|
b |
manufactured |
info
updated 10/10/2008...please email
corrections/info |
|
René Baarslag |
|
Image
Baarslag:
 |
|
Babicz
 |
|
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babicz_Guitars |
|
Bacchus
guitars
 |
|
Bacchus
guitars were founded by Headway. [Source:
Guitars Japan] Pictures on the web archive suggest Fender
Strat and Precision Bass copies.
http://www.guitarsjapan.com/bacchusinfopage.html
http://toguitars.com/gallery-japan/bacchus-guitars.html
http://www.gakki.com/shop3/bacchus_guitars.html
Catalog
http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_japanese_bacchus.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Bacchus
see Headway |
|
Bacon and
Day (B & D) |
1906-1968 |
David Day and
Paul Bacon.
Sold to Gretsch in 1940 [Source:
White
Tree Arizona ]
Dating B&D Banjos –
note system changed after Gretsch took over.
http://www.whitetreeaz.com/vintage/banjomfg.htm
http://www.mugwumps.com/BaconSerialNumbers.html |
|
Bacon
Belmont |
|
Made for Montgomery Ward by
Gretsch. [Source: Guitar for sale at
http://guitarsnouveau.com/
8/5/2008]
http://www.whitetreeaz.com/vintage/genbanjo.htm |
|
Bacorn Guitars |
|
Roger Bacorn,
custom guitars and mandolins, Nichols, New York, USA |
|
Bailey
Guitars |
|
UK |
|
John Bailey |
1960s to 1990s |
John Bailey started to make guitars in London in the 1960s and
moved to Devon in 1972 where he continued to make guitars until
the 1990s. [Source:
Wikipedia ]
Example
http://www.theguitarcollection.org.uk/gallery2/johnbailey.html
http://www.marcbrierley.org.uk/guitar.htm |
|
Baker
 |
1994
to 2003. Currently made by Ed Roman |
Gene Baker made
his first guitar in 7th Grade and in 11th grade made his first
neck, truss rod and and fret board. From 1986 he started
building guitars and then worked part time for Ernie Ball
for 3 months then sacked for being too slow. At age 20 he
started making guitars in his parent's garage under the Mean
Gene brand and partnered with .Eric
Zoellner which lasted over a year. From
1991 to 1993 he worked for Master
Builder Roger Giffin of the "Gibson West Custom Shop" in North
Hollywood, California
As
Gibson was
planning to close that plant he moved to
the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California in June
1993.
While at Fender Gene established
Baker Guitars with
Gil Vasquez. On 1 January 1999 Gene
left Fender to take on Baker Guitars
full time. [Source: Baker web ]
Baker Guitars
stopped production in 2003. Baker guitars
name sold to Ed Roman who now makes them see:
http://www.edroman.com/guitars/baker.htm
Dating Baker
Guitar and specifications
http://www.motherfunkconspiracy.com/baker/yabb/guitars/gallery.html
Gene Baker
is now making guitars again
see
http://finetunedinstruments.com/Site/
Search at
http://www.vintageguitar.com/
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Baker |
|
James R Baker |
1990 to present |
"I started serious, regular issue of instruments in 1990...made
a couple here & there before that but I don't know where they
are.....
I have always used the number system of 4 digits, the first two
the number of the instrument issued that year , the second two
the year....so 0108 was the first guitar this year....1499 the
fourteenth instrument of 1999
For new instruments, I have had a label , that is visible thru
the soundhole, that I don't always use anymore that has my
family crest on it, we were carvers / designers , it has a latin
motto on it that translates to "the end crowns the work"... I
don't use it much anymore, generally now I just sign the
instrument in black , on the back visible thru the soundhole. On
electrics w/o a soundhole, the same system on the back of the
headstock. I usually sign the headstock on the front , kind of
like PRS does....I also usually inlay a marquetry rose on the
headstock, it has always been my "mark"
On vintage restoration instruments that do not have a label, I
sometimes put a small label inside that has the name, "Guitare
Romantica" and a date and signature....I watch for quality circa
1900 & earlier unidentified instruments and restore & mod them
into really nice playing guitars, the 100+year woods are
great....its a nice market, a quicker to inventory item thasn a
new one, a great old instrument with a real vintage vibe cause
it's real vintage for a reasonable price.
On labeled , important vintage instruments, I sometimes sign &
date in pencil, small & hidden inside so that the owner knows
where, just for a security measure as well as identifying it....
