Al-Am 

made

A-Aj | An-Ari | Arm- updated 29/1/2012

Alamo Guitars

1947-1982

Alamo was founded by Charles Eilenberg as Southern Music of San Antonio, Texas around 1947. Alamo made many different guitars and amplifiers. Solid body guitars appeared around 1960. [Source: Brad’s Page of Steel ] 
Great history (2 part) - Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

http://www.myrareguitars.com/ealamofiesta.html

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Images 1950s Alamo guitar eBay:

Alba

current

Alba guitars. Made in China.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Albanus

late 950s - 1973

Carl Albanus Johnson luthier, Chicago, Illinois. Archtops and violins.

? learned his trade at Stromberg factory.

Alberico

1998 to present

Handmade acoustic guitars by Fabrizio Alberico, British Columbia, Canada

Albert & Muller

1984 to present

Franz-Ulrich Albert and Antonius Mueller. Since 1989 from an old railway station in Aarbergen Kettenbach (Germany).

Alcivar

Alcivar was a brand that appeared on acoustic guitars, resophonics and electric copies of Gibson guitars  from Japan made in the 1970s-80s.  Suspect a Canadian brand based on threads at Guitarsite.

Alden

1962 to present

Alan Lester David Entwistle, "Alden" Guitars, has been building guitars and designing pickups since 1962.

Currently made in Korea,

http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php?id_brand=3

Reviews are at Harmony Central

see Harmony, Holiday

Alembic

1993 Alembic bass serial number

1969 to present

Alembic bass guitars are made in Santa Rosa, California USA since 1969. [Source: wikipedia ]

http://www.palmguitars.nl/archives/arch-git.html

http://vintageguitarpro.com/alembic.shtml

Dating Alembic bass guitars

http://alembic.com/support/reference.html

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/EGuitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf

http://www.edromanguitars.com/guitar/alembic/sernum_ale.htm

Alembic pricelists

1998 Alembic pricelist

2003 Alembic pricelist

2005 Australian pricelist

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Alembic Forum http://alembic.com/cgi-bin/alembic-club/discus.cgi?pg=topics

Images 1992 Alembic bass eBay:

Alexander James

2008-

Alexander James guitars by Alexander James Colarossi. Made since 2008 under this brand name.   "Currently at my home shop in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

Dating Alexander James guitars

Each guitar is so unique at this point that guitars are classified by the woods they are made of. I use mainly exotic woods of the world.

For instance, if a customer is like "I have the Macassar Ebony Ursa guitar" than that would be easy to understand, due to that guitar being one of a kind. We do have guitar models but the wood choices are always so unique.

When reproductions of certain guitars will be made, then a serial number of "1005192012" will be stamped in the guitar under the bridge pickup (for example). "10" being the 10th guitar of that year, "05" being the month of May. "19" being the 19th day of the month, and "2012" being the year.

We work on a very custom basis with our customers. That makes it very easy to distinguish different guitars. They are all one of a kinds so far." [Source, headstock image and photo of luthier courtesy of  Alexander James Colarossi, email 6/1/2012"

Premier Guitar interview

Image of guitar Kijiji. Thanks to Ben van Dyk, Canada for this lead.

Alfesta

Guitars made in Holland by Alpha Musical Instruments.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Image circa 1960 Alfesta label Bruunari:

Alfieri

1975 to present

Don Alfieri, Long Island,  New York, USA. Repairs and custom builds.

1965 to present

According to Vintage Guitar Price Guide this brand is from 1930s. But other sources as follows: made in Spain.  Dating information is in FAQ

http://www.alhambrasl.com/faqs_i/respuestas.asp?id=10

Alien

Alien guitars is a set neck electric guitar manufacturer based in Santa Barbara, California. USA

Allen Guitars (Randy)

1980 to present

"I started building instruments in 1980. From about 1980 to about 1985 I built acoustic guitars along with a few electric basses. (probably a total of 15 instruments are from this period.)   I took a break from building between 1986 through 1991. From 1992 through 2005 there was about 55 instruments built including resonator guitars and about 4 mandolins.    I currently have 5 in my personal collection. Several  were sold in Japan from that period.  The last numbered instrument was 000170; meaning total output to date is 70 instruments. All instruments from this period have my Allen logo (full name). 

