Coo-

made

 C-Cb |Ce-CJ | Cl-Con  updated 16/12/2011

Darrell Cook

1997 to present

Archtops, flat tops, Lafayette, CO,  USA

Ronald Cook

1973-

Ronald Cook, Master craftsman in Baulines Crafts Guild, and American Craft Show artist. A luthier since 1973.  Builds Early American and Early European stringed folk instruments. Previously known as Coog, and the business was Coog Instruments. As of 2009, the name changed to Ron Cook Studios.

Peter Coombe

1994 to present

Peter Coombe, hand crafted mandolins, Canberra, Australia

"Date of manufacture is on the label." [Source: Peter Coombe, email 5/8/2008 ]

JS Cooper

current

Jeremy S Cooper, Classical guitars. Tucson, Arizona USA.

Coral Guitars

1967-1969

In 1967, a year after MCA bought Danelectro, the Coral line of guitars is introduced. Coral hollow bodies were manufactured in Japan. All other Coral parts were made in the New Jersey Danelectro plant. [Source: http://www.provide.net/~cfh/dano.html

http://www.danguitars.com/TheHistoryofDanelectro.html

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/guitar/equip-coral.html

http://www.myrareguitars.com/1960guitars.html

Coral guitar catalogs, posters

1960, 1967-69 http://www.danguitars.com/CoralCatalog.html

Reviews are at Harmony Central

see Danelectro

Corbin

current 2011

Corbin guitars made in Shanghai, China

Mitch Corbin

Florida

Cordoba

1997 to present

Classical guitars

Images eBay & Guitar Salon International:

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/brand/Cordoba

Corelli

Another brand I have come across on eBay:

Label reads: Corelli Classic Guitar, Sold by Herman Waleeki, Westwood Musical Instruments, 1611 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles California.   In Red in the wood inside reads "Made in Germany"

Corey James Custom Guitars

2005 to present

Luthier Corey James Moilanen, Davisburg, Michigan, USA. Solidbody guitars and basses.

1984 to present

classical guitars, acoustic guitars, hurdy gurdies. Modeila, Italy. Learned at the Masetti shop.

Cornerstone

current at 2009

Peter Marreiros, Luthier, Westminster, California

Luthier interview

Coronet

1960s-70s

Images Coronet guitar from 1960s found on eBay. This brand including amplifiers was a budget line in Australia at least.  I recall as a teenager in the 1970s that the Coronet amps were an affordable amp line in my local music shop.

Cort

1973 to present

Cort based in North Brook, Illinois, offers guitars made in Korea.

Dating Cort Guitars

First two digits of serial number is year of manufacture

http://www.cort.co.kr/english/support/faqGeneral.asp

http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/reference/dating.htm

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

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Cort forum http://cortguitarsusa.com/phpBB2/index.php?

Cortez

1969-1988

Japanese guitars distributed in US by Westheimer Musical Industries, Chicago Illinois. [Source: Blue Book of Electric Guitars 9th Ed]

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

http://www.guitarsite.com/database/Resources/rec/6113/

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1728157

http://www.daytone.be/Cortez/Cortez.htm

Reviews are at Harmony Central

see Cort

Images Cortez label made in Japan and Taiwian eBay:

Cortley

1970s- 1980s

Like Cortez, imported into USA by Jack Westheimer.

The best resource is Unofficial Cortley Guitars Website which includes model details, pricelist and images.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Cortley headstock image from Unofficial Cortley Guitars

Emile Cos

1976 to present

Santa Rosa, California, USA

Charles Cote’ Basses

http://ww.ducksdeluxe.com/chascote.html

Herve Coufleau

Clesse, France

Barrett Couglan

Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA

Country

Country brand guitars appear in both electric and acoustic versions and appear to be made in Japan..  The following examples have been kindly provided by contributors:

I own a guitar of the brand "country". no Sérial, no date. It has a fender 60s headstock, neck thru, sen ash walnut collor  "wings" and two HB.

Each PU can be switched in HB, off, split, they have their own volume control and there is a master tone control.  It is a Matsumoku production probably early 80s. The PUs a goto (and not gotoh) with "D" , "made by goto" and "patent apply for" printed on both.
[Source and images courtesy: Sylvain  ]

IMmges of D35 copy courtesy of Jerome 2009.

Covey Acoustics

current

Covey Acoustics, built by Nehemiah Covey, Fairfield, Washington, USA

Cozart Guitars

Cozart kit guitars

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Crafter

2000 to present

Better quality range from Hohner.

