Guitar brands in 1970

9 brands on record in 1970: Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Harmony, Ibanez, Martin and Ovation. Epiphone, Gretsch and Ibanez changed owner or plant on at least one line that year.

A snapshot of the trade in 1970. 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 1970

• Epiphone, Epiphone Japan: new era under Norlin Corporation (ECL) at Matsumoku^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]}
• Epiphone, Epiphone Kalamazoo: the 1969–1970 era ends^{[1, 2, 3]}
• Gretsch, Gretsch Baldwin Arkansas: new era under D.H. Baldwin & Co. at Gretsch Booneville AR^{[13, 14, 15, 16]}
• Gretsch, Gretsch Brooklyn: the 1967–1970 era ends^{[13, 14, 45, 46]}
• Ibanez, Ibanez Japan early (Tama, Teisco): the 1966–1970 era ends^{[28, 29, 30, 31, 47]}

The 1970s

• 1970
• 1971
• 1972
• 1973
• 1974
• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• 1978
• 1979

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
   Wikipedia: wiki/Gibson (guitar company)graded community

   • "Gibson was owned by Norlin Corporation from 1969 to 1986"Epiphone in 1970
2. 2
   Epiphone history 1957-present (Gibson era) - Blue Book of Guitar Valuesgraded secondary

   • in the last few days of 1969, ECL bought CMIEpiphone in 1970
3. 3
   more info about norlingraded community

   • In December of 1969, E.C.L. Industries, Inc. took control of CMI.Epiphone in 1970
4. 4
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphone 5102T / EA 250graded community

   • "started importing Epiphone-branded instruments from the Matsumoku company in 1970"Epiphone in 1970
5. 5
   fandom: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • After Matsumoku closed in 1987Epiphone in 1970
6. 6
   Fender ownership historygraded secondary
7. 7
   Fender Musical Instruments Company Historygraded secondary
8. 8
   The End of the CBS Era: Inside the 1985 Fender Buyoutgraded community
9. 9
   Fender's Radio Servicegraded primary
10. 10
    Relics of Fullerton: The Buildings of Leo Fendergraded secondary
11. 11
    Fender factoriesgraded community
12. 12
    Wikipedia: Norlin Corporationgraded community
13. 13
    acousticmusic: guitar music research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/gretschgraded secondary

    • "In 1967, Fred Gretsch, Jr. sold the Gretsch Company to… D. H. Baldwin"Gretsch in 1970
    • "merged Gretsch with Kustom in November 1979… Baldwin went bankrupt in 1983"Gretsch in 1970
    • "Manufacturing continued for 3 years at the 60 Broadway factory"Gretsch Brooklyn, 1967–1970
14. 14
    GretschTech: The Baldwin Eragraded primary

    • The sale was completed on July 31, 1967.Gretsch in 1970
    • parent company Baldwin United declared bankruptcy in late 1983.Gretsch in 1970
15. 15
    chicagomusicexchange: blogs/news/the evolution of the gretsch soundgraded community

    • "moved to Booneville, Arkansas in 1970"Gretsch in 1970
16. 16
    jedistar: gretsch 2/ampgraded secondary

    • "Production continued in Arkansas until 1981"Gretsch in 1970
17. 17
    acousticmusic: research/guitar information/large shop guitar builders/guildgraded secondary

    • "bought by Avnet for about $5,000,000 in July of 1966"Guild in 1970
    • "By the end of 1971, all factory operations had been transferred to Westerly"Guild in 1970
18. 18
    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 1970
    • In mid-August of 1986, Avnet sold Guild to a management/investment group from New England and Tennessee.Guild in 1970
19. 19
    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 1970
20. 20
    The Convoluted History of Guild Guitarsgraded community

    • Guild was bought by Avnet for about $5,000,000 in July of 1966.Guild in 1970
21. 21
    Guild Guitar Factoriesgraded community

    • Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation in 1966Guild in 1970
22. 22
    bluebookofguitarvalues: electric guitars/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

    • "larger workshop in Hoboken… late 1956"Guild in 1970
23. 23
    mmone: guild guitarsgraded secondary

    • "opened in 1967 in Westerly"Guild in 1970
24. 24
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1970
25. 25
    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 1970
26. 26
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1970
27. 27
    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 1970
28. 28
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1970
    • "1969: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use the FujiGen… factory"Ibanez in 1970
29. 29
    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 1970
30. 30
    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 1970
31. 31
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1970
32. 32
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1970
33. 33
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1970
34. 34
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1970
35. 35
    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 1970
36. 36
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1970
37. 37
    guitar: features/martin guitar historygraded secondary

    • "62,000-square-foot Sycamore Street facility… That was in 1964."Martin in 1970
38. 38
    themunicipal: 2023/12/stringing along at the martin guitar factory and museumgraded secondary
39. 39
    Hamer Guitarsgraded community

    • "acquired by… Fender… on December 31, 2007"Ovation in 1970
40. 40
    Kaman Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2007graded primary

    • On December 31, 2007, we completed the previously announced saleOvation in 1970
41. 41
    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 1970
42. 42
    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 1970
43. 43
    Fender to close Ovation factory in Connecticutgraded secondary

    • "built Ovation… for the last 47 years"Ovation in 1970
44. 44
    Fender to cease US production of Ovation guitarsgraded secondary
45. 45
    guitarinsite: gretsch factoriesgraded community

    • 60 Broadway, Brooklyn (1916)Gretsch Brooklyn, 1967–1970
46. 46
    craveguitars: brands gretsch six-string synopsisgraded community

    • in 1916, manufacturing and offices moved to larger premises, still in BrooklynGretsch Brooklyn, 1967–1970
47. 47
    Wikipedia: wiki/Ibanezgraded community

    • "After the Teisco String Instrument factory closed in 1970"Ibanez Japan early (Tama, Teisco), 1966–1970

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