|
t |
manufactured |
info
updated 10/10/2008...please email
corrections/info |
|
Tacoma
 |
?1997 to present |
Tacoma Guitars began as a division of Young Chang America that
made piano soundboards for export to Korea. Production of USA
made guitars commenced in 1997. The company was purchased by
Fender in October 2004.
[Source:
Wikipedia
]
Dating Tacoma
Guitars
http://www.tacomaguitars.com/resources/faq.php#when
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/tacoma.html
Other info
Seattle Times bio
Interview with Leith Anderson of Tacoma Guitars
Tacoma
pricelists
2005 Winter
Tacoma pricelist
2005 Summer Tacoma
pricelist
2007 Winter Tacoma pricelist
Tacoma forum
http://www.tacomaguitarforum.com/ |
|
Tactical Works |
|
http://www.metalnecks.com/index.php/mID/d19a7559/fuseaction/guitars.manu.htm |
|
Tagima
 |
early 1980s to present |
The first Tagima guitars were made
in the early 80's by Mr. Seizi Tagima in Brazil. Marutec
Music acquired the rights to use the brand Tagima in 1996. Soon
after Korean production began. The product line Memphis by
Tagima was launched along with the line of bass guitars and new
guitar models. The “Instituto de Guitarra e Tecnologia (IG&T)”
of Sao Paulo closed a deal to use Tagima's instruments in its
classes, increasing the brand recognition.
[Source:
Guitar Global ]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tagima |
|
Tahara |
|
In the early 1970s Tahara-san had
a factory in Matsumoto Japan that was engaged primarily in the
production of lower-mid range acoustic guitars… Mr Tahara's
factory in Matsumoto went into bankruptcy in the mid to late
1970s after which he moved to Tateshina outside of Maruko-machi
in Nagano Prefecture where he focused exclusively on Mandolin
production. “
[Source: EZ Folk
http://www.ezfolk.com/forums/forum16/762.html ] |
|
Takamine
 |
1962 to present |
Takamine Guitars emerged from the base of
Takamine Mountain in Sakashita, Japan.
Dating
Takamine Guitars
TRY THIS FIRST
http://www.guitardating.com/takamine.php
If you have a Japanese built Takamine, you can tell the year of
manufacture by the first two digits of the serial number, i.e.
s/n 9234075 = year of manufacture is 1992 from
http://www.takamine.co.uk/support/index.html
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/takamine.html
Takamine
catalogs
2002 Takamine guitar
catalog
2004 Takamine guitar
catalog
Takamine
pricelist
2005 Takamine
pricelist
2006 Takamine pricelist
2007 Takamine
pricelist
2008 Takamine
pricelist
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Takamine
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Takamine+
Takamine
Forum
http://www.takamineforum.com/
From this photo
- my Taki was made:
Saturday, April 7th, 2001. It was
the 48th guitar made that day.
|
|
Takeharu |
|
Kiso Suzuki Violin Company
Japanese
Wikipedia
Johnny
Cash Takeharu guitar
Catalogs
http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_japanese_takeharu.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Takeharu
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Suzuki
see Suzuki |
|
Talbo
 |
1982 to
present |
This brand was made by Tokai but
is listed separately here because they look so cool.
The Talbo (Tokai Aluminium Body)
began production 1982 and are still made today. More
ornate models produced in conjunction with Zemaitis and have the
combo logo see left. The range was first introduced
as a cast aluminium body but is now available in a variety of
body materials including wood (Talbo Woody) , an open aluminium
structure within built in speaker (Talbo Junior) and an acrylic
model (Talbo Crystal). Bass guitars also produced.
Dating Talbo
Guitars
1980s code =
Y0P####, with the first digit indicating
the year followed by a zero, followed by where it fell in the
production run (1 = early, 4 = late, etc. ). In '89, Tokai
switched to indicating the year with two digits: 89#####.
