Washburn Guitars
Washburn is a manufacturer of guitars.
History
Founded in 1864 George Washburn Lyon and Patrick Joseph Healy, the firm Lyon & Healy. In her shop in Chicago Lyon Healy sold the handmade guitars. Lyon & Healy was an operation, the well-known already from the beginning of the industrial revolution. Soon they expanded and also the most expensive guitar models have been produced in series. Nevertheless, they put great emphasis on good woods and clean processing. Even the most inexpensive guitars had a good spruce top and a body made of rosewood ( Dalbergia nigra).
In the 1920s, the company JR Steward bought the production of Washburn. The name, however, remained a short time at Lyon & Healy, who shortly afterwards sold it to the competitors Tonk Bros.. Tonk Bros. later acquired the remains of the depression in the previous bankruptcy JR Steward Factory. But it only began in the 1970s, again with the construction of instruments under the name Washburn. The production at the time were already in Japan. 1976 bought the company Fretted Industries the name Washburn and all patents for U.S. $ 13,000.
1978 Fretted Industries moved its headquarters to Northbrook (Illinois ) and was henceforth finished up today, Washburn guitars in the Far East. First in Japan, then in Korea, China and Singapore. At the same time we also started manufacturing electric guitars. Today, the product range of the company includes Washburn electric and acoustic guitars, basses, and banjos and mandolins. In addition, a series of guitar amplifiers under the name Washburn is distributed.
Since 1991, acoustic and electric guitars are also re- built in the USA. The production is located in Mundelein, north of Chicago.
The firm Lyon & Healy in Chicago is still produced and made harps.
Eric Clapton's first playable guitar was a very old George Washburn, which he bought as a teenager at a flea market for two pounds and ten shillings. Previously, he had only one obsessed German Hoyer, who had the guitar students practicing complicated by a very high string action.
One of the most famous products of the company is made for the Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt Electric Guitar N4.