Guyatone
 | |
| Industry | Musical instrument |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 as "Matsuki Manufacturing" in Yamanashi[1] |
| Founder | Mitsuo Matsuki[1] |
| Headquarters | Oswego , |
Key people |
|
| Products | Electric guitars, amplifiers, effects units |
| Parent | DeMont Guitars LLC |
| Website | guyatone.com |
Guyatone (Japanese: グヤトーン or ガイアトーン) is a Japanese guitar brand and manufacturing company that produces electric guitars, guitar amplifiers, and effect pedals. In the 1930s, the predecessor company was established as the oldest electric guitar manufacturer in Japan, and produced guitars under Guya brand until 1940. In 1948 after WWII, the company was re-established to produce electric Hawaiian guitars. In 1951, Guyatone brand was established for electric guitars,[2] and in 1955, their first solid-body guitar was introduced.[3]
During the late-1950s to mid-1960s, the trends of surf music caused the electric guitar boom,[4] and riding on this big wave, Guyatone electric guitars with unique designs and low prices were exported to Europe and America under the various brands, and played by various guitarists including Hank Marvin from the Shadows,[5] Jimi Hendrix in the early days,[6] Steve Howe of Yes, and others.
Over the 90 years of history, Guyatone encountered three crises in 1940, 1968[3] and 2013.[7] In the mid-2010s, the company and the brand were taken over by Toshihiko Torii (former Guyatone R&D engineer) and Nate DeMont (DeMont Guitar), then merged as the Guyatone & DeMont Guitars LLC.[8]
History
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Guyatone was founded in 1933.[10] According to Hiroyuki Noguchi, editor of Japan's Guitar Magazine [ja],[11] Matsuki Seisakujo (松木製作所) was founded by Mitsuo Matsuki and his friend Atsuo Kaneko, who later became a famous player of Hawaiian and Spanish style guitars.[2] Kaneko co-founded Teisco in 1946.[12]
Hawaiian music was becoming increasingly popular at the time, leading Kaneko to inquire to his friend Matsuki about building an electric Hawaiian guitar using his woodworking and electronics skills. Matsuki had been enrolled in electronics classes.[2] In the late 1930s the Matsuki Seisakujo was founded,[2] producing and selling mostly Rickenbacker-style guitars under the Guya name.
In 1940, Matsuki was drafted into the war between China and Japan and production halted for several years. After returning home, Matsuki formed his own company, "Matsuki Denki Onkyo Kenkyujo" (松木電気音響研究所,[10] English: Matsuki Electric Sound Laboratory[2]).
In 1951 Matsuki began to use the Guyatone name on his instruments. The company began to make amplifiers and cartridges for record players.[2] These cartridges found a large market after being routinely used by NHK, a government-owned broadcasting station. In 1952[2] or 1956[10] (sources disagree), the name of the corporation was changed to Tokyo Sound Company (東京サウンド(株)[10]). In 1968, it was changed to Guya Co., Ltd. ((株)グヤ)[3] and then back to Tokyo Sound Co. once again.[10]
According to correspondence with Toshihiko Torri, head of R&D at Guyatone,[citation needed] the Tokyo Sound factory began large-scale production in 1956. Guyatone's records indicate them as being founded on July 16, 1956. By the late 1950s or early 1960s, they made up to 1,500 slide guitars, 1,600 electric guitars and basses, 2,000 guitar amplifiers, and 5,000 microphones a month.[13]
During the late-1950s to 1960s, Guyatone guitars were distributed under various brands by other manufacturers/distributors:
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- In Japan, Hoshino Gakki had exported Guyatone under the Star and Ibanez brands,[14] before the Tama factory was opened in 1962. Their model 1830 (created c. 1960, LG-70)[15] or model 1860 "Rhythm Maker" (created 1960) is said to be a model[6] for which Jimi Hendrix had traded in his Danelectro, in 1962.[16][17] Then, this model was roughly copied by Kawai as model "S-180" (1964),[18] and some models were also manufactured by FujiGen.[19][20] The copied model by Kawai,[18] or FujiGen,[21] was played by Hound Dog Taylor as seen on his first album Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers in 1971. Ibanez reissued the Rhythm Maker as Jet King 2 (2004–2007).
