Ron-

made

updated 2/6/2010

Rondo

Rondo has been an American going since 1959.

At one stage Levin made guitars with this name. [Source: Vintage-guitars.se]

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

Rono Strings

1967 to present

Ron Oates is based in Boulder, Colorado and makes acoustics, resonators and mandolins. [Source: emando]

Web site not available at 23 Dec 2008 (since 2006). Following pages printed from internet archive:

Rono Strings 2001 Home page

Rono guitars 2001

Rono resonators 2003

Rono bass 2003

Rono mandolins 2003

Angel Rosados

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

1983 to present

Forum  http://www.talkbass.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=153

Jaden Rose

Jaden Rose Guitars is a British guitar maker based in Cambridge. Jaden Rose Guitars produces no more than 200 guitars a year and every one is set up and checked by Jaden personally.

Rose Morris

1957 - ?

Rose Morris was and is a distributor of musical instruments in the UK from 1920. See History

Guitars were made? by them from around 1957.

Rosetti

1950s-1960s

Rosetti was an English distributor. Some were made by Egmond. [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide ]

According to a thread at Jemsite an Avon labelled guitar - 'Rose Morris - Rosetti - Avon - Made in Japan'.  'Rose Morris' was the distributor, based in Denmark Street, London, and I think 'Rosetti' were the importers of these Japanese guitars to the United Kingdom.

but according to a brochure for dulcimers at Shergold Guitars Rosetti was definitely a distributor based in London.

 Example Rosetti Airstream

Rosetti

current

Gibson

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

Rossmeisl

http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1145

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

http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/theroger.html

see Rickenbacker & Roger

Image of Rossmeisl bass guitar from German ebay:

Jochen Rothel

current

Jochen Rothel, German luthier of classical and flamenco guitars.

Images courtesy of: Guitar Salon

Roudhloff

1810s-1850?

Francois Roudhloff, of Mirecourt, France

Some stamps are "F.Roudhloff, Mauchand" when he was sharing a workshop with Mauchand in France. [Source: rsmits]

Image Bernard Kresse:

Lyre-guitar by François Roudhloff, Paris, ca. 1810

His sons D & A Roudhloff made instruments in London [Source: The Guitar Museum]

Round Up

Late 1930s

Harmony

David Rouse

1991 to present

London, UK

Images courtesy of Guitar Salon International:

Simon Rovis-Hermann

Freemantle, Western Australia

Rowan

1997 to present

Michael Rowan Custom Guitars, Garland, Texas

Rene Roy

Electric guitars, basses and acoustic guitars. Sudbury,Ontario Canada

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rene+Roy

Royal

1954-1965

France

Royal was a brand used by France's Jacobacci brothers [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide]

Image Casanova_luthier

Royal

1981-1989

England.

Made by UK luthier Kevin Chilcott. Kevin Chilcott used the Royal and Electra brands in the 1980s. He later used  the Royale Brand. See his web site for a detailed history with images.

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

see Royale

Royal

Japan. According to this review at harmony-Central there was a Japanese brand of guitars with brand "Royal"

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

This label and headstock from eBay originally sold in Indonesia.

Royal Gypsy Jazz

current

Roy Eneas, has been a Luthier of fine guitars for more than 25 years, building Classical, Folk and Jazz guitars on the South Coast of England. In the last few years Roy has concentrated on building Jazz Guitars in the style of the original Selmer's built between 1932 - 1952. Roy's Royal Gypsy Jazz Guitars have been well received by many of today's players of this unique style of music.

Royale

2002-

After making guitars under the "Royal" brand from 1981 to 1989, Kevin Chilcott started the "Royale" brand in 2002.

" I've a few systems over the years ;0)

From '80 to '84..... just numbered up from 001 with some gaps in the system. Some stamped on the headstock or marked under a scratchplate.

From '85 to '86..... no numbers at all, or bolt-ons had numbers on the front of the headstock by the logo.

From '87 to '89..... a more complex system of usually 5 digits. e.g. 87411 means : 87... Year

4... Guitar number in that month (4th guitar).

11... Month (November).

or nothing at all..... if I forgot as I was rushed off my feet ;0) Most are stamped on the rim of the control cavity, also a signature in the control cavity in the wood.

From 2002 a straight system from 001 Andy Powell's first Angel on up. The specials and prototypes up to 050. Everything else from 051 on up.... and I'll stay with this. These are printed labels inside the control cavity also marked and signed.

The guitar itself being marked and signed in the wood as well. [source: Kevin, Royale, email 31/1/2007]

http://www.kevinchilcott-luthier.co.uk/private/royale-guitars.htm

http://www.royaleguitars.com/royal-past.htm

www.kevinchilcott-luthier.co.uk

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

Royalist

House brand of RCA Victor Records store around 1940 to mid 1950s.

