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.”

Experience the Fortus Falcons

G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block with Bigsby®


  • 1.75”-deep, 17”-wide maple body with chambered spruce center block and bound f-holes
  • 25.5”-scale set “U”-shaped maple neck
  • 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays
  • Custom Wound Filter’Tron™ bridge and neck pickups
  • Master volume control with treble bleed circuit, master tone control with no-load tone pot and three-position pickup toggle switch
  • String-thru Bigsby® B6CP
  • TonePros® Tune-o-matic bridge with roller saddles and pinned ebony base
  • Graph Tech® TUSQ® XL nut
  • Grover® Rotomatic™ die-cast tuning machines and strap locks
  • Available in Vintage White with nickel hardware and tortoise headstock logo, binding, bezels and pickguard
  • G6242L Gretsch® 17" deluxe hollow body hardshell case included

View the G6636T-RF Falcon


String-thru Bigsby® B6CP

Custom Wound Filter'Tron™ Pickups

25.5" (648 mm) Scale Length

G6636-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block with V-Stoptail


  • 1.75”-deep, 17”-wide maple body with chambered spruce center block and bound f-holes
  • 24.6”-scale set “U”-shaped maple neck
  • 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays
  • Custom Wound Filter’Tron™ bridge and neck pickups
  • Master volume control with treble bleed circuit, master tone control with no-load tone pot and three-position pickup toggle switch
  • V-Stoptail
  • TonePros® Tune-o-matic bridge with standard saddles and anchored ebony base
  • Graph Tech® TUSQ® XL nut
  • Grover® Rotomatic™ die-cast tuning machines and strap locks
  • Available in Black with nickel hardware, pearloid headstock logo and tortoise pickguard, pickup bezels and binding
  • G6242L Gretsch® 17" deluxe hollow body hardshell case included

View the G6636-RF Falcon


V-Stoptail

Custom Wound Filter'Tron™ Pickups

24.6" (625 mm) scale length
“Gretsch, in many ways, is the tone of rock and roll to me. That’s what I’ve always gravitated towards.

"It really sits around Slash’s tone, which is more of a vocal, driven sound. It really fills it out. When I tried my Gretsch [guitars] with him, that’s when it really came together.

"When you’re playing chords, the definition between notes is really great, and it sounds huge. A lot of low end, top end, a lot of sparkle and shine. It really stands out and is aggressive.”

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