Egmond (company)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Founder | Uilke Egmond |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Guitars, basses, banjos, mandolins, amplifiers, accordions |
Egmond N.V. was a Dutch musical-instrument manufacturer based in the Eindhoven region, known primarily for producing affordable guitars during the 1950s and 1960s.[1] The company became Europe's largest manufacturer of budget guitars during the rock and roll era.[2]
Origins
The company originated from Musica, a music school and shop founded in 1932 by Uilke Egmond (1878–1959),[2] a former stationmaster in Valkenswaard and accomplished amateur violinist.[1] In the music school he gave violin lessons, while the shop sold instruments mainly imported from Eastern Europe.[2] After retiring at age 55, Egmond supplemented his pension through these activities.[1]
In 1935, the business moved to Eindhoven.[2] The shop relocated during World War II to the corner of Wal and Kerkstraat.[1]
Family business expansion
Uilke's sons Gerard (1904–1974), Dick (1920–1992), and Jaap (1921–1993) joined the company during World War II.[2] When the import of instruments ended, they decided to manufacture instruments themselves.[2] From 1935 onwards, the company began manufacturing instruments, initially Spanish and Hawaiian guitars, starting in a shed on Gestelsestraat and later moving to Frankrijkstraat.[1] Production was limited to approximately one guitar per week in 1940.[2]
After World War II, the four Egmond brothers (Gerard, Dick, Jaap, and Piet) established a division of labor: Gerard served as president-director-general, Piet managed accounting, Dick oversaw production, and Jaap handled electronics and design.[1] Early production focused on affordable acoustic instruments, with internal labels bearing the company name "Egmond Frères" (in French), later changed to "Egmond Brothers."[3] Daughter Annie was a teacher and had no interest in the family business.[1] Production of banjos and mandolins was added in the early 1950s.[2]
Peak production
By the early 1950s there were 20 employees producing 50 guitars per week.[2] Around 1957–1958, capitalizing on the early rise of rock and roll in Northern Europe, Egmond introduced low-cost electric models that experienced enormous demand.[3] These guitars were notably adopted by Indo-Rock groups, a genre specific to the Indonesian community that flourished in the Netherlands at the time.[3]
The company initially operated from facilities in Aalst.[1] In the early 1960s, there were 80 employees producing 2,000 guitars per week.[2] After a factory fire, the company relocated to Best.[1] On November 2, 1960, one year after Uilke's death, the new factory officially opened as "N.V. Musical Instrument Factory Egmond formerly Musica" on Randweg in Best.[1]
In the 1960s Egmond was the largest luthier in Europe, known more for quantity than quality.[2] Approximately 80% of production was exported, particularly to the United States.[2] The cheapest models cost only 10% of comparable Gibson or Fender guitars.[2] During most of the 1960s, the American market was tremendous for Egmond, shipping one container of guitars every week to New York.[2]
During the 1960s production moved upmarket with more elaborate models covered in vinyl, comparable to German or Italian guitars of the era.[3] The company also diversified its semi-acoustic and acoustic guitars. In 1972, C.F. Martin & Co. made a cooperation agreement with Egmond to manufacture guitars with the Vega brand based on Martin's designs.[2] In 1979, Martin broke the cooperation agreement, and Egmond began making guitars under the ownership of Tolchin Instruments with the brand name Alpha.[2]
Product range
In addition to guitars, Egmond manufactured bass guitars, banjos, mandolins, accordions, and amplifiers.[2] The amplifiers were designed in collaboration with Philips and used Philips speakers and components.[2] Early models like the V 820 (10W tube amplifier from 1961) succeeded the V 630 from the mid-1950s, while the V 1821 was a 30W tube amplifier.[2] In the late 1960s, Egmond amplifiers were manufactured by Davoli and Steelphon in Italy.[2]
Egmond also sold accessories including magnetic pickups (distributed under the Royal brand), complete equipped plates for electrifying acoustic guitars, and vibrato bridges.[3]
Egmond instruments were distributed under numerous brand names in different markets: Alberti, Alex, Alfesta, Alpha, Caledonie, Combo, Dixieland, Frima, Goldene Harfe, Hi-Spot, Jester, Lido, Lion, Manhattan, Marizza, Miller, Orpheum, Roderich Paesold, Rosetti, Royal, Royalist, Stadium, Strad-O-Lin, Tonemaster, Vander, Vega, and Wilson.[2] In the United Kingdom, Egmond guitars were marketed as Rosetti, after their London distributor.[2]