2006 to present, taking a break again from building instruments. I supply woods and parts such as slotted fretboards to people in the industry. I have also been making Allen cast tailpieces for mandolin and resonator guitar since 1997.
Instruments are made in Colfax California.
[Source: Randy Allen, Allen Guitars & Luthier Supplies, email 17/7/2008]

Rob Allen Guitars

1997 to present

"serial # on back of headstock, early basses also have it in the control cavity. They would have to contact me for the date, the serial numbers are not based on the year, they are simply consecutive numbers." [source: Rob Allen, email 24/3/2008]

Roger Allan

1965 to present

Roger Allan makes classical guitars in Suffolk, England

Uses brand Zen Guitars

R.C. Allen

1951 to present

R.C. "Dick" Allen, El Monte, California USA

R.C. Allen interview at Bob Felton

R.C. Allen 1964 “Roy Lanham Model” Guitar article in Guitar Player

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Alma Guitars

current

Kim Hee Hong, luthier, Korea.

Image Alma site:

Almansa

1989 to present

Founded 1989, in Almansa (Albacete), Spain.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Alfonso Almenara

Madrid

Image Guitar Salon Korea

Kevin Almy

Kevin Almy is a New Zealand luthier who makes a range if stringed instruments such as violins, mandolins and archtop guitars in Wellington.

Aloha

1935-1960s

Aloha guitar and amplifier profile page.

According to Vintage Guitar Price Guide Aloha was a private brand of Aloha Publishing and Musical Instrument Company, Chicago. Note the brand name was also used by Aloha Manufacturing Company of Honolulu from 1911-1935s.

http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php

see Harmony

Alosa

1947 - 1958

Alosa guitars were built by Alois Sandner (brother of Ignaz Sandner who made Isana) between 1947 and 1958. [Source: Scotty Moore ]

http://jazzgitarren.k-server.org/otherswg.html

http://www.archtop-germany.de/-Hersteller/-hersteller.html

1970s-1980s

According to Vintage Guitar Price Guide Alpha was a brand name of guitars built in the Egmond plant in Holland.  To expand on this one of the Harmony Central reviews for this brand received some information for the Martin Company as follows: Martin bought the Dutch company in the eighties. It used to be called the Egmond company which changed it's name to Alpha. That's the company Martin bought. It stopped the production after a couple of years, probably because the Japanese and Korean copies were too competitive for a budget Martin from Holland. This is confirmed by a post at Acoustic Guitar where someone had an Alpha branded guitar with label "made by CFMartin in Best, the Netherlands." Image courtesy of:

http://www.daisybelle.nl/nedgit.htm

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Alray

1967

The Holman Woodell guitar factory in Kansas made guitars for Wurlitzer, then under Holman name and later under Alray name.

[Source: Gearwire ]

Image source Wurlitzer Guitars

Alton

Found this Alton branded steel string guitar on ebay 2011. Made in Korea. Cannot find anything on this brand.

Alvarez

1965 to present

Alvarez - imported to US by St Louis Music

Alvarez and Alvarez Yairi - Info Place - Yahoo Group

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Guitar-General-649/Alvarez.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvarez_Guitars

Dating Alvarez Guitars

Dating Alvarez guitars is going to be hard. In some cases date of manufacture on label - see below.

"staff at either St. Louis or Woodinville offices of Loud Technologies can determine a manufacture date for a particular serial #" [source: Alvarez message board May 2006, link no longer viable]

There is also an automated Alvarez-Yairi serial number decoder BUT according to D Hughes  who runs the Yahoo Group for Yairi-Alvarez Yairi the "automated" dating site does not usually give the correct info when you input the numbers.

On Alvarez (older) models, the SN is of no use in dating, as these were made in several different factories in Japan (early 1970's into early
1980's)...and if there were ever any records kept by the factories, they don't know where they are now.  Both K. Yairi and early Alvarez Yairi models
used the Emperor dating code...these are the numbers stamped on the heelblock of the guitar.  There are a few exceptions, especially after 1999,
when they started to change how they date them.  So, some models during a span of a few years during the slow change over, will have both Emperor
codes, and the new coding, which is that the first two numbers are the last two of the year made.  

