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  luthiers and guitar brands

Z

made

info    updated 22/2/20010

Zachary

1997 to present

Zachary guitars have been made since 1997.  Pictures of every Zachary guitar built are available at the Zachary website.

http://www.zacharyguitars.com/Currently_for_Sale.htm

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

N Zaganin

N Zaganin guitar headstock

 

Zaganin Custom Guitars, Brazil

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

Zager

Zager guitar headstock

 

Denny Zager  sells his own line of guitars branded Zapger or modified Martin guitars.

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

Fructuoso Zalapa

 

Fructuoso Zalapa Luna, Mexican luthier

Image  Danzeff Guitars:

Fructuoso Zalapa Luna guitar label

JR Zeidler

1977 to 2002

John Zeidler (1958-2002). Rose Valley Road, Wallingford, PA USA

Following pages are from the internet archive

Zeidler profile

Zeidler model descriptions archtop | excaliburjazz | jazz deluxecarrara mandolin | auditorium

Zeidler options

Zeidler workshop

Zeiler Guitars

Zeiler guitar logo

1992 to present

Jamon Zeiler, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

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

http://guitarcollecting.co.uk/histories/history-of-zemaitis-guitars/

1973 The Guitarist and 1975 Guitar Player Zemaitis articles

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

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

Images eBay:

Zenon

Zen-on

1946-1968

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 of Electric Guitars 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

Images eBay: On an acoustic Zen-on from eBay Canada: Label says = ZEN-ON Guitar, Seisachu sho, made in Japan.

Zenon guitar

Zephyr   Zemaitis copies that were made in Japan and Korea. [Source: Guitars Japan]

Zerberus Guitars

 

2002 to present

Frank Scheucher (b 1965), Germany.

"I launched the Zerberus-Guitars brand in 2002 but I started building custom guitars for my personal use when I was 14 years old. But that was no Zerberus.

The guitars are build according to my plans and designs in a custom shop in Korea but I make handcrafted custom guitars according to customers requests in Germany, too.

The standard series are made in Korea and the special custom guitars are made by my person in Speyer/Germany.

Dating Zerberus Guitars
The actual guitars have serial numbers on the back of the headstock.
Here you can see what series the guitar is and the year it is built.
For example: H20032007 stands for H2 = Hydra Series 2 / 003 = Serial number 003 / 2007 = built in 2007.

The same with the Morpheus II for example M20512006
The Hydra I and Morpheus I has no serial number because it was the first series.
I will keep the serial number system for all the future Zerberus-Guitars.
Moreover on the back of the headstock you can find my signature.


 

[Source and images courtesy of  Frank Scheucher, email 25/1/2009]

Zerberus guitar

Zero

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

Zerosette   http://www.fetishguitars.com/index/zerosette.html

Zeta

1982 to present

Zeta Guitars, Oakland, Califonia, USA

Ziata Guitars

Ziata guitar headstock

2000 to present

George Ziatas is a South Australian classical guitar maker specialising in lattice braced carbon fibre reinforced guitars. He has been making guitars since 1990, professionally since the year 2000. [Source: Australian Guitar Centre]

Dating Ziata guitars and serial numbers

"The year of manufacture is on the label viewed through the sound hole with my signature on the label written in black pen.  I used to have a serial number on the label which I  used as an indicator of all the construction details for my own personal logs. I stopped using the serial numbers some time in mid 2006 and at 099 guitars. The serial numbers started at 001 then progressed counting up to 099.

After 2006 I have been indicating the year of manufacture on the label only. I also photograph each guitar with details listed and log them for my own archives.

If anyone needs to authenticate one of my guitars or get specific information , they can contact me with there info request at info@ziataguitars.com .

I have always used my original headstock shape with the exception of my no.001 and no.002 guitar." [Source: George Ziatas, email 9/3/2009]

 

Zilliam

 

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

Zim-Gar

Zim-Gar guitar head stock

1960s

Japanese made, distributed by Gar-Zim Musical Instrument Corporation, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Zim-Gar catalogs

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

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

Images Cragilist, eBay:

Zim-Gar acoustic guitar Zim Gar guitar

Zimnicki

1980 to present

"The year the guitar was made is written on the label. Also, I usually sign and date the soundboards before I finish assembling the bodies." [Source: Gary, Zimnicki Gutiars, email 10 Mar 2008]

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

Zion

current

Zion guitars, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

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

Images eBay:

Zodiac Guitars

 

Zodiac Works, Japanese guitars

http://toguitars.com/gallery-japan/zodiac-guitars.html

Zodiac guitar logo

Zolla Guitars

1979 to present

Custom guitars and parts San Diego, California, USA

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

Zon guitars
1981 to present ZON GUITARS was founded in Buffalo, New York, as a custom guitar and repair shop in May 1981 by bassist/luthier Joe Zon. The company grew out of a retail music store called the Buffalo Guitar Outlet. [Source: www.zonguitars.com ]
http://www.answers.com/topic/zon-guitars-1?cat=entertainment

Jan Zonjee

1998 to present

Jan Zonjee makes guitars in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

I started making guitars (classical & flattop steelstrings) in 1998 under the name "Jan Zonjee gitaren" which is as you understand Dutch for Jan Zonjee guitars.
I had my workshop in Utrecht-Holland until spring 2008.  From October 2008 I have a workshop In Amersfoort.

Dating Zonjee guitars

The year of manufacturing is on the label inside the guitar (see photo) and most of the time also in pencil on the back of the soundboard, with my autograph." [Source and images, Jan Zonjee, email 14/3/2009]

Jan Zonjee guitar label

Fabio Zontini   Fabio Zontini makes classical and romantic guitars. Savona, Italy.

Zoo Customs

 

Guitars and amps made in Montreal Canada.

Zoo Customs at myspace

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

Zumsteel

 

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

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

Zvex

 

Z Vex Drip guitar. 65 made.

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

Z Vex drip guitar

The following image is from eBay and a purple Drip signed by Steve Vai.  The date appears on the back of the guitar under the neck plate.

Zwier Guitars

1988 to present

Netherlands

"I started manufacturing in 1988.

The date of manufacture can be told by looking on the back of the headstock, you will find the date of manufacture written on it.

Additional information:

In 1990 I attended the College for Musical Instruments Building in Puurs (Belgium). After 5 years I received my master-luthier degree.

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

Phil Zychowski 1995 to 2006 Phil Zychowski Guitars, hand made Ranger, Georgia, USA.  Web site was available on wayback machine in 1998.  Here is the remnant of that page.

ZZ Ryder

2003-2008

Stenzler Musical Instruments, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

"ZZ Ryder Guitars - 2003 - Higher quality electric guitars, suspended production in late 2008; may be back in the future. Made in China.

Dating ZZ Ryder Guitars

Our serial number has the date made in it: K0612t0516 - this one was built in the 12th month of 2006." [Source: Mark W. Jabben, M&M Merchandisers, Inc, email 6/1/2009]

2006 ZZ Ryder Catalog (internet archive)

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/ZZ+Ryder

see M&M Merchandisers