My website is a new one, had a different one for many years but
my focus is changing.. I want to bring my patented archtops to a
younger generation, and I am getting heavily into Romantic era
instruments, gut string and such, both vintage and my own design
for this fall....i will still make electrics & others but I
think (I am 55) that it is time for me to try to have my
instruments speak to a younger generation....20 - 30 yr olds are
so smart, they have no boundaries, and that excites me...it like
Dylan said, Lend a hand or get out of the way..." [Source: Jim
Baker, email 30/3/2008]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/James+R.+Baker |
|
Baldwin |
1965 - 1970 |
Initial
models - Burns UK, later Arkansas, USA
Search at
http://www.vintageguitar.com
http://www.burnsguitarmuseum.com/baldwin.html
Note in 2005 Gibson announced a new Gibson-Baldwin range – aimed
at the beginner/ education market. [Source:
Mixonline ]
Catalogs
http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_european_baldwin.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Baldwin
see Burns |
|
Ballurio |
|
Dating Ballurio guitars
http://www.ballurio.com/BG/BGSerialNumbers.shtml |
|
Bandy
Studios |
|
Joseph Bandy was a student
in the Fall, 2001, class. He then set up a guitar-repair
business near Amarillo, Texas. After spending a year-long
apprenticeship in Oakland, California with luthier Ervin Somogyi,
he started Bandy Studios making custom
guitars and performing repairs.
[Source:
Roberto-Venn
] |
|
Baranik Guitars |
|
Mike Baranik, Arizona, USA |
|
Baratto |
2000 to present |
Started making
guitars for Hishino (Ibanez Custom 1994-1999). Started Baratto
in 2000 in Los Angeles, California USA. |
|
Francisco Barba |
|
Image courtesy:
Classic Guitar
 |
|
Barclay |
|
According to Blue Book Barclay
guitars were built in Japan in 1960s, considered a House Brand
but importer to US unknown. However, at the
Guitar Site there is a suggestion that there are US made
Barclays. At the
Harmony Database it is suggested that Barclay was
distributed by Unity Buying Service.
http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php
|
|
Barkwood Guitars |
1992 to present |
Luthier Donnacha O Donnell,
Los Angeles, California |
|
Carl Barney Guitars |
1968 to present |
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Carl+Barney |
|
GW Barry |
1980 to present |
Gordon Barry, Toronto Canada |
|
Barthell Guitars |
1975 to present |
"I started building classical
guitars in 1975. Each guitar I build has a label visible
through the soundhole. The label carries either my signature or
my initials (JPB) and a date showing the year it was
completed. In most cases the serial number is also shown. I'm
just now finishing up number 135, and that will be its serial
number. In some cases low serial numbers will be repeated,
because I started from zero again when my good lady and I left
the Chicago area to move to the Olympic peninsula here in
Washington state. I did not keep careful records before moving
here, but my guess is that numbers below about 30 or 40 could be
duplicated. The dates, however, will establish the age."
[Source: Pete Barthell, email 20/3/2008] |
|
Bartolini |
|
http://www.greenbuddha.de/guitars/index_b.php?mod=bartolini&lang=de |
|
Peter Barton |
1986 to present |
Established 1986 in Addingham,
West Yorkshire
Image
Stafford Guitar:
 |
|
Baruke Guitars |
|
Allen Williams, USA |
|
Bascetta
 |
2001 to present |
"I
started manufacturing under my name in 2001 and my instruments
were first made in Leeds, UK, then in Port Sunlight, UK and 3
months ago I setup my current shop in Spital, UK. The date and
location of manufacture is always on the label next to my
signature as well as written on the underside of the top.
" [Source: Matthew John Bascetta,
Luthier, email
11/7/2008 ]
 |
|
Bashkin |
1996 to present |
Manufacture since "1996 in Fort
Collins, Colorado, USA.
First two (soon three) digits is
the guitar number and the last two represent the year. For
example, 8108 is my 81st guitar made and it was completed in
2008." [Source: Michael, Bashkin Guitars, email 16/4/2008]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/product/Michael+Bashkin/Placencia+OM/10/1 |
|
Basone |
|
Small
custom guitar company specializing in hand
crafted high quality electrics. Vancouver,
British Columbia. |
|
BassLab
 |
2001to present |
"The
2001 Frankfurt Musikmesse was somehow our official start. There
were just a few instruments - the earliest from 1993, but most
of them were prototypes and experimental R&D stuff.
Made in Kassel, Germany.
Dating BassLab Guitars
All serial numbers are in the housing of the electronics.
A typical number would be like
LB0508D50
"LB" stands for the L-bow model
"05" is the number of strings
"08" is the date of manufacture
the rest is an internal code.