Example:  2009 would be 09.  There can still be confusion, unless you know your models... since 09 was also used in 1997 as the 9th year of reign of Emperor Heisa."
Alvarez - Yairi catalogs

http://alvarezyairi.web.fc2.com/

Reviews are at Harmony Central

see Westone

1976 label courtesy of Bobbie. 1977 and other labels ebay,

Juan Alvarez

1952 to present

Juan Alvarez Gil (born 1932) started crafting guitars with his brother in 1946 and set up his own shop in 1952 in Madrid Spain.

http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/files/jalvarez.htm

Currently made by his son Juan Miguel Alvarez.

Alvaro

Alvaro guitars - made in Spain.

Image ebay:

Alver

Maton budget brand (ply) made in Melbourne, Australia 1950s and 1960s.  [Source: Guitarsite]

Amada

1990s to present

Amada Classic Guitars made by Strunal Manufacture in Luby, Czech Republic. [Source & image Craiglist]

Amada guitar catalogs (paid)

http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_european_amada.htm

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Amalio Burguet

Handmade guitars from Spain

Image eBay:

Ambassador

ca 1930s

Brand of Gretsch and Brenner, made by a variety of makers including Harmony, Kay, Gretsch and Gibson. [Source: Gruhn's Guide To Vintage Guitars]

Simon Ambridge

1989 to present

"The numbering of my guitars is consecutive and they date back to the late '70s. I began building full time in '89 and to date I have made 196 instruments.

I now make them in Dartington, Devon UK. Before that my shop was in Loddiswell, Devon (1989-1995/6).

I always number my instruments on the top left corner of the labels, and I sign and date them inside near the soundholes as well as on the labels." [Source: Simon Ambridge, email 13/7/2008 ]

Image courtesy of Simon Ambridge:

Ariel Ameijenda

1997 to present

Ariel is the son of Manuel Ameijenda whose shop opened in 1957. San Salvador. Opened own shop in 1997.

Image Trilogy Guitars:

Amena

Amena - cheap Japanese copies of classics [Source & images Rod Allsopp, Melbourne Australia email 11/9/2011]

Max Amberger

Max Amberger  Munich native Max Amberger (1839 - 1889) constructed violins, zithers and guitars and is credited with constructing  the first concert zither.
Amberger himself was trained by Georg Tiefenbrunner of Munich (1812 - 1880, who invented the Alto-Zither) and Anton Kindl of Vienna (1816 – 1871). [Source: Zither.us
http://www.zither.us/?q=node/74
After his passing, the business remained in the family until 1921, when it was purchased by Hermann Hauser (1882-1952).  The Max Amberger name, however, continued to be used until at least 1927.

American Acoustech

1993 - 2001

Acoustics made by Tom Lockwood (from Guild) and Dave Stutzman, Rochester New York.

http://www.infinitesound.com/gmfall95.htm

American Archtops

1995 to present

Luthier Dale Unger, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Digits after dash in serial number are year of manufacture.

http://www.melbay.com/guitarsessions/jul05/luthier/luthier-jul05.pdf

American Conservatory

late 1800s to 1920s

Most sources attribute the American Conservatory brand to Lyon and Healy of Chicago. However, I have seen a guitar on eBay branded American Conservatory in the 1930s that is attributed to Regal - head stock left.

Also a number of Lyon & Healy made guitars have a Lyon & Healy stamp imprinted on the centre strip, but an Aquilla headstock labelled guitar has a centre strip brand American Conservatory. Not sure what that means.

A possibility is that American Conservatory was a brand/catalog in its own right and guitars were made by various companies.  If anyone can help please make contact.

