sioux chief manufacturing is a family-owned american corporation that designs and manufactures rough plumbing products , parts , and accessories for residential , commercial , industrial and government applications .

sioux chief is based in peculiar , missouri , and also sells products under the tomahawk brand .

sioux chief was founded in 1957 by martin e. ismert , jr. ( ed ) .

the company 's promotional and packaging designs typically feature the bust of red cloud , an historic prominent leader of the native american oglala lakota sioux tribe .

red cloud is sioux chief 's current official logo .

the logo was created and drawn by ed 's brother , cornielius " bud " ismert , a commercial artist .

sioux chief manufacturing

in headdress , sioux , sioux chief drains , sioux chief manufacturing company by adrienne k .
howard huss has been been appointed as director of sales for canada for sioux chief manufacturing .
sioux chief is manufacturing . we design and manufacture some of the most diverse and innovative plumbing products in the country .
sioux chief manufacturing company is set to open a canadian distribution centre in brantford , ont . , on july 10 .
this move further demonstrates sioux chief’s ongoing commitment to manufacturing the majority of its skus in the usa and gaining control over the entire manufacturing process to guarantee the highest quality .
sioux chief manufacturing , a plumbing supply manufacturer based in peculiar , will be moving most of its operations and nearly 500 jobs to a new manufacturing and distribution complex in south kansas city .
as chiefs of innovation , sioux chief manufacturing continues a tribal tradition of persistence and ingenuity , making superior plumbing products used throughout the world .
sioux chief manufacturing company is furthering its commitment to serving the canadian marketplace with the opening of a new distribution center in brantford , ontario .
quartermaster took sioux chief manufacturing’s old website and enhanced the design and user experience to a whole new level . a cleaner interface , greater access to sioux chief product videos , bim , sales representative maps and social media has greatly improved sioux chief’s interactive experience . quartermaster is continually finding new ways to improve sioux chief’s online experience and outreach to retain and expand its client base .
video : obamacare mandate is worse than you think ( approx . 2 : 00 ) website : sioux chief manufacturing bio : jonathan r . whitehead
sioux chief 490 - 11322 clo . . . has been added to your cart
sioux chief offers no lead compliant parts in a variety of materials . please contact a sioux chief customer service representative for more information regarding specific installations and applications .
the sioux chief powerpex 200 at lucas oil raceway will be race no . 7 of the sioux chief short track challenge , and will be broadcast live on fs1 .
sioux chief manufacturing is a third generation family owned business that was founded and incorporated in 1957 , by the late martin e . “ed” ismert jr . sioux chief is a buy american compliant company located in peculiar , missouri . as a leading manufacturing of rough plumbing products in supply , drainage and support , sioux chief will remain focused on the manufacture of american products with american materials .
sioux chief powerpex® type - b tubing can be used with astm f1960 expansion fittings .
ladies and gentlemen , we have more # icebucketchallenge videos from sioux chief . enjoy !
wishing you a wonderful father ' s day from all of us at sioux chief .
another # icebucketchallenge from sioux chief ! carolina sales associates , rsl sales , mckee - nix & associates , inc . and all other sioux chief rep agencies . your turn !
© 1999 - 2017 sioux chief mfg . co . , inc . all rights reserved .
my new pulse aquarain shower spa will not fit on the sioux chief threaded pipe . �
ismert’s brother , an artist , provided the company’s distinctive logo , featuring a sioux chief in full regalia . “sioux chief manufacturing , being named and patterned after such a distinctive people , would put forth an image not easily forgotten , ” the company says .
since 1957 , sioux chief has demonstrated its dedication to creative manufacturing and new product development with the ultimate goal of making plumbing installation easier , more effective , and more efficient .
kansas city , mo , september , 2017 — sioux chief manufacturing recently hosted a group of plumbing contractors and wholesalers from minnesota for a tour of their new headquarters in kansas city and existing manufacturing plant in peculiar , mo . the evening before the tour , members of the sioux chief team accompanied the visitors to a kansas city royals baseball game , where the
kansas city , mo , september , 2017 — sioux chief manufacturing recently hosted a group of plumbing contractors and wholesalers from pennsylvania , new jersey , and delaware for a tour of the manufacturing plant and new headquarters in kansas city . the day before the tour , members of the sioux chief team tailgated with the visitors before the kansas city chiefs football game , where
y working right here at home , then buy sioux chief . and tim , don ' t touch the van door . thanks you sioux chief and the ismert family for a great time and wonderful tour .
sioux chief manufacturing partnered with arca series sponsor menards in 2015 to become involved with the series . the business - to - business relationship between menards , the country’s third largest home improvement retail chain , and sioux chief , a leading rough plumbing manufacturer and supplier of cutting - edge products for plumbing and mechanical contractors , brings opportunities for sioux chief to promote its products to the menards contractor customer base .
manufacturing marvels is a two - minute production that showcases made in the usa manufacturers .
“davenport comes highly recommended to sioux chief by both customers and other manufacturers , ” said sioux chief national sales manager , wade long . “we have high expectations that our business in new england will grow significantly . ”
kansas city , mo . —sioux chief manufacturing company reports that the relocation of its nogales , mexico , plant to kansas city , missouri , is complete , with the final pieces of vinyl tube manufacturing equipment now installed into the new location . the facility is now operating at full capacity .
sioux chief manufacturing partnered with arca series sponsor menards in 2015 to become involved with the series . the business - to - business relationship between menards , the country’s third largest home improvement retail chain , and sioux chief , a leading rough plumbing manufacturer and supplier of cutting - edge products for plumbing and mechanical contractors , brings opportunities for sioux chief to promote its products to the menards contractor customer base . officials from the automobile racing club of america ( arca ) and sioux chief manufacturing jointly announced that the rough plumbing components manufacturer would become the primary sponsor of the arca racing series short track challenge for 2017 back in march .
