Gretsch Logo era question

**ladanny** · March 22nd, 2004, 05:35 PM

Does anybody know the various Gretsch logos and era? Specifically, when did Gretsch use the all capital letters on the stop sign badge, and when did they change to the lower case currently being used?

Thanks!

**ladanny** · March 22nd, 2004, 05:47 PM

Here are examples:

GretschLogos

When did the have the large "G" on the stop sign badge vs. the all cap version?

Thanks!
Danny

**Randy walker** · March 22nd, 2004, 05:59 PM

the rectangular badge is Baldwin era Gretsch, whcih they used in 1983, befor ethat badge was the stop sign badge which was used from the 60's to the mid 80's.
The round badge was from 1920 to 1969.

**no_bells** · March 22nd, 2004, 06:11 PM

Supposedly, the large G logo was used on "stop-sign" or "octagon" badges in early '81 and was discontinued later in '81. The "square" badge on the right was used starting 1980 and then came back after the large G logo badge in late '81. I say supposedly because I've seen kits and ads that had both badges at the same time. Also, there seems to be alot of kits floating around on the market with the large G badge, more than you would think there would be for such a short production time.

**no_bells** · March 22nd, 2004, 06:27 PM

I forgot to mention that there are 3 kinds of Baldwin era sop-sign badges. The first ones had the "all-caps" font on them with "That Great Gretsch Sound" written on the bottom half of the badge. Then there is one that has the all-caps with "Drum Makers Since 1883" written on the bottom. Then you had the "large G" font/logo.

**ladanny** · March 23rd, 2004, 07:58 PM

OK, here are pictures of the different logos on my kit. Out of the 7 drums, 5 are the same, and two are different.

LogosKit

Could someone identify the era of the three types of logos?

Thanks!

Danny

**Randy walker** · March 23rd, 2004, 10:14 PM

Somewhere between 1970 and 1982. By 83 the badge had changed to square, between 81-82 up to 84 is when Charlie Roy had short control of the company, it then went back to Baldwin and was the sold to Fred Gretsch 3.
What is known is that between 79 to 81 there were 3 different badges on drums being produced and is pictured in the catalog of 81, the 2 badges you show on your kit are the very same ones. The bottom badge I would say is somewhere in the 79-81 era.
In your 2 top pictures those logos were first used in 71.
Sorry to be so vague, but even books on Gretsch are not as detailed as one would like.

You won't be happy with them Danny since not all the badges match so you should just sell them to me. [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 23, 2004 07:56 PM: Message edited by: Randy Walker ]</font>

**ladanny** · March 24th, 2004, 02:38 AM

Sure Randy. Come on over and just take them off my hands. They're taking up way too much space in my studio. Crappy old drums! Stupid logos don't even match. They must not be timbre matched at all! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Danny