f

manufactured

info    updated 11/10/2008...please email corrections/info

Factor bass

see Kubicki

Faith

current

Made by Patrick James Eggle (not associated with Patrick Eggle guitars)

http://www.acousticmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=290&Itemid=52

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

Falcon

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

http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/misc/europe/famos_lb.html

http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/misc/europe/famos.html

http://meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/famos_velonia.html

Olivier Fanton D'Andon

1978 to present

Fanton D'Andon biography from Guitars International

Image: Fana

Farnell Guitars

1988 to present

"I started manufacturing in 1988 and currently have three patents and a Patent Pending on my new Electra-lite series. I usually wrote serial numbers in the neck pocket and in the pickup cavity. All guitars prior to 1995 were made of PVC Body, 95-98 were Fiberglass shell body, 98-2002 were fiberglass wrapped (like a surfboard) and now my current ones are molded from High Impact Polystyrene." [Source: Al Farnell, email 24/3/2008]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Farnell+Guitars

Fasan

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

http://rock.webbuilder.hostbasket.com/page133079.htm

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

http://www.andreas-polte.de/-Hersteller/-Vintage/-Fasan/body_-fasan.html

http://www.blackguitars.com/gallery.htm

http://www.archtop-germany.de/-Hersteller/-Vintage/-Fasan/body_-fasan.html

see Klira

Favilla

Ukelele

http://www.catfish1952.com/favilla.html

http://www.djangobooks.com/archives/2006/02/21/favino_archive.html#000493

http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1990_Favino_Selmer-copy_1024.htm

http://www.romanticguitars.com/makers.php?id=6&status_id=5

Simon Fay

2003 to present

"I started building January 2003 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  More specifically, in a small shop attached to my house.  The label inside the soundhole.  I provide the date and serial number.  I do have a number of "Prototype" guitars in existence and they are designated with either a "Pr" or "Prototype" before the number.  My prototype guitars were sold at material cost during my "learning" phase.  These instruments should not be used to gauge the quality of my current work." [Source: Simon Fay, email 12/7/2008 ]

Fender Japan

1982 to present

Important dates

1982: Fender Japan starts production (Fujigen Gakki factory) "Made in Japan" (MIJ) logo.

1984: CBS sells Fender to current owners (without Plant) so all Fender production in Japan for a while.

1992: The first "Crafted in Japan" (CIJ) models start appearing (Dyna Gakki factory).

1996/1997: "Crafted in Japan" (CIJ) is used instead of "Made in Japan" (MIJ). Tokai and Dyna Gakki took over the manufacturing contract from Fujigen Gakki. [Source: Music Trade Japan ]

Dating Japanese Fender Guitars

http://www.fender.com/support/japanese_instruments.php

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

More Japanese Fender History resources

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

Fender Mexico

1990 to present

http://www.fender.com/support/mexican_instruments.php

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

Fender USA

1945 to present

There is an enormous amount of Fender info available but here are the important dates from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars 2nd Edition:

1945 Leo Fender and Doc Kaufman begin making amps, lap steels Fullerton CA

1947 Kaufman leaves and Leo continues as Fender Electric Instrument Co

1950 Esquire and Broadcaster (Tele) introduced

1951 Precision Bass

1954 Stratocaster

4 January 1965 Fender bought by CBS

1981 Bill Shultz of Yamaha becomes President and quality starts to return.

1982 Fender Japan established

1983 Squier low price brand established

1985 CBS sells Fender to Schultz and others formed as Fender Musical Instruments Corp.   Sale did not include equipment so 1985 ish Fenders made in Japan.  Late 1985 US production recommenced at Corona CA for guitars and Lake Oswego, Oregon USA for amps..

Fenders are now made in USA, Mexico, Japan, China and Korea.

Fender history

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/fender/7345-history-fender.html

Fender guitar dating info:

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

USA http://www.fender.com/support/product_dating.php

Acoustic  http://www.fender.com/support/acoustics.php

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html

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

Fenderholic Guitar dater http://www.fenderholic.com/guitardater.htm

3/4 scale http://www.marcelroy.com/Fender.html

Strat stats: http://www.roryon.com/stratattack235.html

Fender guitar catalogs/photos

1955-1982 awesome site with manuals http://www.21frets.com/catalogs.html

1968-72 http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/catalogues.php

1975 Japan http://guitar.webinjp.com/70guitar_catalog/fender.htm

1979, 1982 http://brochures.yokochou.com/index.html

1954 on http://www.stratcollector.com/scn/base.html

2005, 2006, 2007 Fender catalogs http://www.fender.com/resources/catalogs.php

Fender ad scans 1953-1963 http://www.mojocaster.com/images/ads/phpslideshow.php

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

Fender string catalogs http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/guitar/equip-strings.html