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sioux chief announced its company video exposé aired on the fox business network , a national network with a focus on business and financial news , on march 4 and march 5 during its manufacturing marvels segment .
sioux chief’s customer service and sales support services will continue to operate from the company headquarters in peculiar , mo .
breaking camp as a manufacturer , sioux chief maintains an acute awareness of the difference between selling a product and creating a value - added , quality product that can be efficiently produced and sold . sioux chief is as much an innovative manufacturer as it is an innovative product designer . and the company does not take that fact for granted . innovative manufacturing is the company’s competitive edge , and sioux chief fully intends to leverage that edge for growth .
we ' re the sales , customer service and product development teams at sioux chief manufacturing in peculiar , missouri and we take the als # icebucketchallenge from our company owner , joe ismert . likewise we challenge all of our manufacturing reps and fellow plumbing manufacturers to take the als challenge ! # plumbingmanufacturer # manufacturerrep # repagency
sioux chief put a fresh look on its new kansas city - based headquarters with a mural of red cloud , the prominent native american leader and sioux chief’s company logo . the new mural reminds employees and clients of the core sioux chief values that have sustained and grown the company since 1957 . those abiding values of strength , pride , respect , determination and that
making camp in the beginning , sioux chief never expected to grow beyond the midwest market . “dad wanted to do business in the midwest and wanted to dominate with certain manufacturing capabilities ; he never envisioned going beyond the rockies or the appalachians , ” says joseph ( “joe” ) p . ismert , now sioux chief president . in fact , this midwest focus helped to birth the sioux chief name . because joe’s father , ed , primarily operated in a region once crossed by the mighty sioux , ed thought it wise to model the company’s qualities — persistence and ingenuity — on those of the legendary sioux warriors . so one of ed’s brothers drew up a rendering of sioux chief red cloud for the company’s logo . they decided on the company’s name . the image now is synonymous with the sioux chief brand name , and both are readily recognized throughout the plumbing industry .
kansas city , mo , february , 2018 — sioux chief manufacturing , a kansas city , missouri based american manufacturer and innovator of rough plumbing products , has filed suit against zurn in federal court in the district of delaware for alleged infringement of patent claims protecting its finishline™ series of adjustable drainage products . “sioux chief’s strength , and what makes us a leader in our
sioux chief product innovation is initiated by field research and close interaction with plumbers , engineers , code officials , and distributors . our process innovation also controls manufacturing costs , providing constant , reliable value to the customer , year after year .
our story began in 1957 . from the start , sioux chief was founded on the idea of customer care , a family - oriented approach and continuous product improvement . we’ve come a long way . we continue to grow sioux chief by remaining committed to your success .
additionally , the relocation has provided sioux chief with the opportunity to add 30 dedicated , hard - working americans to the company family .
the 570 , 000 square foot facility will be located at centerpoint intermodal facility in south kansas city . the building will be used for manufacturing , distribution , storage and administration of the business . port kc owns the land where sioux chief is building and will own the vertical manufacturing facility once completed . the project will bring 480 jobs to kansas city .
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with a 450 , 000 - sq . - ft . manufacturing facility located just 10 minutes south of kansas city , mo . , sioux chief , produces pressure pipe and fittings , drainage products and the support components , which hold them in place .
when it comes to original equipment manufacturing , oem , sioux chief is ready to help supplement your company ' s business - regardless of customer type . we even serve non - traditional plumbing needs by either making or modifying product to suit your needs .
it’s definitely an honor to have the place where dirty , disgusting water drains in rest stop bathrooms to be named after the most revered position in your tribe , right ? according to the sioux chief manufacturing company , that’s exactly what they were going for .
kansas city , mo , june , 2018 — sioux chief manufacturing recently hosted a group of mechanical contractors from denver , colorado for a tour of the manufacturing plant and headquarters in kansas city , mo . the group included five visitors from hpe inc . , a full - service mechanical contractor since 1947 . the visitors were accompanied by tobi gibson from tm sales and were met by
heatlink’s ownership and management team announce that the company and its affiliated pex - a manufacturing facility pexcor manufacturing company inc . have been acquired by mueller industries inc . co - owners manfred and garry schmidt will continue to lead the company .
we are excited about this next step in the growth of our business in canada ,
said howard huss , sioux chief’s director of sales for canada .
our wholesale and retail customers will enjoy more timely shipping and will have even greater access to sioux chief’s full line of products .
“sioux chief is thrilled to expand our sponsorship for the 2017 season , becoming the primary sponsor for the arca racing series short track challenge . we are looking forward to another exciting season of great racing , ” said joe n . ismert , president of sioux chief mfg . co . , inc .
alliance defending freedom represents sioux chief and the ismert family , and is defending their freedom to operate their business according to their deeply held religious beliefs .
sioux chief announced its new online store , the bunker , which enables plumbing professionals to purchase apparel and other gear from the top american plumbing manufacturer .
toledo , ohio ( march 21 , 2017 ) - - officials from the automobile racing club of america ( arca ) and sioux chief manufacturing have jointly announced that the rough plumbing components manufacturer will become the primary sponsor of the arca racing series short track challenge for 2017 .
contact information : michael foster sioux chief manufacturing po box 397 peculiar , missouri 64078 - 0397 phone : ( 816 ) 779 - 6104 fax : ( 800 ) 758 - 5950 e - mail : michael . foster @ urltoken website : http : / / www . urltoken /
sioux once again named one of the 50 best places to workberesford , sd – sioux corporation was once again named one on the 50 best places to work by prairie business magazine for 2017 . sioux also won . . .
in 1957 , ed ismert , together with four other investors , started a catalog supply company , sioux chief . ed chose the name sioux chief because he wanted to evoke the attributes that he believed a sioux chief represents : strength , fierce competitiveness , pride , respect , determination , and a trailblazing spirit . ed and his partners knew and understood the plumbing supply market and positioned their new company in a unique niche . they did not sell to plumbing contractors but to plumbing wholesalers instead . the very first sioux chief catalog was a single sheet of paper , printed on both sides . among the products were the magnesium rods being manufactured by double i supply , still owned by ed and jerry ismert . double i supply was sioux chief ' s biggest customer for years .
“sioux chief is thrilled to expand our sponsorship for the 2017 season , becoming the primary sponsor for the arca racing series short track challenge . we are looking forward to another exciting season of great racing ,
said the president of sioux chief mfg . co . , inc . , joe n . ismert .
the company purchased its current facility in 1983 , and originally it provided sioux chief with 23 , 000 square feet of manufacturing , warehouse and office space . today , the facility has been expanded to encompass more than 300 , 000 square feet on 140 acres in peculiar , mo .
no matter how successful the company is , however , sioux chief says it depends on continuous improvement to ensure that it never rests on its laurels . “process innovation also controls manufacturing costs , providing constant , reliable value to the customer , year after year , ” the company says .
manufacturing marvels is a two - minute production that showcases made in the usa manufacturers , together with their products and their processes .
dawn wallace cook , cce newton manufacturing co . 4249 delemere blvd . royal oak , mi 48073 - 1804 meeting : 2nd tuesday
dawn wallace cook , cce newton manufacturing co . 4249 delemere blvd . royal oak , mi 48073 - 1804 meeting : 2nd thursday
not unlike the legendary sioux indian tribe , sioux chief manufacturing , inc . lives for tribe and tradition — a tribe of devoted employees and customers and a tradition of innovation . for the last 45 years and into the present , members of this sioux chief “nation” have demonstrated a prowess for creative manufacturing and product development , helping to make plumbing installations more efficient and effective across midwestern states , throughout the country and globally . but this trail wasn’t blazed overnight . in fact , the company has quite a history , affected by a variety of forces , such as the omnipresent influence of the sioux indian chief turned company - logo red cloud , as well as the constant struggle with oft - varied plumbing codes and an unmatched ability to harness the mind - torque of employee as well as customer idea - engines .
