FujiGen

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FujiGen Gakki is a musical instrument manufacturer in Japan named after the famous Mount Fuji. Gen means stringed instruments and Gakki means musical instrument manufacturer. FujiGen does OEM guitar manufacturing for well known guitar brands and they also manufacture their own brands of guitars such as Heartfield and FgN.

1 History
2 Other Japanese Guitar Manufactures
3 Sources
4 External links

[edit] History

FujiGen started in 1960 with the production of violins and classical guitars. In 1962 FujiGen started production of electric guitars. In the 1970's FujiGen started making guitars (OEM) for companies such as Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai (Greco guitars) and Yamaha Yamaha Corporation. In 1977/1978 FujiGen went into a joint venture with Roland Roland Corporation to produce guitar synthesizers. In 1981 FujiGen opted out of acoustic guitar production to mainly concentrate on solid body guitar production. In 1981/1982 FujiGen obtained the Fender Japan contract which lasted until 1997. In 1993 FujiGen obtained the Orville by Gibson contract which ended in 1997/1998 and from then on have made the Epiphone Japan solid body guitars. FujiGen still do OEM guitar manufacturing for companies like Ibanez and Epiphone but in much smaller quantities than in the past.

[edit] Other Japanese Guitar Manufactures

Tokai (Tōkai_Guitars) have built guitars for many well known brands over the years. They currently build most of the Fender Japan solid body models.

Dyna currently build some of the Fender Japan models and also build some of the Gretsch models as well.

Terada concentrate mostly on making Semi Acoustic and Acoustic guitars and have made guitars for Ibanez, Orville by Gibson, Epiphone Japan, Gretsch and other well known brands as well. Terada are still actively making guitars.

Iida made some Ibanez models in the 1980's such as some of the Ibanez Artist models. They also made Solid Body, Semi Acoustic and Acoustic guitars for other well known brands as well. Around the mid 1990's Iida moved all their production to the Peerless factory in Korea which they also own.

Kasuga made the Heerby and Ganson Gibson replica guitars in the 1970's/1980's. They were involved in a joint venture with Roland for guitar synths in the late 1970's. They also made Acoustic guitars for Yamaha in the 1980's before the Yamaha Acoustic production moved to Taiwan. They went out of business in the early/mid 1990's.

Matsumoku built Aria guitars and Epiphone guitars for export in the 1970's/1980's. They went out of business around 1987.