L-L'B | Le-Li | Ll-

made

info    updated 6/4/2013

Alan Lloyd

2007-2012

Alan Lloyd made guitars from exotic Australian timbers in Sydney, Australia.  He was also a teacher of guitar making.

"I built my first acoustic i3 2007 with Chris Wynne (see Thomas Lloyd Guitars below) at Montsalvat in Melbourne and since then have built about 5-6 guitars year which is not exactly a huge output, but it keeps me happy! A further 7 guitars have been built in my shed by students.

Last year I did a 3 month course with Trevor Gore, the master luthier who lives up the river from me. He has just published a book co-authored by Gerard Gilet which in my opinion is the best reference text on luthiership ever! For anyone seriously interested in acoustic guitars, it is a great buy at $200 for 2 volumes. It is available through his web site

Dating Alan Lloyd guitars

"The inside of the guitars are signed and dated" [Source: Alan Lloyd, email 3/9/2011]

Footnote: Alan Lloyd passed away 5 August 2012. I was fortunate to know Alan. I met him through my work and in the funny way that guitarists do connected through a conversation about this wonderful instrument. Alan was a pathologist by trade and a wonderful guitar player as well as luthier later in life. I was the beneficiary of his hospitality at his home with his wife Maddy. Alan made his guitars in a workshop he built in his yard in Sydney. Here is an mp3 recording of Alan playing Georgia Peach on his own parlour guitar made of Tiger Myrtle and King Billy - March 2012.

Thomas Lloyd

Australian Luthier, Chris Wynne, Founder of Thomas Lloyd Guitars & The School of Acoustic Guitar Making at Montsalvat

Loar

2005 to present

The Loar guitars are designed by Greg Rich - The Music Link

Lo Bue Guitars

1968-1985

"The guitars made by Charles LoBue were made between the years of 1968 and 1985 when he passed away. His associates, Ralph Novak (Novax Guitars), Woody Phifer (Phifer Designs), and Larry DiMarzio (Dimarzio Pickups) carry on the tradition. I can pretty much tell from just looking at the guitars by styling when they were made. They will often have a date stamped into the fretboard  at the highest fret." [Source: Barry at lobueguitars.com, email 29/3/2008]

Jeremy Locke

1980 to present

Jeremy Locke makes classical and Flamenco guitars at Coomera, Queensland, Australia

Image ebay 2011

Lodestone

2009-

Lodestone guitars, United Kingdom

Loef Guitars

2000 to present

Olav Löf, started making "Loef" guitars in the early 2000. But I  started making guitars in 1978.
Loef Guitars are made in Pedersore in Finland.

Dating Loef Guitars

2000 - 2004 the guitars were dated date-month-year-nr.

From 2004  every single guitar has its own name." [Source: Olav Löf, email 16/8/2008 ]

Lollar

1995 to present

Jason Lollar makes custom guitars and pickups.

"I officially called it Lollar guitars around 1995 however there are dozens of guitars I made beginning in 1975 that I did not sign in any way. 

Since 1987 on Vashon Island, Washington, previous to that Issaquah and Redmond Washington.

Dating Lollar Guitars

Since 1995 I have used a serial number where the last two digits is the year made and the digits in front of the year are the sequential number of guitar. For instance 195 is the first guitar of the new serial number system and 95 is the year it was made 1100 is the 11th guitar made in the year 2000.

By 2001 the number of guitars was up to 19 so the first serial number in 2001 was 1901.

The guitar serial numbers are embossed into the wood- in solid bodies it will be in the bottom of a pickup cavity and I use a punch set 1/4" square so the numbers are large and easy to read.

On hollow bodies the neck block is embossed and there is a paper label indicating "Lollar Guitars" and the serial number and model type is written on it and it is visible from the F hole.

In addition all guitars have Lollar inlayed on the peghead. 3 X 3 pegheads have the logo shown in photo (Lollar Concert) left and here is the oval label in the soundhole of a concert guitar:

My typical logo inlayed on a 6 in line peghead a black oval with the name Lollar inlayed (see Blonde Tonemaster at left).

In addition the more fancy models have a torch inlayed on the peghead with triangular accents on each side of the torch. These features are generally standard but occasionally I will revert to my 70's and 80's method of just having a pictorial peghead inlay with no name inlayed- serial numbers and paper labels still apply to these instruments as per this Kona Guitar:

Occasionally I have made guitars since 1995 that have no name or serial number, these were for demo purposes or prototypes.