“it’s been a major undertaking moving from one country to another , but our pre - planning really paid off , ” said joe n . ismert , president of sioux chief manufacturing , in a prepared statement . “we are getting up to speed and production is getting better each day . ”
sioux chief , a family - run company , employs more than 450 people and manufactures more than 6000 products . a holder of more than 30 us patents , the company’s innovation begins in the field , on the jobsite . by listening to its customers , sioux chief invents new products with field experience engineered into them .
alliance defending freedom attorneys and allied attorneys represent sioux chief manufacturing co . in a federal lawsuit filed to challenge the mandate , which forces employers , regardless of their religious or moral convictions , to provide insurance coverage for abortion - inducing drugs , sterilization , and contraception under threat of heavy penalties .
ismert founded sioux chief after running a plumbing wholesale supply company for years . the company says ismert was looking for a way to protect his wholesale supply business from the boom - and - bust cycle of the housing market , and started sioux chief with the packaging of specialty fasteners and other components required for residential plumbing jobs .
sioux corporation - industrial steam cleaners , water heaters & water chillers . - home
ranco fertiservice was honored for its relationship with sioux central school district . bob and pat reno , ranco ' s leadership duo , were specifically highlighted for making strides to close the skills gap with high school students at sioux central high school . ranco employees were also recognized for making frequent trips to sioux central classrooms to talk to students about the manufacturing industry . nate wittmaack , ranco ' s chief operating officer , accepted the award on ranco ' s behalf .
since 1957 , sioux chief has manufactured innovative plumbing products . it is a leader in providing rough plumbing solutions for residential , commercial , industrial and government applications . sioux chief’s comprehensive product line is comprised of three core groups : supply , drainage and support . sioux chief products are sold to qualified wholesale distributors and retailers worldwide . the company is headquartered in peculiar , missouri — just outside of kansas city . for more information , please visit urltoken or call 1 - 800 - 821 - 3944 .
sioux chief offers many products that are subject to the federal public law 111 - 380 . these items are intended for use with drinking water supply . sioux chief has a deep no lead product offering and will continue to update their inventory to maintain compliance with federal no lead legislation to insure that our customers have what they need .
shawn ismert , cba sioux chief mfg . co . , inc . 24110 south peculiar drive p . o . box 397 peculiar , mo 64078 meeting : 2nd wednesday
sioux corporation is the industry leader in application specific steam cleaners , pressure washers , water heating and chilling systems , steam generators and related custom equipment . sioux ' s products are built for the concrete , oil , gas , mining , and manufacturing industries with the highest quality and durability in mind .
still blazing trails since the sioux strap , the company has filled a catalog full of innovative products , literally . in fact , along the way the sioux chief has developed a pretty tight relationship with its patent lawyers . and it is this pursuit of plumbing perfection that has driven and still drives sioux chief to continuously innovate and improve upon age - old plumbing problems , leading to new product launches or product innovations nearly every couple of months . sioux chief now boasts innovative products in five core product groups : water hammer arresters , residential and commercial drainage , pre - formed copper , hangers , and specialty .
© 2018 sioux corporation all rights reserved . website designed and developed by the gage team
gold star award for business - education partnership - - ranco fertiservice in sioux rapids .
the combination of american - made products , product development and internal capabilities have made sioux chief a trusted manufacturer , and the company says this will continue to be the foundation of its success . “sioux chief is proud to be a true american innovator , one that combines the desire to innovate with the capability to make it happen , ” the company says .
sioux chief creates and manufactures some of the most diverse and innovative plumbing products in the country . we focus on product innovation initiated by field research and interviews with plumbers , engineers , code officials , and distributors . one of the reasons sioux chief is able to turn an idea into a product so quickly is because we design and build our own machines , tools and dies , and equipment to ensure that exact product tolerances are achieved . process innovation also controls manufacturing costs , providing constant , reliable value to the customer , year after year . sioux chief is proud to be a true american innovator , one that combines the desire to innovate with the capability to make it happen .
kansas city , mo , may , 2018 — kansas city , missouri based american manufacturer sioux chief , continues to push forward with their suit against zurn and rexnord industries for alleged infringement of patent claims relating to its finishline™ series of adjustable drainage products . a trial date has been set and a judge assigned to the case . in the coming weeks , sioux chief
to introduce the new store , sioux chief is offering 25 % off all orders by using the promo code : ‘january25’ . visit urltoken and order by january 31 to get the discount .
sioux chief’s founder , martin e . “ed” ismert jr . , was greatly interested in western americana . ed’s father , martin sr . , was a collector and midwest authority of western and native american artifacts in the ’30s , ’40s , and ’50s . when the time came to name his new company , it did not take ed long , as he had learned from his father all about the sioux indian nation . the sioux nation were a very proud and resolute people that , while being fierce and competitive , held in highest regard the family , the earth , and especially wakan tanka , the great spirit . ed commissioned his brother bud , an artist who studied under thomas hart benton , to draw the “young determined sioux chief” in full ceremonial dress as the logo for his young determined company . sioux chief manufacturing , being named and patterned after such a distinctive people would put forth an image not easily forgotten .
is a family - owned american corporation based in peculiar , mo that designs and manufactures rough plumbing products , parts , and accessories for residential , commercial , industrial and government applications . sioux chief ' s product line is divided into three core groups : supply , drainage and support . sioux chief designs , builds , and maintains its own machines , tools and dies , and equipment . sioux chief manufactures more than 90 % of the products it sells and takes great pride knowing industry professionals rely on them for their intense focus on crafting tomorrow’s better rough plumbing tools and equipment .
sioux chief takes great pride knowing industry professionals rely on us for our intense focus on crafting tomorrow’s better rough plumbing tools and equipment . how do we do it ? simple . we listen .
sioux chief offers many products that are not anticipated for use in drinking water applications . these products used in non - potable water supply are not subject to federal public law 111 - 380 .
in fact , it’s not possible to understand sioux chief completely without understanding our commitment to manufacturing . while invisible at the time of installation , this commitment is always present and alive in every product . we make things because we can make them better . we ensure quality , efficiency and savings . and it serves us well because it serves our customers well .
sioux chief has tested powerpex® type - b tubing with astm f1960 fittings . all astm f1960 connections with powerpex type - b tube must be made with a self - rotating , power expansion tool .
the new distribution center is the first of its kind , and the latest example of the steps sioux chief is taking to foster the important relationships with its customers there . “a distribution center in canada has been a goal for sioux chief and is a sign of our commitment to our canadian market , ” said joe n . ismert , president . “it is exciting to see this realized . ”
sioux chief maintains high oem standards and performs a calculated inspection according to the mandates of the iso 9000 certification standard . the whole process is traceable . and oem relationships are long term and protected .
