Guitar brands in 1940

6 brands on record in 1940: Epiphone, Gibson, Gretsch, Harmony, Ibanez and Martin. Harmony changed owner or plant on at least one line that year.

A snapshot of the trade in 1940. Each row is one brand: the companies that controlled the name that year and the plants that built it. Open a brand’s year for the line-by-line detail.

Who owned what, and where it was built

What changed in 1940

• Harmony, Harmony Chicago: new era under Harmony Company (independent, Kraus-led) at Harmony Chicago factory (address unverified)^{[8, 9, 10, 11]}
• Harmony, Harmony Chicago: the 1916–1940 era ends^{[23, 9, 10, 11]}

The 1940s

• 1940
• 1941
• 1942
• 1943
• 1944
• 1945
• 1946
• 1947
• 1948
• 1949

Sources

Every numbered marker on this page points here: the document, its grade and the passages relied on. An era is computed, so it cites the facts it was derived from. A fact marked “no source” has no claim attached yet.

1. 1
   Gibson Brand Book: Epiphone overviewgraded secondary

   • "STATHOPOULOS EMIGRATE TO AMERICA (1904)"Epiphone in 1940
2. 2
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • In 1951, a four-month-long strike caused a relocation of the company from New York City to Philadelphia.Epiphone in 1940
3. 3
   Wikipedia: wiki/Gibson (guitar company)graded community
4. 4
   gretschguitars: support/historygraded primary

   • "in 1883… Friedrich Gretsch… founded his shop in Brooklyn"Gretsch in 1940
5. 5
   acousticmusic: guitar music research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/gretschgraded secondary

   • "Manufacturing continued for 3 years at the 60 Broadway factory"Gretsch in 1940
6. 6
   guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

   • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch in 1940
7. 7
   craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

   • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch in 1940
8. 8
   Harmony Companygraded community

   • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1940
9. 9
   Department Store Guitar History: The Long Shadow of the Sears Harmonygraded community

   • Harmony was a major player until around 1940, when the company was sold back to Harmony executives.Harmony in 1940
   • Sears-Roebuck acquired the guitar maker ostensibly to take control of the ukulele market.Harmony Chicago, 1916–1940
10. 10
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1940
    • The Harmony Musical Instrument Company was purchased by Sears, Roebuck & Co in 1916Harmony Chicago, 1916–1940
11. 11
    Harmony history threadgraded community

    • "Between 1945 and 1975, the Chicago firm mass-produced about ten million guitars… peaked in 1964-1965, selling 350,000"Harmony in 1940
12. 12
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1940
13. 13
    特集！Ibanezインタビュー！～歴史編～ (Ibanez interview: history)graded community

    • 昭和4年（1929年）には別会社として星野書店から独立したのですがIbanez in 1940
14. 14
    Ibanez (Ibanez Wiki)graded community

    • The Ibanez brand name dates back to 1929 when Hoshino Gakki began importing Salvador Ibáñez é Hijos guitars from Spain.Ibanez in 1940
15. 15
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1940
16. 16
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Tama factory stopped manufacturing guitars in 1966"Ibanez in 1940
17. 17
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1940
18. 18
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1940
19. 19
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1940
20. 20
    C F Martin Co Inc (International Directory of Company Histories)graded secondary

    • Located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, since 1839, the company has been run by the same family for six generations.Martin in 1940
21. 21
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1940
22. 22
    bluegrasstoday: original martin factory added to national register of historic placesgraded secondary

    • "primary site… until 1964 when a new plant was opened… on Sycamore Street"Martin in 1940
23. 23
    A brief history of Harmony guitarsgraded secondary

    • "In 1916, Sears purchased the Harmony Guitars brand"Harmony Chicago, 1916–1940

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