Museum Buys World’s Largest Gretsch Collection

The world’s largest and finest collection of Gretsch electric guitars, has been purchased by the Gretsch company for its museum in Savannah, Georgia.  The collection was previously owned by Randy Bachman, amassed during his 30 years of touring, scouring music stores, pawn shops and garage sales around the globe.

The collection of around 375 instruments, including Gretsch amplifiers, banjos, drobos, ukuleles and an organ, is worth several million dollars.  It is said that “some of the instruments, from the 1920s and ’30s, are unplayable in their present state. They were made in the age of horse-glue, which deteriorates over time. And some early models lack metal rods Gretsch later used to reinforce the necks of its instruments.”

Randy Backman isn’t giving up everything though – he is keeping a 1950’s orange Chet Atkins model, personally autographed and given to him by the man himself.