“There was this thing I was trying to create that didn't exist”: Gretsch and super-producer Jack Antonoff combine the Fender Jazzmaster with an oddball vintage Gretsch to create the Grammy-winner’s “dream” signature guitar
He's produced for the likes of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, and fronts the influential indie rock outfit Bleachers. Now, Antonoff has been honored with his first signature guitar
Jack Antonoff Presents His Signature Gretsch Princess Antonoff Electromatic CVT | Signature Sessions - YouTube
Gretsch has partnered with Jack Antonoff for the Princess Antonoff Electromatic CVT – a new signature guitar that revives an oddball Gretsch and combines it with the Fender Jazzmaster.
Over the past 12 months, Gretsch has been steadily recruiting some of the brightest talents in indie and pop music, tapping the likes of Orville Peck, Portugal. The Man, and boygenius for a run of signature electric guitars.
Now, the firm has announced its latest collaborator: Jack Antonoff, the hugely influential Grammy-winning, multi-instrumentalist who fronts indie rock outfit Bleachers, and has produced records for some of the biggest names in contemporary music.
Indeed, Antonoff’s production resume includes credits with Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, The 1975, Lorde, Lana Del Ray, Florence and the Machine, St. Vincent and more.
For his first-ever signature, Antonoff has elected to combine two distinct designs: the body and ergonomics of his go-to Gretsch Princess, and the hardware, color scheme and switchability of his favorite Fender Jazzmaster.
(Image credit: Gretsch)
Antonoff has long favored a Gretsch Princess for Bleachers gigs. A variation of the Corvette, the model was first unveiled in the early 1960s, and arrived in a slightly tweaked package that (as the Gretsch catalog stated at the time) hoped to appeal specifically to non-male players.
While its contemporary appeal didn’t hold much sway, the Princess has since become something of a cult classic, and has been spotted in the arms of players such as beabadoobee and Antonoff.
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But instead of just straight-out reissuing the Princess, Antonoff has taken the opportunity to combine it with his other favorite guitar, the Jazzmaster.
“This custom model pays tribute to Jack’s versatility as a renowned songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist,” Gretsch writes. “Inspired by his beloved Gretsch Princess and Fender Jazzmaster, this guitar beautifully combines classic charm with modern versatility.”
Core specs include a solid alder body, bolt-on C-shape maple neck – with a contoured neck joint – and a vintage-style 7.25” radius rosewood fingerboard, which features 22 frets and Neo-Classical Thumbnail inlays.
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(Image credit: Gretsch)
(Image credit: Gretsch)
(Image credit: Gretsch)
The Princess’ tonal capacity has been bolstered by two custom-wound FideliSonic single-coils, which are wired to a Jazzmaster-style switchboard that comprises a rhythm/lead switch and thumbwheel controls, as well as a momentary kill switch and three-position pickup selector.
More Jazzmaster flair is present in the floating bridge, floating tremolo tailpiece, and the gold-on-white colorway, which is an absolutely dead-ringer for the insanely popular Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster model – and a throwback to Antonoff's own 1967 model.
“The two guitars that have made me feel the most creative, the most inspired, went to the factory to create this guitar,” Anotnoff says in a launch video.
“With the Jazzmaster, it’s such a high-concept machine. There’s so many delicate things to play with. The joy of it is also the complication of it,” he continues. “What I love about the Princess is how tactile it is. It’s one of those guitars where you can feel every piece of it as you play. It’s an amazing guitar, but it still has that rough and readiness.
“There was this thing I was trying to create that didn't exist. There was one guitar I had in my head, and it was a literal blend of two guitars. As soon as we made the prototype I thought, ‘Other people need to play this guitar.’”
The Gretsch “Princess Antonoff” is available now for $699.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
