Guitars
Stanley Schireson’s father opened up a small music store in 1902 that would eventually branch out into manufacturing and distribution of musical instruments. The company began making ukuleles and acoustic guitars under the Hollywood brand name before developing the Volutone name. Stanley took to...
Richard Burke worked for the Rickenbacker Guitar Company in Southern California nearly his entire career before retiring in 2004. Over the years he worked in nearly all of the factory positions at Rickenbacker, working his way to plant manager. Dick worked for John Hall and his son assisting both...
Bill Lawrence was known for his pick-up design and his long career as a German based guitarist. In fact, when visiting the Framus Museum in Markneukirchen Germany, you can learn of his influential musical career when he was known as Billy Lorento. Always interested in electronics, he applied his...
Dick Boak has served as Director of Artist Relations for the C.F. Martin & Company during the development of the popular signature series product line, as well as for such historic projects as Martin's One Millionth Guitar. Dick has been passionate about the company's important past ever since...
Ned Steinberger is known around the world for his innovative instrument designs. His guitars and basses created without the traditional headstock gained wide popularity in the 1980s rock era and have come to be known simply as Steinbergers. When he formed NS Designs in 1990, Ned focused on electric...
Jess Oliver was the inventor of the Ampeg Baby Bass, the first electronic upright bass instrument. The fiberglass body and unique design was key to projecting the sound of a double bass into an electric amplifier. His idea was one of the many used by the Ampeg Company. When the Baby Bass was...
Michael Gurian established Gurian Instruments, which was incorporated in 1982, and focused originally on creating specialty tools, parts and decorative wood inlay for musical instrument makers. Since that time the company has expanded its production and methods to serve the needs of multiple...
Matt Umanov opened his first guitar shop in 1963, following his dream to have a life in music. Over the years, Matt has become one of the world’s leading experts on guitars, which is often expressed in his passion of putting the right instrument in his customer’s hands. Matt Umanov Guitars is...
Leonardo Baldocci is the President of EMD Music, Inc., a European music wholesaler and distributor that specialize in guitars, drums and percussion instruments, wind instruments, cymbals and accessories. EMD is located in Brussels and sells products to more than 2500 music retailers via two...
Allen Prather, known throughout the industry as Lowell, became a well-respected sales rep for the Kaman Corporation. He stayed with the company for over thirty years and helped move the company into markets such as Arizona. Lowell has developed friendships among his dealers over his long career,...