I will have more photos of my guitars soon in a gallery on my website and I have photos on a myspace site but as of next year (2009) I will not be taking any more orders for guitars- I am concentrating all my time making electric guitar pickups exclusively.

I am sure I will still make some guitars but I will make them and then sell them more like an auction possibly." [Source and images courtesy of Jason Lollar, email 26/11/2008]

Lombardi

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

Images eBay:

Lombardi Guitarworks

Dom Lombardi

Lootnick Guitars

200 to present

We started in 2000 and the idea is to do only custom guitars so every single guitar is different and its push for quality not quantity. At the moment we don't mark our guitars using any coding systems." [Source: Lootnick, email 30/3/2008]

Long Guitars

1996 to present

"The first Long Guitar was made in 1996. Long Guitars is located in Waterloo, Iowa, USA, and has been the source of many unique and one-of-a-kind heirloom instruments. The guitars are built one at a time by luthier Bob Long. The guitars often feature rare and exotic materials including wood from unusual sources such as old pianos, wood reclaimed from old barns and houses, and "sinker wood". Long builds several models of acoustic, steel string guitars and an acoustic bass guitar.
Long guitars each have a serial number written inside the guitar.  Also written inside the guitars is the date that their tops went on." [Source: Bob Long, email 1/8/2008 ]

Image courtesy of Bob Long:

Longfoot

Longfoot Guitar Services established by Matt Longfoot after qualifying at the Leeds College of Music with a national diploma in music instrument technology. Longfoot Guitar Services' workshop is based in Stamford (Lincolnshire) UK

Loog

Loog are innovative three string guitars designed to bring the instrument to small children.

Made since 2011, Designed in Uraguay and Made in China.

[Source and images: Rafael, Loog, email 22/1/2013]

Marcelino Lopez

1947 to present

Marcelino Lopez established his own workshop in Madrid in 1947

http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/files/lopez.htm

Images: Kent Guitar Classics, Guitar Salon Korea

see Hernandez y Aguado

Rafael Lopez

1985 to present

"The first guitar was in 1985. All are numbered, dated and signed. In the first period, beside the serial number is the letter A or B. A indicates first quality, with all solid woods; B indicates second quality, with plywood. For some years now, this is no longer the case, as there are only first quality guitars, so there is no letter. I teach how to construct guitars: see http://www.rafaellopezehijo.com/cursos.htm. Also I am moderator of the forum http://guitarra.artelinkado.com/index.php" [Source: Rafael, email 6/4/2008]

Augustino LoPrinzi

1972 to present

The LoPrinzi Guitar Company was founded in New Jersey in 1972. Maark Corporation (a subsidiary of AMF) acquired a controlling interest in 1973.  By 1976  LoPrinzi Guitars, Inc. was producing 80 guitars a month for customers in five countries.  Concerned about mass production, Augustino sold his interest to Maark Corporation.

Refusing to sign a "non-compete" clause with Maark, he opened "Augustino Guitars" two weeks later—and literally moved next door to his original plant, producing guitars until 1978 when he moved "Augustino Guitars" to Florida and continued making guitars under that brand.

The AMF-owned LoPrinzi company produced guitars until 1980.  Augustino eventually had his trademark returned by AMF/Maark Corporation around 1990.  Guitars and ukuleles are currently made by Augustino Lo Prinzi and daughter Donna in Clearwater, Florida. [Source: LoPrinzi ]

Dating Lo Prinzi Guitars

"If the label says made in Plainsboro, NJ. or any serial # in the high 3000's-4000's with a NJ label would have been during the AMF period which would have been between 1975-1980 and we do not have the records for that time period.    All others would go by serial # and we keep records of when an instrument was built.  They would have to contact us with serial # and we could check records to see when built." [Source: Augustino Lo Prinzi, email 29/7/2008 ]

Antonio Lorca

current

Made in Valencia, Spain

A modern guitar - name pinched from luthiers of the Malaga school in the 1800s see Zavaletas

Image eBay:

Lord

1960s

Solid body and acoustic guitars imported to US by Halifax [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide]

Lorenzo

current

Lorenzo guitars, budget line for more than 30 years.  Distributed by FCN Music.

Image eBay:

Loreto

Italy.  When posted on Vintaxe it was suggested this guitar may have been made in the Eko factory.

Lori

1970s

Lori guitars made in Korean and Japan.

