Kr-

made

info    updated 28/3/2013

Kragenbrink

2001 to present

Made since 2001", Vandercook Lake Michigan.

Dating Kragenbrink guitars

Date of manufacture is written on the back side of the top. Who it was built for and the date the guitar top was glued down.
eg. Written on guitar somewhere, serial number coding system etc (No serial #)" [Source: Lance Kragenbrink, email 22/7/2008]

Kramer

1976-1990. 1995 to present.

Kramer was founded by New York music retailer Dennis Berardi, ex Travis Bean sales rep Gary Kramer and ex Norlin exec Peter LaPlaca. Guitar production (metal necks) began in 1976. Control moved to Guitar Center of Los Angeles 1979-1982 and wooden necks introduce to cut cost. Aluminium necks stopped in 1985. 1989 financial control changed again but went out of business in 1990. In 1995 Henry Vaccaro revived the company with new investors.  Gibson bought the company in 1997.  Vaccaro started producing his own line of aluminium neck guitars in 1998.

[Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide ]

Dating Kramer guitars

http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/guitar-dating.html#kramer

http://www.edromanguitars.com/newsite/guitars/kramer/info.htm

Neck plates http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts2.htm

Headstocks http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts7.htm

http://members.aol.com/TBoling125/story.html

http://www.abalonevintage.com/gp.kramer.htm

http://ericernest.com/gp.kramer.ID.serial.US.htm

http://www.autohobbydigest.com/aluminum_guitars/kramer.html

Metal http://www.metalnecks.com/index.php/mID/395c1871/fuseaction/guitars.manu.htm

http://www.kramermaniaxe.com/

http://vintageguitarpro.com/kram.shtml

Kramer catalogs

http://www.vintagekramer.com/ See "literature" dropdown for tons of scans

Kramer forum http://www.kramerforum.com/forum/

Images eBay

see Tokai, Travis Bean

Gary Kramer

2005 - present

Randall Kramer

2000 to present

"I began building in 2000.

I work in Truckee, California, USA. Very near Lake Tahoe, a  destination resort area

Dating Randall Kramer guitars

All of my guitars are numbered sequentially; stamped on the neck  block. The earlier guitars, up to about 020 or so, are dated on the label. All of them are signed and dated on the underside of the top.  
This date can precede the date of completion by 2-3 months. Recently  I've changed my labels and they now have the year of completion  printed on them." [Source: Randall Kramer, email 21/7/2008]

Kramer-Harrison

1977 to present

William Kramer-Harrison, maker of steel-string western-style guitars [Source: Classical Voice of North Carolina] His first shop was in Kingston, above Abrams Music but he operates from Shokan now [Source: Sarah Kramer-Harrison]

Walter Kraushaar, Germany

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

Kremona-Orpheus Valley Guitars

1924 to present

Kremona guitars made in Bulgaria.

"Started manufacture in "1924.

Dating Kremona guitars

From this year (1924) on the year of manufacture will be written on the label/warranty card of the instrument. For the period 2003-2008 the serial number on the label can be decoded, if sent to us." [Source: Kremona and Orpheus Valley Guitars, email 27/3/2008]

http://meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/guitars_orfeus.html (see bottom of page)

Kresse Guitars

1981 to present

Kresse guitars - made since "1981" in "Cologne, Germany.

Dating Kresse guitars
Dated (just year) on the label, pencil signed and dated under the table and once more on the end-block sometimes but not always with serial No." [Source: Bernd Kresse, email 4/4/2008]

Max Krimmel

1965-1984

"I started building guitars in 1965 and continued until 1984 (#169)

Guitars #1 through #29 were built in Denver, Colorado USA. In 1970 I moved to Boulder, Colorado and guitars #30 - #47 were built there.

In 1972 I moved to Wallstreet Colorado and guitars #48 - #169 were built there.

Dating Max Krimmel guitars

All the guitars had a paper label with the date on it, usually on the headblock, but the very early ones had the label on the back just under the soundhole. The first labels were hand drawn and gave the location as Denver, Boulder or Wallstreet. At some point I changed to the pre-printed label which gives the location as Boulder, since Wallstreet isn't exactly on the map. Probably at that time I started  stamping the number on the back strip and the back of the headstock  also.

No two guitars are exactly the same, I changed something every time." [Source and images: Max Krimmel, email 12/8/2008]

Charles F Kriskey

Charles F Kriskey - acoustic guitars made in New York, USA

Image 1975 Charles F Kriskey guitar eBay:

Kritz

1998-

From Ghent, Belgium. Kritz guitars have frets in the shape of a "smile". Other innovations include a 26" scale, carbon fiber sandwich neck, [Source: Guitar attack]

Biography at wayback machine

William Kritzberg

see WDK

Krocker

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

http://www.bellinati.com/guit_access/guit.html

Kronbauer

Canada

Kronodale

http://www.kronodale.com/products/id.html

Kruse

1903-1945

Wilhelm Kruse violins and guitars Markenneukirchen in 1903-1945

Image eBay:

KSM

1988 to present

KSM guitars, made since" 1988, in my shop in Logan, Utah, USA.

Dating KSM guitars

Early guitars are dated in electronic control cavity. The 358 model guitars are numbered and need to be matched to my manufacture log." [Source: Kevin S Moore, email, 25/11/2008]

Patented bridge

Ktone

K tone guitars. Models on web include double neck strat and SG styles.

Kubicki

(Factor)

1973 to present

Kumiko

Kumiko guitars were made in Japan at least 1970s according to eBay:

Kunkel

2003 to present

Bruce J. Kunkel, Master Luthier/ Designer and Creator of Art Guitars at the Gibson Custom Shop for ten years resigned in 2003 to build his own line of acoustic guitars under the Kunkel name. Made in Nashville, Tennessee.

Kurosawa Guitar Co

Kurosawa, Tsunesaburo was a luthier but in 1967 he started a business and now the owner of a large music store chain in Japan.

Kurosawa, Sumio study making guitar under Tsunesaburo his uncle from 1958 and moved to Spain in 1963. He studied with Aguado for a couple years and returned to Japan. Now, he is a leading luthier in Japan.

Japan 1960s - 90s??

Image Sumio Kurosawa label eBay: Next label also from ebay made by Top Guitar Hitachi Japan

1990 Sumio Kurosawa label from eBay:

1960? to present

Kurosawa, Tetsuo is a son of Sumio. After graduating from high school, he studied with his father for a while and in 1997 traveled to Spain and studied with Tezanos Perez and Antonio Marin. He began his career as a luthier after returning from Spain in 1999.

See above.

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International:

Kustom

1968 to 1969

Kustom was founded by Bud Ross, Chanute. Kansas in 1968. Guitars were offered in 1968 and 1969. [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide ]

See Broadway music for the best info on Kustom guitars

Images Kustom K200-B electric guitar eBay:

Bert Kwakkel

1979 to present

Bert Kwakkel (b 1954) Full time guitar maker since 1979. He makes guitars in the Netherlands.

Image eBay:

Kwasnycia Guitars

Handcrafted guitars, Chatham Ontario Canada

Doug Kyle

1990 to present

Gypsy Jazz, and Arch-Top Jazz guitars. Fursdon, Moretonhampstead, Devon.  England. Doug is probably the most successful of the Selmer Style Luthiers in the U.K. Doug plays double bass with Tony Oreshko who has one of Doug's guitars.

Kyowa

Kyowa guitars, Made in Japan ? 1970s till present

Kz Guitar Works