[Source and image
courtesy of: Heiko Hoepfinger, BassLab,
email 14/8/2008]
Reviews:
Bass
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/brand/BassLab
Guitar
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/BassLab |
|
Richard Baudry |
|
|
|
Baxendale |
|
Scott and John Baxendale,
Denver Colorado |
|
Bazzolo |
1983 to present |
|
|
BC Kingston |
|
see K for Kingston |
|
BC Rich |
|
see R for
Rich |
|
Travis Bean
 |
1974 - 1979 |
Less than 4,000 Travis Bean metal
neck guitars were produced in Sun Valley, California between
1974 and 1979. [Source:
autohobby digest ]
Dating Travis Bean guitars by model and serial number
Then for the .com link ..
The Travis Bean
resource centre with Message Board
Other Travis Bean resources
Search at
http://www.vintageguitar.com
http://www.metalnecks.com/index.php/mID/038dd74d/fuseaction/guitars.manu.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Bean
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Travis+Bean |
|
O.C. Bear |
2001 to present |
Clint Bear, Indiana, USA |
|
Bear Creek |
|
Custom
ukuleles and Hawaiian acoustic steel
guitars, styled after the guitars by Herman Weissenborn.
Made by Bill Hardin, Maui, Hawaii, USA |
Beard Guitars
 |
1985 to present |
Paul Beard builds round- and
square-necked resonator guitars.
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page1726.htm
http://www.12fret.com/new/beard_E_model_flamed_maple_pg.html |
|
Beardsell Guitars |
|
|
|
Beauregard Guitars |
|
Quebec, Canada |
|
Ken Bebensee (KB)
 |
1984 to present |
North San Juan,
California, USA
Dating KB
Guitars
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/bebensee.htm
http://www.kbguitars.com/aboutken.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Ken+Bebensee |
|
Rich Beck |
|
Arizona, USA |
|
Beck Guitarworks |
|
Dwayne Becknell |
|
Pete Beer Guitars |
2005 to present |
"Professional
manufacture started in 2005.
My workshop is in The Forest of Dean, South West England.
The year of manufacture is printed on the label. There are also
two hand written numbers, for example *7/10*: where 7 would be
2007 and 10 would be the tenth guitar of that year. I also sign
and date the inside of the soundboard, on the treble side of the
neck extension."
[Source: Peter Beer, email 15/7/2008 ] |
|
Beeton
Brass Guitars |
1994 to present |
"I began making metal bodied
resonator instruments in 1994. 2.I make my guitars at a
home based workshop in Lake Macquarie.
You can find the serial number punched in to the top of the
headstock of my guitars. Each model of instrument that I make is
on a separate serial number line. To date my earlier instruments
you would need to contact me directly.
My more recent instruments are now also labeled inside the
guitar with completion date, model and serial number. [Source:
Greg Beeton, email 26/8/2008]
|
|
Ron
Belanger |
|
|
|
Bellucci |
|
|
|
Bellus
Custom Guitars |
|
|
|
Belman
 |
1996 to
2007 |
Made by Tony Bell, Melbourne Australia 1996 to 2007.
Sadly Belman guitars are no longer produced. Here is some
history from
Wayback Machine:
"The
first incarnation of Belman Guitars was actually formed in the
class room of a Secondary Technical School in 1982, where
Anthony decided to build his first electric guitar. Craig Manger
also in the same class having already completed his project
asked Anthony if he would like some help to finish the project.
Thus the seeds were sewn for what would eventually become Belman
Guitars. The project was a major success for their grades and
confidence. With the help and support of Mr Hogg (woodworking
teacher), and working after normal school hours they proceeded
to build their first bass.
The major turning point for
the young guitar builders was the realisation they did not
posses any of the necessary equipment to continue building
guitars from home. The bass went up for sale in a local music
store. To their delight the bass sold in little over a month,
they had now sold their first instrument (circa 1984) and also
possessed the funds to buy tools and machinery that allowed them
to continue building guitars.
The early years were spent
working long hours in Anthonys mothers tiny garage, both men
maintained full time employment and would perform all manner of
guitar repairs long into the night. Within this small garage was
crammed everything that was needed to build guitars, except for
the space to stretch your arms. In these confined conditions the
pair were able to perform some amazing repairs and produce
incredible custom instruments. These hard years honed the skills
of both Anthony and Craig into becoming one of the most sort
after repairers in Melbourne.
Finally realizing that they
had to make the decision to go full time or scale back the work
load, they officially formed Belman Guitars in 1994. The name
coming from the abbreviating and joining of the two sir-names
Bell and Manger, Bel-Man, Belman.
