AC/DC’s Malcolm Young honoured with signature Gretsch guitar

Gretsch will release the signature JET guitar, based on the late rock icon’s fabled guitar The Beast, this November to mark the first anniversary of Malcolm’s passing.

The guitar will set fans back $3,749 (around £2800), which is significantly less than the $10,000 (£7,580) price tag for the Salute Jet guitar that was launched in the summer of 2017.

Unveiling the new model, Gretsch wrote: “Gretsch honours the late Malcolm Young, whose rock-solid rhythm guitar swagger and songwriting provided the unshakeable foundation for monumental rock titans AC/DC.

“The G6131-MY pays homage to Young’s famously battle-hardened Gretsch Jet. Nicknamed “The Beast,” Malcolm certainly made the instrument his own, not least by removing two of the three pickups, stripping away the finish, and pounding out some of the hardest and most memorable rhythms the world has heard.

“This model features the essential hallmarks of one of rock’s most iconic instruments including “DIY” pickup routes with simulated screw holes, chrome switch plugs, Space-Control™ bridge and ‘60s-style tailpiece. Open-cavity thunder roars from the thin-skin satin finished chambered mahogany body and is magnified by a high-output TV Jones® Power’Tron™ pickup.

“Malcolm Young’s fiery rock ‘n’ roll spirit lives on through AC/DC’s enduringly timeless music, and it is Gretsch’s great privilege to pay fitting tribute to him with a finely crafted instrument bearing his name.”

You can head to Gretsch's official website for more information.