|
C-Cb |
made |
updated
18/5/2013 |
|
|
CA Guitars |
1998 to
present |
Founded by
Ellis Seal, making acoustic guitars with modern technology
including carbon fibre.
Lafayette, Louisiana, USA.
CA = Composite Acoustics
Images eBay:
 |
|
CA
Guitarworks |
|
United Kingdom |
|
Cachimba |
|
The Cachimba series was made
for the Sydney Spanish Guitar Centre by Nito Koykay of Nigoya,
Japan. It's probably best described as a small-factory-built
guitar. [Source:
LNT Guitar forum]
Image eBay:
 |
|
Cadney
guitars |
1966 to
present |
"I finished my
first guitars in 1996 and the date is only occasionally on the
label. However, I write the date on the inside of the soundboard
beneath the part where the fingerboard runs over it and between
the neck and one of the upper harmonic bars. I have made guitars
in the 100, 200 and 300 series, the 200 and 300 series are
current and are not necessarily a guide to the date." [Source:
Stephen Cadney, email 17/3/2008] |
|
Christelle
Caillot |
2004 to present |
"I started
building guitars as a professional in 2004. Now, my workshop is
in Paris at the following address:
Atelier du Sycomore
46, rue de la Rochefoucauld
75009 Paris
Métro Pigalle
Inside my guitars, there is a label
with my name, the year of manufacture and
the number of the guitar. Until now,
I havebuilt 25 gypsy jazz guitars."
[Source: Christelle Caillot, email 28/7/2008 ]
Previously
based in
Ogíjares (Granada),
Spain |
|
Calatayud y Gisbert |
1970s-?? |
Calatayud y Gisbert
guitars made in Valencia, Spain
Image eBay:
 |
|
Graham Caldersmith |
|
Caldersmith lutherie, Graham
Caldersmith, Kendall, New South Wales, Australia |
|
Caldwell
Guitars |
|
Jimmy Caldwell, Texas USA |
|
Caledonie |
|
made by Egmond, Netherlands
http://www.daisybelle.nl/nedgit.htm
http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/misc/europe/caledonie.html
Example |
|
Calibre |
|
Limited run guitars from Australia |
|
Califone
 |
1966 |
Califone 6 and 12 string guitars and basses
by Murphy Musical Instruments for Rheem Califone-Roberts,
company that also produced reel to reel tapes, amplifiiers.
[Source:
Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide]
About 25
prototypes were made by Murph - see
Murph Guitars |
|
California |
|
Grant Baldwin, Belmont, California |
|
Callaham |
1989 to
present |
Bill Callaham, Winchester,
Virginia, USA. Also make tube amps.
|
|
Camac |
1970-80? |
Camac guitars - made in Japan ?
1970-80. Google comparisons comparing bridge and knobs suggest
manufactured at Chushin Factory. There is also an other CAMAC
model that resembles very much an El Maya (Alembic style).
[Source and image Camac Space Tiger: Kai Beckmann, email
14/3/2012]
 |
|
Vicente Camacho |
1960 to ? |
Madrid, Spain
http://www.vergaraguitars.com/vicentecamacho.html
Camacho
at wikipedia
Image
Vergara:
 |
|
Camel
 |
|
Japan.
Camel is sister brand of Fresher, therefore,
Kyowa Shokai distributed
[Source:
Music
Trade]
Image (Les Paul
copy)
Tokai forum, ebay:
 |
|
Camelli |
|
Italian solid bodies, 1960s
http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/galassiapolverini/misc/carini.html |
|
Cameo

