Gretsch — In Our 140th Year | Gretsch The Gretsch Company was founded in 1883 when a German immigrant named Friedrich Gretsch opened a small musical instrument shop in Brooklyn, New York. When Friedrich died suddenly in 1895, his fifteen- The Gretsch Company was founded in 1883 when a German immigrant named Friedrich Gretsch opened a small musical instrument shop in Brooklyn, New York. When Friedrich died suddenly in 1895, his fifteen-year-old son, Fred Gretsch Sr., took over the company. Initially he was aided by his mother, Rosa, who was by all accounts a remarkable woman.