Gretsch Custom Shop Stephen Stern built Falcon – “Mayura” – Custom made for Scott Holiday (Rival Sons) studio and tour played

Discover this stunning Gretsch Falcon Custom Built by Stephen Stern, the leading master builder of the Gretsch Custom Shop, crafted specially for Scott Holiday of Rival Sons. Designed with all the wit, inventiveness, and style of the eccentric guitarist, this one-of-a-kind Falcon reveals its mysteries and magic beneath its sparkling sunburst finish.

A superb tribute to Gretsch’s historic models, this guitar incorporates references both to Scott Holiday’s career and to the American brand. Based on the Falcon, it is here embodied by the emblem of another bird: the peacock, a sacred bird in Hindu culture. It is thus nicknamed “Mayura,” the Sanskrit term for the majestic bird, whose marks can be found at several points on the guitar. From the pickguard to the fretboard and the headstock, the peacock motif returns and leaves its imprint on this instrument. But this “Mayura” Falcon is exceptional also for its distinctly “Scottian” features. Carrying like a precious talisman a Mexican fabric with a concert motif from show to show, Scott wanted his cherished pattern to appear on the guitar’s top, beneath the sparkling sunburst finish. The relic’d finish, masterfully applied by Stephen Stern, reveals two exceptional complementary finishes, elevating this guitar from a pretty Falcon to an aesthetically breathtaking instrument.

Beyond its eccentric looks, Scott Holiday is known as a demanding guitarist with many facets in both playing and technique. This Falcon is thus equipped with special pickups made by TV Jones at Scott Holiday’s request: it features three pickups, instead of the usual two found on this type of model, along with various switches to provide great versatility.

This guitar was frequently played by Scott Holiday in the studio with Rival Sons during the writing and recording of the two albums “DarkFighter” (2023) and “Lightbringer” (2023). It was also played on tour, notably on the songs “Bird in The Hand“, “Horses Breath“, “Redemption“, and “SweetLife“. This major instrument in the recent history of Rival Sons comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Scott Holiday, detailing its remarkable story.