Images eBay:

Loriente

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon:

Lotus

1960s to 1990s

Lotus guitars were manufactured by Samick from 1970s to late 1990s [Source: wikipedia]

http://thejetmedic.com/Lotusguitars.aspx

Images white lotus guitar courtesy of Ben van Dyk, Canada

Image lotus label ebay

Luciano Lovadina

1980 to present

Treviso, Italy

Image Lovadina:

Lowden

1976 to present

George Lowden, Downpatrick, Northern Island

http://www.georgelowden.com/ site under maintenance late Jan 2006.  A cached page contained the following:

“We know from the frequent requests we receive for the history of individual instruments, either from their latest owners or those considering a vintage purchase, that this service will be most welcomed… and, that it will also provide increased security of authenticity. We are presently compiling a historical website database of serial numbers. (A rather mammoth task – we hope to publish soon!) In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Sumitra for information…”

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

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

http://www.uhb.fr/Langues/Cei/niguitar.htm

Image Good Acoustic

Image Trilogy Guitars:                                                                                 Sterling Guitars (and headstock)

Johnny Lowe

Lowebow

Johnny Lowe makes cigar box guitars, Memphis Tennessee

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/blues-rocker-makes-electric-cigar-box-guitars

http://cigarboxguitars.com/community/musicians/johnny-low

Rohan Lowe

1995 to present

Born in Malta in 1962 of English parents. Returned to England in 1965 and settled in Somerset.

Made first guitar in 1993. In 1995, after making several guitars in the tiny back bedroom of a small flat in Battersea, he moved to Lewes in East Sussex. Once in Lewes, began to concentrate on guitarmaking, initially sharing a workshop with friend and colleague, Stephen Hill. After about 18 months set up own workshop.

United Kingdom

Image Kent Guitar Classics:

Lowel

Lowel guitars are handcrafted in Findlay, Ohio by Aaron Henderson.

Low End

Current at 2011

Low End guitars and basses. Murfreesboro, TN USA

Images Low End Bass eBay Australia Jan 2012

Casimiro Lozano

1992 to present

Casimiro Lozano guitars (b 1954 -) Spain

Info  and image from Classical Guitar

LSL

LSL Instruments, Van  Nuys, California, USA. Custom copies of Fender guitars.

Image ebay

LSR Headless Instruments

1996 to present

LSR Guitars was started in 1996 by Ed Roman, The original design concept of these guitars was to offer a beautiful alternative to the Steinberger line of instruments.

LTD

1995 to present

Korean made entry brand by ESP guitars.

Dating LTD Guitars

http://www.espguitars.com/support_faqs.html

however the following discussion gives some hope http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1899752

The first letter is the factory the guitar was made in (W is the Korean factory). The next two digits are the year. Next two is the week in the year. Next one is the day in the week (i.e. Monday). And the rest of the digits is the number of the guitar that came off the assembly line.

see ESP

A. J. Lucas

1990 to present

Adrian Lucas, Classical and steel string guitars, Lincolnshire, England

http://www.acousticguitarnews.com/content/view/53/32/ United Kingdom

Lucas Custom Instruments

1988 to present

Randy Lucas, Columbus, Indiana, USA.

Nick Lucas

Nick Lucas was a recording guitarist/ singer from the 1920s [Source: Nick Lucas]

In 1923 GIbson made him the Nick Lucas guitar [Source: Wikipedia]

Examples of the Gibson  Nick Lucas guitars  The Santa Cruz guitar company makes a current copy of this guitar.

Images Nick Lucas archtop guitar eBay:  Cannot find any info on this one.

Mike Lull

1995 to present

Custom guitars and basses built by Mike Lull, Bellevue, Washington, USA

Interview with Mike Lull

Reviews of Mike Lull guitar

Dating Mike Lull guitars

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

Luna

2005 to present

Luna Guitars is a manufacturer and seller of stringed instruments (guitars, basses, ukuleles, mandolins, and banjos). The company was founded in 2005 by designer Yvonne de Villiers under the umbrella of Armadillo Enterprises based in Tampa Florida. [Source: Wikipedia]

http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004154.html
Luna catalogs

2005 Luna catalog

2006 Luna catalog

2007 Luna catalog

2008 Luna catalog

2009 Luna catalog

2010 Luna catalog

2011 Luna catalog

2012 Luna catalog

2013 Luna catalog

Headstock image left courtesy of Ben van Dyk. Label below ebay.

Lush

1990-

Lush guitars made by Erik Goehrisch, North Hollywood, California, USA since 1990.