Images Ultimate Guitars:

Crafter USA

1986 to present

Guitars made in Korea - go figure.  From 1972-1986 they made Sungeum classical guitars. [Source: Vintage Guitars Price Guide]

Crafter USA Catalog 2007

Crafters of Tennessee

1972 to present

"I have been making guitars, banjos, mandolins, and Tut Taylor Resophonic guitars since 1972. They are made in Nashville Tennessee. My serial numbering system always includes the year of the instrument in the number, such as 760312, which is a 1976 year make, or 31208 which was made in 2008.  [Source: Mark Taylor, Crafters of Tennessee, email 14/7/2008 ]

Image (Mahogany guitar made in 2008) courtesy of Mark Taylor:

Crafton

Crafton guitars were made in Göteborg, Sweden as early as the 1940s to the1950s. ? later

Images 1955 Crafton guitar eBay:

Cranium Divine

1996 to present

Luthier Wayne O'Connor, Ontario Canada.

"I started designing my Cranium Divine "TremOmatic" prototype in 94' and completed the jigs, along with very first model in 96' in Bridgenorth, Ont. Can.(purchased/endorsed by Juno award winner Rick Fines). Rick also owns/endorese the first Cranium Divine "TriSonic" 12 fret parlor guitar I built at The Hank To Hendrix Guitar Co. Peterborough, Ont. Can. facilities (www.hanktohendrix.on.ca), I co-founded with Royden Moran/of "Royden's Guitars" in Oct,96'(I'm currently building Rick a fourteen fret version from the same stash of woods, as the prototype).

The date of Manufacture is stamped on the back of the headstock on 3+3 designed models/and on the headstocks top edge on 6 inline models. The date, with City/Province/Country of manufacture are stamped in the pickup cavities on all electric/solid body styles along with my signature. For acoustics, a serial no.# is stamped on the back of the head stock and written on the underside of the top along with City/Province/Country of manufacture. The no.# is also ink stamped on the lower "X" brace viewed through the sound hole on all acoustic models. The date is read as (day/month/year/no#. of instruments produced) up until 2003. Then the quantity no.# refers to the specific number produced of that model. Eg; a Les Paul type model with 59' Lester stamped vertically down the back of the headstock with the number 19090501 across the top, indicates a 59' spec Les Paul built the 19th of September 2005, and was the 1st one built.

All instruments are made by hand, by me, inspired by "Vintage spec" numbers. I currently have approximately fifteen models in production. They are crafted from aged, quality woods from stock I have collected over the last 25 yrs. Body woods are flat sawn, as are all bolt on slab board style necks. Rosewood/Ebony Fingerboards are quarter sawn, as are all glued "T" joint/dove tail type necks. Fret board inlays incorporate a white circle(split in half on some models) with two white "satellite" dots, one above and one below. The 12th fret marker is offset between the fifth and sixth string, nearer the 11th fret. The truss rod cover is the same shape as the headstock. Vintage type truss rods are hand made overlaid with a center strip of maple/rosewood or ebony. Bolt on 4 string basses/six string guitars utilized double action rods, as do some acoustics. Five and six string basses incorporate a hand made, single action Martin type design with the rod inserted into an aluminum "U' channel with radius bottom and laminated, five piece with tapered center strip. Some bass bodies have a tapered center "wedge" with laminated/bevelled edged wings. The wedge matches the taper of the overall neck. Some necks come with a "compound" radius. All models have "Bone" nuts, some have veneer laminates(often bookmatched) on the headstocks or are painted black over a maple veneer. All "T" joint/dovetail necks are bound, including the headstocks. Hardware includes hand built "Lindy Fralin" pickups wound to my specs on all models, except where clients have specified other wise. Most come with Nickel or Gold plated hardware, some have all Black items.

Vintage reproductions are built from templates taken from original, period instruments with the Cranium Divine headstock and carved Volute. They follow the same specs, etc. The 59' Lester models have Trapzoid style inlays and for the most part, bookmatched carved tops." [Source and images courtesy of Wayne O'Connor, email, 26/1/2008]:

Crate

This is an early 90s Crate Electra solid body electric fat strat style guitar. According to the ebay seller.
These were imported by St. Louis Music Co. [SLM in the USA] after SLM discontinued the Westone brand. As such they bore the Westone-Electra shaped headstock. While Fender was having its Squiers made in Korea of plywood these were likely being produced in the same factory for SLM from solid woods.

Cremona

Cremona, in Luby, was the largest producer of acoustic guitars in Czechoslovakia. [Source: Junk Guitars ]

Image (1965) eBay.

Crest

click to enlarge

"I believe the guitar pictured at your site is the exact same specimen I owned for about 6 years before recently selling. The person I acquired it from claimed it was from 1937. There was no date stamp inside the body, but a stamp reading "Carved Top" is visible through the bass f-hole. The headstock shape is typical of late 1930s Harmony models, and the body dimensions and finish are identical to a 1948 Harmony Cremona that I own. Crest was probably a house brand line for either Sears & Roebuck or Montgomery Ward" [Source: Bill Ruxton, Maryland, USA email 16/12/2011]

Crestline

Crestline - Japanese guitars [Source: ehow]

http://www.vintaxe.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=504

http://www.guitarsite.com/discussion/messages/24329.shtml

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Creston

2002-

Creston Electric guitars are made by Creston Lea in Burlington, Vermont since 2002. Dating Creston Electric

Dating Creston Electric guitars

Bodies and necks are marked with hand-written dates and the name of the future owner. Neck plates are engraved with the year of manufacture. [Source: Creston Lea, email 26/5/2011]

Article on Creston Lea at Fretboard Journal

 Wikipedia

Crestwood

1970s

Crestwood guitars were imported to US by La Playa Distributing Company of Detroit.  Have seen an electric guitar (Les Paul copy) on ebay with Made in Japan on the neck plate.