Fender price lists

2001 Fender pricelist

2002 Fender pricelist

2003 Fender pricelist

2004 Fender Custom Shop pricelist

2005 Fender pricelist

2005 Fender Custom Shop pricelist

2006 Fender pricelist  | 2006 Fender Wholesale pricelist

2006 Fender Custom Shop pricelist

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Fender

Fender forums

The Fender Forum  http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/

Strat Talk http://www.strat-talk.com/index.php

Telecaster forum http://www.tdpri.com/forum/index.php

http://www.fender-guitars.org.uk/

Fender Squier (JV series Japan only)

1982-1984

http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/jvstratocaster.htm

JV Squier Strat http://wietsesguitars.nl/page40.html

Image source: Strat-Central

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Fender/Squier+JV-Series+'57+Reissue+Strat/10/1

Founded by Henry Weill in 1960 after the demise of Burns-Weill founded inin 1959.
Starting from home in London in 1963 a factory location employing up to 15 people made guitars and amps inlcuding for Hohner and the early Futurama range for Selmer. The company wound down in 1965.  Source: Gitbox wiki]

http://www.burnsguitarmuseum.com/burnsweill.html

http://britamps.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/fenton/guitars/fentonguitars.html

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/britamps/fenton/guitars/fentonguitars.html

Fernandes

1972 to present

The company was founded in Japan,  1969 as Saito Musical Instruments and registered as FERNANDES in 1972. [Source:  music trade ]

http://www.orangeguitar.com/aboutburny.htm

http://www.guitarsjapan.com/burnyfernandesinfopage.html

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

Fernandes guitar catalogs

1977 - 85 http://www.fernandes.co.jp/catalog/catalog_index.html

1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 http://brochures.yokochou.com/index.html

1982- 1992 http://audiozone.dk/cm/jackson-charvel-guitar-catalog-scans.php?cat=11

1980 Fernandes acoustic catalog http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Fernandes

Fernandes forum http://fernandesforums.com/phpbb2/

http://forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/

See Burny

Arcángel Fernandez

1956 to present

http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/files/u-arcangel.htm

Image Classic Guitar                                                                     Image Kent Guitar Classics

Dominique Field

Builds with Daniel Friederich in Paris.

Image: Guitar Salon

Fine Resophonic

1991 to present

"We started making  guitars  In 1991 they are  all hand made in my work shop , which is  about 10 minutes from Paris, France .
All my guitars  have the  date hand  written  on the  inside  of the instrument normally  with the owners  name  . 

See also www.michaelmesser.co.uk  - His   Koa  and   triplate  are made   by me  (as  are  the  ones  of  Clapton   and  Louisiana  Red."

[Source: Mike Lewis, email 16/7/2008 ]

Fingerbone Guitars

1980s

Brand is associated with Paul Richardson who made guitars for Fingerbone until 1989.  The Fingerbone name was then taken over by Mark Hammock. [Source: Guitarsite ]

Fingerbone Catalog http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_european_fingerbone.htm

First Act

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

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

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/First+Act

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/brand/First+Act

First Fret

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/firstfrt.html

First Man

1960s

First Man was a Japanese manufacturer that produced guitars during the boom of the 1960's. [Source: Vintaxe ]

First Man guitar catalog (Mosrite)

http://guitar.webinjp.com/70guitar_catalog/firstman.htm

A Harmony Brand

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

Flammang Guitars

David Flammang, Greene, Iowa, USA

Flat Earth Guitars

Flat Earth Guitars are made by Doug Ritterling in Anderson, South Carolina, USA.

"I am sorry to say that I kept, and keep, terrible records. I wish I could be more help." [Source: Harry Fleishman, Fleishman Instruments, email 22/3/2008]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Fleishman

Ignacio Fleta

Ignacio Fleta (b. 1897, d 1977). Opened own workshop in 1927, initially making violins.  Guitar production started around 1930. His son Gabriel Jr continue the tradition. [Source: Guitar Salon]

Image: Guitar Salon

"My first guitar was made in 1988. The first guitar SE # is 12. Which I still have. I had made a few Banjos from 1972-1976. I do have the first banjo I ever made SE # 1. I also have four custom Banjo necks I carved in 1976. One has a Golden Eagle on the headstock with a Buffalo head heal. I have a carved Rattle Snake resonator. It is not finished as of this date. The SE # is 3. I also have a Plectrum Banjo neck with a Bald Eagle headstock & Buffalo head heal SE # 4. I also still have an uncompleted Banjo neck with a Snake headstock and a Elephant head Heal. The SE # is 5.