 |
|
Cameo - Japanese guitars , 1970s. Also
made in Korea

 |
|
Campbell
American Guitars |
2005 to present |
Formerly Greene and Campbell
Guitars.
Luthier Dean Campbell, Blackstone
Valley, New England, USA.
Image Campbell American Atomic
guitar from eBay
 |
|
Fred W
Campbell |
1984-1998 |
Owner FW Campbell & Sons, January
1984 – December 1998 (15 years) . Fred them moved to C Fox
guitars from 198 to 2001 and has been with Ribbecke since 2009. |
|
M. Campellone |
1978 to
present |
Mark
Camplellone, custom archtops, Greenville, Rhode Island, USA.
Made electrics and basses in 1970s and 1980s
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/camplone.html
http://www.mcampellone.com/ |
|
Camps
 |
1945 to present |
Camps
Guitars are made in Porqueres, Spain. Founded by Juan Camps Coll
in 1945. His sons, Javier and Jordi and team continue the
Spanish tradition.
Images courtesy of
Kent Guitar
Classics:
Handmade high end model (dated)
Cheaper model
 |
|
Canadian Breed |
Current at 2011 |
Telecaster and stratocaster
guitars by Bill Scheltema, Palmerston, Ontario Canada.
Thanks to Ben Van Dyk for passing
on this brand. |
|
Canda |
|
Canda catalog 1973
http://www.sf.airnet.ne.jp/~shake/greco/catalogue/1973/index.html
see Greco |
|
Candelario
Delgado |
|
see D for Delgado |
|
Candelas |
|
Los Angeles, California, USA
 |
|
Canopus |
1986 to present |
Luthier Yas
Kamiya worked at the Sho-Bud factory in Nashville in the 1970s
for 12 years. In 1986 he returned to Japan to
make Canopus Hawaiian
steel guitars at Shimo Kitazawa,Tokyo. |
|
Canora

|
Late 1960 -
1970s |
Made in Japan.
Copies of American classic electrics. Acoustic guitars also.
According to the eBay ad for the Canora acoustic guitar label it
may have been made by Suzuki in Nagoya.
Great historical article on Canora guitars - a brand imported for Canada
Images eBay:


 |
|
Canvas |
2004-present |
Chinese imported into US by
American Sejung Corporation.
|
|
Canyon
 |
|
Made in Japan by Yamaki Gakki,
Nagano
Images Yahoo Japan.
 |
|
Canyon West |
|
Guitars made in Nampa, Idaho USA |
|
Caparison
 |
1996 to present |
The Caparison Guitar company was established in 1995 with the former Jackson/Charvel Japan design division and was owned by Kyowa Shokai Ltd, a company that made contracts with factories to produce guitars for them. In May 2011 Kyowa Shokai was declared bankrupt, but Caparison resumed production in Sep 2011 under the ownership of Caparison Guitar Company Ltd. The company retains Itaru Kanno as lead designer and the instruments continue manufacture with Iida Music Co. in Nagoya, Japan. [Source: Wikipedia ]
Caparison Forums
http://www.caparisonforum.com/
http://guitarsatbmusic.com.au/forum/index.php
Image Caparison Angelus22 Vintage
Sunburst eBay:
 |
|
Rod Capper Concert
Guitars |
|
Rod Capper
makes guitars in Auckland, New Zealand. Date of
manufacture written on label.
 |
|
Capri |
|
Made in Japan |
|
Carbonaro |
1974 to present |
Robert
Carbonaro, luthier Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA |
|
Cardinal |
|
Austin, Texas, USA |
|
Career
 |
|
Career guitars is a German
company.
Career is only an import label of
the German Import Company
Knauer. Most of
the Career branded guitars are Korean made by
Unsung. [Source: Uli,
Violin Basses of the World,
email 23/4/2012]
Note web site not available as of
2012 but there are a number of pages on wayback machine. |
|
Carelli |
|
A Harmony Brand
http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php |
|
Cargill Custom
Guitars |
1956 to present |
Started in 1956
in Merv Cargill's garage in Seaford, Australia. Still made there
by Merv's son, James [Source:
Cargill ]
Image 1990 Cargill guitar from ebay May 2013