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Image eBay:

Crimson

2005-

Ben Crowe luthier-in-charge at Crimson Guitars, builds custom guitars, basses and extended range instruments.
Studied at West Dean College to learn how to build early stringed musical instruments and after two years building viola da gambas and instruments in the violin family Ben set up a small workshop in his garage building solid body guitars.
Crimson Guitars was eventually born in 2005. Each instrument he creates is entirely built by hand, with just a few power tools and a lot of dust, he believes in pushing the boundaries with every process and can create custom pickups and even hardware, from 8 or 10 string tuning systems to ball bearing tremolo's!

Cripple Creek

1970 to present

Cripple Creek Dulcimers , Manitou Springs, Colorado USA

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Cromwell

1935-1939 ?40

An inexpensive brand built by Gibson and offered via mail order companies from 1935 to 1939. [Source: For sale item at Folkway Music ]

Distributed by mail order firms including Grossman, Richter and Phillips and Continental Music Company of Chicago Illinois, USA. [Source: Gruhn's Guide To Vintage Guitars ]

Images eBay:

Dave Cronce

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Crook Custom Guitars

Crossley Guitars

Peter Crossley, has been making guitars for the last 6 years (last 3 years full time) in Melbourne, Australia.

On this example of a Crossley guitar the date is written on the back of the headstock.

Crown

1960s

Crown guitars from Jspan

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Images of 2 different Crown logos from eBay:  I understand that both were made in Japan. The electric guitar belongs to the left hand headstock.

Images eBay:

Made in Italy in 1960s
http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/hagstromhub.htm

http://www.fetishguitars.com/index/crucianelli.html

http://www.wietsesguitars.nl/pagina5.html

Reviews are at Harmony Central

See Espana

Images eBay:

CSL

CSL Guitars or Charles Summerfield Limited - best resource is Paul Vernon Chester

Maurice Summerfield of the Charles Summerfield Ltd company contributed some design ideas to Hoshino Gakki and also imported Ibanez and CSL guitars into the UK with Hoshino Gakki cooperation from 1964-1987 [Source: wikipedia]
Reviews are at Harmony Central

1996 to present

Roger and Courtney Kitchens (father and daughter) premium instruments Byron, Georgia, USA

PW Crump

Arcata, California, USA

Russ Cudney

1979-

Cudney guitars is a one man shop in Oakley, California. Since 1979. 9-10 guitars per year.

Cuenca

Made in Spain and Japan. Luthier Antonio Pina.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Image Cuenca label 1979 eBay:

1972 to present

[Source: William R. Cumpiano, email 22/3/2008]

Cuntz Guitars

1995-

Andreas Cuntz, luthier Germany

Curbow

1994 to present

Curbow String Instruments are designed, engineered and handmade by Greg Curbow in Morganton Georgia in the USA. Greg passed away in 2005. No CNC machines.  Basses made by Cort.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Curtheley

2009-

Michael Curtheley, metal guitars made in France.

Dating Curtheley guitars

By the number on the neck plate. My number code is simple : MMYY/NN
MM = Month
YY= Year
NN = Number of the guitare [Source & images: Michael Curtheley, email 29/10/2010]

Custom

Custom was a brand name on the headstock of some guitars with Pearl on the centre strip. Made by Hayashi

Image Yahoo.

Custom

S&T Custom

1983-present

Luthier Tom Keckler (one of the founders of Schecter Guitar Research in 1978) set up in a Memphis guitar store (Stings and Things) owned by Charles Lawing.  The first guitars produced were called S&T Custom Guitars. The name did not prove popular dealers so the name was changed to St Blues - these guitars are still being produced.

http://www.wietsesguitars.nl/pagina97.html

Custom Kraft

Custom Kraft was a brand of St Louis Music. Made by Kay, Harmony

Images Custom Kraft guitar Made in USA ebay:

Custom Guitar Workshop

1997 to present

Custom Guitar Workshop. Korea since 1997.

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Images eBay:

House brand of St Louis Music Supply, built by Valco and others.

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

Cutting Edge Guitars

Cutting Edge Guitars are handcrafted custom instruments by Alan Cutting in his workshop in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.

Images eBay:

Cyberferal

current at 2010

CyberFeral is an arts-engineering collective based in Southeast Queensland. This guitar is designed to be manufactured in environments with low technology out of cheap or waste materials.

Cyclone

Cyclone by EKS Technologies Inc.   Copies of US classics.

Cyr

Stephen Cyr

Forum http://theguitarwall.com/forum/index.php?board=22.0