Image eBay:

Royce

Royce models included electric solid body and semi acoustic and steel string acoustic guitars. They were around in the early 1980s. One acoustic "made in Korea". By Multivox

Royce catalog

http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_japanese_royce.htm

Images eBay:

Royden

1996 to present

Royden Moran gave up architecture and became a luthier in 1996.  He makes flat tops and electrics in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Ignacio M Rozas(b1943)  , Madrid Spain

He apprenticed as a guitar maker with José Ramirez, from 1959 to 1969. After leaving Ramirez, he went to work for Manuel Contreras, a former Ramirez craftsmen who had set up his own shop. Ignacio Rozas worked as a luthier for Contreras building flamenco and classical guitars 1970 to 1987, then established his own shop. In 2001, Ignacio ceased building for about a year [Source: Zavaletas ]

Image eBay:

RS Guitars

current

Steve Turpin, Arizona, USA makes Brian May style guitars.

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

RS Guitarworks

1994 to present

Luthier Roy Bowen, Winchester, Kentucky, USA

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/RS+Guitarworks

David J Rubio

Jose Rubio

1960s - 2000

David Spink (1934-2000) gained the nickname Rubio for his red beard while playing in Spain. He built guitars, lutes, violins, violas, cellos and harpsichords in New York, then from 1967 in England. [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide]

In memoriam Guild of American Luthiers

Image courtesy of: Guitar Salon

Image courtesy of 1966 Jose Rubio guitar Trilogy Guitars, 1965 Guitar Centre Australia:

German Vazquez Rubio

1968 to present

Los Angeles, California

Image courtesy of: Classic Guitar

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/German+Vazquez+Rubio

R S Ruck

1966 to present

Robert Ruck, currently Eugene, Oregon, USA.  Builds about 25 a year and has a seven year waiting list. It would appear from the labels that they were from Miami Florida in 72, before moving to Wisconsin for a 74.

http://www.classicguitar.com/ruckhomepage.jpg

Image 1974 eBay, 2007 Classic Guitar

Rumley Guitars

John and Bill Rumley. Denver Colorado, USA

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/John+Rumley

Runesson

2006 to present

"I am a Swedish Luthrie living and working in Switzerland where I have my own workshop doing mostly custom guitars.   start guitarmaking under the name "Runesson" 2006.  First in the town Malmö in Sweden and since September 2007 in the town Winterthur in Switzerland.
I always mark withe date of assembly in the top between the soundhole, upper brace and one leg of the x-brace. Then I also write the year of building on the paperlabel." [Source and images courtesy of: Tyko Runesson, email 20/8/2008]

Runja Guitars

Norway

Running Dog

1992 to present

"Started building part-time while serving as Director of the Assoc. of  Stringed Instrument Artisans (ASIA) and editor of "Guitarmaker"  magazine. Became full-time in 2005 after leaving ASIA. Moved to  Seattle in 2006 to open a shop with Cat Fox, one of the finest repair  and restoration technicians. Together, we offer courses in instrument  building and repair as "Sound Guitar Workshop."

Guitars are dated on label and on inside of soundboard. I maintain records of all guitars I've built, including original and current owner (if known). [Source: Rick Davis, Seattle, Washington, USA, email 23/7/2008]

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

Ruokangas

1993 to present

"I started making guitars under this name 'Ruokangas' (my last name) in 1993. You won't most likely bump however into my guitars dated earlier than 1996, I built so very few before that.

I make the guitars in Finland. Have always been and most likely always will...

Dating Ruokangas guitars

The serial number is always written by hand behind the headstock.

The  "coding" is as follows - example serial number: 0810250-C reads:
08=year, 10=month, 250=the serial number of that specific model, C=tells
that this guitar was custom ordered.

We keep database of all the guitars so any questions are welcome." [Source: Juha Ruokangas, www.ruokangas.com , email 14/10/2008]

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruokangas_Guitars

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

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

Headstock image courtesy of Michael30, The Gear Page Forum 2008:

Russell Guitars

James Russell, Redding, California, USA

Rustler

1993-1998

Charles (Chuck) Caponi, Mason City, Iowa, USA

Solidbody guitars

Rustler guitar catalogs

http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_american_rustler.htm

RWK Guitars

1991 to present

Bob Karger makes solid body guitars in Highland Park, Illinois, USA.

"I only make a few guitars every year but I started making them around 1991.
You can use the serial number on the back of the headstock to determine the year the RWK was built. The first 2 digits is the year. There is also a date-stamp inside the control cavity, that is stamped with a date just before I started applying the finish.

Some additional information: I basically have 2 body styles:
- The original SET., which stands for Solid Electric Through-neck. This is the single-cutaway.
- The SET DC. This is the double-cutaway, hence the "DC".
- The face of the headstock is always a glossy white, with the "RWK" and "SET" decals applied under the clear-coat.

[Source: Bob Karger, RWK Guitars, email 24/3/2008]

Ryan

Found this brand on eBay France March 2009. A vintage electric - no more information.

Images eBay:

Kevin Ryan Guitars

1989 to present

Westminster, California, USA

Image Trilogy Guitars (label) Sterling Guitars (headstock)

Rydal

? Harmony/Regal

Images eBay:

Ryder

1963

Electro String Instrument Corp/ Radio-Tel orignally sold the Ryder brand name instruments to studios and guitar dealers not carrying the full line of Rickenbacker instruments. [Source: Steve Swan Guitars] This happened in 1963. [Source: Vintage Guitar Price Guide]

Relationship between Rickenbacker, Electro and Ryder

Ryder

current

Ryder guitars designed in UK