But my first guitar was made as I said in 1988. The date the top & back were joined to the sides is written under the top. Also under the top is the SE #, the wood used for the top-sides & back, & my signature. A mirror is needed to see them. The SE # is also carved into the back. This can be seen through the sound hole. It is located even with the sound hole on the bass side. The actual finish date of the guitar is not on the guitar. I usually have that written on the speck sheet that accompanies the guitar when it leaves here. I do keep a copy of every guitar I make. If someone needs info on any Foley guitar all they need to do is ask. I will be more then happy to give them any info I can. The warrantee on a Foley is fully transferable to anyone, no matter how many times it changes hands, for five years from first purchase date." [Source: Ed Foley, FOley Guitars, email 20/3/2008]

Reviews http://foleyguitars.com/articles/index.php

Fontanilla

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/fontilla.html

Formanta

http://www.meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/formanta.html

Fouilleul

1983 to present

"In 1979, Jean-Marie made his first guitar with tools available at home. After four years of pratice ,in 1983, he settled down in Rennes.  In 1989, he was awarded "Best Craftsman of France". The chair of the panel was legendary French luthier, Daniel Friederich.  In 2005 Jean-Marie took over as head of the panel.
 

Since 2000, Jean-Marie has been working with the acoustic laloratory of the University of Le Mans (LAUM). The goal of this research is to create some data tools (coming from acoustic laboratory and adapted to a workshop) to understand and characterize the acoustic of the guitar during the making, and so complementing static measures like weight, top and back frequencies, flexion on top and neck ...etc . This has led to the development of the "Helmholtz System", a tool of guitar characterization
( top, back, inside air volume) in the low frequencies.
Parallel to these research, since 1997, he teaches at the European Institut of Music Trade, ITEMM.

Since 1998 he is located in his native Brittany. [Source: Jean-Marie Fouilleul, email 17/7/2008]

Interview Classical Guitar Store

Images courtesy of J Fouilleul: The "Helmholtz System"

Fouquet

Claude Fouquet, France

Charles Fox

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/chasfox.html

Framus

1940s to 1970s then 1996 to present

In 1946 Alfred Andreas founded the "Framus" works... the name being an acronym of FRAnconian MUSical instruments.  The first workshops were established in a disused community work camp in Möhrendorf near Erlangen. The firm soon grew out of these premises, and Framus moved to a sometime brewery building in Baiersdorf. 1955 saw the official opening of new works in Bubenreuth. By this time there were some 300 employees on the payroll.  In addition  to guitars Framus made zithers, basses and banjos.  In 1966, a second factory was established in Pretzfeld in the area known as Fränkische Schweiz.  100 people were employed in this facility.

In the Seventies, price dumping by companies from the Far East began seriously undercutting the established brands and Framus went bankrupt in 1975.

[Source: Warwick ]

awesome http://www.framus-vintage.de/

Dating Framus guitars

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

http://www.framus-vintage.de/modules/infos/info.php?katID=5183&cl=EN

http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/eboard30/index2.pl?frames=no&board=vintaxe&mode=Cur&message=965

http://www.musikkeller.com/d/framus.html

http://vintageguitarpro.com/framus.shtml

1954 Framus Black Rose http://www.blackguitars.com/gallery.htm

Framus Star bass http://members.lycos.nl/sijmonsters/Framus.htm

Framus Melody strato http://www.greenbuddha.de/guitars/index_b.php?mod=melody&lang=de

Framus strato deluxe http://www.greenbuddha.de/guitars/index_b.php?mod=strato&lang=de

1963 Framus Television http://www.myrareguitars.com/eframustv.html

Framus guitar catalogs

1960s http://jazzgitarren.k-server.org/framus.html

mid 60s http://www.stromgitarren.net/English/documents.htm#hoefner

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Framus

? can be confused with Tellson

Frankinstein

2001 to present

Frankinstein Guitar works . Seppo O. 

" First Frankinstein built in 2001 under this brand name.  I make them in a home based shop in Woodstock, Ontario. All my instruments have sequential serial numbers starting from #1 in 2001 located in various locations on the body. About three years ago I started date stamping and initialling them.
I am an army of one; all aspects of Frankinstein are performed by me, and me alone. I have over 48 years experience working on predominately guitars and basses.
Here's pix of a cigar box guitar I recently completed showing serial
number, date stamp, initials, logo. Of course in this case I did not build the body; it's a genuine cigar box from the Philippines (as shown).
I received training from a professional luthier (who apprenticed with Hofner) during the 1970's. [Source: Seppo O Valjakka, email 15/9/2008]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Frankinstein+Guitar+Works

Freedom

http://toguitars.com/gallery-japan/freedom-guitars.html

Scott French

Scott French trained at Roberto-Venn in 2003. He is building in Auburn, California, USA.

Fresher

http://www.vintageguitar.com

http://www.sk.aitai.ne.jp/~luesan/AI13.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Fresher

Freshman Guitars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshman_Guitars
review http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Freshman

Daniel Friederich

Legendary French luthier.

h