kansas city , mo , february , 2018 — sioux chief manufacturing recently hosted a group of hajoca “profit center” managers from the north and south carolina areas at their new plant and headquarters in kansas city , mo . the group also included shannon mercil , manager of vendor relations for hajoca . the visitors were accompanied by representatives from carolina sales associates and were met by
in the late 1990s the demands of the company had grown so very large so very quickly , and mike ismert began thinking about stepping back from his roles . in 2001 , mike ismert formally resigned from the company , selling a major portion of his holdings to his brother joe . joe ismert now took over the role and titles of president and chief executive officer for sioux chief manufacturing company . joe ismert greeted the challenges placed on his desk with enthusiasm and confidence .
still , the story behind sioux chief manufacturing is hardly behind . it is ahead , as has been the case from its very beginnings when martin e . “ed” ismert founded his company on innovation some 45 years ago . back then , the company manufactured few products and ran on a part - time skeleton crew . but it had vision . and it had desire .
toledo , ohio ( may 16 , 2017 ) –the sunday afternoon , may 21 “menards 200 presented by federated car care” at toledo speedway will mark round # 3 of the 2017 sioux chief short track challenge .
this law will affect anyone who is introducing plumbing products into commerce for the explicit use within potable plumbing systems where human consumption is anticipated . this includes sioux chief and other mfg companies , wholesalers and contractors .
hen does a family business outgrow its sense of family ? if you’re a member of the armacost clan at grandview - based peterson manufacturing , the answer is : never .
making life easier for plumbers has been the paramount concern for sioux chief manufacturing co . since it was founded in 1957 . the missouri - based company has been producing drains , valves , manifolds and other related items for generations , and it says the values instilled within it by its founder have been the bedrock on which it has built its success . “the values upon which the late ed ismert founded sioux chief continue to be the driving forces behind the company today : concern for the plumbing tradesman , a culture based on family and a dedication to continuous improvement , ” the company says .
most sioux chief “rough” plumbing products are hidden behind walls and under floors but include some parts for drains at kauffman stadium , ceo joe ismert said . the company will be moving from peculiar to south kansas city .
in the mid - 1980s , sioux chief moved to its present location in peculiar , mo . the company now operates from a 255 , 000 - square - foot plant and distribution centers located on both coasts .
“as a bull rider , i know all about being tough . that’s why i am a proud dealer of sioux steel products , the toughest livestock product on the market .
shawn coleman - sioux steel warrior
final response . said not our problem . you installed it wrong . nope don’t think so . i had to have plumber over after hours and he even said they were junk . sioux chief for the loose ! !
founded in 1957 by martin “ed” ismert , jr . , sioux chief is a family - owned manufacturer of innovative , residential and commercial rough plumbing products ( behind the wall and under the floor ) with sales worldwide .
. “the fact is , plumbing contractors who don’t know about or use sioux chief products , need this opportunity to enhance their labor savings opportunities with products specifically designed to install faster , stronger and with repeatable precision . ”
the values upon which the late ed ismert founded sioux chief continue to be the driving forces behind the company today : concern for the plumbing tradesman , a culture based on family , and a dedication to continuous improvement .
kansas city , missouri december 07 , 2012 - - kansas city based rough plumbing manufacturer , sioux chief , announced its new manufacturer’s representative partnership with davenport associates for the six new england states beginning january 1 , 2013 .
the bunker features sioux chief branded apparel , merchandise , hats and more , targeted for those who work in the plumbing industry . the bunker offers easy - to - order functionality with delivery in just a few days .
in early 1977 , ed ismert sold sioux chief to mike and joe for the pricey sum of $ 28 , 000 . ed was 51 years old when he turned the operations of his company over to his sons . sioux chief in 1974 was a five - person company : mike , joe , uncle ted , mike lafferty , and jim shipman , who ran the spinning machine . the catalog had grown , but only to two pages .
five decades - a half century - has passed since martin
ed
ismert , jr . took a tremendous gamble on sioux chief manufacturing company . his vision , in spite of difficult times , inspired his sons to pursue great things . sioux chief is built upon the solid foundation of ed and his brother ted . it has flourished beyond expectations through his sons mike and joe . but the success story does not stop there . it of course includes the hundreds of loyal , dedicated and hard - working employees . that success also extends to loyal suppliers and customers , vendors , competitors and colleagues throughout the plumbing supply industry .
sioux chief ' s trapshield is an asse 1072 compliant barrier - type trap protection device . it ' s designed to protect water traps under floor drains from evaporation that can lead to odors and sewer gas in the building .
from gauges to faucets to fittings , sioux chief manufactures a wide variety of needs for the plumbing professional . the company says it takes pride in being able to identify and fulfill the needs of plumbers across the country . “sioux chief creates and manufactures some of the most diverse and innovative plumbing products in the country , ” the company says . “we focus on product innovation initiated by field research and interviews with plumbers , engineers , code officials and distributors . ”
a distribution center in canada has been a goal for sioux chief and is a sign of our commitment to our canadian market ,
said company president joe n . ismert .
it is exciting to see this realized .
sioux chief ramped up the pace of innovation , patent development and new product uniqueness throughout the white - hot building boom in the first decade of the 2000s . in 2002 an ambitious expansion to a brand new north building , that spanned over 100 , 000 square feet , moved nearly every department in the plant to bigger work areas . at a national trade show in 2003 , it was apparent that sioux chief had achieved a certain sense of respect among competitors and colleagues .
sioux chief manufacturing company founder martin edward
ed
ismert , jr . was a relentless entrepreneur . ed ismert was a radio operator who flew on 22 missions over japan during world war ii . right after the war , ed met katherine rosemary ,
karosie
and they began dating . the two were married in 1948 . karosie and ed launched a dynasty , eventually producing 76 grandchildren and 28 great - grandchildren by 2008 .
ceo joe ismert said the plant was needed to accommodate sioux chief’s growing business and could be ready in about a year . he said the plant itself would cost about $ 25 million , with the overall project pegged at $ 40 million .
sioux chief takes pride in offering our employees benefits that are competitive . we appreciate hard work , integrity , loyalty and innovative ideas which is why we provide a comprehensive set of benefits and options designed to fit the unique lifestyles of our employees .
if you admired sioux culture so much , why’d you put it on a drain ? the metaphor is hard to miss .
we may be daring in our thinking , but we’re caring in the design and construction of our products . sioux chief remains heavily invested in technology , certifications , processes , inspections and quality evaluations to ensure you receive the best rough plumbing products in the world .
sioux chief says its name honors the values of the native american tribes that made their home in the area , and reflects its founder’s lifetime interest in native american culture . the company explains that ismert’s father was a dedicated collector of native american artifacts in the midwest .
the reputation of our brand is in your hands . we never take this for granted . we rely on your feedback in order to improve and re - imagine our products . connect with us on linkedin , twitter and facebook to share your sioux chief product experience .
port kc will help finance the construction of the facility through a $ 23 . 5 million bond issuance . the financing is part of an enhanced incentive and financing package that is in part tied to sioux chief’s commitment to increase metropolitan employment over the next 20 years .