|
|
Cariboo Musical Instruments
 |
2006- |
Custom made Acoustic and
Resophonic Guitars crafted by hand by Rich Kenny, Horsefly,
British Columbia, Canada.
"I was an Industrial
Education teacher when I was still in the workforce. I taught
mechanics, metalwork and woodwork at the high school level for
almost 30 years.
I have been
building acoustic and resophonic guitars for about five years
now. I am just finishing off my 24th instrument. I much prefer
to build resophonic guitars rather than acoustic as that is the
instrument that I play myself, having lost an argument with a
table saw at one point in my life.
I make all my
instruments here in Horsefly, British Columbia, Canada. I have a
one person shop and it keeps me busy all the time and out of my
wifes' hair.
Dating CMI
instruments
Each of my
instruments is individually numbered, dated and signed by me.
This information is on a label placed inside the body. It is
visible thru the soundhole on acoustic guitars but on resophonic
guitars, the coverplate and cone assembly must be removed to see
the label. There is a small label located underneath one of the
sound screens for quick identification. Currently, the serial
numbers on acoustic guitars begin with SGD or KOM, while
resophonic guitars begin with RSB. This code number doesn't mean
anything except to me as it designates the original source of
the the body shape.
I have also started making
Appalachian Mountain Dulcimers. they will be up soon too.
[Source: Rich
Kenny, email 24/1/2011] |
|
Carl
Fishcher |
|
see F
for Fischer |
|
Carl
Thompson (CT) |
|
see T for Thompson |
|
Carlino
 |
|
Carlino guitars, Medford
Massachusetts USA |
|
Carlos
 |
1976-late 1980s |
According to Vintage Guitar Carlos
were imported acoustic guitars distributed by Coast Wholesale
Music from around 1976 to late 80s, but obviously from the photo
below the brand was also applied to electrics.
Carlos
guitars reference site (Guitar medic)
According to a
wikipedia
stub Carlos is a Korean brand but I suspect Japanese
origin with later move to Korea.
Image Craiglist:

"LP
Photos supplied by Paul R
Spence"
 |
|
Carlson |
1999 to present |
Guitars and
amps |
|
Fred
Carlson |
|
see Beyond the Trees |
|
Carmencita
 |
|
Carmencita ? brand owned by Hofner. This
brand made in Spain and Japan.
May studio

 |
|
Carmona Larson |
|
Juan Carmona,
Le Beausset, France |
|
Gil Carnal |
|
California, USA |
|
Carparelli |
|
Formerly known as Dot On Shaft.
Distributor and manufacturer of guitars and basses across a
range of budgets. Canada |
|
Steve Carr
 |
mid 1970s to 2006 |
Steve Carr is famous for the work
he has done with KISS including Gene Simmon's Axe and Ace
Frehley's guitars. Steve started making guitars in the mid
1970s and passed away in 2006.
Steve Carr interview at Acre Frehley Les Paul
Images Steve Carr UFO #6 of 6
eBay:

 |
|
James
Carrett |
|
430 Stenner St,
Toowoomba, Queensland, 4350
Australia |
|
Vicente Carrillo
 |
|
Cuenca, Spain
Image courtesy
of Guitar Salon
International:
 |
|
Chris
Carrington Guitars |
1991 to present |
Made since
"1991" and "at my house in Rockwall TX, since 2004. On the label
on the inside, as seen thru the soundhole.
both date and serial # (uncoded)" [Source and photo
courtesy of Chris Carrington,
email 4/4/2008]
 |
| Carruthers |
|
John Carruthers started to make guitars at home in hs father's woodshop in their family’s basement. After graduating from High School in the late sixties, John moved to Los Angeles and obtained a job working at Westwood Music in West Los Angeles repairing guitars. Yamaha asked John to work for them as a consultant to help design their SG, SA, FG and FC electric and acoustic guitars, and their BB basses. Yamaha also hired him to set up their service departments and train their personnel. Bill Schultz in turn hired John to work at Fender. John’s career working on design and production spanned from their Fullerton complex to Brea, and finally to Corona. Most notably, John worked on the designs and implementation of the Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy D’Aquisto, Robben Ford, all Vintage Reissues and the Acoustic lines of guitars. With the success of the Fender product lines, John was asked to run the Fender Custom Shop but declined. Leo Fender took notice of John’s work, and asked him to consult with him on design and implementation of the Musicman Stingray and Sabre guitars and basses. Upon Leo Fender’s death, John was given the honor to make a limited 600-count run of bodies of the Leo Fender Commemorative Guitar Model for G&L. During the same time period, John also worked for Ibanez and helped them design and improve many of their guitars including the Joe Pass model, and the Artist Series guitars and basses. With these notable accomplishments, John moved to a larger shop in Santa Monica. After a few years, he bought his historic shop in Venice Beach, CA, where he remained for 30 years. In 2011, Carruthers Guitars moved to a new facility in Camarillo, CA. The new facility is nearly three times the size and is better equipped for manufacturing John’s world renowned guitars and basses. |
|
Carson
 |
|
Reviews are at Harmony Central
 |
|
Carson
Crickmore |
1980 to present |
Phil Carson
Crickmore is an Australian Luthier, and established a luthier
school in Brunswick, Melbourne in 1995. |
|
Carter Poulsen |
2010- |
Willie
Carter and Eric Poulsen
Launch announcement |
|
Carter Steel Guitars |
|
|
|
Willie Carter |
|
Santa Cruz, California |
|
Patrick
Caruso |
|
Patrick Caruso,
luthier Long Island, New York USA |
|
Alan Caruth |
1970 to present |
Newport, New Hampshire, USA |
|
Carvalho
 |
1976- |
Carvalho guitars are made in Braga
- Portugal since 1976 [Source:
Vinci Music]
 |
|
Samuel Carvalho |
2001- |
Guitars from Brazil
Samuel Carvalho Biography
Image eBay:
 |
|
Carvin

