Guitar brands in 1950

7 brands on record in 1950: Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Harmony, Ibanez and Martin. Fender changed owner or plant on at least one line that year.

A snapshot of the trade in 1950. 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 1950

• Fender, Fender USA: new era under Fender Electric Instrument Company (Leo Fender), Fullerton CA at Fender Fullerton factory (Pomona Ave / S Raymond Ave / S Valencia Dr campus)^{[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]}

The 1950s

• 1950
• 1951
• 1952
• 1953
• 1954
• 1955
• 1956
• 1957
• 1958
• 1959

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 1950
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 1950
3. 3
   Fender ownership historygraded secondary
4. 4
   Fender Musical Instruments Company Historygraded secondary
5. 5
   Fender's Radio Servicegraded primary
6. 6
   Relics of Fullerton: The Buildings of Leo Fendergraded secondary
7. 7
   The End of the CBS Era: Inside the 1985 Fender Buyoutgraded community
8. 8
   Fender factoriesgraded community
9. 9
   Wikipedia: wiki/Chicago Musical Instrumentsgraded community
10. 10
    Wikipedia: wiki/Gibson (guitar company)graded community
11. 11
    gretschguitars: support/historygraded primary

    • "in 1883… Friedrich Gretsch… founded his shop in Brooklyn"Gretsch in 1950
12. 12
    acousticmusic: guitar music research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/gretschgraded secondary

    • "Manufacturing continued for 3 years at the 60 Broadway factory"Gretsch in 1950
13. 13
    guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

    • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch in 1950
14. 14
    craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

    • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch in 1950
15. 15
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1950
16. 16
    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 1950
17. 17
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1950
18. 18
    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 1950
19. 19
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1950
20. 20
    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 1950
21. 21
    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 1950
22. 22
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1950
23. 23
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Tama factory stopped manufacturing guitars in 1966"Ibanez in 1950
24. 24
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1950
25. 25
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1950
26. 26
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1950
27. 27
    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 1950
28. 28
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1950
29. 29
    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 1950

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