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Chicago c.1960 Image Credit |
12/5/19:
Now expanded to include manufacturers outside of Chicago.
About
This list is the culmination of my research into the brand names that hundreds of guitars were sold under during the early and mid 1900s. I am focusing exclusively on American-built instruments with a focus on the Chicago manufacturers but will also include other American manufacturers as I see fit.
Sources would be a mile long and most of this information was gathered as I come across listings on various marketplaces or encounter guitars in person. So I do not have sources or pictures for many of the instruments that I have documented, unfortunately, but feel free to send me pictures of your instrument if you are unsure about its origin or want to add another manufacturer to the list.
Special credit to JediStar and Jake Wildwood as their websites have served as great references. Also Reverb and Ebay for having such a variety of instruments for me to scour for new brand names
Brand | Distributor | Built By | Years Produced | ||||
Kay | Harmony | Regal | United | Other... | |||
A. Rogers | Selmer UK | Y | 1930s-40s | ||||
Airline | Montgomery Ward | Y | Y | Valco | 1958-1968 | ||
Alden | Aldens | Y | 1960s | ||||
Aloha | Y | 1930s | |||||
Ambassador | Y | 1930s | |||||
Amplificator | Y | 1960s | |||||
Apollo | St Louis Music | Y | 1930s | ||||
Arch Kraft | Vitak-Elsnic Co | Y | 1933-1937 | ||||
Armstrong | Y | 1940s | |||||
Artex | Metropolitan Music, NY | Y | 1930s | ||||
Artist | St Louis Music Supply Co | Y | 1930s | ||||
Astro | Y | 1970s | |||||
Barclay | Unity Buying Service | Y | Y | 1950s-1960s | |||
Beltone | Perlberg & Halpin (1930s) Sorkin Music Co | Y | Y | Egmond | 1940s-1950s | ||
Biltmore | Vitak-Elsnic | Y | 1930s-1940s | ||||
Black Jack | Harris-Fandel | Y | 1950s-60s | ||||
Broman | Broman | Y | 1930s-1950s. | ||||
Bronson | Bronson | 1930s | |||||
Bruno | Y | 1930s-1950s | |||||
Buckeye | Y | 1950s | |||||
California | Y | 1950s | |||||
Carelli | Y | 1930s | |||||
Challenger | Continental Music | Y | 1940s | ||||
Catalina | Abercrombie and Fitch | Y | 1950s-1960s | ||||
Century | St Louis Music Supply Co | Y | 1930s | ||||
Champ | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Chimes | Y | 1950s | |||||
Chris | Cunningham Music Studio | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | ||||
Columbian | Selmer UK | Y | 1930s-40s | ||||
Commander | Aldens | Y | |||||
Continental | Continental Music Company | Y | Y | 1929-late 1940s, 1970s | |||
Coronado | Gamble-Skogmo | Y | 1960s | ||||
Cowboy Loye | Y | 1930s | |||||
Crest | Sears | Y | Y | Late 1930s | |||
Crestline | Y | 1950s | |||||
Custom Kraft | St Louis Music Co | Y | Y | Valco | 1936-1968 | ||
Dart | Jackson-Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Dalanta | Y | 1930s | |||||
De Kay | Dorn & Kirschner | Y | 1930s | ||||
Del Oro | Spiegel | Y | ? | 1940s | |||
Dynamic | Y | 1950s | |||||
Elitone | Y | 1950s | |||||
El Rancho | Sorkin Music Co | Y | Late 1950s | ||||
Encore | BF(??) | Y | Y | Y | 1940s-1950s | ||