 |
1946 to present |
Founded in Los Angeles by Lowell C Kiesel as the LC Kiesel Co,
making guitar pickups. 1949 Carvin brand introduced.
A press release from San Diego, CA
(December 29, 2009) -- Lowell Kiesel, founder of Carvin Guitars,
died yesterday. He was 94. Here is a statement from the company:
It is with great sadness that Carvin announces the passing of
its founder, Lowell C. Kiesel. Mr. Kiesel was born in Nebraska
in 1915, and as a young man, spent time in Wichita, Kansas,
where he developed an interest in musical instruments;
specifically, Hawaiian steel guitars, resonators and the
electronic aspects of these instruments.
He founded the L. C. Kiesel Company in 1946, and began winding
pickups on an old sewing machine owned by his wife, Agnes. The
company was located in Los Angeles, briefly relocated back to
Mr. Kiesel's home state of Nebraska, and then moved back to
southern California in 1949, where the name was changed to
Carvin, after his two eldest sons, Carson and Gavin. In the
following years, the company expanded from pickups to guitars
and basses, amplifiers, pro audio equipment and other musical
accessories.
Mr. Kiesel's leadership, technical expertise and innovative
engineering concepts led the company for decades, and even after
handing the reins of the company over to his sons, he maintained
an office in Carvin's San Diego headquarters and remained active
in company operations.
He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by the Kiesel
family and the entire staff of Carvin.
Dating
Carvin Guitars and serial numbers
https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/EGuitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf
Up until 1970 there were no serial numbers issued
(2-4,000 guitars in this period).
? model guitar
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/whatmodelguitar.html
? model bass
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/whatmodelbass.html
http://carvin.electricshockmusic.com/newsite/
http://vintageguitarpro.com/carvin.shtml
Carvin ads
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/guitarads.html
Carvin catalogs
2008 Carvin catalog
2012 Carvin catalog
Carvin Forums
http://forums.carvinmuseum.com/
http://www.carvintalk.com/
http://www.carvinbbs.com/
Image Carvin
headstock and 1978/9 serial number eBay:
 |
|
Luis
Carzoglio
 |
1920s- |
Luis Carzoglio, or Luigi Carzoglio,
the most common italian name. Luigi born in Italia, in a town of
GENOVA, Finalborgo, on 1874. He travel to Argentina, Buenos
Aires, on 1898 with 24 years old.
And start with luthery, building
Mandolins and Guitars, but in 1910 he was full dedicated to
build violins, violas and cellos.
And a few years later he retook the work on finest classical
guitars with exported european woods.
He dies on Buenos Aires, at 1944, with 70 years old, after near
of 50 years building strings instruments with the best quality.
On 1992, his last guitar was selled on auction at 12.000 usd on
Buenos Aires, in the house that he lived, that his family sells
too.
Anothers instruments like Violins and Cellos was selled on
15.000 usd and more. [ebay, Aug 2011]'
Guitars made in Buenos Aries,
1930s
Image 1920s label ebay, 1931 label
Fine and Rare Guitars
  |
|
Casa Montalvo |
1987 to present |
Made in Mexico for Berkley Musical
Instrument Exchange
see K & S |
|
Casa Parramon |
|
Luthier - commenced violin
manufacture in 1896. Barcelona, Spain
 |
|
Jérôme
Casanova |
2003 to present |
Established own shop in
Clermont-Ferrand in 2003 |
|
Cashimira Guitars
 |
|
Joan Cashimira's workshop was
founded nearly a century ago in Gata de Gorgos, a village near
Alicante in Spain. The name Cashimira is an abbreviation of the
founder's name, Jose Antonio Caselles Miralles, the grandfather
of the present owner, who made his first guitar around 50 years
ago. [Source:
Promenade Music ] Make around 2000
guitars a year with 300 luthier models. [Source:
Sound Shop ]
Images courtesy of
Kent Guitar
Classics:

Reviews are at Harmony Central |
|
Casino



|
1960s |
I have come
across this name before but there is little info available.
Soho Steve of London has sent some images and info as follows:
"As you can see from the pictures,
there are a lot of similarities between this guitar and the
Valco made Supro/Airline style guitars.
Namely short-scale 'baseball bat' neck held on by two retaining
screws, wooden bridge, knobs and pick-guard similarities.
One of the shots, of the headstock shows a ghostly image of
'Casino' 'brand'.
Pickup appears to be the same as the Supro Sahara style though
so far I haven't worked out what's holding it to the body. I'm
guessing one of the 'pole pieces'.
The seller believed it to be a DeArmond pickup?
It came with the original lightweight hardcase with an alligator
style print. Judging by the pots I'm guessing it's a March 1965 manufacture
or close to it.
According to
SimonM from
Vintaxe Forum. " This looks very much like the Tosca-branded
Valco cheapies, but with a different headstock design.
I've also seen one of these with the brand Minuetta. Date would
probably be 1960-64. The pickup is the same type that was used
on most Supro/ National/
Airline guitars, a Valco-owned patent.
Note: An identical guitar was spotted by simonm shortly after
with Tosca brandname.

 |
|
Casino |
current |
Entry level electric guitars
& guitar tuners eg
distributed by
Jade in Australia. Suspect this current Casino brand
is Australia specific. |
|
Casio |
1987-1988 |
Casio midi guitars were introduced
1987 made in Japan.
2007-8 Casio product
catalog
http://jpsongs.com/troubadortech/casmgtr.htm
Images Casio DG20 eBay

Images
Matrixsynth Flickr

|
|
Castellucia |
|
France |
|
Castilla
 |
|
Castilla - Electric and acoustic guitars.
According to
Unofficial Ventura Castilla may have been distributed by
Kaman following their incorporation of the Ventura label.
From what I have seen on the web Castilla brand covers
instruments made in Japan, Korea and China.
Castilla threads
Images of Castilla Hummingbird
copy and label from another Castilla model label ebay:
 |
|
Salvador
Castillo
 |
|
Paracho, Mexico
 |
|
Antonion
Casajuana |
|
Luthier Antonio Casajuana, Cremona
 |
| Cat Guitar |
|
Custom guitars by Buddy Duchamp |
|
Catalyst |
|
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/catalyst.html |
|
Cathedral |
|
Made in China
Images eBay
 |
|
Cat's Eyes
 |
|
Acoustic
guitars by Tokai. Hamamatsu, Japan
Cat's Eyes catalogs
http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/darkend/catalogue.html
http://jvguitar.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=gallery
http://www.tokairegistry.com/catalogs.html
Acoustic sample
http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/photo/guitar.html
Image Yahoo:
 |
| CB Guitars |
|
See Bozung |
|
CBS
 |
|
CBS Brand bass guitar. Found
almost no information on this guitar. The pictues are from
a bass guitar for sale on eBay Feb 2010 in Adelaide, Australia.

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next page |
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Ce-CJ
|
Cl-Con
|
Coo- |