the 596 , 000 - square - foot plant will be at the centerpoint intermodal facility , the industrial park at the former richards - gebaur air force base site . it will accommodate manufacturing , distribution and office space .
plumbers from across the u . s . gathered in michigan recently to meet with brasscraft manufacturing company . the forum focused on the impending 2014 nation - wide no - lead legislation and its impact on the plumbing industry .
kansas city , missouri – sioux chief , one of the country’s leading plumbing manufacturers , is set to open a new facility in kansas city thanks to a strategic partnership of port kc , altcap , enterprise bank and central bank of kansas city that will boost the city’s economy .
davenport associates will represent sioux chief in the six new england states , focusing on the company’s many popular rough plumbing supply , drainage , and support products such as their universal pex fittings systems , the ox box™ washing machine access box , the finish line drain™ , and others .
much of the manufacturing muscle is flexed in a sprawling , 670 , 000 - square - foot facility in grandview . it houses the corporate offices , plus departments that encompass sales , engineering , research and development , manufacturing and assembly , purchasing , shipping , receiving and warehousing . overall , peterson employs more than 650 non - union workers—many of whom are themselves second - and third - generation employees who enjoy both profit - sharing and employee stock ownership plans .
sioux chief mfg . co . inc . was founded and incorporated in august , 1957 by the late martin e . âedâ ismert , jr . in an attempt to smooth the boom - bust housing cycle that his plumbing wholesale supply company experienced . sioux chief got its start during the late â50s by packaging specialty fasteners and other items geared toward residential plumbing jobs . in the early â60s , ed borrowed the idea of spinning copper tube closed for simple air chambers and adapted it for stub outs which could be used by plumbers . this preformed copper tube saved plumbers from sweat soldering tube caps onto their copper tube for water shock and test - off purposes . by 1975 a heavy emphasis on sales and new product development began when edâs two eldest sons purchased the corporation and took over operations . since then sioux chief has introduced a wide range of innovative products .
sioux chief mfg . co . inc . was founded and incorporated in august , 1957 by the late martin e . “ed” ismert , jr . in an attempt to smooth the boom - bust housing cycle that his plumbing wholesale supply company experienced . sioux chief got its start during the late ‘50s by packaging specialty fasteners and other items geared toward residential plumbing jobs . in the early ‘60s , ed borrowed the idea of spinning copper tube closed for simple air chambers and adapted it for stub outs which could be used by plumbers . this performed copper tube saved plumbers from sweat soldering tube caps onto their copper tube for water shock and test - off purposes . by 1975 a heavy emphasis on sales and new product development began when ed’s two eldest sons purchased the corporation and took over operations . since then sioux chief has introduced a wide range of innovative products .
but creativity lives in the heart of this company , and hearts can’t be innovated . hearts innovate . so as long as these hearts keep beating , sioux chief’s creativity will never stop . as joe ismert puts it , “we make all these new things because we can’t help ourselves . ”
“the integration of watts product lines was critical for us , ” said ismert . “the product overlap and the manufacturing competency will absolutely help add to our presence as a manufacturer and leverage our ability to produce world - class products . ”
additional prizes , materials and on - site support provided by : a . o . smith ; american supply assn . ; brasscraft manufacturing co . ; caddy ; calculated industries ; carhartt ; cast iron soil pipe institute ; charlotte pipe & foundry ; copper development assn . ; delta faucet company ; dewalt tools & accessories ; harris products group ; irwin industrial tools ; kentucky assn . of master contractors ; kohler ; lenox ; matheson gas ; milwaukee tool ; nibco , inc . ; oatey ; phcc educational foundation ; phcc – national association ; plumbers supply co . ; ridgid / ridge tool company ; rothenberger usa ; senninger plumbing co . ; sharkbite ; sioux chief manufacturing co . ; tyler pipe ; ua local 502 ; viega , llc ; and zoeller pump co .
our story began back in august of 1957 , when sioux chief mfg . co . inc . was founded and incorporated by the late martin e .
ed
ismert , jr . , in an attempt to smooth the boom - bust housing cycle experienced by his plumbing wholesale supply company .
novi , mi - plumbers from across the u . s . gathered in michigan recently to meet with brasscraft manufacturing company . the forum focused on the impending 2014 nation - wide no - lead legislation and its impact on the plumbing industry .
sioux chief , a family business started in 1957 , has about 440 employees now and expects to have 500 to 550 in two or three years if the economy continues its current growth , ismert said . the company also has a temporary workforce that’s usually around 50 or 60 people , he said .
the nation headed into a sharp economic recession in 1958 , causing a tremendous boom for sioux chief . in 1960 , ed ismert hired his brother ted , an electronics engineer , to help out at sioux chief . one of his projects was preparing sand cloth for sale to the contractors . with ted aboard , he soon analyzed the sand cloth process . using parts from his children ' s old pinball machine , ted built an ungainly contraption that unrolled and re - rolled the sand cloth . the labor saving device worked perfectly , and uncle ted ' s expertise and influence upon the tiny company was just the beginning .
sioux chief makes rough plumbing supplies , the workhorse pipes and other parts “that are behind walls and under the floors , out of sight , ” ismert said . “but you might see some of our drains at a royals game , ” he added , because some of the company’s commercial drainage parts are used at kauffman stadium .
sioux chief got its start packaging specialty fasteners and other items geared toward residential plumbing jobs . in the early ' 60s , ed borrowed the idea of spinning copper tube closed for simple air chambers and adapted it for stub outs which could be used by plumbers . this preformed copper tube saved plumbers from sweat soldering tube caps onto their copper tube for water shock and test - off purposes . by 1975 a heavy emphasis on sales and new product development began when ed ' s two eldest sons purchased the corporation and took over operations . since then sioux chief has welcomed the third generation of family members to the team and has introduced a wide range of innovative products .
water hammer arresters the mini , hydra , and mega - resters are designed and manufactured to stop water hammer , that banging noise you hear when you , or your laundry machine , shut off the water supply abruptly . sioux chief considers these soldiers of silence the jewels in the company’s crown . most importantly , customers love and demand them , and in large quantities . if quality and satisfaction weren’t enough , states such as florida have been reviewing and modifying their plumbing codes in the very recent past ; it seems as though states , too , are “demanding” that water hammer arresters be installed . needless to say , that bodes well for this sioux chief product line .
sioux chief began its operations in a 3 , 000 square foot third floor area of double i supply , a plumbing wholesaler in the kansas city , kansas , west river bottoms , from 1957 to 1967 . after moving to kansas city , missouri , from 1967 to 1969 , sioux chief grew into a 10 , 000 square foot building in grandview , missouri , from 1970 until 1983 . in 1983 , the corporation purchased its own building for the first time , a 23 , 000 square foot plant , warehouse , and office south of peculiar , missouri . today this plant / warehouse / office has grown to occupy more than 300 , 000 square feet on 140 acres .
“enterprise financial cde is very excited to be a part of this transaction , ” said mitch baris , executive director . “the project is truly a cooperative effort of many committed financial partners and , of course , an expanding business . the impact of this project and sioux chief’s commitment to the local community will only help facilitate further investments . ”
i also keep coming back to the fact that it’s the sioux chief company . chiefs and leaders of tribes are deeply revered positions of power , and to me it just seems so absolutely degrading to have that position of wisdom , trust , and authority placed on a bathroom drain . people are literally ( excuse the language ) pissing on our culture .
so he bought the stakes of his father and a cousin in the late 1960s , and built a company with sales and distribution in more than 30 countries , manufacturing plants in atchison and in vancouver , wash . , supply - chain partners in china , and headquarters in overland park .
the company is able to bring those ideas to life because it does so much of the work itself . “one of the reasons sioux chief is able to turn an idea into a product so quickly is because we design and build our own machines , tools and dies , and equipment to ensure that exact product tolerances are achieved , ” the company says .
sioux chief will sell standard brass product beyond the jan 4 , 2014 date and will identify the product by marking the packaging as
illegal to use for potable services . to be used exclusively for non - potable applications .
some products and assemblies can be used within no lead systems . see product marking page for details on no lead specific products .
specialty specialty is the sioux chief “catch - all” product group ; or , at least , it provides a home for products that don’t fit well into any other product group . not surprisingly , sioux chief is an equal - opportunity innovator , seeing beyond “group lines” when thinking creatively . innovation is as innovation does , it seems . take the shower wallnut , for instance ; it is a before - the - wall , glass - filled nylon shower - arm connection . it comes equipped with a stainless steel lock ring and built - in compression ferrule to seal a stub out watertight to the wallnut and the wallnut watertight to the shower arm . most importantly , explains joe , it eliminates the last untested joint in a plumbing installation .
early trail markers ingenuity helped make the sioux a mighty nation ; at sioux chief , ingenuity formed the basis for everything that was to follow . in 1961 , “uncle ted , ” brother to ed , uncle to joe and an electrical engineer with a mechanical background , started to develop the spinning machine that would be used to produce the air chamber and stub out . in 1962 , ted was finished . the machine was working . “that was our inspiration to find ‘a better way’ and the whole philosophy behind what we do now , ” joe explains .
sioux chief says it is proud of the fact that not only are 90 percent of its products manufactured in - house , but those products are made in the united states . the company says american - made products may have fallen out of favor with some companies looking for a cheaper overseas alternative , but the overall cost of products made offshore is higher than they expect .
“altcap is thrilled to support another family - owned business that is committed to investing and growing in kansas city , ” said ruben alonso , president of altcap . “we are especially happy to have facilitated the participation of the full employment council in the effort to ensure that the economic impact of sioux chief’s investment accrues to the surrounding community in the form of job opportunities . ”
drainage the tko ( “total knock out” ) closet flange ( a fastening adapter that affixes the toilet to both the floor and drainage line ) is one of the company’s most recent product advancements . like many of sioux chief’s products , this has existed “in function” nearly since the advent of toilets themselves . but the sioux chief tko functions better . it serves as both closet flange and test device , equipped with a one - piece molded test cap that is both easy to remove in whole ( with a quick pop from a hammer ) and impossible to break into pieces . plumbers love it . the problem with competitors’ models , joe adds , is that they can be easily broken into shards that find their way into a drain , clogging the system .
“when the time came to name his new company , it did not take ed long , as he had learned from his father all about the sioux indian nation , ” the company explains . “the sioux nation were a very proud and resolute people that , while being fierce and competitive , held in highest regard the family , the earth and especially wakan tanka , the great spirit . ”
the new markets tax credit program was also a key part of the unique financing package used to support sioux chief’s investment in kansas city . altcap , enterprise financial cde and central bank of kansas city contributed a combined $ 34 . 5 million in nmtc allocation delivering close to $ 10 million in facilitated financing . us bancorp community development corporation , an affiliate of us bank , was the tax credit investor .


kay musical instrument company was a musical instrument manufacturer of the united states , in operation since the 1930s until the 1960s .

it was established in 1931 at chicago , illinois by henry kay kuhrmeyer , from the assets of the former stromberg-voisinet , which was founded as groeschel mandolin company in 1890 .

kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936 — five years after the rickenbacker frying pan , and the same year as the gibson es-150 .

nonetheless , kay is considered an electric guitar pioneer because kuhrmeyer bought their past company , stromberg-voisinet , and produced the first commercial electric guitar , the stromberg electro , in 1928 .

kay musical instrument company

the kay musical instrument company was an american musical instrument manufacturer that was formally established in 1931 .
the kay musical instrument company was one of many early musical instrument manufacturers in the united states . the kay company was officially established in 1931 at chicago , illinois by henry kay kuhrmeyer .
american archtop guitar , kay musical instrument company , chicago , c . 1950 , model n2
kay guitar company produced guitars and other musical instruments from the 1930s to the 1960s .
earliest tag says simply ( kay musical instrument co . chicago , u . s . a ) .
sg galan is the original brand of japan ' s shimokura musical instrument store .
chubby jackson , a jazz bassist , endorsed the kay bass for kay musical instrument company from about 1946 until 1969 . the s - 51 model kay was advertised as the
chubby jackson models .
the kay musical instrument company emerged in the 1930’s in chicago , when kay founder henry kay “hank” kuhrmeyer and an invester acquired the groehsl instrument company , which was founded in 1890 . kuhrmeyer was interested in producing electric guitars and amplifiers when he took over the company , and they did just that in 1936 with the release of the company’s first electric guitar .
in 1923 , henry kay kuhrmeyer joined the company . he later became president . in 1928 , with help of an investor , bought the company . the new company , “kay musical instruments” was formally established in 1931 from the assets of stromberg - voisinet . henry kuhrmeyer , with no musical background , but was financially successful in the musical instrument business .
throughout most of the 1900s , the kay musical instrument company was a true behemoth of the american guitar market . based in chicago , the company’s output was impressive , surpassed only by the harmony company ( also based in chicago ) .
kay musical instrument company output was very impressive , surpassed only by the harmony company ( also based in chicago ) . the kay company had a significant impact in the history of guitar making in the usa , and the company always had a plethora of guitars in just about every price range and style .
then , in 1928 , new owner henry kay kuhrmeyer changed the name to the kay musical instrument company and began to focus on all types of stringed instruments , like basses and violas and guitars .
the kay guitar company was a division of the kay musical instrument company formerly known as stromberg - voisinet which manufactured professional and student instruments since the 1890s . this company was no relation to elmer stromberg and son , the boston luthiers that built high quality , collectible archtop guitars .
