Guitar brands in 1974

10 brands on record in 1974: Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Harmony, Ibanez, Martin, Ovation and Taylor. Taylor changed owner or plant on at least one line that year.

A snapshot of the trade in 1974. 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 1974

• Taylor, Taylor USA: new era under Taylor Guitars (Westland Music Co. / Taylor-Listug) at Taylor American Dream / Westland (Lemon Grove)^{[44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49]}

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 1974
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 1974
3. 3
   more info about norlingraded community

   • In December of 1969, E.C.L. Industries, Inc. took control of CMI.Epiphone in 1974
4. 4
   Wikipedia: wiki/Epiphone 5102T / EA 250graded community

   • "started importing Epiphone-branded instruments from the Matsumoku company in 1970"Epiphone in 1974
5. 5
   fandom: wiki/Epiphonegraded community

   • After Matsumoku closed in 1987Epiphone in 1974
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 1974
    • "merged Gretsch with Kustom in November 1979… Baldwin went bankrupt in 1983"Gretsch in 1974
14. 14
    GretschTech: The Baldwin Eragraded primary

    • The sale was completed on July 31, 1967.Gretsch in 1974
    • parent company Baldwin United declared bankruptcy in late 1983.Gretsch in 1974
15. 15
    chicagomusicexchange: blogs/news/the evolution of the gretsch soundgraded community

    • "moved to Booneville, Arkansas in 1970"Gretsch in 1974
16. 16
    jedistar: gretsch 2/ampgraded secondary

    • "Production continued in Arkansas until 1981"Gretsch in 1974
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 1974
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 1974
    • In mid-August of 1986, Avnet sold Guild to a management/investment group from New England and Tennessee.Guild in 1974
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 1974
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 1974
21. 21
    Guild Guitar Factoriesgraded community

    • Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation in 1966Guild in 1974
22. 22
    mmone: guild guitarsgraded secondary

    • "opened in 1967 in Westerly"Guild in 1974
23. 23
    Harmony Companygraded community

    • "In 1975 the Harmony Guitar Co. in Chicago ceased operations and had a huge three-day auction."Harmony in 1974
24. 24
    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 1974
25. 25
    Melody Instrument Companygraded community

    • until December 21st, 1940 when The Harmony Company, under Sears Roebuck, ceased operationsHarmony in 1974
26. 26
    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 1974
27. 27
    Wikipedia: wiki/Hoshino Gakkigraded community

    • "1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc."Ibanez in 1974
    • "1969: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use the FujiGen… factory"Ibanez in 1974
28. 28
    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 1974
29. 29
    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 1974
30. 30
    Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. Company Historygraded secondary

    • By 1929, Hoshino established its own musical instruments company, Hoshino Gakki Ten,Ibanez in 1974
31. 31
    Wikipedia: wiki/C. F. Martin %26 Companygraded community

    • "run by the same family for six generations"Martin in 1974
32. 32
    A Family Business (The Martin Story)graded primary

    • Since 1833, C. F. Martin & Co.® has remained family owned and operated—six generationsMartin in 1974
33. 33
    C. F. Martin & Co. Announces Retirements & New Leadership Appointmentsgraded primary

    • Owner and Chairman of the Board of the 192-year-old companyMartin in 1974
34. 34
    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 1974
35. 35
    Martin Guitar CEO Chris Martin IV announces retirementgraded secondary

    • Family ownership of the Nazareth, Pennsylvania-based company... will continue.Martin in 1974
36. 36
    guitar: features/martin guitar historygraded secondary

    • "62,000-square-foot Sycamore Street facility… That was in 1964."Martin in 1974
37. 37
    themunicipal: 2023/12/stringing along at the martin guitar factory and museumgraded secondary
38. 38
    Hamer Guitarsgraded community

    • "acquired by… Fender… on December 31, 2007"Ovation in 1974
39. 39
    Kaman Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2007graded primary

    • On December 31, 2007, we completed the previously announced saleOvation in 1974
40. 40
    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 1974
41. 41
    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 1974
42. 42
    Fender to close Ovation factory in Connecticutgraded secondary

    • "built Ovation… for the last 47 years"Ovation in 1974
43. 43
    Fender to cease US production of Ovation guitarsgraded secondary
44. 44
    slickdeals: f/18215926 taylor 317e grand pacific dreadnought acoustic electric guitar w hardshell casegraded unverified

    • "bought American Dream and renamed it the Westland Music Company"Taylor in 1974
45. 45
    taylorguitars: issue/2021 issue 2/cover story/keeping good companygraded primary

    • "on December 31… signing the documents to officially transition the ownership"Taylor in 1974
46. 46
    taylorguitars: about/50th anniversary timelinegraded primary

    • they decide to call the new business Westland Music Company.Taylor in 1974
    • Westland Music Company changes its name to Taylor Guitars.Taylor in 1974
    • Bob and Kurt buy out partner Steve Schemmer, incorporate as Taylor-Listug, Inc.Taylor in 1974
    • After Radding announces he plans to sell the American Dream, Bob Taylor, Kurt Listug and Steve Schemmer … partner up and borrow money to purchase the shopTaylor in 1974
47. 47
    Taylor Guitars company history (timeline)graded primary

    • Westland Music Company changes its name to Taylor Guitars.Taylor in 1974
    • Bob and Kurt buy out partner Steve Schemmer, incorporate as Taylor-Listug, Inc.Taylor in 1974
48. 48
    About Taylor Guitarsgraded primary

    • Taylor Guitars is now proudly 100% employee owned.Taylor in 1974
49. 49
    ranchandcoast: people/taylor guitars celebrates 50 yearsgraded secondary

    • "American Dream… in Lemon Grove"Taylor in 1974

See something wrong, or know a better source? Suggest an edit