Unique handmade Gretsch Custom Shop guitar arrives in York

It’s not every day that you can say you’ve taken delivery of the finest guitar ever to grace your shop, but today we at Musicroom York have had the privilege of adding a truly unique and special instrument to our range.
From the Gretsch Custom Shop in Corona, California we are proud to present the Gretsch G6120-DSW Relic, handmade by Master Builder Stephen Stern.
The idea of a Gretsch Custom Shop guitar may be a fairly new concept to some players – it certainly doesn’t carry the reputation or widespread exposure of the Fender Custom Shop based in the same Californian facility – however if you’ve ever come to love the quality and prestige of Gretsch guitars, then we can assure you that this Custom Shop beauty takes every feature and specification up several notches.
Our new arrival was hand crafted by Master Builder Stephen Stern, a luthier whose journey reads like a review of guitar history. Trained by a true master in Jimmy D’Aquisto, Stephen honed his skills through time at huge manufacturers such as Charvel and Jackson before a stint in the legendary Fender Custom Shop.

In 2005 Stephen took charge at the newly founded Gretsch Custom Shop with a mission to “produce instruments of breathtaking beauty and sound while preserving and celebrating the great artistic legacy of Gretsch guitars and the legends who have played them”.
The guitar itself is an absolute pleasure to play – we’ve already run out of words to describe how fantastic this instrument is. Whether it’s shimmering glassy clean tones or hard edged dirty blues and rock that you seek, this guitar can do it all and more.
A set of DynaSonic pickups deliver you the sort of sounds usually limited to idealised imaginations. This is the guitar many players grow up dreaming about.
It’s aesthetically breathtaking with a look in tribute to the mid-1950s Gretsch guitars – the classic G brand in the body and western inlays and appointments create a guitar that could easily double up as a piece of art in a museum .
To top it all off, the guitar has been put through a relic process that creates the impression of having many years under its belt and a great deal of loving use.
Here’s what Dean Wilby, Musicroom’s own Gretsch expert, has to say about this instrument:
“This is one of the nicest Gretsch guitars I’ve ever played, and I’ve played a lot. It’s something very special indeed, one of those guitars that you never, ever want to put down. You hear that phrase a lot in guitar stores, but in this case it couldn’t be more true.
“The guitar pulls a level of playing out of you that you never even knew you had. The Gretsch Custom Shop is a very small outfit – the chance to get one of these guitars doesn’t come up very often. Most high end Gretsch guitars are made in Japan so the chance to own a hand crafted American beauty should not be missed.”
This is a truly unique, one of a kind guitar, and only available from Musicroom York. To enquire about the Gretsch Custom Shop relic, or arrange a visit, call us on 01904 658836 or email at sales@banksmusic.co.uk.
Fancy visiting us in person to see the guitar for yourself? Head over to our store information page for address details, opening times and more: Banks Musicroom York.
In the meantime, why not take in and enjoy our gallery of images below: