x-z

manufactured

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

X3INC

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/X3INC+Guitars

Factory direct

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

Xotic

The first digit of the serial number is the year of manufacture

Xtone

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

see ESP

K Yairi

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

When was you Yairi made refer to the Alvarez site http://www.alvarezgtr.com/technical.php

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

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

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Yairi+%26+Son

forum http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000157.html

Yakima

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

Yamaha

1966 to present

Dating Yamaha guitars

TRY THIS FIRST http://www.guitardaterproject.org/Yamaha.aspx

Vintage Yamaha - text Japanese but dates readable. http://www.yamaha.co.jp/product/guitar/eg/database/index.html

http://www.yamaha.com/apps/guitararchives/serialnumberwizard.asp

Note serial numbers recycle every 10 years.

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

Yamaha model finder

Yamaha G10 midi http://www.greenbuddha.de/guitars/index_b.php?mod=g10&lang=de

Yamaha SG http://www.vintageguitar.com/

Yamaha history http://www.answers.com/topic/yamaha-corporation?cat=biz-fin

Yamaha catalogs

1980, 1981, 1985 http://brochures.yokochou.com/index.html

Yamaha acoustic catalogs 70,72,78 and more http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1.htm

1960s Yamaha Acoustic Catalog http://members.aol.com/rogluthier/yambroch.html

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

Yamaha forum http://www.yamahatalk.com/message-board-forum/

In 1967 Kazuyuki Teradaira left Zenon to produce classical guitars under the name Yamaki. Yamaki now makes parts for other Japanese guitar companies. [Source: Acousticguitar.com ]
Yamaki Examples
http://guitar.natsuya.jp/

http://pinebaskets.tripod.com/guitar.html

headstocks http://members.at.infoseek.co.jp/garakuta_guiter/yamaki.shtml

http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=6261

Yamaki catalogs

1976 http://dreamworks.fc2web.com/yamaki_daion/catalog_Folder/catalog_76/getinfolk_76_05.html

1980 http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1-47.htm

see Daion

Yanuziello

1979 to present

Joseph Yanuziello, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1985 to present

"I started making guitars in 1985 but not until 1993 where I make guitars full time. The name of my guitars started with GIM Guitars and I later change it to Jeffrey Yong Guitars in 1998.
I started at home but later at the Guitar Institute Malaysia ( founded by me ) in 1993. The institute speciallized in All Guitar Courses from building to playing. Later in 1998 I changed it to GIM Custom Guitars. I've built electric guitars and bass and until 2001 I focused on classical and acoustic steel strings.
I build about 5 guitars from 2001 and now up to 20 guitars per year.
There is no serial no but each guitar is dated month/year ( eg. Jan in year 2001 is written as 1/01 )" [Source: Jeff Yong, email 2/8/2008 ]

Zachary

1997 to present

http://www.zacharyguitars.com/Currently_for_Sale.htm - pictures of every one made – very cool

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

Zager

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

Fructuoso Zalapa

Fructuoso Zalapa Luna

Image  Danzeff Guitars:

AC Zemaitis

Early 1960’s to present

Note Tony died in 2002.   “Tony did not use serial numbers. The family hold all of his records. With acoustics Blue edge labels are generally pre 71 and Red edged labels are post 71 (when Tony moved to Kent). [source: The Zemaitis owners club, email 22 Jan 07]

http://www.zemaitis.net/

http://www.privateguitarcollector.com/

www.zemaitisclub.com

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

Copy models http://hw001.gate01.com/%7Ekerorin/zema/zema-top.html

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

Zenon

Zen-on

I must say I am confused about Zen-on or Zenon. Some snippets as follows:

In 1954 Hayashi Gakki a guitar manufacturer was bought out by Zenon, a large music distributor. [Source: Acousticguitar.com ]

Zenon are rebranded Beltone guitars made in Japan in the 1960s. [Source: Blue Book entry for Beltone]

Later in the 60’s decade Zenon guitars were marketed under the Morales brand name. [Source: The Guitar Collection ]
 

http://hendrix-136.hp.infoseek.co.jp/E16.htm

http://www.wutzdog-guitars.de/popups/P-MiscAsia/Zenon.htm

http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/teiscotone/gallery.html

http://roroor.com/index_files/Page1886.htm

Zenon acoustic catalog 1984 http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1.htm

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

1994 to present

All Zero's are one offs, the first one was made in 1994 as an experiment, I had been a full time player for some 35+ yrs, and wanted to build a guitar of aluminum for slide guitar. This guitar is pictured on the Info contact page of the website. It played great & sounded unique. That was sold to a local player and is in use to this day. That was the beginning & I continued refining the guitars.

I've built 48 since then many are custom order's, all lapsteels with palm pedals have been custom orders. Early Zeros have aluminum with a black photo sensitive coating. Maybe 4 of them? One is made with plastic back, sides, aluminum & Spruce top. All other's are aluminum sides, back & top. Some tops were either Koa, Spalted maple or quilt maple, these are all pictured on the website. Titanium has been used on some later models for sides.

ID on early ones, first 8 is a signature or nothing in pickup cavity. All Zero's after that have plate at bottom strap button with month & year plus # of guitar ie.  032 would be the 32nd made. Some also have serial # and or signature in one of the pickup cavities.

This is a one person operation conducted in shop at home, all handmade, necks made to spec. by USA Guitars." [Source: Gene Nygaard, Zero Guitars, email 23/7/2008]

Seattle, Washington, USA

Zimnicki

Zolla Guitars

1979 to present

Custom guitars and parts San Diego, California, USA

Zumsteel

Serial numbers http://www.zumsteel.net/sections/serial/serial.gif

http://www.zumsteel.net/gallery.cfm

1988 to present

I have manufactured over 200 guitars (electric and acoustic) and most of them are one-offs." [Source: Sjak Zwier, email 28/3/2008]