$1025
$2900
$696
$2000
$7559
$2159
$3000
$2750
$6099
$15000
$2995
$3700