- In the United Kingdom, James T. Coppock (Leeds) Ltd. had introduced Guyatone under Antoria in the late 1950s,[22] and these guitars were played by Hank Marvin,[5] Marty Wilde,[23] Rory Gallagher,[9] Johny Guitar, and Ringo Starr from the Hurricanes,[24] and even possibly young Jeff Beck.[24] Also, Conn-Selmer UK had introduced the Guyatone under their low budget brands, Freshman and Futurama, in the late 1950s.[25] After the early success in the UK, its market had broadened further: for example, its early bolt-on neck model LG-40 is known to have been sold by multiple importers including: J.Mauriat,[26] Rose Morris (under Broadway brand), and Bell Music of Epsom.[27]
- In the United States, Buegeleisen and Jacobson (B&J) in New York City had introduced Guyatone under Kent, along with re-badged brands such as Saturn, Marathon, Starlight, Royalist, and others. Kent guitars, established in 1960, were initially manufactured by Hagström, then also manufactured by Guyatone, Kawai, FujiGen, Teisco, and Matsumoku.[28]
In 2013 "Tokyo Sound Co. Ltd." was closed down[7] and transferred ownership of the "Guyatone" name to Hiroshi Matsuki (松木裕), son of the founder of Tokyo Sound Co., and brother to the president of the company, re-opening and re-organizing a short time later that same year.[13] Guyatone now continues operations in its US office in Oswego, IL, USA with partner company DeMont MFG LLC. Later, DeMont MFG LLC was purchased and absorbed into "DeMont Guitars" along with all assets.
The Guyatone company is now owned by former R&D Guyatone engineer, Toshihiko Torii (DeMont Japan), and Nate DeMont (DeMont Guitars / Guyatone).[citation needed]
The DeMont / Guyatone Manufacturing facility sustained a fire in December 2017.[citation needed]
In Japan, Guyatone began the development of a patented injection-molded guitar pick which uses small differences in contours and thickness, as well as material types, to change the feel of the pick instead of the traditional thickness of the plastic.[citation needed]
In late 2018, Guyatone launched its website.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Company History Archived 2019-10-29 at the Wayback Machine by Frank Meyers, Author of "History of Japanese Electric Guitars", on Guyatone website, 13 October 2019
- ^ a b c d e f g Fjestad 2014, Guyatone
- ^ a b c Bacon, Carter & Elder 2018, p. 186, Guyatone: "One of the oldest Japanese guitar brands, Guyatone dates from the 1930s when Mitsuo Matsuki set up in Tokyo. The Guyatone brand was based on Matsuki's nickname “Guya,” someone who takes care of tools. Guyatone's first solid-body electric debuted in 1955, the “Les Paul Model,” styled more like early Nationals and Supros. Exporting began in the late 1950s. Budget Guyatones (some branded Star or Antoria) proved popular in the UK, where little else was available. Hank Marvin was an early customer. / Around 1968 the electric guitar market crashed in Japan. Many companies failed, including Guyatone. It re-emerged as the Guya Co Ltd. ... / Matsuki died in 1992. ..."
- ^ Millard 2004, p. 128, amateur players and the 1960s guitar boom: "The number of amateur players buying electric guitars increased exponentially in the 1960s as teenagers rushed to form guitar bands and prices of instruments dropped."
- ^ a b "Drifter LG50". Burns London. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
Many companies produced a similar guitar to this model in the late fifties to early sixties, most famously were Guyatone, Antoria and Burns Weill. Our Drifter LG 50 is a close replica of the guitar as used by Hank Marvin in the late fifties before he discovered Fender® and Burns® Guitars.
Note: the date c. 2012 was estimated from the archive date on . - ^ a b
"Hoshino Gakki Ten: IBANEZ and ralated brands". OnceVlectrum-UnderVlectrum.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-09.
{Middle} A rare one here, an Ibanez model 1860 large body set neck, circa 1960. This old girls claim to fame is that one of these models was owned by the late Jimi Hendrix. I have the original Kevlar type case as well. It is also Guyatone made.... Model 1830 bolt on neck
. See also: images referred on above: {Middle}, and Model 1830 bolt on neck. - ^ a b
"「Guyatone」ブランドの楽器メーカー 東京サウンド株式会社 営業停止" [Tokyo Sound Co., Ltd., a musical instrument manufacturer of Guyatone brand, stopped operation [on January 31, 2013]]. 大型倒産情報 [Large Bankruptcy Information] (in Japanese). Teikoku Databank, Ltd. 7 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-02-10.
TDB企業コード：980647747 / 「東京」 東京サウンド（株）（資本金4000万円、杉並区高井戸東3-36-14、代表松木耕一氏）は、1月31日に営業を停止した。...
