Guitar Market Intelligence

Breedlove was founded in 1990 by Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson—both former Taylor Guitars craftsmen—in Tumalo, Oregon. Their mission: merge traditional lutherie with innovative engineering to create acoustic guitars that project, respond, and inspire like no other. Now based in Bend, Oregon, Breedlove is known for its proprietary body shapes, Sound Optimization technology, and deep commitment to sustainability. Every Breedlove guitar features eco-conscious construction and tonewoods sourced through responsible forestry partnerships.

B.C. Rich was founded by Bernardo Chavez Rico in Los Angeles, California. Starting as a classical guitar maker alongside his father, Rico transitioned to electrics in the late 1960s, becoming one of the first boutique electric guitar builders in America. The brand exploded in the 1980s heavy metal scene with radical body shapes—the Mockingbird, Warlock, and Beast became icons of aggressive music. After Bernie Rico Sr.'s death in 1999, the brand changed hands multiple times before a 2019 revival under new management refocused on quality craftsmanship, neck-through construction, and USA-made components.

G&L was founded in 1979 by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Dale Hyatt in Fullerton, California—the same city where Leo created the Telecaster and Stratocaster decades earlier. Leo called G&L instruments 'the best I have ever made,' and the brand embodied his final innovations: MFD pickups, the Dual-Fulcrum vibrato, Saddle-Lock bridges, and the PTB tone system. In September 2025, G&L ceased production after parent company BBE Sound dissolved. Fender Musical Instruments acquired G&L's intellectual property and the 'Leo Fender' trademark, making existing G&L guitars increasingly collectible.

Charvel began in 1974 as Wayne Charvel's guitar repair shop in Azusa, California. When Grover Jackson purchased the company in 1978, it became ground zero for the 'superstrat' revolution—a modernized Stratocaster with humbucking pickups, Floyd Rose tremolos, and flatter fingerboard radii built for speed. Eddie Van Halen, Warren DeMartini, and George Lynch made Charvel the sound of 1980s rock. Now owned by Fender since 2002, Charvel continues to produce some of the finest performance-oriented guitars available, from the accessible Pro-Mod series to USA Select and Custom Shop instruments.

Music Man was co-founded in 1974 by Leo Fender, Tom Walker, and Forrest White in Fullerton, California. After the Ernie Ball company acquired Music Man in 1984, Sterling Ball transformed it into one of the most respected American guitar and bass makers. Every Ernie Ball Music Man instrument is handcrafted in San Luis Obispo, California, with innovations like the compensated nut, silent circuit electronics, and game-changing artist collaborations. The John Petrucci JP and Majesty series redefined what a signature guitar could be, while the StingRay bass remains an industry standard decades after its introduction.

Cort (Cor-Tek Corporation) was founded in 1960 by Jung-gyu Park in South Korea as a piano importer called Soo Doh Piano. The company transitioned to guitar manufacturing in 1973 and became one of the world's largest guitar producers, building over one million instruments annually across facilities in South Korea, Indonesia, and China. While Cort is the OEM powerhouse behind brands like Ibanez, PRS SE, Squier, and G&L Tribute, its own-brand guitars consistently deliver exceptional quality at prices that embarrass the competition. The Gold acoustic series and KX electric series showcase what happens when the world's most experienced guitar factory builds instruments under its own name.

Solar Guitars was founded in 2017 by Swedish YouTube guitarist Ola Englund, who plays in The Haunted and Feared. Frustrated by traditional guitar industry distribution models that delayed products by a year, Englund built Solar as a direct-to-consumer brand. Launching with 300 guitars ready to ship immediately, Solar proved that a modern guitar company could deliver professional-quality metal instruments at fair prices by cutting out middlemen. The brand's rapid growth—from YouTube experiment to globally recognized metal guitar maker—represents a new model for how guitar companies can operate in the social media era.

Peavey Electronics was founded in 1965 by Hartley Peavey in Meridian, Mississippi—a teenager who built his first amplifier at 15 and spent years being rejected by every music dealer in the South before succeeding on pure determination. Peavey became a vertically integrated manufacturing powerhouse, producing amplifiers, guitars, basses, PA systems, and accessories under one roof in Mississippi. The EVH Wolfgang collaboration with Eddie Van Halen (1996-2004) produced one of the most iconic guitars of the 1990s. While Peavey is best known for amplifiers like the legendary 5150/6505, its guitar lineup—from the budget Raptor to the premium HP2—delivers American-engineered instruments at working-musician prices.