STEPHEN STERN
Master Builder Stephen Stern has led the Gretsch Custom Shop since 2005. Stern arrived at the world-famous Fender Custom Shop in 1993, where he became a Master Builder in 1994 and studied under the great arch-top luthiers Jimmy D’Aquisto and Bob Benedetto. His exquisite arch-top construction skills eventually led him to the Gretsch Custom Shop.
One of Stern’s top projects early on was the exquisite 2007 Brian Setzer Tribute Nashville™ model. Other high-profile projects included the Billy Zoom Tribute Custom Shop Silver Jet™ and Chet Atkins 125th Anniversary Hollow Body (2008), and the Eddie Cochran Tribute Hollow Body (2010).
One of his proudest achievements was the 2011 release of the George Harrison Tribute Custom Shop Duo Jet. He also crafted the prototype for the Duane Eddy Signature Hollow Body and built instruments for other noted guitarists including Steve Miller, Steve Hunter and Brian Ray.
GONZALO MADRIGAL
Gonzalo Madrigal started out at Fender in 1996 by binding and sanding guitar bodies on the production line. A superior craftsman, he gradually made his way to the Fender Custom Shop in 2004, where he worked on Benedetto guitar bodies, binding and neck fitting. He too worked on various high-profile "tribute" projects, including the Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton "Blackie" Stratocaster, Stevie Ray Vaughan "Number One" and "Lenny" Stratocasters and Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster, and the EVH "Frankenstein" replica guitar.
Madrigal’s exemplary work also brought him to the attention of Stern and projects at the Gretsch Custom Shop, where he contributed to the Brian Setzer and Eddie Cochran 6120 models, the Billy Zoom Silver Jet, the G6128T-GH George Harrison "Tribute" Duo Jet and the G6131MY-CS Custom Shop Malcolm Young “Salute” Jet™.
After 12 years under Stern's tutelage, Madrigal was promoted in early 2018 to a Master Builder.
In his spare time, Madrigal enjoys playing soccer and basketball, and going to the movies with his family.
CHAD HENRICHSEN
Chad Henrichsen joined the Gretsch Custom Shop in 2008, after spending four years with Fender as a guitar tech and, later, group lead of quality control/inspection.
Henrichsen brings that developed eye for subtle nuances and perfection to the Gretsch Custom Shop, where he specializes in crafting custom necks.
A tinkerer at heart, Henrichsen enjoys woodworking, modifying amps, fixing cars and building computers. Proficient on the guitar, bass, piano and drums, he says he takes the most pride in being challenged by requests from artists like Zac Brown (Custom Falcon and Custom Penguin), or Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson (Custom 12-string bass) or Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Billy-Bo).
“I enjoy taking things apart just to see how they work and thinking of the different ways it could be made. So naturally, I enjoy a build request that is outside the norm which makes me figure out how to make it work.”