" ...to fill in some of the blanks about the American Conservatory brand (and probably most of the other Lyon and Healy brands, as well). Around 1927-8, Lyon and Healy sold out their guitar making operation to the company that made the Regal brand, Tonk Brothers. I know that the Washburn brand continued under Regal for only a few more years before disappearing, so some of L&H other brands probably continued on for a few years as well. That probably explains why some late 20's to 30's instruments normally associated with L&H are attributed to Regal. I'm not sure what characteristics you would look for to know which is which if you don't know the production date. Any good luthier or guitar history buff could probably tell on sight whether they came from L&H or Regal. " [Source: Joseph Burke, email 14/10/2011]

Image of American Conservatory label from mandolin eBay"

These images provided courtesy of Steve Adkins, Tasmania, Australia

American Showster

1984-2004

American Showster profile page with more large size photos

American Showster guitars was established 1984 by Rick Excellente  see more info and pictures.

Amfisound Guitars

Amfisound guitars are made in Finland. Custom electric guitars and necks/bodies.

Amigo

I was contacted in September 2009 about an Amigo branded guitar.  It was bought by a sailor during his stint in the navy which started during WWII and ended after the Korean War.  It's an acoustic guitar, dark finish with some inlays. On the head is a penant. I canot make out what it says on the pennant. Under it says Amigo, New York.

Please make contact if you can help with more info in this one.

Amistar

1997 to present

Began in 1997.  All guitars are hand-made in Prague, Czech republic. Guitars  serial number code as follows:

For example: 08 08 25 1696
08 year 08 month 25 day 1696 piece number" [Source: Franta Javurek, Amistar email 25/8/2008 ]

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Amka

Guitars made in the Netherlands by the Veneman family.  Kope Veneman moved to the U.S. opening a store in Maryland, introducing the Kapa instrument line in the 1960s.  ,

http://www.popmuzikant.nl/dossiers.php?itemid=1022&catid=58

Ampeg

1962-present

The Ampeg company was founded in 1949 as Ampeg Bassamp Company in New York.  Key dates: [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide]

1962 Instruments were introduced with the Baby Bass.

1963 to 1966 they carried a line of guitars by Burns of London. 

1966 introduced own basses. 

1977 Ampeg purchased by Unimusic.

1969-1971 Contracted Dan Armstrong to produce lucite guitars and basses.

1971 merged with Magnavox.

1972-1975 introduced Stud series from Japan

1980 shut down production.  MTI bought company and imported amps.

1986 St Louis Music bought company

1997-2001 American made guitar production

2005 Dan Armstrong reintroduced

Dating Ampeg guitars

"Ampeg never marked the date of manufacture, or even the model number on these instruments.

The serial numbers are stamped on the underside of the tailpiece (AEB-1, AUB-1, ASB-1, AUSB-1) or on the bridge base plate (AMB-1, AMUB-1, SSB, SSUB).

There are no confirmed factory records or lists of quantities, serial numbers, or manufacturing dates. From many years of research, here is what I believe to be true:

AEB-1, AUB-1, ASB-1, AUSB-1:

Total made of all four models: about 1260, all between June 1966 and late 1968. Some of the prototypes were made in the summer of '65. The serial numbers of these four models are all mixed together, running from 0 to about 1260. Some have an "M-" prefix, which seems to indicate prototypes or specials. The approximate quantities made of each model are: (750) AEB-1, (410) AUB-1, (75) ASB-1, (25) AUSB-1.

AMB-1 & AMUB-1:

Total made of both models: about 600, all between late 1967 and late 1969. I estimate that total includes 350 AMB-1's and 250 AMUB-1's.

Serial numbers run from 0 to 000600; most instruments have "000" at the front. A few have the "M-" prefix instead.

SSB & SSUB:

The serial numbers indicate that about 240 total were made, however a large number of them were never completed and the components were scrapped by Ampeg in 1969. I estimate that only 40 of them were completed and sold, all in late 1967 and early 1968. Most of the instruments in existence today have serial numbers between 0185 and 0233." [source: Bruce Johnson, Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Co., Burbank, California www.xstrange.com, email: 26/1/2007]

http://xstrange.com/vintagemain.html

Ampeg built by Burns http://users.aol.com/bluemuse/instruments.html#burns

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Amphion

Amphion was the brand name of C.B. Willemsen who built in Amsterdam.  

http://www.daisybelle.nl/nedgit.htm#amphion