Gretsch Tone Contest

THE TONE SHEPHERD GRETSCH TONE CONTEST: OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THIS IS A CONTEST OF SKILL. WINNERS ARE CHOSEN BY JUDGING, NOT BY RANDOM DRAWING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. Sponsor. The Gretsch Tone Contest (the "Contest") is sponsored by The Tone Shepherd, operated by Devan Bumstead, [801 Knollwood Dr. Newbury Park, CA 91320]. Questions: Email me.

2. Eligibility. The Contest is open to individuals who are 13 years of age or older at the time of entry and who have a public Instagram account. Entrants who are 13 to 17 years old (or under the age of majority where they live) must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to enter, and a parent or legal guardian must review and accept these Official Rules, and must co-sign and accept any prize and the license in Section 9 on the minor's behalf. Residents of the Province of Quebec, Canada are not eligible. The Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. Sponsor and Sponsor's immediate family members and household members are not eligible.

3. Entry Period. The Contest begins Monday, October 19, 2026 and ends Monday, November 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (the "Entry Period"). Entries posted or submitted after the Entry Period ends will not be considered. Sponsor's clock is the official timekeeper.

4. How to Enter. To enter, during the Entry Period you must do all of the following:

(a) Record yourself playing a Gretsch guitar equipped with TV Jones Classic pickups or a pickup on Sponsor's approved pickup list (or one Sponsor has confirmed in writing as very similar), using Tone Shepherd amp captures on any platform;

(b) Record at least one clean tone and one dirty tone, and optionally tones with tasteful wet effects;

(c) Post the video and audio on your public Instagram account using the hashtag #TSGRETSCH and tagging @thetoneshepherd;

(d) Upload the same recorded audio to a cloud storage service and set the link so anyone with the link can view or download it without requesting permission; and

(e) Complete the entry form on Sponsor's Contest page at thetoneshepherd.com/gretsch, including the cloud link and full documentation of your amp settings (including any gain or EQ changes to the captures), drives, wet effects, and signal chain.

An entry is complete only when steps (a) through (e) are done. Effects inside your modeler or rig are allowed. Processing added after recording (including EQ, compression, or plugins in any DAW, video editor, or other software) is not allowed. Multiple entries are allowed and encouraged; each entry must be separately posted and submitted through the form. Sponsor may judge your entries individually or consider your strongest entry.

5. Judging. Devan Bumstead is the sole judge. Entries will be judged on: (a) how well the tone can be replicated on Sponsor's rig and shared with others; (b) how great it sounds both clean and dirty; (c) how well it holds up with wet effects (while still sounding great without heavy wet effects); and (d) how well it fits a worship context. The judge's decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. If there are not enough eligible entries of sufficient quality, Sponsor may award fewer than three prizes.

6. Prizes. Three prizes will be awarded:

- First Place: Lifetime access to all Tone Shepherd digital products (captures and presets) sold on thetoneshepherd.com, for all platforms, including future digital releases, for as long as Sponsor offers digital products for sale. Excludes merchandise and any physical products. Approximate retail value (ARV) of the current digital catalog: $1,470 USD. The actual value will vary depending on future releases.

- Second Place: $100 USD store credit at thetoneshepherd.com. ARV: $100.

- Third Place: $50 USD store credit at thetoneshepherd.com. ARV: $50.

Total ARV of all prizes: approximately $1,620 USD. Store credit has no cash value, may be used only on thetoneshepherd.com, and is subject to Sponsor's usual store terms. Prizes are non-transferable, and no cash equivalent or substitution is available, except that Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater value if a prize becomes unavailable.

7. Taxes. Winners are responsible for any taxes on their prize. Sponsor may require a winner to provide tax information (such as an IRS Form W-9 for U.S. winners) before awarding a prize.

8. Winner Notification. Winners will be announced on or about Monday, November 16, 2026. Potential winners will be contacted by Instagram direct message and by the email address provided on the entry form. A potential winner must respond within three (3) days of notification. If a potential winner does not respond in time, cannot be reached, is found ineligible, or does not comply with these Official Rules (including any required parent or guardian co-signature for minors), the prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner chosen from the remaining eligible entries.

9. License to Your Entry. You keep ownership of your entry. By entering, you grant Sponsor a free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive license to repost, share, display, and use your entry (including your video, audio, Instagram handle, and name as you provide it) in connection with the Contest and The Tone Shepherd, and to use, recreate, and sell presets or other products based on the settings you submit, without further permission or payment. If Sponsor releases a commercial "artist preset" based on an entry, Sponsor may, at its sole discretion, offer that entrant credit and/or a revenue share under a separate written agreement. Nothing in these Official Rules promises credit, payment, or a revenue share.

10. Originality. Your entry must be your own original performance. Do not use copyrighted backing tracks, recordings, or third-party music unless you have the rights to use them. You must have permission from anyone else who appears in or is heard in your entry. By entering, you confirm that your entry does not infringe anyone else's rights.

11. Disqualification. Sponsor may disqualify any entry or entrant that, in Sponsor's sole judgment: does not follow these Official Rules; uses unapproved pickups or post-processing; uses a cloud link that cannot be opened; is offensive, inappropriate, or inconsistent with a worship context; misrepresents the settings used; or attempts to tamper with or undermine the Contest.

12. Release of Liability. By entering, you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and Devan Bumstead from any claims, losses, or damages arising from your participation in the Contest or your acceptance or use of a prize. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, or unreadable entries, broken links, or technical problems with Instagram, cloud services, or the website.

13. Privacy. Information you submit through the entry form will be used only to run the Contest (including judging, contacting winners, and delivering prizes) and will not be sold or shared for unrelated purposes.

14. Instagram. This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram. By entering, you release Instagram from all liability related to the Contest. You must also follow Instagram's terms of use.

15. No Affiliation. This Contest is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Gretsch, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, TV Jones, or Lambertones. All product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners and are used only to describe compatible gear.

16. Changes and Cancellation. Sponsor may modify, suspend, extend, or cancel the Contest, or change these Official Rules, if needed (for example, due to technical problems, fraud, or circumstances beyond Sponsor's control). Any changes will be posted on this page.

17. Agreement. By entering, you (and, for minors, your parent or legal guardian) agree to these Official Rules and to the decisions of the judge.