during the early 50s barney kessel played on the gibson es - 350 , later on in the late 50s he endorsed 3 guitars from a company called kay musical instrument co .
in 1964 , kay musical instruments moved to a new factory in elk grove village , illinois . the move to the new building attracted a buyer , and in 1965 katz sold the company to seeburg , a company already famous for their juke boxes . katz became the head of seeburg’s musical instrument division . bob keyworth , a long time kay employee , headed up the kay instrument division .
in 1964 , kay musical instruments moved to a new factory in elk grove village , illinois . the move to the new building attracted a buyer , and in 1965 katz sold the company to seeburg , a company already famous for their juke boxes . katz became the head of seeburg ' s musical instrument division . bob keyworth , a long time kay employee , headed up the kay instrument division .
kay musical instrument company was a prolific american manufacturer of musical instruments that operated from the 1930s through the 1960s . although kay ' s first electric guitar was offered in 1936 ( the same year as gibson es - 150 , five years after the frying pan ) , kay is known as an electric guitar pi . . .
founded in 1890 , the company originally operated as the groeschel company and manufactured mandolins . in 1918 the company name was changed to the stromberg–voisinet company and added guitars and banjos to the lineup .
henry kuhrmeyer , with no musical background , was financially successful in the musical instrument business and was able to start planning his retirement in 1953 . sidney m . katz , who had excellent financial backing from family members including albert pick , of picks hotels , was interested in purchasing the company . after having worked for harmony instruments , katz knew the musical instrument business , but came to work in the accounting department of kay musical instruments for some time before taking over full and complete leadership .
the kay guitar company ' s origins date back to the 1890 ' s , starting with the groeschel mandolin company of chicago , illinois .
direct digital download of a high quality scan of the 1946 kay upright 5 string bass print ad shown . scanned directly from original print ad from a 1946 magazine that measured approximately 6
x 9
. a cool early ad for kay musical instrument company featuring endorsers
kay musical instrument company primarily manufactured inexpensive guitars from the 1930s to the 1960s . however , they also made a few top quality arch top guitars . the most collectable kay guitars are any model with the “kelvinator” plastic headstock overlay that is stylized with art - deco decorations .
kay model k5915 . i’m unsure of the year , as there is no serial number found on the instrument .
kay also produced a line of archtop acoustic guitars under the brand name kamico . the company outsourced its amplifiers to a rival company called valco .
kay was indeed one of the earliest american manufacturers of electric guitars . things progressed , and by 1934 , the company was officially known as the
kay musical instrument company
. the company became larger and more successful over the years , leading to the addition of a new factory in elk grove village , illinois in 1964 . but somehow by 1965 , the company had hit rough times and was bought by seeburg , a jukebox manufacturer that sold kay to valco in 1967 .
the linings of an instrument were glued to the rib sections , providing a surface area for gluing the top and back of the instrument to the ribs . kay always installed both inner and
with the stromberg - voisinet company now recognized as a leader in their field , business expanded quickly , and by 1934 kuhrmeyer repaid the debts he owed . the kay musical instrument company moved to a new building , in 1935 , at 1640 w . walnut st . in chicago , il .
kamico was a part of the kay - kraft musical instrument company ( which is where the name was derived from ) that operated from 1931 to 1968 . kamico brand appeared on lap - steels , amps , mandolin guitars , archtops…from 1947 to ?
direct digital download of a high quality scan of the 1946 kay upright 5 string bass print ad shown . scanned directly from original print ad from a 1946 magazine that measured approximately 8 1 / 2
x 11
. this is a cool early ad for kay musical instrument company featuring endorsers
in 1931 kay was formally established in 1931 when the assets of the former stromberg - voisinet company were acquired by businessman henry
kay
kuhrmeyer .
but this same company offers kay vintage reissue guitars . these instruments are made in the far east , but are well made replicas of the famous kay thin twin guitar and what is called the kay jazz guitar , which is a semi - hollow body double cutaway instrument .
by 1964 the company moved from chicago to new quarters in elk grove illinois and continued the tradition of selling kay guitars and musical instrument as well as house - brand instruments , but the demand for electric guitars was very heavy at this time in history .
by 1928 , kuhrmeyer had bought the company and that same year the company started producing electric guitars and amps .
direct digital download of a high quality scan of the 1946 kay bass guitar print ad shown . scanned directly from original print ad from a 1946 magazine that measured approximately 6 1 / 2
x 10
. this is a cool early ad for kay musical instrument company featuring endorser norman bates playing the 5 - string kay upright bass . . . .
with the stromberg - voisinet company now recognized as a leader in their field , business expanded quickly , and by 1934 kuhrmeyer repaid the debt he owed einsele . the kay musical instrument company already formed , presented itself with a new building , in 1935 , at 1640 w . walnut st . in chicago , il .
kay ' s roots go back to 1890 to the groehsl company , a manufacturer of musical instruments when it was sold to stromberg - voisinet in 1929 with mr . groehsl remaining and henry k kuhrmeyer as treasurer and later president of the company .
kay guitars ( of chicago illinois ) were first built in 1890 under the company name groehsl which by 1921 had changed to stromberg - voisinet . the driving force at that company was henry kay kuhrmeyer , the treasurer . he established the company as one of the main jobbers of the 1920 ' s supplying guitars to montgomery wards and regal stores . in early 1931 a higher end line of guitars was created called
kay kraft
and by the end of the year the company was renamed kay musical instruments .
the dickerson musical instrument manufacturing company was founded in 1935 , and by the end of the decade it was supplying lap steels and amps to oahu , bronson and many other brands . it also sold instruments under its own
hall was the exclusive veneer provider to the kay musical instrument company from sometime in the 1940 ' s until the end of kay ' s production in 1969 . the spruce came from birdseye veneer in escanaba , mi . which provided the finest material available in the united states , very similar to the spruce from bavaria .
just a year later , in 1965 . katz sold kay to the jukebox manufacturer seeburg corporation with katz becoming head of seeburg ' s musical instrument division . two years later kay was resold and merged with valco . however by now the guitar boom was fizzling out . the company was dissolved by 1968 and the assets of both kay and valco were auctioned off in 1969 .
direct digital download of a high quality scan of the 1947 kay 5 string bass & artist guitar print ad shown . scanned directly from original print ad from a 1947 magazine that measured approximately 4
x 7
. a cool early ad for kay musical instrument company featuring showing the
top team
of the 5 - string kay upright bass and the artist guitar . . . .
former employees of the kay musical instrument company believe the ( c - 1 ) bass to be the most common . they thought kay made about twice as many ( c - 1 ) basses as they did ( m - 1 ) . probably 10 - 15 % of the basses produced were either ( s ) or ( m - 3 ) models .
the kay company had a significant impact in the history of guitar making in the usa , and the company always had a plethora of guitars in just about every price range and style .
