The Rancher is Gretsch’s best-known and most recognizable acoustic. With its sunset orange finish, broad-shouldered body, triangular soundhole, unusual bridge and G-brand, it practically screams “Gretsch,” so much so that the original 6022 Rancher (and it’s Town and Country twin) have provided the basis of most Gretsch flattops ever since.
Among collectors, the G-branded models from the ‘50s are most popular, of course.
The Gretsch-GEAR database includes 38 different models
and 94 examples
in the Ranchers family, including
Rancher, Rancher Acoustic/Electric, Rancher Cutaway, Rancher Double Neck, Rancher Dreadnought, Rancher Falcon 12 String, Rancher Folk, Rancher Jr., Rancher Jumbo, Rancher Jumbo Cutaway Electric, Rancher Orchestra, Rancher Penguin, Sweet Sixteen, Town & Country, White Falcon Cutaway
and
White Falcon Rancher
models.
The slope-shouldered 3500 Rancher Folk aimed to deliver full Rancher in a smaller, less expensive package. Features include the traditional Rancher triangular sound hole, laminated mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck with 20-fret rosewood fingerboard and a gloss natural finish.
The 3800 Rancher Orchestra was introduced at Winter NAMM 2012, offering a classic-style, medium-size flattop at a reasonable price. The non-cutaway body used laminated mahogany for the back and sides, and laminated spruce for the top.
The G5013CE Rancher Jr. offered a versatile, smaller alternative to the classic Rancher formula. The smaller body, on-board electronics and Venetian-cutaway body all combined to make it easy-to-play, anywhere, any time. The body used laminated spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides, with a gloss natural finish. Onboard Fishman ...
This parlor-sized acoustic/electric got the full White Falcon treatment in a smaller package -- or the full Penguin treatment in an acoustic package, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it featured a Fishman pickup/preamp system to coax more sound out of the dainty body, a solid spruce ...
The Korean-made Gretsch Rancher Flat Top Jumbo Cutaway featured an orange finish with a solid spruce top, laminated mahogany sides & back, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard & bridge, and Fishman Prefix pickup. It was available from approximately 2004-2010.
Introduced at Winter NAMM 2012, the 5022 brought back the classic Rancher vibe (albeit noticeably devoid of western trappings) in a newly engineered and sonically improved package. And the best part: a bargain $700 list price. Features included scalloped x bracing, 1940s-style pickguard with Gretsch logo, compensated bridge with rosewood ...
Introduced in 2014, the 5022CWFE looked pretty much just like the old 6022 White Falcon Rancher from the '90s, but was an all-new guitar based the already popular 5022 Rancher. Like the other 5022 Ranchers, it featured a solid spruce top, laminated maple back and sides with an arched back, ...
This model is the 12-string version of the 5022-CWFE. Introduced in 2014, the 5022CWFE looked pretty much just like the old 6022 White Falcon Rancher from the '90s, but was an all-new guitar based the already popular 5022 Rancher. Like the other 5022 Ranchers, it featured a solid spruce top, ...
Introduced in 2014, this model features a bound solid spruce top with scalloped “X” bracing and the classic Rancher triangular sound hole (with binding), mahogany sides and bound arched back, mahogany neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with Neo-Classic™ “thumbnail” inlays, compensated bridge with rosewood base, deluxe tuners, and gold-plated hardware. Pickup ...
The 5031FT proved to be one of the most provocative and controversial models ever. To some, it was an horrible Frankenstein creation -- the sort of thing that doesn't appear in mirrors and should never be mentioned in polite company. To others, it actually worked pretty well, despite all logic ...
Introduced at Winter NAMM 2012, 5034 Rancher Dreadnaught bridged the gap between the classic Rancher and more traditional flat tops. Features include a solid spruce top, scalloped X bracing, laminated mahogany back and sides and a natural finish.
Depending on who you ask, opinions on the 5034-TFT land anywhere from "that's interesting" to "What were they possibly thinking?" Opinions aside, it's definitely one of the more unusual guitars you're likely to run into, mating a Rancher flattop hollow body to a FilterTron and Bigsby. So how does it ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The AN was the finished in Anniversary-style two-tone Smoke Green. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The BK was the black version. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher triangular soundhole, multiple layers ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The AN was the finished in Anniversary-style two-tone Smoke Green. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The N was the natural-finished version. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher triangular soundhole, multiple layers ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The P was the finished in regal purple. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher triangular soundhole, ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The RB was the finished in Regal Blue. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher triangular soundhole, ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The T was the finished in Hot Rod-style Tangerine, making it one of the odd cases in which a Gretsch model number does not use T ...
A smaller, 16-inch-bodied take on the Rancher formula from the pre-Fender years, the Sweet Sixteen was offered in 2002 and 2003 in several colors. The TS was the Tobacco Shaded (sunburst) version. All Sweet Sixteen models featured a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, the traditional Rancher triangular soundhole, ...
The sunburst-finished 6021 Town & Country was a more subdued twin of the 6022 Rancher. Both were originally introduced for the 1954 model year, and both derived from the earlier 125F flattop. The Town and Country was dropped in '57.
The 6022 Rancher is easily Gretsch’s best-known and most recognizable acoustic. With its sunset orange finish, broad-shouldered body, triangular soundhole, unusual bridge and G-brand, it practically screams “Gretsch” and has been a long-running staple of the line-up. Among collectors, the G-branded models from the ‘50s are most popular, of course. ...
For anyone who ever thought, "Man, if I could only have the bling of a Falcon on a Rancher," Gretsch had them covered. The 6022-CWF White Falcon Rancher was exactly what the name implied: Take one cutaway Rancher body, slather it in white and gold, put on a winged headstock ...