[Source:
Michael Wright in Vintage Guitar]
Talbo catalogs
http://www.tokairegistry.com/catalogs.html
Japanese
wikipedia - Woody
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Tokai/Talbo+Custom/10/1
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Tokai/Blazing+Fire+Talbo/10/1
see Tokai |
|
Tama
 |
1975-1979 |
Tama guitars were made from 1975 through 1979. They break down
into two series:
First, a range of medium-quality Martin-dread inspired guitars
including 12-strings, most with laminated spruce tops, some
solid (unusual), most with lots of plastic pearl. Sold via the
Ibanez catalog in Japan as a separate line. Most peghead logos
were a vertical ‘TAMA’, in the old CF Martin style. Distributed
in the US by Chesbro Music Company of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Second: a similar but higher-quality series made roughly
1977-79, all with solid mahogany or rosewood ('jacaranda' in
catalog) backs/sides, solid spruce tops, ebony
fingerboards/bridges, plus wider headstocks with a single
abalone ‘T’ logo.
In 1980 the Tama guitars were absorbed into the Ibanez acoustic
line and renamed the Artwood Series …[Source: Acoustic Guitar ]
link =
http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/017897.html
Best Tama Guitar Resource
http://freenet-homepage.de/hufschlag/html/history.html
Tama guitar catalogs
http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/11/3202.html?1073597510
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tama |
|
Tanglewood
|
|
"Unfortunately we don't have a full bar code system in place as
of yet. We are currently beginning to use it on our products but
nothing confirmed as of yet. I can tell you, on Tanglewood
serial numbers the first to digits, i.e. 07 represent the year
of manufacture, 2007." [Source Dan Reeks, IT Manager, Tanglewood,
email 10 Mar 2008]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tanglewood
|
|
Tanner Creek |
|
Handcrafted guitars made by
Dann Ross in
the foothills of Southeastern Indiana, near Cincinnati, Ohio,
USA
|
|
Taro Guitars |
1970s |
Japanese copies of Fender and
Gibson guitars [Source:
Guitars Canada |
Vintaxe ] |
|
Taylor
 |
1974 - present |
TRY THIS FIRST
http://www.guitardating.com/taylor.php
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/reference/dating.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Taylor+Guitars
Taylor forums
http://www.taylor-talk.com/blog/
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php |
|
R Taylor
 |
|
Robert Taylor's small luthier shop
in grounds of the big factory (Taylor) |
|
T.D. Hibbs |
|
see H
for Hibbs |
|
Teigen |
|
Ross Teigen, Naples, Florida, USA |
|
Teisco
|
1946-? |
Teisco was founded in 1946 by guitarist Atswo Kaneko, and
electrical engineer Doryu Matsuda. The company was originally
called 'Aoi Onpa Kenkyujo' (roughly: Hollyhock Soundwave or
Electricity Laboratories). In 1956 the name was changed to
'Nippon Ompa Kogyo Co'. The company was acquired by Kawai in
1967, with the Teisco brand name for guitars ending in 1969.
Teisco guitars sold in the United States were badged "Teisco Del
Rey" from 1964. other brand names were:
USA - Kent, Kingston, Kimberly, Tulio, Heit Deluxe and World
Teisco.