From this point forward they
dedicated every spare minute into understanding all the workings
of electric guitars and basses. What timbers to use to achieve
certain tones, what colour effects could be obtained from
different staining methods. From re-winding pickups, to actually
creating their own personal pickup models. Putting their
instruments into the hands of as many professional players as
possible, and more importantly listening to the feedback given
by these players to help them achieve better results with the
next instrument.
As the workload grew they
knew
it was time to relocate to a factory. Enter Tino Maiorana,
having known the guys for a number of years and spent many hours
in the garage, initially to have work done and later helping out
and performing repairs. Belman Guitars relocated to their first
factory in Thomastown, Victoria.
From the early days of the
factory when the range offered 4 models, up to the current range
of over 18 different variations of models for the player to
choose from (including bass instruments). Belman stopped
producing in 2007.
Dating Belman
Guitars
"...for the
serial numbers, ours work like this. You may have an instrument
that has HPG0124. The H is the shape so in this example Hornet,
the P is for the model which in this case would be a "Plus" and
the G is the alphabet number 7 (being the 7th letter in the
alpha) for the 7th guitar built that particular month. Hope I
haven't lost you yet. The numbers are for the year and month, so
the outer 2 numbers are the year, in this case "04" and the
inner 2 numbers are the month 12 which of course is December. We
then went to a simpler numbering system last year, which is for
example 06506. The first 3 digits are the number of guitar for
that year being the 65th instrument, and the last 2 digits are
the year 06. Hope this helps" [source: Tino, Belman, email
29/1/2007]
Images courtesy of
East Gosford Music :
 
Image courtesy
of Albatros, Aussie Guitar Gear Heads Forum:
:
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Belman |
|
Beltona |
|
Beltona Resonators,
Whangarei, New Zealand |
|
Beltone |
|
The Beltone brand has been around
since the 1920s if not earlier. House Brand of Monroe Catalog
House [Source: Blue Book]
Beltone guitars were made by Regal in the thirties, they would
have square headstocks, or rounded ones like Dobros from that
era. Later models were made by Harmony and have a slight point
to the headstock like many low end Harmony guitars form the
fifties. The Regal models are either fake resonators, or pin
bridge models. A floating bridge example is probably a Harmony.
Harmony may have made fake resonators in the forties and
fifties. The headstock would be the clue. [Source:
Vintaxe ]
In the 1960s Beltone was a Teisco brand guitar sold in US
[Source:
Carvin Museum ]
http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php |
|
Benavente |
1996 - present |
1996 was first year of manufacture [source: Benavente, email
28/1/2007]
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/benavent.html
http://www.benaventeguitars.com/benavente.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Benavente |
|
Benedetto
 |
1968 to present |
Benedetto archtops have a 4 or 5 digit serial number ..the last 2
digits in the # are the year in which the instrument was made ..
The digits in front of the last 2 are the instruments place in
production
http://www.palmguitars.nl/archives/arch-git.html
https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/EGuitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf
http://vintageguitarpro.com/ben.shtml
Benedetto
pricelist
2005 Benedetto
pricelist
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Benedetto |
|
Benedict
 |
1988 to present |
Roger Benedict, began making guitars in Elizabethtown, NY in
1974, and moved to Minneapolis in 1981 to build guitars for a
local manufacturer. Roger was also a luthier instructor at Red
Wing (MN) Technical College. In early 1988, Roger designed and
built an electric guitar that featured a semi-hollow spruce body
and state-of-the-art electronics. Later that year, he built a
version for Jackson Browne, who named the guitar "the Groove
Master" in tribute to its unique sound and playability. Roger
and his wife Laurel formed the Benedict Guitar Company and began
marketing the Groove Master and other models. In 1990, Bill
Hager, became Roger's apprentice later that year. Roger passed
away in 1994 and the company has kept going with . Roger’s wife
Laurel and Bill agreed to continue the company. [Source:
Benedict
Guitars ]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Benedict |
|
Beneteau |
1975 to present |
"I started building guitars
full time in 1975 and have always been a one man shop. In that
time I've built over 700 guitars.
I work out of my home shop in St Thomas,
Ontario, Canada and have had sales worldwide.
My serial #, stamped on the neck block, is the date that I start
the guitar. e.g. 070408 is the 7th of April, 2008." [Source:
Marc Beneteau, email 7/4/2008]
http://www.guitargal.com/beneteau.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Benetea |
|
Benjamin Guitars |
1998 to present |
"I
started working professionally in 1997.
I work from a small workshop
in
Castle Ditch Lane,
Lewes,
East Sus |