[TDB Company Code: 980647747 / (Tokyo) Tokyo Sound Co., Ltd. (capital: 40 million yen, address: 3-36-14 Takaido-Higashi, Suginami, representative: Matsuki Koichi) was stopped operations in January 31.] - ^ a b "Guyatone", (guyatone.com), Oswego, Illinois: Guyatone & DeMont Guitars LLC, retrieved 2022-11-01,
Brief History - One of the earliest guitar manufacturers in Japan, Guyatone began production in 1933 by cabinet maker's apprentice Mr. Mitsuki. The Name "Guyatone" roughly translates to "handyman music" and began appearing on instruments in 1951, as well as Amplifiers & Cartridges. / In 2013 Guyatone joined forces with DeMont Guitars of Oswego, IL, USA and now manufactures in both the US & Japan. / Toshihiko Torii heads up our Guyatone Japan division. ... / Nathaniel DeMont ... specializes in running projects, CNC & CAD Programming, Design, and Wood-work. ...
- ^ a b "Guyatone LG60B (1959)". Instrument Archive, Rory Gallagher – The Official Website.
- ^ a b c d e 東京サウンド(株) [Tokyo Sound Co., Ltd.] (in Japanese). Suginami Sangyo Kyokai (杉並産業協会). Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
連絡先: 杉並区高井戸東3-36-14", "会社概要・沿革: 昭和8年創立、国産初の電気ギター/昭和23年松木電気音響研究所創設/昭和31年東京サウンド株式会社/昭和34年現在地に移転/昭和58年「REXER」[ブランド] を発表/平成11年「SOUND」[ブランド] を再興
[CONTACT: 3-36-14, Takaido Higashi, Suginami-ku, TOKYO. / ABOUT US & HISTORY: Founded in 1933, produced first domestically electric guitars [in Japan] / In 1948, founded Matsuki Electro-Acoustic Laboratory / In 1956, renamed to Tokyo Sound Co., Ltd. / In 1959, moved to present location [above address] / In 1983, introduced the "REXER" brand. / In 1999, revived the "SOUND" brand.] (PDF version Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine) - ^
Wright, Michael. "Teisco Guitars, Part I – Rock "n" Roll Dreams, Part I". Vintage Guitar.
Mr. Hiroyuki Noguchi of Japan's Rittor Music, editor of the Guitar Graphic book series.
See also: Guitar Graphic book series - ^ Fjestad 2014, TEISCO DEL REY, "In 1946, Mr. Atswo Kaneko and Mr. Doryu Matsuda founded the Aoi Onpa Kenkyujo company, makers of the guitars bearing the Teisco and other trademarks..." (Note: "Atswo Kaneko" referred to in this section seems to be another transliteration of "Atsuo Kaneko")
- ^ a b Nathaniel DeMont. "History". Guyatone (guyatoneus.com). Archived from the original on 2016-06-21. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ^ "富士弦楽器とIbanez" [FujiGen and Ibanez] (catalog clips). Matsumoto Guitars [Guitar manufacturers in Matsumoto City] (in Japanese). Matsumoto: Junk Guitar Museum. 2009-06-14. Guyatone made Star model 1570, 1580, 1590, EG-1800, EG-1810 (late 1950s), Guyatone made Ibanez model 1850 (c.1961), and Hoshino's Tama factory made Burn influenced model 2103, 3904, ...
- ^
DrowningInGuitars (July 17, 2013). "1960 Guyatone LG-70 Demo "Kingston" Model" (video). YouTube.
So how about this... a Guyatone with a Kingston label. Westheimer imported a lot more than Teisco and Kawai folks! Oh, and the sweetest pickups ever placed on a Guyatone guitar in my opinion. If you love the neck position, you'd be in hog heaven with this guitar!
- ^
Harry Shapiro; Michael Heatley; Roger Mayer. "1961 Epiphone Wilshire". Jimi Hendrix Gear. Voyageur Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-61060-421-5.
... in September 1962, he traded in his Danelectro (valued at $20) for an unidentified Ibanez electric from Collins Music Store in Clarksville, Tennessee. Unable to keep up the $10-per-week installments on his $95.87 purchase, he voluntarily returned the guitar in mid-November. His next purchase was a new Epiphone Wilshire...
- ^
Steven Roby; Brad Schreiber (2010). "Chronology of Tours and Events, 1962–1966: November 1962". Becoming Jimi Hendrix: From Southern Crossroads to Psychedelic London, the Untold Story of a Musical Genius. Da Capo Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-306-81910-0.
Tuesday, 11/13 ... Hendrix voluntarily returns the Ibanez guitar he got on loan from Collins Music Store in Clarksville because he cannot continue payments.
- ^ a b 60's Bizarre Guitars 1993, p. 32
- ^
フジゲン創成期（エレキギター生産の始まり） [Genesis of FujiGen (beginning of the electric guitar production)]. Matsumoto Guitars [Guitar manufacturers in Matsumoto City] (in Japanese). Matsumoto: Junk Guitar Museum. 2012.