UK - Arbiter, Audition, Kay and Top Twenty
After Kawai bought Teisco in 1967, they started to produce all
the Teisco guitars, as well as their own brand, Apollo. [Source:
Wikipedia]
The best resource for Teisco is
Teisco
Twangers the original link may come back some time
http://www.teiscotwangers.com/
Search at
http://www.vintageguitar.com/
http://www.vintaxe.com/faq.htm
http://www.minegitarer.com/vintageguitars.htm
http://vintageguitarpro.com/teisco.shtml
http://www.gearwire.com/teisco-guitars.html
Examples
Teisco '67 ET -460
http://www.wietsesguitars.nl/pagina9a.html
1965 Teisco TRG-2L
http://www.myrareguitars.com/eteisco.html
http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/photo/guitar.html
http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/teiscotone/gallery.html
http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/teisco/
refer to the Category Box LHS
Teisco
catalog
http://guitar.webinjp.com/catalog_guitar.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Teisco
see Teisco del
Ray |
|
Teisco del Ray |
1954-1967 |
http://www.well.com/~wellvis/gitinfo.html#teisco
http://www.teiscotwangers.com/ |
|
Telestar |
1965 – early 70s |
Tele-Star Japanese-made guitars
debuted in the U.S. in 1965. The Tele-Star Trading Corporation,
(Broadway, New York) was begun by Maurice Laboz in around 1965
and concentrated on relatively humble low-end guitars (and
drums), produced mainly by the Kawai company. In 1967 the
Tele-Star company was probably purchased by the Music-Craft
Electronic Corporation. In the early '70s, the New York
warehouse had a fire and the company relocated to Secaucus, New
Jersey. From that point on, Tele-Star abandoned guitars and
switched its focus to musical accessories. Circa 1982, Maurice
Laboz sold the business to Fred Gretsch, Jr., son of the founder
of the more famous guitar company. [Source:
Vintage Guitar Magazine ]
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Telestar
|
|
Tellson |
|
http://www.musikkeller.com/d/tellson.html
http://www.ratemyaxe.com/details.php?image_id=123&sessionid=1e7201db1b638ac592532294b1eeb524
? Elvis link
http://www.scottymoore.net/ep58isana.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tellson |
|
Tempo |
|
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tempo
see
Univox |
|
Tenorio Werx |
1999 to
present |
Mark Tenorio has been building
and repairing musical instruments professionally since 1987. He
trained at Roberto-Venn
school of lutherie in 1989. Thereafter he repaired guitars for 5
local music stores before establishing Tenorio Werx in 1999.
[Source:
Roberto-Venn ]
Tenorio Werx is based in Denver,
Colorado, USA |
|
Tenson |
|
|
|
Terada |
1912 (toys) to today |
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosevdh/t/terada.htm#History
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Terada |
|
Michael Terris |
|
Handmade banjos, mandolins and
resonator guitars. Califon, New Jersey USA. Mike's band -
Mountain Heritage. |
|
Boguslaw
Teryks |
1982 to
present |
Mainz, Germany |
|
Teuffel
 |
1984 - present |
"I don't write the
date on the gutiar itself but all the birdfishs have got serial
numbers. So I can track the date of manufacturing." [Source
Ulrich Teuffel, email, 11 Mar 2008]
http://www.fineguitarconsultants.com/teuffelstory.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Teuffel%20Guitars |
|
Tex Star |
1936 |
Gibson made Flat top distributed
by San Antonio Music. [Source: Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars,
2nd Ed] |
|
M Tezanos Perez |
|
|
|
Michael Thames |
|
Image
Thames:
 |
|
Thierry Andre Luthier |
1997 to present |
"I started to
manufacture instruments (in Canada) under my name in 1997.
Besides making guitars, I also have been building smaller
(gourd, hollow burl, coconut) middle east and Africa inspired
instruments that I have come to call 'creations'. T he gourd
instruments are becoming more and more popular.
Identification for guitars:
- hand written inside body, china ink pen (acoustic and archtops),
under neck pickup, china ink pen (electrics);;; labeled: Thierry
André, no.1 to no. 25, Montreal, year.
Identification for creations:
-hand written on peghead (china ink pen under finish) and inside
resonator with paper label.
Labeled: Thierry André, no. c-1 to no. c-59, Montreal, year.
I am still making
instruments, and numbers should go up in the years to come."
[Source: email Thierry Andre, 27/5/2008 ] |
|
David
Thomas |
|
see D
for DT |
|
Thomas /
Harvey Thomas |
1960s |
Built in Kent,
WA in 1960s. [Source: Blue Book ]
http://www.myspace.com/thomascustomguitars
http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/harvey-thomas-maltese/feb-07/25740
http://tuba2.com/harvey/gallery.htm
http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/teiscotone/gallery.html
Thomas
catalog
http://tuba2.com/harvey/catalog.htm |
|
Carl Thompson Guitars |
1974 to present |
"Carl begin building instruments in
1974. You can tell the year and sate of manufacture by a serial
number on the back of the headstock in MM DD YY format."