Luxor

?-1929

The Luxor label was used by the Horenstein Company of New York. They were not instrument makers, but dealers and distributors selling mostly student grade instruments made for the trade and labeled by them. Luxor was their brand name in use circa 1926. They were active in the 1920s and probably folded after the crash of the economy in 1929. [Source: Save the Banjos]  But the Luxor name appears after this with reports of 1970s electric copies of famous US styles with a logo like this:

see below

Luxor

1968-1998

Luxor  guitars - Trade brand of Musikhaus Otto Manfred Hack, Göttingen, Germany. Made in plants in Japan and Korea. [Source: Jens Kirstein, email 14/12/2011 ]

Luxor guitars were made in the 70's in the Ibanez factory in Japan and sold in Germany from Höfner. [Source: Musiker Board]

Images Ibanez Collectors

Lydian

Current at 2011

Lydian handcrafted guitars, Quebec Canada

Lyle

1969-1980

Lyle guitars were imported from Japan (Matsumoku) in the 60's and 70's by the L. D. Heater Co. of Portland Oregon. [Source: Blue Book]

Lyles were 'licensed' copies of Gibson, they weren't seconds. The acoustic guitars were built in Japan, with laminated tops and sides. [Source: Guitarsite]

Lyle guitar history

http://www.geocities.com/taebomom76/

Forum http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/index.php

Images eBay:

Lynch Guitars

1995 to present

Ray Lynch, Rural Hall, North Carolina

Lynn

Classic cheap Japan copy P Bass from the 1970s [Source and images Rod Allsopp, email 10/9/20122]

George W Lyon

Apparently after Lyon and Healy and before Washburn George W Lyon made some guitars under his own name in the 1890s.

Image ebay:

Lyon & Healy

Lyon & Healy grew from the Oliver Ditson Company of Boston.  In the 1860s and ‘70s, Ditson realized that he could sell more of the music his company published if there were more retailers around the country, so encouraged associates, including two of his sons, to seek opportunities for developing music stores in other cities. Two of his proteges from Boston went to Chicago in 1864: George Washburn Lyon and Patrick Joseph Healy. [Source: Mandolin Family]

Dating Lyon and Healy

Look at chronology at Blues box Collection

Image 1900 Parlor Guitar Centre Strip brand Weenie Campbell and College Line label eBay:

Image Lyon and Healy label from parlor guitar courtesy of Steve Adkins, Tasmania, Australia

Lyon by Washburn

1990s to present

Budget range

Lyra

1920s

A Bruno brand name

This site claims to have a Lyra by Oscar Schmidt http://www.fret-dancer.com/viewguitars.php?groupid=3

examples
http://www.solie.org/earlsguitars/lyra1.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~gcminer/mandolinetto.htm

Images from Lyra instruments ebay April 2012.

Lyric

Image Philippines sulit.com.ph

Lyric

1996 - ?

Luthier John Southern, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

1998 specification and price list from internet archive

LYS

1980-1983

Lys guitars were produced by Unisonic. Unisonic was founded by Robert Godin of Godin Guitars  and Claude Boucher (son of Normand Boucher founder of  Norman Guitars).  In 1982, the Unisonic facilities closed and LaSiDo, Inc. bought the trademark. Guitars were produced into 1983 when the design was modified to become Seagull guitars. The first generation of Lys guitars have a dovetail neck joint and the second generation have a bolt-on neck.
Most acoustic guitars are dreadnought in design. [Source: Blue Book ]

A different story at Harmony Central - Lys guitars were made in LaPatrie Quebec. They are often described as the first guitars made by Robert Godin who developed the Seagull Guitar. This is incorrect. The Lys was made by Canadian Luthier Norman Butcher who also made the Kamouraska classical guitar. In the last part of 1980 a fire just about destroyed the Shop Butcher was operating and he did not have the financial ability to rebuild so he sold out to Godin, who renamed the Lys "seagull" and the Kamouraska the "La Patrie" Godin then developed the Simon and Patrick the Art & Luthier and the Norman.

and

Lys guitars were made in a small village in Quebec, Canada called LaPatrie. This village had (and still has) a community of luthiers. They made Lys, Kamouraska and Norman guitars in the 60's and 70's. Robert Godin of www.lasido.com met with Normand Boucher (one of the luthiers) and started to commercialize their guitars. After the death of Mr Boucher he took control of the company and you can still find these guitars made at the same place although its a factory setting now. The guitar brand names are today Norman, Seagull, LaPatrie, Simon & Patrick and Godin.
Note some internet sources claim manufacture of this brand continued till 1985.

Images eBay: