Listen.
It's that Great Gretsch Sound, developed by four generations, now more than 120 years in the making.

Since 1883, the Gretsch Company has been producing some of the world's greatest drums and guitars. With its emphasis on hand-craftsmanship and commitment to quality, Gretsch has won endorsements from some of the music industry's most respected artists.

Gretsch introduced the multi-ply drum shell in 1927, which was quite an innovation at the time. This technique has become the standard not only for Gretsch drums but also for drum making around the world. Gretsch drums continue to be hand-made in South Carolina utilizing time-honored procedures, tooling, molds, and processes to exacting quality specifications.

Over the years, many dedicated employees and some of the world foremost musicians have helped Gretsch to pioneer new designs and manufacturing techniques. When Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, the demand for Gretsch guitars soared. Today, Gretsch continues to produce several guitar lines featuring beautifully crafted hollow-body electrics, solid-body electrics, acoustics, acoustic/electrics, and Broadkaster basses. Gretsch manufactures artist signature models as well as reissues of some of its classics from the '50s and '60s. Left-handed versions of many popular guitars as well as double-neck models are also available.

Gretsch eBay VeRO Group
The Gretsch Company provides this page to assist eBay users in identifying auctions of unauthorized and illegal merchandise. If you find an auction item that you suspect is unauthorized, please contact The Gretsch Company at vero@gretsch.com.

The Gretsch Company Products are sold through a network of independent retailers. All new Gretsch Products must be sold by authorized Gretsch dealerships to retail purchasers at each dealer's authorized place of business after the dealer has fulfilled its pre-delivery service obligations. It is false and misleading for an auction seller to claim to have "new" Gretsch Products for sale because the nature of such advertising implies that the seller is an authorized Gretsch dealer or sales outlet. Furthermore, the seller cannot product register for warranty purposes any units as "new" that have been acquired and subsequently resold. The warranty for any Gretsch Product is available only for the period specified in our standard printed warranty. That period starts on the date of consumer purchase directly from an authorized retailer in a transaction that, itself, is authorized by The Gretsch Company's Authorized Dealer Sales and Service Agreement. Thus, it is false and misleading to claim that a "full" factory warranty will apply to Gretsch Products purchased through eBay. The foregoing types of claims use The Gretsch Company's trademarks in a manner calculated to deceive consumers, and are strictly prohibited.

In addition, The Gretsch Company is the owner of the copyrights in all pictures, text and graphics on the websites operated by The Gretsch Company and in the catalogs and other consumer and dealer promotional and technical materials published from time to time by The Gretsch Company. These pictures, text and graphics are not available for use without the express written permission of The Gretsch Company. The Gretsch Company is aware that unauthorized sellers often attempt to sell these copyrighted materials or promote the sale of Gretsch Products by unlawfully copying some or all of these protected materials. Such copying is strictly prohibited by federal law. In addition, the models and other individuals appearing in such photographic images are protected against the unauthorized use of their likenesses by virtue of their rights of publicity and privacy. The Gretsch Company does not permit or authorize the use of any of its or their intellectual property on eBay.

The Gretsch Company cooperates fully with law enforcement officials to stop any counterfeiting of its name and products. The Gretsch Company takes full advantage of all criminal and civil legal remedies it may have to enforce its trademark rights.

Q: Why was my auction suspended?

A: We asked eBay to suspend your auction because The Gretsch Company believes that the merchandise that you were offering for sale is counterfeit or otherwise infringes The Gretsch Company's trademarks.

Q: Why does The Gretsch Company care if I sell a single piece of unauthorized GRETSCH merchandise?

A: The Gretsch Company has a legal responsibility to enforce its trademark rights, copyrights and property rights against unauthorized distribution. The Gretsch Company representatives regularly monitor the Internet, including auction sites, in order to address the infringement of its rights. As part of this effort, The Gretsch Company representatives will notify eBay of auctions of unauthorized materials, and eBay will take actions in accordance with its user policies.

Q: Why didn't The Gretsch Company contact me directly before reporting my auction to eBay?

A: For reasons of speed and efficiency, it is impractical to contact each seller individually.

Q: Why can't I use the word "GRETSCH" in my auction heading even though I am not selling a GRETSCH item?

A: Many eBay sellers use the trademarked term "GRETSCH" in their auction title or description simply to get attention from consumers looking for authentic GRETSCH goods. This is a form of trademark infringement recognized by the courts as "initial interest confusion." Even though consumers may ultimately realize that an auction or website has no connection to The Gretsch Company, such conduct is illegal trademark infringement, and is an attempt to capitalize on The Gretsch Company's name and reputation.

Q: Why can't I describe my item as "GRETSCH -STYLE", "GRETSCH-LIKE" or a similar phrase?

A: A person who sees the GRETSCH name is likely to believe that the goods are in some manner connected with or endorsed by The Gretsch Company. Such confusion as to association or sponsorship is a form of trademark infringement and violates federal and state laws.

Q: Why was my listing cancelled when I didn't use the word "GRETSCH".

A: Some of the other brands owned by The Gretsch Company and protected by Federal copyright and trademark laws include BIGSBY, LEEDY, SHO-BUD, ODE, BACON, BACON & DAY. To be sure that your auction listing is not subject to removal from eBay due to copyright or trademark issues, do not use Gretsch brand names in your listings unless the merchandise you are offering is an authentic Gretsch brand product & the brand appears on the product in it's original form.

Q: Why did eBay allow me to post my auction?

A: eBay maintains that it cannot conduct a comprehensive pre-screening of their auctions. The fact that eBay permitted your item(s) to be listed for sale does not mean that their sale is legal or that they do not infringe The Gretsch Company's trademarks.

Q: What about my eBay Listing fee?

A: If you are a non-repeat offender, eBay will refund your Listing fee.

Q: Can I use the Gretsch Company logo or properties owned by The Gretsch Company to make my auction listing more interesting?

A: No. Use of these logos on your auction wrongfully implies that your auction is authorized, sponsored or approved by The Gretsch Company, and dilutes the value of these logos, in violation of state and federal trademark laws.

Q: Can I use the Gretsch Company logo or properties owned by The Gretsch Company to create homemade products, such as clocks, posters, stickers, decals, etc.?

A: No. No one is authorized to manufacture, sell and/or offer for sale any products/services, which contain any properties owned by The Gretsch Company without the express written permission of The Gretsch Company. Therefore, the sale and/or offer for sale of any such homemade products is not authorized on eBay or elsewhere.

Q: Can I make copies of The Gretsch Company literature, catalogs or advertisements.

A: No. It is unlawful to copy these protected materials. Such copying is strictly prohibited by federal law. In addition, the models and other individuals appearing in such photographic images are protected against the unauthorized use of their likenesses by virtue of their rights of publicity and privacy.

Q: I don't know which products, tradenames or other properties are owned by The Gretsch Company; how can I find out this information?

A: One good reference is the GRETSCH.COM website.

Q: What if I didn't realize I was violating the law or infringing The Gretsch Company's Rights?

A: Innocent intent is not a defense under Federal copyright law. You have a responsibility to ensure that your actions do not violate someone else's copyrights. Before auctioning any property, you need to take affirmative steps to ensure that the item you are selling is authorized for resale by the copyright or trademark owner.

Further information regarding eBay's intellectual property guidelines, and federal laws covering the use of trademarks, pictures, text, graphics and other intellectual property, may be found on eBay at: http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-copyrights.html

The Gretsch Company's e-mail address is vero@gretsch.com If your email requests information that is already contained in this AboutMe page, you will not receive a response. Due to the volume of email received, it may take us a couple of weeks to respond to your message if it addresses an issue not discussed above.