Guitar brands in 1966

7 brands on record in 1966: Epiphone, Gretsch, Guild, Harmony, Ibanez, Martin and Ovation. Guild, Ibanez and Ovation changed owner or plant on at least one line that year.

A snapshot of the trade in 1966. 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 1966

• Guild, Guild USA: new era under Avnet, Inc. at Guild Hoboken^{[12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]}
• Guild, Guild USA: the 1956–1966 era ends^{[40, 13, 41, 17, 12]}
• Ibanez, Ibanez Japan early (Tama, Teisco): new era under Hoshino Gakki Ten, Inc. at Teisco (Ibanez; city unverified)^{[22, 23, 24, 25, 26]}
• Ibanez, Ibanez Japan early (Tama, Teisco): the 1935–1966 era ends^{[22, 23, 24, 25, 26]}
• Ovation, Ovation USA (New Hartford): new era under Kaman Corporation / Kaman Music Corporation (KMC Musicorp after 2007) at New Hartford CT (Kaman/Ovation plant)^{[34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39]}

The 1960s

• 1960
• 1961
• 1962
• 1963
• 1964
• 1965
• 1966
• 1967
• 1968
• 1969

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 1966
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 1966
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 1966
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 1966
5. 5
   brief epiphone historygraded community

   • Chicago Musical Instrument (CMI) purchases Epiphone (announced May 10, 1957).Epiphone in 1966
6. 6
   fandom: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • "made beside the Gibson factory at 224 Parsons"Epiphone in 1966
7. 7
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • where production of both ranges took place until 1969Epiphone in 1966
8. 8
   gretschguitars: support/historygraded primary

   • "in 1883… Friedrich Gretsch… founded his shop in Brooklyn"Gretsch in 1966
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 1966
10. 10
    guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

    • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch in 1966
11. 11
    craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

    • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch in 1966
12. 12
    acousticmusic: research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/guildgraded secondary

    • "bought by Avnet for about $5,000,000 in July of 1966"Guild in 1966
    • "By the end of 1971, all factory operations had been transferred to Westerly"Guild in 1966
13. 13
    Guild (manufacturer history) - Blue Book of Guitar Valuesgraded secondary

    • In 1966, electronic parts producer Avnet Inc. bought Guild Musical Instruments, and Alfred Dronge stayed on as president.Guild in 1966
    • In mid-August of 1986, Avnet sold Guild to a management/investment group from New England and Tennessee.Guild in 1966
    • Guild was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge (who did hire great guitar builders).Guild USA, 1956–1966
14. 14
    A Brief History of Guild Guitarsgraded secondary

    • In 1966, Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation, albeit with Alfred Dronge still at the helm overseeing production.Guild in 1966
15. 15
    The Convoluted History of Guild Guitarsgraded community

    • Guild was bought by Avnet for about $5,000,000 in July of 1966.Guild in 1966
16. 16
    Guild Guitar Factoriesgraded community

    • Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation in 1966Guild in 1966
17. 17
    bluebookofguitarvalues: electric guitars/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "larger workshop in Hoboken… late 1956"Guild in 1966
18. 18
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1966
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 1966
20. 20
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1966
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 1966
22. 22
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1966
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 1966
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 1966
25. 25
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1966
26. 26
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Teisco String Instrument factory closed in 1970"Ibanez in 1966
    • "After the Tama factory stopped manufacturing guitars in 1966"Ibanez Japan early (Tama, Teisco), 1935–1966
27. 27
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1966
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 1966
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 1966
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 1966
31. 31
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1966
32. 32
    guitar: features/martin guitar historygraded secondary

    • "62,000-square-foot Sycamore Street facility… That was in 1964."Martin in 1966
33. 33
    themunicipal: 2023/12/stringing along at the martin guitar factory and museumgraded secondary
34. 34
    Hamer Guitarsgraded community

    • "acquired by… Fender… on December 31, 2007"Ovation in 1966
35. 35
    Kaman Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2007graded primary

    • On December 31, 2007, we completed the previously announced saleOvation in 1966
36. 36
    Kaman Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal year 2008graded primary

    • On December 31, 2007, we completed the sale of all of the capital stock of our wholly owned subsidiaryOvation in 1966
37. 37
    Kaman Corp. 8-K exhibit 99.1 (Ovation/KMC sale closing)graded primary

    • on December 31, 2007, the company completed its previously announced saleOvation in 1966
38. 38
    Fender to close Ovation factory in Connecticutgraded secondary

    • "built Ovation… for the last 47 years"Ovation in 1966
39. 39
    Fender to cease US production of Ovation guitarsgraded secondary
40. 40
    bluebookofguitarvalues: guitar amplifiers/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "started in 1952 by Alfred Dronge"Guild USA, 1956–1966
41. 41
    Guild (Acoustic Guitar magazine feature, AG282, hosted by Guild)graded secondary

    • The Guild Guitar Co. was founded in 1952Guild USA, 1956–1966

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