COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 339992

Musical Instrument Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

30companies1857–1978founding years30still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedMatth. Hohner AGFoundedMatth. Hohner AG
1857
FoundedConn-Selmer, Inc.
1874
FoundedTA Triumph-Adler AG
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedHoshino Gakki Co. Ltd.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAvedis Zildjian Co.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedG. Leblanc CorporationFoundedG. Leblanc Corporation
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedGuangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
FoundedErnie Ball, Inc.FoundedSamick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedAllen Organ Company
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedKaman Music CorporationFoundedKaman Music Corporation
1966
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedRoland Corporation
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedTaylor Guitars
1974
FoundedJ. D'Addario & Company, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedLaSiDo Inc.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Matth. Hohner AG →
Active · founded 1857 · Germany
1930s:Growing numbers of accordions made, largely for the German market.
Matth. Hohner AG →
Active · founded 1857 · Germany
1930s:Growing numbers of accordions made, largely for the German market.
Conn-Selmer, Inc. →
Active · founded 1874
Conn-Selmer, Inc.
Conn-Selmer, Inc. →
Active · founded 1874
Conn-Selmer, Inc.
TA Triumph-Adler AG →
Active · founded 1896 · Germany
TA Triumph-Adler AG is Germany's leading supplier of distribution services for printing, copying and presentation…
TA Triumph-Adler AG →
Active · founded 1896 · Germany
TA Triumph-Adler AG is Germany's leading supplier of distribution services for printing, copying and presentation…
Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1908 · Japan
Hoshino Gakki Co.
Hoshino Gakki Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1908 · Japan
Hoshino Gakki Co.
Avedis Zildjian Co. →
Active · founded 1929
Avedis Zildjian Co.
Avedis Zildjian Co. →
Active · founded 1929
Avedis Zildjian Co.
G. Leblanc Corporation →
Active · founded 1946
The G.
G. Leblanc Corporation →
Active · founded 1946
The G.
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd. →
Active · founded 1956 · China
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd.
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd. →
Active · founded 1956 · China
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd.
Ernie Ball, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
Ernie Ball, Inc.
Ernie Ball, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
Ernie Ball, Inc.
Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1958 · Korea
Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1958 · Korea
Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Allen Organ Company →
Active · founded 1961
Company Perspective: When a congregation expresses its faith through music, there is only one instrument equal to…
Allen Organ Company →
Active · founded 1961
Company Perspective: When a congregation expresses its faith through music, there is only one instrument equal to…
Kaman Music Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Kaman Music Corporation manufactures Ovation, Adamas, and Hamer guitars and is also the largest independent distributor…
Kaman Music Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Kaman Music Corporation manufactures Ovation, Adamas, and Hamer guitars and is also the largest independent distributor…
Roland Corporation →
Active · founded 1972 · Japan
Roland Corporation is one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of electric musical instruments, focused…
Roland Corporation →
Active · founded 1972 · Japan
Roland Corporation is one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of electric musical instruments, focused…
Taylor Guitars →
Active · founded 1974
Taylor Guitars is a leading maker of acoustic guitars for the mid-price and high-end market.
Taylor Guitars →
Active · founded 1974
Taylor Guitars is a leading maker of acoustic guitars for the mid-price and high-end market.
J. D'Addario & Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
J.
J. D'Addario & Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
J.
LaSiDo Inc. →
Active · founded 1978 · Canada
With its head office located in Montreal, Canada, LaSiDo Inc.
LaSiDo Inc. →
Active · founded 1978 · Canada
With its head office located in Montreal, Canada, LaSiDo Inc.
Build It Today

Starting a musical instrument manufacturing company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.