Matsumoku

Around 1900 Matsumoku began in Matsumoto, Japan, as a family owned woodworking business that specialized in tansu (Japanese for chest of drawers) and butsudan (Japanese for Buddha altar).  Shortly after WWII, the Singer Corporation established the Singer Sewing Machine Company and set up production facilities in Nagoya, Japan.  Matsumoku was contracted to build its sewing machine cabinets, and in 1951 became a partially owned subsidiary of Singer, Japan.  Matsumoku also built amp cabinets, speaker boxes and wooden cabinets for audio and tv makers.  By the mid 1950's  Matsumoku began to look into other woodworking markets and, as it had on its staff several skilled luthiers, ventured into production of  modest classical guitars, small steel stringed acoustic guitars and violins.  However, other Japanese companies were producing similar instruments, Matsumoku set out to distinguush itself by producing high quality acoustic and electric archtop guitars.  Several of Matsumoku's early archtop guitars survived most owing their basic designs to Hofner, Framus and Gibson.  By the early 1960's, Matsumoku had acquired new mills, lathes and specialized presses and began to increase musical productions.  Combined with its staff of highly skilled craftsman, Matsumoku was able to mass produce guitars of high quality. 
         However, because it mainly manufactured guitars under contract, the role of Matsumoku was largely unknown outside of japan's making circles until it's name began appearing on neck bolt plates, headstocks and sound hole labels in the late 1970's.  Matsumoku produced guitars, or parts of guitars, for Vox, Guyatone, FujiGen, Gakki, Kanda Shokai (Greco),  Hoshino Gakki, Nippon Gakki (Yamaha) Aria (please see my post on Aria) and Norlin (parent company of Gibson).  American owned Unicord contracted Matsumoku to build most of it's Univox and Westbury guitars.  St. Louis Music Co. imported Matsumoku  built Electra guitars.  J.C. Penney sold Matsumoku built Skylark guitars through it's catalog division.  Matsumoku built many early Greco guitars as well as Vantage, Westminster, Cutler, Lyle, Fell,and no name copies of Gibson and Fender guitars and Basses.  Washburn contracted Matsumoku to build most of it's electric from 1979 through 1885.  in 1979, Matsumoku began to market it's own guitars under the Westone name
          Gibson decided to move Epiphone production to Japan in the early 1970's, and chose Aria as its contractor.  As a subcontractor to Aria, Matsumoku manufactured most electric Epiphones made in Japan from 1970 through 1986.  The models include the solid body ET series (Crestwood)the SC series (scroll) and the Model 1140 (flying V) as well  as Epiphone's archtop electric guitars: 5102T/EA-250, Sheraton, Riviera, Casino and the Emperor.  Early Matsumoku made Epiphone archtops had bolt on necks.  While production cost of bolt on necks guitars were less, many guitars regarded the as inferior guitars.  Set neck archtop guitars followed in late 1975. 
         Many Matsumoku built guitars, including Epiphone archtops, utilized a 3 piece maple neck with the center section's grain oriented 90 degrees from the side wood.  This created a very strong neck not prone to splitting or warping.  An often used variation of this is the 5 piece neck with 2 thin strips of walnut or ebony separating the 3 sections.  Matsumoku made many neck through body solid body electric guitars and basses most with 5 piece necks.
           Matsumoku often utilized the Nisshin Onpa company who own the Maxon brand as a subcontractor for its pickups.  Some Maxon pickups have Maxon's "M" logo stamped on the back.  Many Matsumoku set neck guitars and basses have the insprctor's hon (name stamp) stamped inside the neck pickup cavity.
          Players of Matsumoku's guitars: the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (Univox Hi-Flyer), John Taylor of Duran Duran (Aria Pro II SB-1000 bass), the late Cliff Burton of Metallica (Aria Pro II SB-1000 Bass), Elvin Bishop (Electra Model 2281), Neal Schon (Aria Pro II PE series guitars)
         Gibson restructured after being sold by Norlin, and began to move it's Epiphone production to other Japanese maunfacturers and to Korea.  By 1986, the home sewing machine market was in heavy decline and Singer was nearly bankrupt.  Matsumoku could not afford to buy itself out of Singer and in 1987, closed down.
     

Aria

Vintage 1981 Aria Pro II Cardinal CS-350, Rare Color

Aria was formed in Japan in 1953 by Shiro Aria as Aria and Company.  They began retailing acoustic guitars in 1960, although the company didn't actually start manufacturing their own until 1964.  Aria arranged for Matuemoku to build guitars under contract.  Aria and Matuemoku started building acoustic guitars in 1964 and electric guitars in 1966 using Arai, Aria, Aria Diamond, Diamond.  The Aria brandname was changed to aria Pro II in late 1975.  Aria Pro II did some copies of famous American guitars like the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul though it also did it's own style of guitars.  In the 70's and early 80's the company came into its own the U.S with a series of high end professional guitars.  The company had professional endorsements from the late Cliff Burton, Herb Ellis, Yngwie Malmsteen, Neal Schon, John Tayler, and many more.  All guitars were made in Japan until 1988, when production of less expensive models (Magnga MAB/MAC and Integra IGB series) was moved to Korea.  In the mid 90's a few models (including Fender Stratcaster inspired Fullerton series guitars and the Steve Bailey 6 string fretless signature bass) were made in the U.S.  They have also built and distributed guitars under the Univox and Cameo labels as well.

Silvertone Guitars

 1958 Silvertone model 1305

The trademark Silvertone was a house brand owned and used by Sears and Roebuck between 1940 to 1972.  There was no factory; Sears  owned the name and applied it to various guitars from manufacturers such as Harmony, Valco, Danelectro, and Kay.  Sears and Roebuck acquired  Harmony in 1915 to control its respectable ukulele production.  In 1916 Sears and Roebuck introduced Supertone.  Sears and Roebuck Sold Harmony to a group headed by Jay Kraus in 1940 and Silvertone replaced Supertone.  Silvertone has been know best for their line of well made and inexpensive guitars.  The brand became popular with novice musicians like Jerry Garcia, Rudy Sarzo, Chet Atkins, Bob Dylan, Garry Nutt, John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Jack White, James Hatfield. The Canadian band Chad and The Silvertones, who would go on and become The Guess Who, took their name from the guitar. 
Silvertones from the '60's are becoming collectable, BUT a word of caution, Just because it says Silvertone DOES NOT mean it was made by Danelectro.   Harmony, Valco and Kay were built in Illinois and Daneletro was built in New Jersey.  Today, Silvertone is a brand used by Samick Music Corporation and was endorsed  by Paul Stanley of Kiss from 2003 to 2006.