Prelude
HOT DIGGITY DOG! What the heck dude! Now wait jus’ a doggone minute! This article was not meant to exist but it does. How did that happen? Why zat den? All will be explained in good time. For now, bienvenidos queridos amigos. Willkommen, liebe freunde. Bienvenue chers amis. ‘Ello maties. What up dawg. Once again, you are genially granted admission to the bizarrely brilliant biosphere of CRAVE Guitars, as we begin the final run up to the end of 2026. Autumn is definitely now with us up here in the northern hemisphere. It’s usually at this point that I make some sort of wise‑ass comment. However, at the time of writing, I don’t have anything worthy of my regular wise‑ass‑ness. I’m not usually struck mute. I got nothin’!? I must be losing it (whatever ‘it’ is). Seems a good time to give y’all a break from my perpetually pretentious and pompous prattle (Ed: keeping the alliterative assonances going, though).
“I just go where the guitar takes me” – Angus Young (1955‑)
This Month at CRAVE Guitars…
Previously on… Part I of the guitar timeline covered the period 5300BCE‑1899 and Part II covered the much shorter but very intensive period, 1900‑1959. Part I had all the prefatory blurb, Part II was largely blurb‑less, and this Part III has all the concluding blurb, so there isn’t much need for any surplus blurb this month. Apart from the fact that there was never intended to be a Part III, it should be no surprise that, as there is one, it follows on from Part II. There is genuinely not a lot else to add at this point.
Follow the links below for the preceding two articles in this series should you wish to view/review the story so far (each link opens a new browser tab)…
August 2026 – A Timeline of Guitar History in 400+ Snippets: Part I
September 2026 – A Timeline of Guitar History in 400+ Snippets: Part II
As with Parts I & II, no AI was used in researching and writing this article; simply the author’s feeble neurons, synapses and shedloads of patience. ‘Quotes of wisdom’ continue the theme of insights into the guitar. Only a small number of hard‑earned images again this month.
“I’m just a guitarist in a kick‑ass rock and roll band. What more could I ask for?” – Eddie Van Halen (1955‑)
The Rationale for the Article
Why are we here? No, it is not some philosophical existential enquiry. Sorry. While that is unquestionably an important question to ask, it doesn’t really relate to vintage guitars (or does it?) More prosaically, why is there a Part III when it was originally planned to be a 2‑part saga? Well the draft Part II grew to such an extent that I felt it was too much for readers to absorb in one go, so I split it in two at the last moment (very Hollywood!). So here we are (again) with a revised supplemental conclusion.
As you might expect from the title, Part III is a direct continuation of the previous two articles. It is also the concluding episode. Genuinely this time. Honest. The three parts together set out the long and storied history of the guitar, so no further justification is really necessary.
The guitar had achieved a commanding status that really coalesced during the 1950s with the introduction of mass produced solid body electric guitars coinciding with the advent of rock & roll, reflecting progressive and permissive cultural and social change in America and the UK. The ‘swinging’ 1960s multiplied that trend manifold and the 1970s continued the astonishing profoundly reformist emancipation of society and the democratisation of popular music that mirrored it (NB. the 1970s were termed ‘the “me” decade’ by author Tom Wolfe in his book, ‘The “Me” Decade and the Third Great Awakening’ (1976), referring to move towards ‘atomized individualism’ after the communal counterculturalism of the 1960s).
The guitar’s pre‑eminence has continued well into the 21st Century. Its status, however, is now challenged strongly by digital music creation, production, distribution and sale. In 2026, AI is an additional major new factor, with which the industry is struggling to grapple. AI, though, has no idea whatsoever what a guitar is or how it is played or the delicate nuances nurtured by skilled musicians who spend decades honing their unique expertise. Guitars at the time of writing remain resolutely in the analogue domain. For now.
The guitar’s omnipresent domination may now be under threat, as it has been many times in the past (think of the disco boom of the 1970s and the pop‑synth boom of the 1980s, both of which boldly and dismally signalled ‘the death of guitar music’). The world’s favourite instrument must continue to adapt if it is to secure a relevant and prosperous future. That is a subject for further debate and this retrospective chronology is not the place for such a discussion.
“The guitar is the coolest instrument in the world” – Steve Vai (1960‑)
A Timeline of Guitar History: Part III – 1960‑2026
Here we go then, with the remainder of the 20th Century (1960-1999) and the 21st Century so far (2000‑2026), setting out in the final 200 entries covering the last 66 years of our extensive 5,500‑year historical journey.
As with the last two articles, for those with an attention deficit, the infographic below provides a significantly abbreviated alternative version.
| 1960 | Gibson introduced the Hummingbird square‑shouldered dreadnought flat top steel strung acoustic guitar, with solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. A stylised hummingbird was engraved on the pickguard |
| 1960 | Fender introduced the ‘Blonde’ series of valve amplifiers, manufactured until the style was discontinued in 1964 |
| 1960 | Fender introduced the offset solid‑body Jazz Bass with a narrower neck to broaden appeal and to complement the existing Fender Precision bass |
| 1961 | The original single‑cutaway Gibson Les Paul was discontinued and an all new Les Paul Standard was introduced by Gibson with a radical double‑cutaway design that would be renamed the SG in 1963. Les Paul did not approve of the new look, despite his name appearing on the headstock. The original single‑cutaway Gibson Les Paul design would be re‑introduced in 1968 |
| 1961 | Fender introduced the offset solid‑body 6‑string Bass VI (originally just VI). Unusually, it wasn’t a bass or a guitar and neither was it a baritone. The Bass VI had a scale length of 30”, between a bass and a guitar and was tuned an octave lower than a normal guitar’s standard EADGBE tuning. Like the Jazzmaster, the Bass VI had a vibrato. The model was discontinued in 1975 |
| 1961 | Gretsch updated the 6128 Duo Jet guitar with a double cutaway body, retaining the chambered body and giving the Jet a more modern aesthetic |
| 1961 | Valco introduced the innovative National and Supro guitar lines with hollow resin‑bonded fibreglass (Res‑O‑Glas) bodies |
| 1962 | Marshall Amplification was founded by English drummer and retailer Jim Marshall (1923‑2012) in London, England, UK |
| 1962 | Fender introduced the upmarket Jaguar offset solid body short‑scale (24”) electric guitar to complement the Jazzmaster that had been launched in 1958 |
| 1962 | Following the Hummingbird, Gibson introduced the Dove square‑shouldered dreadnought flat top steel strung acoustic with solid Sitka spruce top and solid flame maple back and sides. It featured an engraved pickguard with mother‑of‑pearl dove inlays |
| 1962 | Maestro (a Gibson brand) introduced the FZ‑1 Fuzz Tone effect pedal, the first widely available fuzz/distortion guitar effect pedal |
| 1962 | Ernie Ball Inc. was founded by American musician and entrepreneur Roland Sherwood Ball (1930‑2004) in San Luis Obispo, California, USA initially to market guitar‑related products. The company is best known for its guitar and bass strings |
| 1963 | Gibson hired legendary American Chrysler automotive designer Ray Dietrich (1894‑1980) to style and launch the company’s Firebird guitar and Thunderbird bass. The innovative ‘reverse’‑bodied instruments featured neck‑through body construction and new mini pickups. There were four Firebird models I, III, V and VII and two Thunderbird bass models II and IV |
| 1963 | Following the end of an endorsement deal, Gibson officially re‑named the double cutaway Les Paul as the SG (Solid Guitar). There were four models, the Junior (single P90), Special (dual P90s), Standard (dual humbuckers) and Custom (triple humbuckers) |
| 1963 | Guild introduced the S‑100 (SG‑like) and the curious S‑200 Thunderbird solid body electric guitars |
| 1963 | Rickenbacker introduced the iconic 360 hollow body electric guitar. A 12‑string variant, the Rickenbacker 360/12, was made famous by The Beatles and The Byrds in the mid‑1960s |
| 1963 | Marshall introduced the legendary JTM45 valve amplifier head, rated at 45W. Alongside the amp, Marshall also introduced the now‑legendary closed‑back 4×12” speaker cabinet. The JTM45 model was discontinued in 1966 |
| 1964 | Fender introduced the ‘blackface’ series of valve amplifiers, manufactured until the style was discontinued in 1967 |
| 1964 | Fender introduced the short scale (24”) dual pickup solid‑body electric Mustang ‘student’ guitar with a unique innovative vibrato mechanism |
| 1964 | Larry and Joe Macari founded Sola Sound Ltd. in London. The company made guitar effect pedals and amplifiers that were sold through the Macari’s Musical Exchange shops. Sola Sound made effects for in‑house brand, Colorsound from 1967 |
| 1965 | Kustom Amplification was founded by Charles A. ‘Bud’ Ross (1940‑2018) in Chanute, Kansas, USA. The brand was notable for its distinctive ‘Naugahyde tuck‑n‑roll’ styling used until c.1975. Ross sold Kustom to Baldwin Piano Company in 1972, after which Ross went on to found ROSS effects in 1974 |
| 1965 | American innovator and entrepreneur, Hartley Peavey founded Peavey Electronics in Meridian, Mississippi, USA. Peavey started marketing electric guitars and basses from 1978. Peavey remains one of the largest global musical equipment and pro audio manufacturers |
| 1965 | Fender Musical Instruments was sold to the giant media company, CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) for $13m. The company’s founder, Leo Fender was barred from competing with his former business for 10 years, after which he was involved with the formation of Music Man in 1974 |
| 1965 | Fender introduced the offset solid body Bass V, the world’s first commercial 5‑string bass, by adding a high ‘C’ string. Unusually, it only had 15 frets despite its long 34” scale. The Bass V was discontinued in 1971 |
| 1965 | Fender introduced the offset Electric XII 12‑string solid‑body electric guitar, the final guitar designed by Leo Fender for the company that bore his name. The model was intended to compete with the popular Rickenbacker 360/12. The Electric XII was discontinued in 1969 |
| 1965 | Gibson introduced the ‘non‑reverse’‑bodied Firebird and Thunderbird bass to replace the ‘reverse’‑bodied models introduced in 1963. The new shape was simpler and cheaper to produce than its predecessor. Fender threatened Gibson with legal action over the Firebird’s body shape, citing Leo Fender’s 1958 US patent for offset body guitar design as used on the Fender Jazzmaster |
| 1965 | Ovation was founded by aeronautical engineer and inventor Charles Kaman (1919‑2011), in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Kaman used his technical background to develop the innovative Ovation ‘Lyrachord’ roundback electro‑acoustic guitar |
| 1965 | British company Sola Sound introduced its most famous guitar effect pedal, the Tone Bender fuzz, based on the earlier American Maestro Fuzz Tone |
| 1965 | Dunlop Manufacturing was founded by Scottish immigrant to the USA, entrepreneur and businessman Jim Dunlop (1936‑2019) in Benicia, California, USA to sell guitar‑related products |
| 1965 | Maxon, an effect pedal brand name used by Nisshin Onpa, was established in Tokyo Japan. Maxon famously made effect pedals for Ibanez until 2002 |
| 1965 | Japan started to import significant numbers of cheap guitars into the US market, many of them flagrant clones of established American models. The competition ultimately led to the infamous ‘lawsuit era’ scandal of the 1970s |
| 1966 | Fender introduced the short scale (30”) offset solid body ‘student’ Mustang Bass to complement the Mustang 6‑string guitar |
| 1966 | Ted McCarty stepped down from his role as president of Gibson and acquired Bigsby. McCarty became president of the new company |
| 1966 | The first wah‑wah effect pedal was created by Bradley J. Plunkett and Lester Kushner at Warwick Electronics Inc., distributed by Thomas Organ Company and named after trumpeter Clyde McCoy (1903‑1990). The effect was subsequently renamed the V846 VOX Wah‑Wah. A US patent was filed in 1967 and granted in 1970 |
| 1966 | Hiwatt (as Hylight) was founded by British audio engineer Dave Reeves in Surrey, England to build high power valve amplifiers. Reeves was also contracted to build amplifiers for Ivor Arbiter’s Sound City brand |
| 1966 | Fender introduced their first solid‑state amplifiers based on existing successful valve amplifiers like the Twin Reverb and Bassman. Traditional vacuum tubes were replaced by silicon transistors. Fender’s transistor amps were not commercially successful and Fender discontinued solid‑state amplifier production by 1971 |
| 1966 | Danelectro was acquired by the giant media company MCA Inc. (Music Corporation of America). In addition to the main brand, a budget range of guitars was introduced under the Coral name. By 1969, Danelectro had ceased manufacturing |
| 1966 | The iconic circular Fuzz Face guitar effect pedal was introduced by British entrepreneur Ivor Arbiter (1929‑2005). The Fuzz Face was another adaptation of the Maestro Fuzz Tone. In 1969, the Arbiter name was sold to rival Dallas and the merged company was re‑named Dallas‑Arbiter |
| 1966 | Yamaha introduced their first made‑in‑Japan steel strung acoustic guitar, the FG180 as well as their first electric guitars, the SG‑2/3/7 and the SB‑2 electric bass. Yamaha’s first nylon strung classical guitars were introduced in 1967 |
| 1967 | Having pioneered humbucking guitar pickups at Gibson, American electronic engineer Seth Lover began working for rival company Fender |
| 1967 | Fender introduced the ‘silverface’ series of valve amplifiers, manufactured until the style was discontinued in 1981 |
| 1967 | Gretsch was acquired by the Baldwin Piano Company. Production lasted until 1981 when Baldwin ceased manufacturing of Gretsch products |
| 1967 | Fender introduced the short scale single‑pickup Bronco ‘student’ guitar with a unique innovative vibrato mechanism The Bronco was the final addition to Fender’s ‘student’ range that included the Musicmaster, Duo‑Sonic and Mustang |
| 1967 | Danelectro, recently acquired by MCA, introduced the Coral Electric Sitar developed by session guitarist Vinnie Bell (1932‑2019) to capitalise on the Indian influence on Anglo‑American psychedelic rock and pop music in the late 1960s |
| 1967 | Guitar manufacturing firms, Valco and Kay Musical Instrument Company merged, only for the resulting business to go bankrupt in 1968 |
| 1967 | Jean Larrivée Guitars Inc. was founded by Canadian luthier, Jean Larrivée (1944‑) in Toronto, Canada to make premium classical and acoustic guitars |
| 1967 | Laney Amplification was founded by musician Lyndon Laney (1948‑2026) in Birmingham, England |
| 1967 | Guitar effect brand Colorsound was established by brothers Larry and Joe Macari in London, England to supplement the existing Sola Sound business |
| 1967 | Thomas Organ Company introduced the Cry Baby Wah effect pedal, basically a copy of the VOX V486 wah. Dunlop Manufacturing acquired the Cry Baby name in 1982 and released the GCB95 Cry Baby Standard Wah |
| 1967 | Shergold Guitars was founded by former Burns of London employees Jack Golder and Norman Houlder in London, England |
| 1967 | Swedish musical instrument manufacturer, Hagström introduced the world’s first 8‑string bass guitar (with 4 courses of paired strings), the H8. The short‑lived H8 was discontinued in 1969 |
| 1968 | Effect pedal manufacturer, Electro‑Harmonix was founded by Mike Matthews (c.1942‑) in New York City, USA, initially with the Muff fuzz and Linear Power Booster effects. The original company went out of business in 1984 |
| 1968 | Fender introduced the Telecaster Bass, a variant of the Precision bass, based on the original Precision bass design from 1951. It wasn’t technically a reissue as the model hadn’t previously been called the Telecaster bass |
| 1968 | Following musician demand from the likes of English guitarist Eric Clapton, Gibson reintroduced the single cutaway Les Paul, which had been discontinued in 1961. The classic Gibson Les Paul model has been in continuous production since |
| 1968 | Fender introduced the semi‑hollow Telecaster Thinline electric guitar, initially with standard Telecaster pickups and, from 1972, with ‘wide range’ humbucking pickups. The Telecaster Thinline was discontinued in 1980 |
| 1968 | Dan Armstrong (1934‑2004) designed the innovative clear Plexiglas (a.k.a. Acrylite, Lucite, Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)) guitar for Ampeg. The instrument featured innovative interchangeable pickups. The model was discontinued in 1971 |
| 1968 | HH Electronics was founded by Mike Harrison in Cambridgeshire, England to build solid‑state amplifiers, PAs, mixers and speaker systems. HH went bankrupt in 1984 |
| 1968 | British company, Orange Amps was founded by musician, electronics designer and retailer Clifford Cooper (1942‑) in London, England |
| 1968 | American guitar manufacturer Mosrite filed for bankruptcy and was finally shut down in 1969 |
| 1969 | Gibson’s parent company, Chicago Musical Instruments Ltd (CMI), was acquired by South American conglomerate Ecuadorian Company Limited (ECL). ECL then changed its name in 1974 to Norlin Musical Instruments (a contraction of NORton Stevens of ECL and Arnold BerLIN of CMI) |
| 1969 | Mesa Engineering was founded by musician and electronics repair man, Randall Smith (1946‑) in Petaluma, California, USA. The company was famous for introducing Mesa/Boogie Mark and Dual Rectifier valve amplifiers |
| 1969 | Morley was a brand established by Tel‑Ray Electronics Inc., founded by American brothers Raymond and Marvin Lubow in Los Angeles, California, USA to make guitar effect pedals. Uniquely, Morley used photoelectric circuits rather than potentiometers to control the company’s effects. Chicago‑based Sound Enhancements Inc. acquired Morley in 1989 |
| 1969 | Alembic Inc. was founded by American/Australian sound engineer Owsley Stanley (1935‑2011) in Novato, California, USA to build high‑end electric basses, guitars and preamps |
| 1972 | Although he had been building valve amplifiers for several years, reclusive Howard ‘Alexander’ Dumble (1944‑2022), based in Bakersfield, California, USA released his legendary amp model, the Dumble Overdrive Special. All Dumble amps were hand‑made personally by Dumble, largely to special order. Only about 300 Dumble amps were made during his lifetime |
| 1969 | Gibson produced their first low impedance electric guitars, the Les Paul Personal and Professional models. They would evolve into the better‑known Les Paul Recording model in 1971. Low impedance pickups were favoured by guitarist Les Paul for use in the recording studio |
| 1969 | Pignose Amplifiers was founded by Richard Edlund and Wayne Kimbell in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The diminutive Pignose guitar amplifier was a portable battery‑powered unit, rated at 5W with a single 5″ speaker |
| 1969 | American effect pedal manufacturer Electro‑Harmonix introduced its most famous product, the Big Muff Pi (π) fuzz pedal |
| 1969 | Willie Nelson acquired ‘Trigger’, named after Roy Rogers’ horse. The iconic guitar was a Martin N‑20 nylon strung classical acoustic guitar purchased after his previous Baldwin guitar had been accidentally damaged |
| 1970 | American writer and businessman, George Gruhn (1945‑) opened the Gruhn Guitars shop in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Gruhn was co‑author of the industry reference, ‘Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars’ (1990, revised 1999) |
| 1970 | The Randall Amplifier Company was founded by Don Randall (1917‑2008) in Irvine, California, USA. Randall had been a manager at Fender in the company’s early years and was notable for naming the Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars |
| 1970 | C.F. Martin & Company introduced the budget Sigma brand guitar range made in Japan to compete with cheap foreign imports into the USA. Production was moved to South Korea in the 1980s. Sigma guitars were discontinued in 2007 |
| 1971 | Seth Lover designed the ‘Wide Range’ humbucker pickup for Fender, using unique CuNiFe (copper/nickel/iron) magnets. The ‘Wide Range’ pickups were used on the Telecaster Custom, Deluxe and Thinline, as well as the upmarket offset semi‑acoustic Starcaster |
| 1971 | Larry DiMarzio (1948‑) founded DiMarzio Inc. (incorporated in 1975) in Staten Island, New York, USA to produce after‑market guitar pickups |
| 1972 | The multinational Roland Corporation was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi (1930‑2017) in Osaka, Japan. Roland manufactured electronic musical instruments, as well as musical hardware and software. Roland contributed significantly to the development of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard for synchronising and controlling electronic instruments |
| 1972 | Ovation introduced the Breadwinner 1251 electric guitar with ergonomic styling, innovative ‘lyracord’ finish, toroidal pickups and active electronics. The model was discontinued in 1979 |
| 1972 | MXR Innovations was founded in Rochester, New York, USA by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood. The first effect pedals made were the MXR Dyna Comp, Phase 45, Phase 90 and Distortion+. The company closed down in 1984 |
| 1972 | The BOSS brand was formed as a separate division within the Roland Corporation to manufacture compact guitar and bass effect pedals |
| 1972 | Musitronics Corporation (a.k.a. Mu‑Tron) was founded by former Guild employees, Mike Beigel and Aaron Newman in Rosemont, New Jersey, USA to manufacture effect pedals. The company ceased production in 1979 |
| 1972 | Godin Guitars was founded by Robert Godin in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Godin went on to become the largest guitar manufacturer in Canada |
| 1972 | Fernandes Guitars was formed from its predecessor, Saito Musical Instruments, founded in 1969 in Niizo, Japan |
| 1973 | Cort was founded by Jung‑gyu Park in partnership with American importer Jack Westheimer. Cort was based in Seoul, South Korea to mass produce guitars and basses. Production was expanded into Indonesia and China, making it one of the largest global guitar manufacturers. Cort manufactured guitars under its own name as well as for many other brands |
| 1973 | Hamer Guitars was founded by Paul Hamer and Jol Dantzig in Wilmette, Illinois, USA. Hamer was widely regarded as one of the first ‘boutique’ guitar builders. Hamer is now part of Fender |
| 1973 | Collings Guitars was founded by American luthier Bill Collings (1948‑2017) in Austin, Texas, USA to build high‑end acoustic, electric and archtop guitars as well as mandolins and ukuleles |
| 1973 | Fylde Guitars was founded by English luthier Roger Bucknall (1950‑) in The Fylde, Lancashire, England to build handmade one-off custom acoustic guitars. Fylde relocated to Penrith, Cumbria, England in 1996 |
| 1973 | DOD Electronics was founded by David Oreste Di Francesco and John Johnson in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA to manufacture reliable low‑cost guitar and bass effect pedals. DOD and parent company DigiTech were acquired by Cort in 2022 |
| 1974 | Gibson’s newly renamed parent company, Norlin Musical Instruments, moved production of Gibson guitars from its traditional home in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
| 1974 | Gibson introduced the Marauder solid body bolt‑on electric guitar with innovative pickups and electronics designed by musician and guitar pickup specialist, Bill Lawrence (1931‑2013). The related S‑1 was released in 1975 |
| 1974 | Music Man was founded by Forrest White and Tom Walker in partnership with Leo Fender, based in Fullerton, California, USA to make guitars, basses and amps. Music Man’s best known instrument was the Stingray Bass. Music Man was acquired by Ernie Ball in 1984 |
| 1974 | Travis Bean Guitars was founded by American luthier Travis Bean (1947‑2011) and business partner Gary Kramer in California, USA. The company was famous for its solid body guitars with through‑body aluminium necks. Travis Bean guitars were discontinued in 1979 |
| 1974 | Guitar manufacturer, B.C. Rich was founded by Bernardo Chavez Rico (1941‑1999) in Los Angeles, California, USA. Rico had been building guitars since 1969 |
| 1974 | The Charvel guitar company was founded by Wayne Charvel (1941‑2026) in Azusa, California, USA. Charvel is now owned by Fender |
| 1974 | Gordon Smith Guitars was founded by Gordon Whitham and John Smith in Greater Manchester, England. Gordon Smith was acquired by Auden Guitars in 2015 |
| 1974 | After selling Kustom amps in 1972, Charles A. ‘Bud’ Ross founded ROSS effect pedals in Chanute, Kansas, USA. Early American ROSS pedals included the Compressor, Distortion and Phaser R1. Ross became defunct shortly after moving production to Taiwan in c.1980 |
| 1974 | Taylor Guitars was founded by American luthier and entrepreneur Bob Taylor (c.1954‑) and Kurt Listug in El Cajon, California, USA to make high‑quality acoustic and electro‑acoustic guitars |
| 1974 | Lowden Guitars was founded by luthier, George Lowden (1952‑) in Bangor, County Down, Ireland to make premium acoustic guitars |
| 1975 | The Harmony Guitar Co. ceased production. Stock was auctioned in 1977 and the brand name was sold off. The brand was resurrected by Singapore‑based Bandlab Technologies in 2018 and resumed making guitars in the USA |
| 1975 | The ESP Company Ltd. was founded by Hisatake Shibuya (1937‑2024) in Tokyo, Japan to manufacture electric guitars and basses. ESP launched the budget LTD range in 1995 |
| 1975 | The Roland Corporation introduced the Jazz Chorus solid‑state combo guitar amplifier with a built‑in analogue Chorus effect. Models included the famous JC‑120, producing 120W into 2×12” speakers |
| 1976 | The Santa Cruz Guitar Company was founded by Richard A. Hoover and investors in Santa Cruz, California, USA to make premium grade acoustic guitars |
| 1976 | Dean Guitars was founded by American luthier Dean Zelinsky (1957‑) in Chicago, Illinois, USA to specialise making guitars favoured by heavy metal musicians. Dean Guitars and sister company Luna Guitars filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the USA in mid‑2026 following legal action from Gibson |
| 1976 | After leaving Travis Bean, Gary Kramer, with business partner Denis Barardi, founded Kramer Guitars with in Neptune, New Jersey, USA. Early Kramer guitars featured distinctive cast aluminium necks with wooden inserts. Kramer went bankrupt in 1989 and the brand name was subsequently acquired by Gibson in 1997 |
| 1976 | Music Man introduced the innovative solid body electric Stingray Bass alongside the Stingray guitar, both incorporating new humbucking pickups and ground‑breaking on‑board active electronics |
| 1976 | Yamaha introduced the SG2000 solid body double cutaway electric guitar, designed in collaboration with Mexican/American guitarist, Carlos Santana. The SG2000 was effectively the first original‑design Japanese guitar to compete with the American Gibson Les Paul |
| 1976 | Seymour Duncan was founded by Seymour W. Duncan (1951‑) and his wife Cathy Carter in Santa Barbara, California, USA to manufacture aftermarket guitar pickups |
| 1976 | The innovative EBow (Electronic Bow) was introduced by Heet Sound at the NAMM Show in the USA. The battery‑powered hand held device used an electromagnetic field to induce string vibrations, creating a bowed string‑like effect |
| 1976 | The Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo System (actually a vibrato) was designed by American musician and engineer, Floyd D. Rose (1948‑). The invention was granted a US patent in 1979 |
| 1976 | Schecter Guitar Research was founded by David Schecter in Van Nuys, California, USA initially to make guitar parts and then electric guitars from 1979. Schecter is now owned by Hisatake Shibuya who also owns ESP/LTD |
| 1976 | TC Electronic was founded by Kim and John Rishøj in Denmark to produce a wide range of professional music audio equipment including guitar effect pedals and studio effects. TC Electronic is now owned by the holding company Music Tribe |
| 1977 | Gibson introduced the innovative RD (Research & Development) series of guitars and basses featuring complex on‑board active electronics designed by synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog (1934‑2005) while he worked for Norlin. The RD line was discontinued in 1982 |
| 1977 | American guitarist Eddie Van Halen created his famous ‘Frankenstrat’ guitar made from a wide range of sources including Schecter, Fender, Floyd Rose, Gibson and others. The guitar, with its distinctive striped finish influenced subsequent ‘superstrat’ guitar designs. The EVH brand was formed in 2007 as a subsidiary of Fender to sell electric guitars and amps |
| 1978 | EMG Inc. was founded by Rob Turner in Long Beach, California, USA, to manufacture innovative active guitar pickups. EMG is now based in Santa Rosa, California |
| 1979 | Ibanez introduced the legendary TS‑808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro effect pedal, with its distinctive green enclosure and square footswitch. The iconic original model was superseded by the TS9 in 1981 |
| 1979 | Trace Elliot was founded by retailer Fred Friedlein in Romford, Essex, England to make bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets. Trace Elliott is now owned by Peavey Electronics |
| 1979 | Steinberger was founded by Ned Steinberger (1948‑) in Brooklyn, New York, USA to make innovative headless guitars and basses. Gibson acquired Steinberger in 1987 |
| 1979 | Kahler International, Inc. introduced the Kahler Tremolo System (actually a vibrato), invented by Gary Kahler and Dave Storey in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
| 1980 | G&L Musical Instruments was founded by George Fullerton (1923‑2009), Leo Fender and Dale Hyatt in Fullerton, California, USA to make electric guitars and basses. G&L were the initials of George and Leo. G&L ceased production in 2025 and Fender (the company) acquired the rights to the brand name |
| 1980 | After leaving Charvel, American luthier Grover Jackson (1949‑) founded Jackson Guitars in Glendora, California, USA. Fender acquired both Jackson and Charvel from the Japanese Akai Musical Instruments Corporation in 2002 |
| 1980 | Vigier Guitars was founded by French luthier Patrice Vigier (1957‑) in Grigny, Essonne, France. Vigier is famous for its unique Excalibur Surfreter Supra Fretless Guitar |
| 1981 | Baldwin Piano Company ceased production of Gretsch instruments. In 1985, Fred W. Gretsch, the original founder’s great grandson and nephew of Fred Gretsch Jr, acquired the Gretsch brand name and offshore production resumed in Japan in 1989 |
| 1981 | Fishman Transducers Inc. was founded by Larry Fishman (1948‑) in Andover, Massachusetts, USA to make pickups, primarily for acoustic guitars |
| 1982 | Fender introduced the budget Bullet series of guitars and basses, designed by luthier John Page (1957‑), head of Fender’s R&D department. The Bullet series replaced Fender’s Musicmaster, Mustang and Bronco ‘student’ guitars |
| 1982 | Fender resurrected the Squier brand for its lower‑priced models of Fender guitars and basses manufactured in the Far East |
| 1982 | Warwick GmbH & Co. Music Equipment was founded by Hans‑Peter Wilfer (1946‑) in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany to manufacture bass guitars |
| 1983 | Fender introduced the innovative Fender Elite Stratocaster, Telecaster and Precision models featuring ‘noiseless’ pickups and active electronics |
| 1983 | The not‑for‑profit Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established. The organisation began inducting artists in 1986. The physical Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum building subsequently opened in 1995 |
| 1983 | While Gibson had produced one‑off and custom guitars since the 1920s, Gibson introduced its Custom Shop facility within its main Nashville factory. Gibson formally created a separate Custom Shop facility in 1993 |
| 1984 | Hughes & Kettner was founded by Hans and Lothar Stamer in Neunkirchen, Germany to build high gain valve amplifiers and, latterly, solid state amps |
| 1984 | Jackson introduced the archetype for heavy metal ‘superstrat’ guitars, the Jackson Soloist, generally based on a modified Fender Stratocaster design. The Soloist was originally designed by American luthier Grover Jackson while he was at Charvel |
| 1984 | Tom Anderson Guitarworks was founded by American luthier Tom Anderson in Newbury Park, California, USA to make high‑end electric guitars |
| 1984 | Faltering American guitar, bass and amp manufacturer, Music Man was acquired by Ernie Ball Inc. and renamed Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM) |
| 1985 | CBS sold Fender to an investor group led by William Schultz (then president of Fender) for $12.5m. Fender’s Fullerton factory was not part of the sale, so Fender had to open a new flagship factory a few miles away in Corona, Riverside County, California, USA |
| 1985 | Paul Reed Smith Guitars (shortened to PRS) was founded by American luthier Paul Reed Smith (1956‑) in Annapolis, Maryland, USA. PRS guitars were strategically positioned between Fender and Gibson instruments |
| 1985 | Heritage Guitar Inc. was founded by three former Gibson employees in Gibson’s original manufacturing facilities in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA |
| 1986 | Soldano Custom Amplification was founded by American Michael Soldano (1960‑) in Los Angeles, California, USA to build high gain valve amplifiers. Soldano is now based in Seattle, Washington State |
| 1986 | To save the company from bankruptcy, Gibson was sold to guitar enthusiasts Henry Juszkiewicz and David Berryman. Juszkiewicz ran Gibson until 2018 |
| 1987 | Fender opened a major manufacturing facility south of the US border in Ensenada, Mexico. Mexican Fender guitars and basses were strategically positioned between the Far Eastern Squier and Made‑in‑USA Fender models |
| 1987 | The Fender Custom Shop was established as a division within the company’s Corona factory by ‘master builders’, guitar designer John Page and luthier Michael Stevens to make high‑end one‑off and special order guitars |
| 1987 | Ibanez introduced the Jem solid body electric guitar, typical of the heavy metal ‘superstrat’ style of guitars that were popular in the 1980s. The Jem was co‑designed with American virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai (1960‑) and included artist signature models. Jem guitars featured the distinctive ‘Monkey Grip’ cut‑out handle on the bass side of the body |
| 1987 | G&L Musical Instruments introduced the Stratocaster‑like Comanche guitar model with three innovative Magnetic Field Design Z‑Coil pickups. The Comanche represented a significant evolution of Leo Fender’s original Stratocaster |
| 1989 | National Reso‑Phonic was formed by Don Young and McGregor Gaines in San Luis Obispo, California, USA to build high quality resonator guitars based on original National and Dobro instruments |
| 1989 | Bogner Amplification was founded by German immigrant Reinhold Bogner in Los Angeles, California, USA to make high‑end boutique valve amplifiers |
| 1990 | Yamaha introduced its Pacifica range of solid body electric guitars generally styled on the Fender Stratocaster. The hugely successful Pacifica range was designed in the USA by Rich Lasner and Leo Knapp |
| 1990 | PRS started using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines to increase production volumes and improve consistency standards. In the same year, Taylor became the first major company to use CNC machines as part of its acoustic guitar production |
| 1992 | AER (Audio Electric Research) Music GmbH was founded by Udo Rösner, Michael Eisenmann and Susanne Janz in Velbert, Germany to manufacture high quality professional acoustic guitar amplifiers |
| 1992 | Breedlove Guitars was founded by Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson in Bend, Oregon, USA to manufacture high quality acoustic guitars, combining traditional and modern construction techniques |
| 1991 | Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) moved its headquarters from Corona, California to Scottsdale, Arizona, USA |
| 1991 | Industry legend, Leo Fender died of complications from Parkinson’s disease in Fullerton, California, USA at the age of 81 |
| 1991 | DigiTech introduced the innovative Whammy WH‑1 effect pedal that used a foot treadle to manipulate the pitch of a guitar signal |
| 1992 | Mesa Engineering introduced the classic Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier high gain valve amplifier. The Dual Rectifier has become a definitive milestone in heavy rock music |
| 1993 | Parker Guitars was founded by American luthier Ken Parker (1952‑2025) with input from pickup pioneer Larry Fishman, based in Chicago, Illinois to manufacture the unique Parker Fly guitars. In 2003, Parker sold the company to the US Music Corporation. Parker ceased production in 2016 |
| 1993 | The German PLEK was introduced by A+D Gitarrentechnologie GmbH. PLEK was a specialised CNC machine used to setup guitars and basses to consistent and exacting standards |
| 1994 | Reclusive boutique effect pedal builder, Bill Finnegan, from Boston, Massachusetts, USA launched the legendary Klon Centaur guitar overdrive effect pedal. The original model was discontinued in 2008. In 2026, Finnegan took legal action against Behringer for copyright infringement involving the latter’s cloning of the original Klon design |
| 1994 | Paul Reed Smith introduced the PRS McCarty guitar model in recognition of the former Gibson and Bigsby president who had mentored luthier Paul Reed Smith in later years |
| 1995 | Fender exhibited the first relic guitars at the NAMM Show. The divisive and controversial concept of using ‘relic’ processes was intended to reproduce, the appearance of ageing and play wear. The faking method had been in development since 1989 and continues to be popular to the current day |
| 1995 | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, designed by Chinese/American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (1917‑2019), based in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, opened its doors to the public |
| 1996 | American guitarist, luthier and inventor Howard ‘Buzz’ Feiten II (1948‑) filed a US patent for the Buzz Feiten Tuning System (BFTS). The system was a means of minimising inherent tuning problems associated with traditional fretted guitars. The patent was granted in 1998 |
| 1996 | Paul Reed Smith moved PRS manufacturing from Annapolis to a new, larger factory in Stevensville, Kent Island, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA |
| 1996 | Line 6 was founded by Susan Wolf, Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic in Calabasas, California, USA to pioneer digital guitar amplifier, speaker cabinet and effect modelling. Line 6 was acquired by Yamaha in 2013 |
| 1997 | Ashdown Engineering was founded by Mark Gooday in Heybridge, Essex, England, formerly chief engineer and MD of Trace Elliott, to build amplifiers, speaker cabinets and effects |
| 1997 | Gibson Music Corp. acquired the bankrupt Kramer brand that had gone out of business in 1989. Modern Kramer guitars are now built by Gibson subsidiary, Epiphone |
| 1997 | Suhr Guitars was founded by luthier John Suhr and Steve Smith after Suhr left his job as Senior Master Builder at the Fender Custom Shop. Suhr Guitars, based in Lake Elsinore, California, USA set out to make premium quality electric guitars |
