Framus Akkerman Like many guitar manufacturers after the 1960s guitar boom, fortunes changed and the company found itself on the verge of bankruptcy early in the next decade. In a desperate move...
Sam Koontz Guitars All the while Sam was building guitars on the side from his home-shop in Linden NJ, mainly exquisite archtop electrics which were his first love. But he also dabbled in...
Westone Brings The Thunder Matsumoku Industrial Co. of Japan started as a family woodworking shop and grew to become a cabinet supplier for Singer sewing machines in 1951. Ten years later Matsumoku was forced to...
Epiphone Olympic Games The Epiphone Olympic was introduced in 1960 and experienced several body changes and name variations. At its core the original iteration is a Gibson Melody Maker with a different headstock. The...
Nashville Guitar Day While visiting my in-laws in Nashville this weekend I brokered a day away from the family to spend time seeing as many guitar stores as possible on a Saturday afternoon. ...
Aria Pro II Thor Sound Guitars In 1975 Aria came out with the Aria Pro II custom shop series of guitars and basses exhibiting their first original designs. Playing into the 70s’ “natural finish” popularity of...
