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NEWS
PRESS RELEASES
January 21, 2009
GRETSCH USA BRINGS BACK HARLEQUIN FINISH & DEBUTS MODERN BOP 4PC KIT IN HARLEQUIN CURLY SUN AMBER GLOSS FINISH


Gretsch Harlequin (MB-J684-HQG) in Curly Sun Amber Gloss finish.

During the 50’s and early 60’s, Gretsch offered a distinctive diamond-shaped color pattern called Harlequin. The Harlequin finish featured a distinctive red/black, two-toned diamond color pattern and is recognized as an innovative, bold and striking finish from one of Gretsch’s pinnacle eras. For 2009, Gretsch will relive history and bring back the Harlequin finish process with expanded color options in all Nitro Cellulose gloss lacquer and Curly figured maple colors.

In addition, Gretsch will offer a limited-edition drum set featuring the Harlequin design in Curly Sun Amber Gloss finish with triple-plated gold hardware. This drum set (MB-J684-HQG) features a host of added options, including gold BD mount plate and hardware, gold single tom arm, gold T-Rods, gold G9025 mounting brackets, Fiberskyn BD resonant head with offset logo and coated resonant tom heads.

Sizes: 16x18 BD, 8x12 tom, 14x14 FT, 5.5x14 snare

FRED GRETSCH PERSPECTIVE


As direct 4th generation Gretsch family descendant, and with over 40 years of diverse music industry leadership, Fred W. Gretsch has cultivated a singularly unique perspective and vision. Here, Fred shares his rich and varied experiences, including his involvement with current activities as well as personal reflections.

December 15, 2009
Not Fade Away
A few days ago I happened to hear one of The Rolling Stones’ early hits: the Buddy Holly classic “Not Fade Away.” Besides making me appreciate, as always, the great drumming of long-time Gretsch endorser Charlie Watts, that song, and its title, brought to mind a question that drummers have asked me many times over the years: "Why do some drum finishes fade or lose color over time, and what can be done about it?"

At Gretsch, we take great pride in the beautiful lacquer finishes on our drums. We think our unique nitrocellulose covered finishes are pretty nifty, too. So it's just as important to us that those finishes look good for many years as it is to the drummers who own the kits.

The single biggest cause of drum-finish “fade” is light—specifically, ultra-violet rays. That’s right: The same rays that can give you a nasty sunburn can make a drum's finish lose its color over time.

Additional culprits include environmental agents like cigarette smoke and the kitchen fumes common in clubs that serve food. Not only do these agents settle on drums and create a dulling film, they also contain chemicals that can penetrate a finish and bleach out its color. Fortunately, many clubs and other performance venues have become smoke-free in recent years. But a lot of drumkits spent long hours in smoke-filled rooms before this environmental advancement took place.

Once a finish has faded, it's virtually impossible to bring it back to its original condition. So prevention is the best course. Fortunately, it's also very easy. You just need to protect your drums from the fading effect of UV rays and environmental agents.

This can be accomplished by covering your drums with a cloth sheet or dropcloth when they're set up, and casing or bagging them up when they're not. And this doesn't just apply to gigging situations. You’d be surprised how many drums have “fade spots” on one side from being set up or stacked near a window at home!

Take these simple precautions, and your Gretsch drums should retain their beautiful appearance for many years to come.

ARTIST NEWS
February 02, 2010
NAMM 2010


It was a busy show for Gretsch drums! Check out our video section to listen to our various Gretsch artist interviews!

Here are a few of the artists that stopped by to say hello!
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As part of our commitment to improve design and quality of our instruments, Gretsch Drums reserves the right to change pricing and specifications without notice.

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