| 1998 | Line 6 introduced their breakthrough product, the POD guitar amp modeller famed for its red, kidney bean‑shaped unit, which featured numerous digital renditions of classic amplifier models, speaker cabinets and effects |
| 1998 | C.F. Martin & Company introduced the X‑Series DXM acoustic guitars, manufactured in Mexico and making extensive use of composite materials rather than traditional tone woods |
| 1999 | Gretsch expanded production with affordable Electromatic and Synchromatic guitars manufactured in Korea. A limited number of premium ‘made‑in‑USA custom shop’ guitars were made available to wealthy musicians and collectors. Gretsch Enterprises acquired Bigsby from Ted McCarty in the same year |
| 1999 | Taylor Guitars developed and patented the innovative NT (New Technology) neck joint for the company’s acoustic guitars |
| 2000 | The Experience Music Project (EMP) was established by Microsoft co‑founder, Paul Allen (1953‑2018) in Seattle, Washington, USA to celebrate musical culture and history. It was renamed the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) in 2016 when it broadened its appeal to include science fiction and fantasy |
| 2001 | Paul Reed Smith introduced the PRS Single Cut guitar model intended to compete head‑to‑head with the Gibson Les Paul |
| 2001 | Ted McCarty, former Gibson president, owner of Bigsby and mentor to luthier Paul Reed Smith died in Twin Falls, Idaho at the age of 91 |
| 2001 | Keeley Electronics was formed by Robert Keeley in Edmond, Oklahoma, USA to build guitar effect pedals. Keeley had built a strong reputation for modifying BOSS and Ibanez effect pedals before developing effects under his own name |
| 2002 | Fender entered into an agreement with the Gretsch family to produce, market and distribute new Gretsch guitars. Fender also acquired guitar manufacturer Jackson and its subsidiary guitar brand Charvel in the same year |
| 2005 | Gibson Music Corp. started a copyright infringement law suit against Paul Reed Smith over the PRS Single Cut guitar model. The litigation failed and PRS subsequently reintroduced the Single Cut guitar |
| 2006 | Fender introduced the Jaguar Bass guitar. It represented a new take on an old design, as there was no ‘original’ Jaguar Bass to reissue |
| 2006 | Fractal Audio Systems was founded by Cliff Chase in New Hampshire, USA to pioneer high‑end digital guitar amplifier modelling. Fractal introduced the digital Axe‑Fx rack‑mounted modelling pre‑amp and effects processor targeted directly at professional working musicians |
| 2007 | Fender Musical Instruments Corporation acquired Ovation’s parent company, Kaman Music Corporation (KMC), as well as the Hamer Guitars brand. Fender also secured global distribution rights for Takamine Guitars and established the EVH (Eddie Van Halen) guitar and amp brand in the same year |
| 2007 | Gibson introduced the innovative but divisive Robot Guitar automatic tuning system, displeasing many concerned traditionalists and conservatives |
| 2007 | C.F. Martin & Company discontinued the Far Eastern‑built Sigma Guitar line to focus its resources on the main American acoustic guitar brand |
| 2007 | JHS Pedals, a range of successful guitar effect pedals, was launched by British manufacturer and retailer John Hornby Skewes |
| 2007 | Blackstar Amplification was founded by former Marshall employees Ian Robinson and Bruce Keir in Northampton, England to build amplifiers and effects |
| 2009 | Legendary American jazz guitarist, songwriter, luthier, inventor and Gibson endorsee, Les Paul died of complications from pneumonia in White Plains, New York, at the age of 94 |
| 2010 | The Cumberland River overflowed its banks and caused the Nashville Flood, which resulted in significant damage to Gibson’s manufacturing facility and inventory in Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
| 2011 | German company Kemper GmbH debuted the Kemper Profiler digital processor/amplifier at the NAMM Show, designed by inventor Christoph Kemper to recreate faithfully the sounds of numerous classic amps and speaker cabinets |
| 2011 | Gibson’s guitar manufacturing facilities were raided numerous times by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) after alleged violations of the Lacey Act (1900) for the illegal importation of protected woods into the country |
| 2012 | Industry legend, Jim Marshall OBE, the pioneer of British Marshall guitar amplifiers, died in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, at the age of 88 |
| 2013 | The international online marketplace for selling and buying musical equipment, Reverb.com was founded by David Kalt (1967‑) in Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| 2013 | Line 6 digital amp and effects modelling company was acquired by the giant Japanese Yamaha Corporation |
| 2014 | Fender sold Kaman Music Corporation (and its main brand, Ovation) to Drum Workshop. German company GEWA Music acquired KMC in 2020 |
| 2017 | Line 6, famous for its POD products, introduced the innovative next‑generation Helix amp modelling and effects processor |
| 2018 | The Songbirds Guitar Museum opened in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. It was re‑opened in 2021 as a non‑profit organisation and was renamed the Songbirds Guitar & Pop Culture Museum |
| 2018 | Taylor Guitars introduced the innovative V‑Class bracing for the sound boards of its acoustic guitars. V‑Class bracing was perhaps the first major change to acoustic guitar construction in a century |
| 2018 | After ongoing financial difficulties, Gibson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. Gibson entered into a ‘restructuring support agreement’ with lenders, resulting in $135m of funding for Gibson to re‑focus on its core businesses. Henry Juszkiewicz stood down from his role as Gibson’s president |
| 2019 | Fender Musical Instruments Corporation acquired the Bigsby brand from Fred Gretsch Enterprises |
| 2019 | Gibson filed a multi‑million dollar lawsuit in the US against Dean and Luna Guitars for alleged trademark infringement, ultimately forcing the targeted companies into liquidation in 2026 |
| 2021 | Gibson Music Corp. acquired amplifier manufacturer, Mesa Engineering from Mesa’s founder Randall Smith |
| 2023 | Yamaha Guitar Group, a subsidiary of the giant Japanese conglomerate, Yamaha Corporation acquired Córdoba Music Group (CMG), which included Cordoba Guitars, Guild Guitars, DeArmond pickups and other related brands |
| 2024 | Gibson issued a Cease and Desist Order for trademark infringement against the US President and Donald Trump Guitars for their blatant copies of the Gibson Les Paul |
| 2024 | After 100 years in business, major American guitar retailer Sam Ash filed for bankruptcy in the USA resulting in the closure of all its retail stores. The company continued as an online retailer |
| 2025 | Leo Fender’s final commercial venture, the American guitar manufacturer G&L, founded in 1980, ceased production after parent company BBE Sound Inc. closed. Fender acquired the intellectual property rights of both G&L and BBE but none of the assets or inventory, effectively winding up G&L |
| 2025 | Fender Musical Instruments Corporation applied to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for Leo Fender’s name and his likeness to be formally trademarked by the company |
| 2025 | German manufacturer of musical instruments since 1887, Höfner GmbH filed for bankruptcy. In 2026, the company was acquired by long‑standing German business, GEWA Music, which had also owned Ovation since 2014 |
| 2026 | Following a German legal court’s decision in its favour, Fender launched a series of aggressive legal campaigns against competitors for copyright infringement, trademark enforcement and legal protection regarding Fender’s Stratocaster guitar body design |
For those who prefer a purely visual interpretation of guitars as a counterpoint to either the infographic or the linear listing, here is a purely pictorial illustration of 16 key milestones in guitar evolution from 1960 to 2026.