In the 1970s and 1980s, when Boosey & Hawkes needed guitar manufacturing within their enterprise but only had violin manufacturer Roderich Paesold, they used that brand name for a series of guitars made by Egmond in Boxtel, just north of Best.[2]
Decline and closure
Competition from cheap Korean instruments caused the American Egmond importer to shift to Korean manufacturers instead, ending all sales to America and placing Egmond in a difficult situation.[2] In the 1970s, the company faced increasing difficulties.[1] Quality remained relatively low despite attempts to produce more expensive models and jazz guitars.[1]
Following a share exchange, Jaap Egmond acquired the Musica retail shop in Eindhoven while his brothers retained the factory.[1] Gerard, the eldest brother, had already died by 1974.[2] The three remaining brothers didn't speak to each other for years, though they eventually reconciled and attended each other's funerals.[1]
In 1983 the Egmond company went bankrupt.[2] The Musica shop continued operating in Hooghuisstraat until 2002.[1]
Notable musicians
Several prominent musicians used Egmond guitars in their early careers:
- George Harrison received an Egmond 105/0 (also called Egmond Toledo or Rosetti 276 in the UK) plywood acoustic beginner guitar as his first guitar for his thirteenth birthday in 1956.[1][2] The instrument is now displayed in the Beatles Museum in Liverpool with an estimated value of one million euros.[1]
- Brian May of Queen received an Egmond Toledo on his seventh birthday in 1954, which he had completely restored to "better than new" by Andrew Guyton in 2003.[1][2]
- Paul McCartney used a Rosetti Solid 7 during the Beatles' first stay in Hamburg.[4] He re-strung it with four piano strings to convert it into a bass when the group was without a bassist (Stuart Sutcliffe having stayed in Germany).[2][5]
- Peter Koelewijn remained loyal to the brand until 1964.[1]
- Les Chaussettes Noires (French rock band) featured two Egmond Solid 7 guitars on the covers of their first three EPs and during their first television appearance.[3]
- David Hilowitz of Manwomanchild plays an Egmond Typhoon 2V.[6]
- Endorsement deals were arranged with Trini Lopez and Peter Koelewijn, who received large jazz guitars as gifts in exchange for being photographed with them.[1]
- Roy Orbison also used Egmond guitars.[1]
- The Tielman Brothers, famous Indo-rock musicians, were Egmond users.[1]
Notable models
Budget instruments
Egmond's very inexpensive guitars from the 1950s were the most economical available in Europe, competing in the low-end market only with other Dutch manufacturers such as Venlonia (Famos brand), Top Tuner, and Symphonie.[3]
The Egmond guitars had uninspiring model designations with letters and numbers in confusing combinations. To popularize the guitars, the company introduced the 7-series: the Lucky 7, the Solid 7, and the Bass 7.[2] The Lucky 7 was actually model JG113/5CA.[2] The Lucky 7 series, small jazz guitar imitations available with or without pickups, had a reputation for being barely playable and of dubious quality but served as first instruments for thousands of aspiring guitarists.[3]
Toledo series
The Toledo 105/0 (marketed as Rosetti 276 in the UK) was one of Egmond's most famous models, notably owned by George Harrison and Brian May.[1][2]
Solid 7 series
Egmond is particularly known for the Solid 7 electric guitar series, manufactured between 1958 and 1963 (also available as the Bass 7).[3] Despite their thin body and name suggesting solid construction, these very basic guitars were actually hollow-bodied, though their shape matched the archetype of electric guitars of that era.[3] The Solid 7 was available with 2 or 3 pickups, with the 3-pickup version including tremolo.[2] Around 1960, the Solid 7 models flooded the Belgian and French markets and became inseparable from the explosion of rock music in those regions.[3]
Higher-end models
Egmond also produced higher-quality instruments. The Egmond 2 and 3 (later called Egmond Thunder) had 2 or 3 pickups respectively.[2] The Egmond 2V and 3V (later called Egmond Typhoon) had vinyl-covered bodies with a body shape similar to the Fender Jaguar or Fender Jazzmaster.[2] A more advanced and luxurious guitar with the same body shape was the Egmond Tempest.[2] A simpler and cheaper version with the same body shape was the Egmond Scout, which had a simple solid un-chamfered body equipped with an externally attached combined pickguard and pickup (same as Solid 7).[2]