Gretsch x Abbey Road Studios - The Story Behind The Limited Edition Abbey Road RS201 Studiomatic

Gusto Film Brings Abbey Road Studios and Gretsch Together in Film, Celebrating RS201 “Studiomatic” Guitar Launch

Gusto Film has unveiled a new campaign for Abbey Road Studios x Gretsch Guitars, marking the launch of the RS201 Abbey Road Studiomatic - the first musical instrument in Abbey Road history.

Shot across two days inside Abbey Road’s iconic Studio Two and control rooms, the film captures the creation story of the RS201: a recording-first hollow body guitar co-designed by Abbey Road engineers and Gretsch to meet the demands of modern studio work. The campaign combines candid engineering insight, product craft, and a first-play studio session with artist Sam McTrusty (Twin Atlantic) and producer Romesh Dodangoda.

“There are lots of different reasons guitarists fall for an instrument, from the recording experience and tone, to aesthetics, artist endorsement and the pull of heritage. We proposed using those drivers to shape both the long-form films and a suite of cutdowns, each focused on a specific aspect of what draws someone to a guitar.”

Tom Staniford, Creative Director

Gusto Film approached the project with a clear guiding principle: authenticity over artifice. Rather than smoothing out the character of Abbey Road Studios, the team embraced its rich, lived-in musical heritage - allowing the engineers, artists and the space itself to shape the narrative.

The cinematic launch film captures the soul of the world’s most iconic recording studio. The hero film is supported by a deeper-dive documentary and dynamic social assets crafted specifically for music and creative audiences.

"Working with the team at Abbey Road on this one was a real collaborative process. Jeremy and the team really opened the doors and allowed us to get under the skin of it all. I felt we captured a brand story in a very understated and genuine way, this was really down to the team being really open and informal when it came to discuss the subject, really letting the audience into something that may not usually be seen"

— Blake Claridge, Director, Gusto Film

The campaign positions RS201 not just as a heritage product, but as a contemporary recording tool shaped by real studio needs - including custom electronics and filtering inspired by Abbey Road’s historic “Rumble Filter,” giving artists a cleaner low-end and more mix-ready tone straight from the instrument.

The films are now live across Abbey Road Studios and Gretsch channels, with cutdowns rolling out across social platforms through December.