“I’m only myself when I have a guitar in my hands” – George Harrison (1943‑2001)
Influence and Impact of the Guitar
Understanding how guitar innovation, evolution and development occurred over the last 5,000+ years helps one to appreciate the vast impact of the guitar and its numerous variants/derivatives on mankind. While its roots may lie in local folklore, peripatetic storytelling and religious rituals, often performed by itinerant performers, the guitar has risen from humble origins to achieve global contemporary significance for its primary role in creative music. As its influence spread globally, the guitar became a regular cultural symbol of regional and national identity, for instance European classical, Spanish flamenco, Mexican mariachi, Argentinian tango, Brazilian Bossa Nova/Samba, American folk and British pop/rock.
“I’ve always loved the electric guitar: to hold it and work it and hear what it does is unreal” – David Lynch (1946‑2025)
The guitar has long been associated with shifts in societal, economic, technological and political paradigms, reflecting change through popular entertainment, youthful rebellion, societal commentary, fierce protest and an abundance of emotional stories about interpersonal relationships. Musical genres reflected these shifts in the zeitgeist including rock & roll, folk revival, heavy metal, punk rock, new wave, grunge, indie, among many others.
Guitar music has long resonated with people’s basic need for individual identity and collective cohesion. It has become an integral part of ever‑changing fashionable trends for adolescence angst, liberal freedoms and conscious social justice. During the 20th Century, guitar music supported civilian lives through tough economic depressions, two deadly (and unnecessary) world wars, lethal health pandemics, rapid expansion of scientific exploration, the geopolitical cold war and a multitude of other challenges to humanity’s very existence. It looks like the 21st Century may be re‑running the turmoil of the previous 100 years without learning much along the way.
The guitar has been ever‑present, heavily influencing the post‑classical ‘three pillars’ underpinning western contemporary music, blues, jazz and country, from which today’s diverse genre landscape was actively propagated. The guitar is a consistent and pervasive image not only in music but also familiar in art, TV & film, theatre, live performance, literature, advertising and popular media, as well as more recently across the Internet.
“The guitar saved my life. It gave me something to hold onto when everything else was falling apart” – Eric Clapton (1945‑)
The electric guitar sparked an unprecedented revolution in musical genres in the 1960s and 1970s, creating world famous role models such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen, among many others. An explosion of creativity led to consumers’ relentless passion for new musical experiences. Guitar music in the 21st Century continues to evoke intense memories and sentiments seamlessly spanning generations and geographical boundaries. The instrument has genuinely become an emblem for the positive power of music that goes way beyond the modest twelve notes that underpin western musical tradition.
“I never stop being amazed by all the different ways of playing the guitar and making it deliver a message” – Les Paul (1915‑2009)
For many musicians, playing the guitar provides educational opportunities, skills development, cathartic mindful escapism and supports affirmative mental health & wellbeing. The industry supports a global multi‑billion dollar contribution to many economies. For many working musicians, guitar playing provides a lifelong profession and income. For a few, global fame and celebrity were attained and occasionally perpetuated. For others, guitar playing provided brief popular exposure followed by subsequent anonymity. For some, sadly, the fire of fame flamed bright only to lead to tragic ends. Playing the guitar becomes an extension of the individual, providing a symbolic gateway for musical expression, emotional release and creative freedom. For audiences, attending live performances is an important collective experience. We should also recognise that playing a guitar is also tremendous fun, regardless of technical skill, a joyful (and sometimes frustrating) activity that cannot be underestimated. The guitar has been notable for not requiring musical technical literacy as a prerequisite for creating credible music.
Over the centuries, the guitar has transcended its basic function as just a humble 6‑stringed musical instrument. It has become an icon of singular and shared identity, fashion, lifestyle, artistic inspiration and profound communal unanimity. The guitar’s global reach, accessibility, portability, popularity, adaptability and broad‑ranging versatility have made it a unifying foundation of human mien. Guitars can also be beautiful objects in their own right. The resulting obsession brings together a like‑minded community of interest as well as a community of place. Guitar music provides a universal language that anyone can understand regardless of race, religion, political stance, gender, language or nationality. The humble guitar has contributed to infinitely diverse musical genres, enough to cater for any taste.
It is no understatement to say that the guitar has become deeply embedded in human cultural heritage spanning both time and place. It is perhaps no surprise that the guitar has become so beloved with an enviable primacy and longevity.
“I had no aspirations to be a musician, but I picked up a guitar for two seconds and haven’t put it down since” – Slash (1965‑)
Final Thoughts on ‘A Timeline of Guitar History in 400+ Snippets: Parts I‑III’
I have to say that this exercise, as a necessary companion piece to ‘An A‑Z of Vintage Guitar Gear’, became a mammoth search, identification, compilation, corroboration and consistency‑checking exercise that took many weeks in the making. I declare that I actually learned a lot during the arduous process, so it was far more than simply completing a laborious abstract administrative activity.
There are some entries in the ‘A‑Z…’ that aren’t included in the timeline and vice versa. The eventual web site feature page of the timeline will unite all three parts. It will also include some items that aren’t in the articles (including some key entries that arguably should have been included above). Likewise the infographics and pictorial interpretations will also differ. All these differences are purely for practical reasons.
There are undoubtedly a lot of familiar names that readers might remember that aren’t specifically listed including, Akai, Analog Man, Bad Cat, Behringer, Binson, Chapman Stick, Columbus, CSL, Echoplex, Eko, Fret‑King, Greco, Gus, Jen, JHS, Kawai, Korg, Leslie, Magnatone, Mayones, Orville, Pro Co, Roger Mayer, Shin‑ei, Vintage®, Wilkinson, etc. Ultimately, not everything could make the cut or I’d be doing this forever. There were literally hundreds and thousands of potential entries to consider. When selecting what made the grade, some were easy, others vague, some were borderline, others arbitrary and many, many had to be excluded. A simple fact of life. What remains, I hope, are entries that represent a significant contribution the whole.
“When we started I wasn’t the singer. I was the drunk rhythm guitarist who wrote all these weird songs” – Robert Smith (1959‑)
The outcome of this project may not seem that difficult to the reader but, believe me, it took some doing. However, I think it has proved to be a very useful exercise and hopefully one that others will find both interesting and informative. While I am sure that a lot of it will be familiar, I hope that there is something new herein for people to discover. Quite a bit of the information is relevant to the topic of vintage guitar gear.
