Guitar brands in 1954

8 brands on record in 1954: Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Harmony, Ibanez and Martin.

A snapshot of the trade in 1954. 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

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 1954
2. 2
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • "relocated Epiphone's manufacturing… from Philadelphia"Epiphone in 1954
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 1954
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 1954
13. 13
    guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

    • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch in 1954
14. 14
    craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

    • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch in 1954
15. 15
    bluebookofguitarvalues: guitar amplifiers/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "started in 1952 by Alfred Dronge"Guild in 1954
    • "New York City from 1952 to 56"Guild in 1954
16. 16
    Guild (manufacturer history) - Blue Book of Guitar Valuesgraded secondary

    • Guild was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge (who did hire great guitar builders).Guild in 1954
17. 17
    Guild (Acoustic Guitar magazine feature, AG282, hosted by Guild)graded secondary

    • The Guild Guitar Co. was founded in 1952Guild in 1954
18. 18
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1954
19. 19
    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 1954
20. 20
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1954
21. 21
    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 1954
22. 22
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1954
23. 23
    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 1954
24. 24
    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 1954
25. 25
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1954
26. 26
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Tama factory stopped manufacturing guitars in 1966"Ibanez in 1954
27. 27
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1954
28. 28
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1954
29. 29
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1954
30. 30
    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 1954
31. 31
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1954
32. 32
    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 1954

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