Epitome | Federated Teachers Service Corp. | Y | 1940s | ||||
Esquire | Selmer Indiana | Y | 1938 | ||||
Fascinator | Tonk Brothers | Y | 1930s | ||||
Fender | Fender Musical Instruments | Y | 1970s | ||||
Fischer | Carl Fischer Catalog | Y | Y | 1929-1936 1950s | |||
Franklin | Franklin Music House | Y | 1930s | ||||
Futuramic | Y | 1950s | |||||
Gagliano | Y | Y | |||||
Galaxy | Y | 1960s | |||||
Galiano | Y | Y | Y | 1940s | |||
Gaylord | Barth-Feinberg | Y | 1940s | ||||
G. B. Walters | Y | 1930s-1950s | |||||
Go-Go | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Gondolier | Regal | Y | 1930s | ||||
Granada | Y | 1930s | |||||
Gregory’s | Gregory’s Music Center in Plainfield, New Jersey | Y | 1950s | ||||
Gretsch | Gretsch | Y | Late 1940s | ||||
Groehsl | Y | 1918-1921 | |||||
Heath | Heathkit | Y | 1960s | ||||
Henson | Y | 1940s | |||||
Holiday | Aldens | Y | Y | 1960s | |||
Hollywood | Schireson Brothers | Y | 1933 | ||||
Hootenanny | Jackson Guldan | 1963-? | |||||
Howard | Y | 1950s | |||||
Jay G | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Jay Johnson | Y | ||||||
Kamico | Kay | Y | 1947-1951 | ||||
Kay Kraft | Kay | Y | 1927-1937 | ||||
Kaywood | Kay | Y | 1934 | ||||
Kenmore | Y | 1930s | |||||
Kleartone | Grossman Brothers | Y | 1930s | ||||
Kingston | Wurlitzer | Y | 1930s | ||||
Kord | Y | 1940s | |||||
Lark Jr | Y | Y | 1930s-1950s | ||||
Leban | Y | 1950s | |||||
Lee Gibbs / Concertone | Montgomery Ward | Y | Y | 1914-1940s | |||
LeiLani | Y | 1938-1939 | |||||
Liberty | Continental Music Co | Y | War time 1940s | ||||
Lombardi | Y | 1930s-1940s | |||||
Lyra | Y | 1940s-1950s | |||||
Magnus | Y | 1970s | |||||
Manhattan | Selmer Indiana | Y | 1938-1940 | ||||
Marathon | Southland Musical Merchandise Co | Y | 1950-1960s | ||||
Mark IV | Valco-era Kay | 1968-1969 | |||||
Marvel | Peter Sorkin Co | Y | Y | 1940s-1970s | |||
Marveltone | Targ and Dinner Music Co. | Y | Y | Y | Y | 1926-1969 | |
Marwin | Barth-Feinberg | Y | Y | Y | 1940s-1960s | ||
Master | Beare & Son | Y | 1940s-1950s | ||||
Master Art | Y | ||||||
Mayflower | Stromberg-Voisinet | Y | 1920s | ||||
McKinney | Y | ||||||
Mel Bay | Mel Bay Music Center | Y | 1940s | ||||
Melody King | Bronson Music Co | Y | Y | 1931-? | |||
Melofone | Y | 1930s | |||||
Melofonic | Y | ||||||
Mercury | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Metro | Y | 1940s | |||||
Minerva | Eaton’s Canada | Y | |||||
Mitchel | Y | 1950s | |||||
Montclair | J. C. Penney | Y | Y | 1950s-1960s | |||
Nobility | Y | 1930s-1940s | |||||
Norwood | Jackson Guldan | 1950s | |||||
Oahu | Oahu Publishing Company | Y | Y | Jackson-Guldan | 1927-1950s | ||
Old Kraftsman | Spiegel | Y | 1942-1960s | ||||
Opus | Harmony | Y | 1974-1975 | ||||
Orpheum | Maurice Lipsky Music Co | Y | Y | Y | 1930s-1950s | ||
Orpheus | Y | Y | 1930s-1950s | ||||
Paramount | William Lange Banjo Co | Y | Y | ||||
Penn | Pennino Music Co. | Y | 1950s | ||||
Penncrest | J.C. Penney | Y | 1963-1969 | ||||
Playtime | Sears | Y | Y | 1940s | |||
Prairie Voice | The Calgary Stampede | Y | |||||