One factor that became obvious to me is the ‘incestuous’ nature of the guitar industry. Many of the key people and businesses operated within relatively small circles on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The same names kept coming up over and over again in different permutations. Perhaps that interconnected and interdependent web of entities isn’t surprising and is possibly not an uncommon in other industries. Just sayin’.
One of the things ‘missing’ from this entire timeline is a record of the social and cultural context within which the guitar’s advancement occurred. Adding the wider milieu would have made this article far too large and way too heavy‑going. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t covered the ‘bigger picture’, though. The broader world view covering the ‘Historical Context 1650-2020’ was an integral part of CRAVE Guitars’ fourteen part, ‘The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts’ articles published between March 2019 and May 2020 (barring December 2019). That series of articles presented the broad social and cultural environment that paralleled the evolution of music over the same period. ‘The Story of Modern Music’ was considered too tangential to justify a discrete web site feature. As a result these ‘events in global civilisation’ are too ultra vires to be published separately, so the only relevant source at the time of writing remains in the articles mentioned above. Sadly, that series of articles also had to have images sourced from Google Images removed post facto due to legal, pecuniary and credibility risk.
“I don’t find the songs; they find me. I just strum my guitar and wait for a lyric to come” – James Taylor (1948‑)
While this exercise is not a rigorous academic work, maybe others will be able to use it as a valuable resource to share forward. After all, while this timeline is entirely a result of my own hard work, I had to extract the relevant information from sources that were already in existence (including CRAVE Guitars’ own), I cannot therefore claim full ownership of anything herein. A huge thank you to all those who preceded me and who helped to make these articles possible. Mucho gracias.
As previously mentioned, there will inevitably be errors and omissions. However, I hope these should be relatively minor and therefore forgivable. I also don’t claim it to be comprehensive – the proverbial ‘tip of the iceberg’ and all that. Maybe it can be a starting point for others to expand upon. After all, as the nine part ‘Potted History of the Guitar…’ showed, there is a much bigger story behind each of the 400+ entries in the ‘Timeline…’ as well as the 150 entries in the ‘A‑Z…’. In total, there is way more than enough to keep one going for one lifetime spent down the metaphorical rabbit hole. Sadly, there is no miraculous Wonderland at the end of said bunny pit!
Lastly, I know that I bang on endlessly about not using AI for my research and writing. I remain agnostic about AI as it is in 2026. So… just out of curiosity, this seemed an ideal opportunity to test AI’s abilities against solid human research methodology. I asked AI to find me information that I knew for a fact already. On the majority of enquiries, AI FAILED completely to provide accurate information. However, on every occasion AI did produce a result, even if it was incorrect. This is very worrying because wrong information is worse than no information. There is nothing wrong in saying “I don’t know”, especially if there is no definitive source information available. Not good. This doesn’t bother me because I try very hard to be diligent and I know the relevance of the information I was seeking, so it was relatively easy to spot the errors. What bothers me more is that other, less meticulous data consumers, will undoubtedly not only accept erroneous information without thinking critically and checking validity, but also that they will then promulgate those falsities to such an extent that it ultimately appears to become ‘the truth’. That, I believe, is a very serious issue and a significant case of metaphorical caveat emptor. Be careful about what you read and cautious about what you believe, even here.
“Technically, I’m not a guitar player, all I play is truth and emotion” – Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970)
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
In Part I, I applauded Spanish classical guitarist, Andrés Segovia. In Part II, I celebrated delta blues guitarist, Robert Johnson. So Part III deserves a guitarist with an equally prominent reputation. This time, though, the featured album isn’t a compilation. Of all the guitar players in all the world since the dawn of rock & roll, one stands head and shoulders above all others. While I am not one to put anyone on a pedestal, this one guitarist has been repeatedly acknowledged for his remarkable influence on contemporary music. For once, perhaps surprisingly, I’m going to go with the flow. Drum roll please… this month’s accolade goes to…
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced (1967): ‘Are You Experienced’ was the debut studio album by the The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The album was released in May 1967 on Polydor in the UK and in August 1967 on Reprise Records in the US. The album’s track list was largely different for the UK and US markets. Despite different track listings, both original albums comprised 11 tracks covering around 39 minutes. More recent re‑releases have combined the tracks (usually totalling 17), including many famous tracks such as Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Red House, 3rd Stone From The Sun, Are You Experienced, Purple Haze, Hey Joe and The Wind Cries Mary.
‘Are You Experienced’ (why does the title not end with a question mark?) has been widely recognised as one of the greatest debut rock studio albums of all time. It was also commercially successful, selling over one million copies in the few months following its release. Whether you like or dislike Jimi Hendrix and whatever you think of this album, there is no doubt that it was a ground‑breaking milestone in rock music history. The Experience comprised the classic line up of Jimi Hendrix on guitar and vocals, Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. This album’s status is matched only by its equally prestigious follow‑up, ‘Electric Ladyland’ (1968).
A bit of trivia; Jimi Hendrix apparently didn’t like the UK album cover of ‘Are You Experienced’. The alternative cover art used by Reprise Records for the American market is more psychedelic, more Jimi and more ‘1960s’. For what it’s worth, I agree with Jimi. The UK cover could be from any period, unlike the US version.
Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970) released only three studio albums, one live album and one compilation album during his lifetime, which together defined his status as an all‑time guitar hero for many. Everything that has been released since Hendrix’s death has further cemented his reputation. As with legendary American delta blues guitarist Robert Johnson who occupied this slot in the last article, Hendrix died in mysterious circumstances at the age of 27, thereby becoming another unfortunate inductee into the infamous ’27 club’. Other peer members from the same period include Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Hendrix has become one of the most inventive, celebrated and influential electric guitarists of all time. Arguably, without James Marshall Hendrix (NB. actually born Johnny Allen Hendrix), we wouldn’t have much of the diverse and wonderful guitar music we enjoy today.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
“I’m the one that’s got to die when it’s time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to” – Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970)
Tailpiece
Well, this three‑part epic extravaganza is pretty thorough, if I say so myself. A good job done, even if it is not 100% perfect. Sometimes, good enough is, well, good enough. I hope that the time travelling trip from 3500BCE to 2026CE has proved worthwhile and, perhaps, ephemerally entertaining.
Changing a 2‑part series into a 3‑part series has meant a re‑organisation of the forward plan of CRAVE Guitars article topics. The November article was intended to be significantly lighter in tone but that particular tome has now had to be cancelled, rather than just postponed. Please come back and join me for a new CVG adventure next month, whatever it might be.
As we are at the end of October, it may be apt to celebrate Allhallowtide (NB. deriving from at least the 15th Century and stemming from earlier religious origins) comprising All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day from 31 October to 2 November inclusive. The Halloween that many of us are most familiar with in many western countries (corresponding to All Hallow’s Eve) has become a largely secular tradition based in pagan origins including the Celtic festival of Samhain. The season also celebrates the Mexican Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is celebrated annually on 1and 2 November. Shpooky. Disfruta y adiós por ahora, compadres.
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace” – Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970)
Finally, as Warner Brothers’ closing caption for Looney Tunes’ animations in the early 1930s (NB. credited to Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising) stated, “That’s All Folks!” A suitable sign‑off for this ambitious temporal performance, methinks. If you got this far, thank you for joining me along the way and patiently bearing with me throughout.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Everything. Ends. Eventually”
© 2026 CRAVE Guitars – Love Vintage Guitars.