同時期、横内氏 [富士弦創業者] は楽器の輸出商社である南洋貿易にコンタクトをとり、そこに試作品を持って行ったところ、河合の電気ギターを見せられ「これと同じものを作って」という話になったそうです。（ブランドはTele-Star。）Teiscoも同様にメーカー間の取引ではなく、商社主導で国内の別メーカーのOEM生産が富士弦楽器でおこなわれたことが分かります。
[During the same period, Mr. Yokouchi [co-founder of FujiGen] contacted Nanyo Boeki, a musical instrument export trading company in Japan, for promoting his prototype products. Then, they indicated to him a Kawai electric guitar and said that "Please manufacture as same as this", and the business proceeded (the brand was Tele-Star [by Gar-Zim]). Additionally, FujiGen's OEM manufacturing based on Teisco models was a similar case. [In general] on FujiGen, the OEM manufacturing based on the models of the other domestic manufacturers, was not initiated by the direct transaction between manufacturers, but by the proposal of the trading company.] - ^
1965 photograph of FujiGen office. Matsumoto Guitars [Guitar manufacturers in Matsumoto City] (photograph). Matsumoto: Junk Guitar Museum.
Note: This model is also seen on a book:- Yokouchi, Yūichirō (1983). グレコの仲間たち: 富士弦楽器物語 [Greco and Its Companies - The Story of FujiGen]. 電算出版企画 [Densan Shuppan Kikaku]. p. 163.
- ^
For the guitar seen on the album cover of Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, FujiGen co-founder Yūichirō Yokouchi said that it was manufactured by FujiGen, according to:
- "Special Program - テスコ物語" [Special Program - Teisco Story] (PDF). Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). No. 1992–01. Tokyo, Japan: Rittor Music, Inc. p. 30. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- "Special Program - テスコ物語" [Special Program - Teisco Story] (PDF). Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). No. 1992–01. Tokyo, Japan: Rittor Music, Inc. p. 30. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ "About". Antoria Guitars. 2010. Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
ANTORIA GUITARS were first introduced into the UK from Japan in the early 1950s. ...
- ^ "Marty Wilde — Antoria electric guitar". British Music Experience. Archived from the original on 2011-02-24.
- ^ a b "Guyatone/Antoria LG50 – The inspiration for the Burns-Weill Fenton". sebastian.virtuozzo.co.nz/gitbox. Archived from the original on 2010-10-23.
- ^
"日本生まれの多国籍ギター。セルマー フレッシュマン5800" [Multinational guitars born in Japan - Selmer/Futurama Freshman 5800]. Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). Itō Ashura Benimaru (guitar coordinator). Tokyo, Japan: Rittor Music, Inc. 2021-04-20.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^
"グヤトーンの歴史的資料 - ジェイ・モーリア LG40" [Historical material of Guyatone - J.Mauriat LG40]. Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). Itō Ashura Benimaru (guitar coordinator). Tokyo, Japan: Rittor Music, Inc. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Broadway Budget model (circa 1962)". A History of Broadway Guitars. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^
"Table of Kent Guitars – 500-800 Series" (images). Kent Guitars.
Gallery of Kent branded guitars manufactured by Guyatone, along with FujiGen, Matsumoku, Teisco, and Kawai.
Bibliography
[edit]- OUTPUT - エレクトリックが新しい感情のダイナマイトだった [OUTPUT – Electric was a Dynamite of New Emotion]. Y.M.M. Player Magazine [ja] mook (in Japanese). Tokyo: Player Corporation. 1982-01-20. ID:09818-1-20.
- 60's Bizarre Guitars. Guitar Magazine mooks / Rittor Music mook (in Japanese). Tokyo: Rittor Music, Inc. 1993-03-01. OCLC 269873814. ID:4-69771-02, , ASIN B0064YESZO.
- Millard, André, ed. (2004). "amateur players and the 1960s guitar boom". The Electric Guitar - A History of an American Icon. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-7862-6.
- Fjestad, Zachary R. (2014). "GUYATONE". Blue Book of Electric Guitars (15th ed.). Blue Book Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-936120-56-7.
- Meyers, Frank (2015). History of Japanese Electric Guitars. Centerstream Publications. ISBN 978-1-57424-315-4.
- Bacon, Tony; Carter, Walter; Elder, Ben (2018). "Guyatone". Electric Guitars - The Illustrated Encyclopedia. Book Sales. ISBN 978-0-7858-3572-1.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- Japan-DeMont-Guitars – partner in Japan
- Oceanbeauty (25 June 2009). "Guitar List 5 - GUYATONE". HatenaBlog.jp (in Japanese). — major domestic models in the 1950s–1960s.