Premier | Peter Sorkin Music Co | Y | Y | Y | 1950s | ||
Radio Star | Y | Y | 1930s-1940s | ||||
Radiotone | Dallas Musical Instruments | Y | 1930s | ||||
Recording King | Montgomery Ward | Y | Gibson | 1930s | |||
Regal | Y | Y | 1896-1975 | ||||
Rex | Gretsch | Y | Y | 1930s-1940s | |||
Rhapsody | Y | ||||||
Ridgmount | Dallas Musical Instruments | Y | 1930s | ||||
Rotary DeLuxe | Rotary Club | Y | Y | 1930s | |||
Royalist | RCA Victor | Y | 1950s | ||||
Santacilla | Y | 1950s | |||||
Serenader | Buegeleisen and Jacobson | Y | Y | ||||
S. S. Maxwell | Y | Y | 1930s | ||||
Sherwood | Montgomery Ward | Y | 1940s-1960s | ||||
Sierra | Y | 1950s | |||||
Silvertone | Sears | Y | Y | Y | Italian mfg. Eko | 1930s-1970s | |
Sonata | Y | Y | 1940s | ||||
Stadium | Y | Y | Jackson Guldan | 1940s-50s | |||
Stella | Oscar Schmidt, Harmony (post-1939) | Y | 1899-1970s | ||||
S. S. Stewart | Buegeleisen and Jacobson | Y | Y | 1930s-1950s | |||
Sterling | Tonk Brothers | Y | 1930s | ||||
Stoner | Y | 1930s | |||||
Stromberg | Y | 1921-1932 | |||||
Superior | Y | 1950s | |||||
Supertone | Sears | Y | Y | 1914-1941 | |||
Suprema | Eaton’s Canada | Y | Y | 1930s | |||
Supro | Valco | Y | 1968-9 | ||||
Sylvia | Y | 1960s | |||||
Symphony | Y | 1930s | |||||
Tarrega | One-off for Irene Lorence | Y | 1947 | ||||
Telleno | Y | Jackson-Guldan | 1950s-1960s | ||||
Tempo | Y | 1950s-1960s | |||||
Tone King | Y | ||||||
Tower | Y | ||||||
Truetone | Western Auto | Y | Y | 1950s-1960s | |||
Tuxedo | Y | 1930s-ish | |||||
US Strad | Y | 1940s | |||||
Valencia | Harmony | Y | 1940s | ||||
Vaquero | Spiegel | Y | 1936-1938 | ||||
Vega | Y | 1960s | |||||
Vibratone | St Louis Music Co | Y | Y | 1940s | |||
Vita Uke | Y | ||||||
Vitar | Y | ||||||
Wabash | David Wexler Company | Y | Y | Y | 1947-1969 | ||
Ward | Montgomery Ward | Y | 1925-1961 | ||||
Webster | Y | Y | 1940s-1950s | ||||
Weymann | Y | Y | |||||
Windsor | Montgomery Ward | Y | Y | 1930s | |||
Wizard | Y | ||||||
Zenith | Dallas Musical Instruments | Y | Y | 1930s |
The research is a little flawed as there were a number of other large Chicago Makers before WWII like Globe Music and Richter Mfg. Co. and not only does this not mention them but in some cases erroneously attributes instruments made buy them to the firms in the list. It also attributes some instruments made by the New York/New Jersey makers here too
ReplyDeleteFeel free to point out any corrections that you see fit. I mainly focus on the 3 big Chicago manufacturers and my list just points out whether I've seen or heard of instruments being branded under a certain name and built by that manufacturer.
DeleteI've got an odd ball could be a kay has Orpheum logo plate flat solid wood top x braced arched back ,back and sides sunburst looks 1940s I can send some pics. Was given to me by family member .
ReplyDeleteCertainly, feel free to email them to me at nat.adams149@gmail.com
DeleteWas wondering if you had ever heard of a Faux Bro guitar called a Tang and Faux Bro Mandolin called a Swingtone?
ReplyDeleteNope never heard of them!
DeleteThanks so much for putting this together!
ReplyDelete