Under Construction...
Airline - Montgomery
Wards brand instrument made by Kay, Harmony and Valco.
Aria Pro- Instruments
manufactured in Japan and Korea.
Bacon & Day - David Day
and Paul Bacon were known for banjos. Gretsch purchased
Bacon and Day.
Conn - Japanese imports
from the late 60's to the late 70's
Cromwell - An inexpensive
brand built by Gibson and offered via mail order companies.
Ditson - Made by C.F.
Martin and sold by Oliver Ditson Company. ca. 1916-1930
EKO- Italian made
instruments. ca. 1959-
Emperador - Imported from
Japan. ca. 1966-1992
Euphonon - Made by
Larson, also called Prairie State. ca. 1934-1944
Framus - Originated in
Germany in the 40's, Philadelphia Music Co. began importing
them to US in the '60s.
G & L - Which stands for
George & Leo...founded by Leo Fender former owner of Fender
and George Fullerton.
Giannini - Brazilian
manufacturer ca. 1900's who began importing to the US in the
late 50's.
Goya Originally these
were made in Sweden by Levin. Company was sold and purchased
repeatedly...then by Martin in the late 70's. Like many
other brand names purchased by larger manufacturers Martin
had them made in Korea.
Guild Founded by Alfred
Dronge in 1952 the company was eventually purchased by
Fender in 1995.
Gurian - Made by luthier
Michael Gurian from 1965-1981.
Guyatone Japanese
manufacturer started in the early 30's, imported Kent and
other brands to the US.
Harmony - Lots of these
out there...usually a budget guitar, this was a major US
manufacturer at one time. Also called Stella and Sovereign.
ca. 1892-1974 brand name currently being used again.
Heritage - This company
was formed by former Kalamazoo plant Gibson employees who
chose not to go to Nashville when Gibson moved it's plant
there in the mid 80's.
Hofner - German company
founded in 1887.
Hohner - Hohner was also
a German company (this is why I'm always using Hohner/Hofner
synonymously by accident) but Hohner is well known for their
harmonicas. ca. 1857
Kalamazoo - Budge
instruments made by Gibson. ca 1933-1942, 1965-1970.
