Guitar brands in 1959

6 brands on record in 1959: Epiphone, Gretsch, Guild, Harmony, Ibanez and Martin.

A snapshot of the trade in 1959. 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
   guitarinsite: epiphone factoriesgraded community

   • "In 1957, Chicago Musical Instrument Company (CMI), the parent company of Gibson, acquired Epiphone."Epiphone in 1959
2. 2
   How Gibson rescued Epiphone in the late-1950sgraded secondary

   • once everything was on the move, CMI set up Epiphone Inc. of Kalamazoo.Epiphone in 1959
3. 3
   Epiphone history 1957-present (Gibson era) - Blue Book of Guitar Valuesgraded secondary

   • For the sum of $20,000, Gibson had acquired its once mighty rivalEpiphone in 1959
4. 4
   Gibson Guitar Corp. Company Historygraded secondary

   • McCarty also led CMI to purchase rival Epiphone in 1957, giving Gibson greater control of the market.Epiphone in 1959
5. 5
   brief epiphone historygraded community

   • Chicago Musical Instrument (CMI) purchases Epiphone (announced May 10, 1957).Epiphone in 1959
6. 6
   fandom: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • "made beside the Gibson factory at 224 Parsons"Epiphone in 1959
7. 7
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • where production of both ranges took place until 1969Epiphone in 1959
8. 8
   gretschguitars: support/historygraded primary

   • "in 1883… Friedrich Gretsch… founded his shop in Brooklyn"Gretsch in 1959
9. 9
   acousticmusic: guitar music research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/gretschgraded secondary

   • "Manufacturing continued for 3 years at the 60 Broadway factory"Gretsch in 1959
10. 10
    guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

    • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch in 1959
11. 11
    craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

    • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch in 1959
12. 12
    bluebookofguitarvalues: guitar amplifiers/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "started in 1952 by Alfred Dronge"Guild in 1959
13. 13
    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 1959
14. 14
    Guild (Acoustic Guitar magazine feature, AG282, hosted by Guild)graded secondary

    • The Guild Guitar Co. was founded in 1952Guild in 1959
15. 15
    bluebookofguitarvalues: electric guitars/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "larger workshop in Hoboken… late 1956"Guild in 1959
16. 16
    acousticmusic: research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/guildgraded secondary

    • "By the end of 1971, all factory operations had been transferred to Westerly"Guild in 1959
17. 17
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1959
18. 18
    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 1959
19. 19
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1959
20. 20
    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 1959
21. 21
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1959
22. 22
    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 1959
23. 23
    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 1959
24. 24
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1959
25. 25
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Tama factory stopped manufacturing guitars in 1966"Ibanez in 1959
26. 26
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1959
27. 27
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1959
28. 28
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1959
29. 29
    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 1959
30. 30
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1959
31. 31
    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 1959

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