[Source: -Aaron, CT Basses email 29/4/2008]
Serial number examples courtesy of
Aaron, Carl Thompson Guitars:
  
|
|
Ted
Thompson |
1979 to present |
Vernon,
British Columbia
Ted has quite
a fan club
http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/archive/index.php/t-6155.html
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Ted+Thompson |
|
Thomsley Guitars |
|
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Thomsley |
|
Threet Guitars |
|
Judy Threet |
|
Thumb (Big Thumb) |
|
Thumb
catalog 1977
http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1.htm |
|
Timber Creek
 |
2004 to present |
"I
started making these guitars under this brand name in 2004. I
make them in my shop in Beavercreek Oregon. There is a label
inside each guitar that is signed along with a model# and a
serial #. The first letter or #s of
the model # is the body style, the second letter of the model #
is the material the top is made of, the third letter of the
model# is the material that the back and sides are made of, like
the ones on my website GRK is Grand Auditorium body style
R/Redwood top K/Koa back and sides. I
have a new one coming out soon ,000SPH, 000body style S/spruce
top PH/purpleheart back and sides. There is also a serial # on
each label, A 6 digit #000108 this is the first guitar built in
2008 and so on The label inside each guitar has my logo on each
one and the logo is on each headstock and some also have the
logo burned in the heel cap. [Source
and photos courtesy of Terry Johnson Timbercreek Guitars, email
24/8/2008]
 |
|
Timberline |
Current |
Handmade
guitars, California, USA |
|
Time Guitars |
1970s-1980s |
http://fancy.org/music/guitar/
http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_american_time.htm
Time Guitar Forum
http://www.timeguitars.com/ |
|
Timeless Guitars |
1980 to present |
"Look thru the soundhole with a
mirror & read what it says, If there is a number on the back
waist brace, it is the date built backwards . yr mth day "
[Source: David Freeman, Timeless Guitars, email 21/3/2008]
Timeless is
also a luthier trainer and luthier supply stop.
Tugaske, Saskatchewan, Canada |
|
Timm |
|
Jerry Timm makes (made?) grand
concert, dreadnought guitars, squareneck resonators and a
traveling guitar in koa called, The Little Bear Traveler.
Auburn, WA, USA |
|
Tippin Guitars |
current |
Bill Tippin,
Marblehead, MA, USA |
|
Tipton |
1989 to ? |
Custom guitars
by Bill Tipton. He has built about 80 odd guitars to date
according to
Strings |
|
Tix |
|
http://tix.gozaru.jp/other.html |
|
Tobias
 |
|
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_%28bass_guitar_company%29 |
|
Todt |
|
http://jazzgitarren.k-server.org/othersddr.html
http://www.musikkeller.com/d/todt.html |
|
Tokai
 |
1973 to present |
Tokai Gakki Co., Ltd. (Tokai Musical Instruments) was founded in
1947 as a harmonica manufacturer. In 1965 Tokai started making
classical guitars and in 1968 started making the Hummingbird
electric guitar series and in 1970 started making the
Hummingbird Acoustic models. In 1972 Tokai went into a joint
venture with Martin to supply Acoustic guitar parts and also
build Martin's solid body Sigma guitars. Copies of US classics
started around 1976.
[Source:
music trade
]
http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-info.html
http://www.orangeguitar.com/abouttokai.htm
Search at
http://www.vintageguitar.com/
http://www.guitarsjapan.com/tokaiinfopage.html
Tokai articles
http://www.flyingvintage.com/
Tokai
guitar catalogs
http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-catalogs.html
http://www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/
1984
http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1984/jp_index.html
1975 Acoustic
catalog
http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1.htm
1980, 1986
http://freenet-homepage.de/bluezz_bastardzz/readme.htm
1981
http://guitar.webinjp.com/70guitar_catalog/tokai.htm
Reviews
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Tokai
Tokai forum
http://www.tokaiforum.com/ |
|
Otis Tomas Guitars |
1980 to present |
"I have small business building
custom made one-of-a-kind instruments, mainly violins and
guitars. I started around 1980. All my instruments should have a
label, visible through the sound hole, dated with the year of
its creation." [Source: Otis, email 3/4/2008] |
|
Tom
Bills
 |
|
St Louis, USA
http://www.destroyallguitars.com/tombills |
