Gretsch

From the outset, our creative direction was guided by a single principle: authenticity over artifice. Rather than stylising or sanitising the iconic Studio Two, we leaned into its textures, its history, and the personalities who inhabit it every day.

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Our approach combined three key story strands. First, the technical expertise behind the guitar. Second, the design thinking rooted in Abbey Road’s recording heritage. And third, a first-play experience by artist Sam McTrusty (Twin Atlantic) and legendary producer Romesh Dodangoda.

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We shot over two days inside Studio Two and its adjoining control rooms, spaces soaked in the DNA of music history. By working shoulder to shoulder with Abbey Road’s engineers, we were able to document the RS201’s development up close, from circuit experimentation to material decisions like the custom filtering based on Abbey Road’s famous “Rumble Filter.”

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The casting of contributors was equally intentional. Sam and Romesh brought real musical credibility to the session, allowing us to film the RS201 being played and appreciated by those it was built for, in real time and in a real studio setting.

The RS201 Abbey Road Studiomatic was launched with a cinematic hero film, an in-depth behind-the-scenes documentary, and a dynamic set of social cutdowns, each crafted for Abbey Road and Gretsch’s music and creative audiences.

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The campaign is now live across all Abbey Road Studios and Gretsch digital platforms. By blending craft, storytelling, and live studio experience, the campaign positions the RS201 not as a collector’s piece, but as a forward-facing tool for the next generation of artists.

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