Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™

With a multitude of projects over the years headlined by a nearly two-decade stint with rock powerhouse Guns N’ Roses, Richard Fortus is one of the most respected guitarists in the world.

Incredibly versatile, Fortus has lent his talents to a variety of acts — from his early alt-rock band The Eyes/Pale Divine to stints with Richard Butler in Love Spit Love and new wave luminaries The Psychedelic Furs to recording with pop superstars Rihanna and Enrique Iglesias.

Throughout his storied career, the St. Louis native has been known to play Gretsch guitars — Falcons in particular — which allowed him the chance to formulate his own opinions on what a signature model might resemble.

“The Falcon has always been iconic. Having a signature Gretsch ... I still can’t believe it,” he said. “It’s such an honor. It’s such a lifelong dream. With Gretsch, it was always this pinnacle of quality. I aspired to someday own a Gretsch, let alone have my name on it.”

True to his dreams, his all-new G6636 & G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block models check all the boxes — versatile sound, utmost comfort and standout Gretsch style.

Both models start with a resonant 1.75”-deep, 17”-wide double-cutaway maple body with a lightweight chambered spruce center block running throughout, reinforcing the arched laminate top while eliminating undesired feedback for volume-friendly performance that fits modern stages. Extensive experimentation also led to a set of custom-wound Filter’Trons pickups.

“Sonically I wanted to retain the chime and low end thump and definition of a vintage Filter’Tron,” said Fortus. “The Filter’Tron to me is the sound of rock and roll to me in a lot of ways. I wanted to retain that with having a center block, which definitely changes the character of the tone of the guitar. But also, I wanted a bit more midrange for soloing and so what we ended up with a was something that’s never been done before. It’s a hybrid between a vintage PAF and a classic Filter’Tron sound. What we’ve come up with, in my opinion, is what really sets this guitar apart from anything else that’s out there.”