the earliest instrument in the database is a cello ser # 2 . the earliest basses may also have been named kay , kay kraft , old kraftsman , kraftsmen , kustomkraft , custom kraft , k - kraft , kay - meyer , or k - meyer .
kay was founded in 1931 by henry “kay” kuhrmeyer . they supplied guitars to montgomery wards and others . during the 1950s their electric guitars were competitors for the silvertone and danelectro guitars . the company dissolved in 1968 . kay guitars are not currently in production . however , kay also produced cellos and basses . engelhardt - link purchased the acoustic line of instruments from kay . these are still being produced in elk grove village , il . the company lineage started with the groeshel mandolin company .
this company , which may have been a distributor as opposed to a manufacturer , was a member of the matsumoto musical instrument association . they have been credited with camel and fresher badged guitars , although freshers were also made by chushin in the late 1970s .
henry kay kuhrmeher joined the company in 1923 and bought it outright in 1928 . the kay musical instrument company flourished during the 1930s and 1960s and became one of the leading manufacturers of acoustic and electric guitars in the united states and opened a new factory in elk grove , illinois . their guitars and bass guitars were and still are played by a number of famous musicians , such as eric clapton , bob dylan , howlin’ wolf , ry cooder and jack white .
little - known manufacturer from osaka , japan , this company is responsible for the oddly named john bennet badge . nakai has been mentioned as a possible matusmoto musical instruments association member in the past . the company still exists and is producing musical instruments , quite a feat in light of so many manufacturers who faded after the golden electric guitar age .
the company ' s name was changed to
stromberg - voisinet
in 1921 , and shortlyafterwards , in 1923 , henry kay
hank
kuhrmeyer ( the origin of the name
kay
) joined the company and quickly worked his way up to the top .
to vary height of strings above fingerboard , loosen strings and wing nut inside of body . push heel of neck backward or forward to desired string height . retighten wing nut . never loosen wood screw in neck . patent applied for kay musical instrument co . chicago , ill
the kay musical instrument company was leading their field in lamination . from the beginning , the kay bass ( 1937 ) had a laminated top and back formed on presses in the factory . presses were made of a material that looked like plaster and wood and finally steel . hide glue was probably the glue used to laminate the plys . upon taking a 1949 bass apart , hide glue between the plys was apparent .
in 1980 , a . r . enterprises ( tony blair ) purchased the kay trademark . as of this date , blair is still listed as ceo of kay guitars and also of kustom musical instruments which was formerly owned by hanser music .
with the help of an investor , kuhrmeyer secured and purchased the stromberg - voisinet company in 1928 the same year the company became interested in electrifying the guitar .
it ' s made by the fujigen , maya and matsomoku company ' s .
kay did build a line of amps carried over from the old stromberg company that were also sold through catalogs like spiegel and others . kay eventually subcontracted its amplifier production to chicago music industry rival valco in the 1950s .
it says ( genuine kay bass viol _ _ _ _ model ser no . _ _ _ _ _ ) . the word kay is in script , there is no loop on the kay , and all letters of the word kay use the same font and are bold .
however , by the sixties the company began to lose momentum and was bought by seeburg , a jukebox manufacturer , in 1965 . kay was sold again in 1967 to valco but the company dissolved only a year later due to financial problems
henry kuhrmeyer started planning his retirement in 1953 . sidney m . katz , who had excellent financial backing from family members including albert pick , of picks hotels , was interested in purchasing the company . after having worked for harmony instruments , katz knew the musical instrument business , but came to work in the accounting department of kay musical instruments for some time before taking over full and complete leadership . in 1955 , kuhrmeyer retired allowing katz full ownership and responsibility . kuhrmeyer died march 18 , 1956 .
the assets of kay / valco were auctioned off in october of 1969 . w . m . i . , weiss musical instruments , founded by jack westheimer , operated by sil weindling and barry hornstein , bought the kay name . tony blair , who had been working for w . m . i since 1973 bought the kay name in 1980 after he heard fred gretsch , jr . was interested in a brand name . by 1982 blair began using the kay name on instruments and in 1984 the kay guitar company began manufacturing and importing instruments for beginners .
the first bass with the engelhardt name left the factory on february 18 , 1970 with a serial number of 260 . why this number was chosen , no one remembers . serial numbers for the engelhardt basses are well organized and assigned to the instrument just before the instrument leaves the factory . excellent records are kept and in short periods of time company personnel can tell a caller the year in which an instrument was made .
the kay kraft kay kraft guitar was manufactured from 1929 until 1937 . the kay kraft jumbo was made in the 1930s had a pressed ( rather than carved ) arched spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides . kay pioneered the use of laminated woods in high - volume guitar production .
truetone trademark of western auto supply company . serial number : 72207542 : : trademarkia trademarks
urltoken is a division of legalforce , inc . , a delaware software automation company .
not to be confused with stromberg guitars . kuhrmeyer eventually became president of this firm . the company had its roots as the groeschel mandolin company which was founded in 1890 .
i ordered from stewart macdonald company urltoken the following items . ( 1 . )
the assets of kay / valco were auctioned off in october of 1969 . w . m . i . , weiss musical instruments , founded by jack westheimer , operated by sil weindling and barry hornstein , bought the kay name . by the early ‘70s , kay only existed as a brandname attached to japanese import guitars . tony blair , who had been working for w . m . i since 1973 bought the kay name in 1980 after he heard fred gretsch , jr . was interested in a brand name . by 1982 blair began using the kay name on instruments and in 1984 the kay guitar company began manufacturing and importing instruments for beginners again .
kay guitars manufactured the kessel archtop electric model named after him . kay merged with valco in 1967 and it ' s name was dissolved in 1968 .
the horseshoes were manufactured by kay . kay employees started with 1 / 4
piece of ebony and used a forstner bit for the inside diameter .
founded by a father and son , ryohei tahara and the unknown tahara . i do not know which was the father and which was the son . the company existed until the late 1979 when it was bought up by saga musical instruments . in all , the company existed less than a decade as tahara . both the maya and el maya badges are attributed to tahara . saga musical instruments exists to this day .
in 1969 , the company’s assets were auctioned off and the kay name , and some of its trademarks , were acquired by weiss musical instruments . the company has changed hands a number of times in the last three decades and currently offers low priced acoustic , electric and bass guitars and also sell resonators , mandolins , harmonicas , ukuleles and banjos that are manufactured in asia .
in 1961 kay offered the twin pickup kay jazz guitar that featured and arched top , double cutaways , two kay single coil pickups and a bigsby tailpiece . the thin line electrics were modified and included the single pickup galaxie model .
the kay krafts venetian style body resembled a mandolin . for those of you acquainted with some plucked / strummed string instrument history you will know that mandolins were very much in vogue during this era .
kay is known as an electric guitar pioneer because their past company stromberg - voisinet produced the first commercial electric guitar , the stromberg electro , in 1928 .
in 1967 , valco company who had been responsible for the national and supro brands , descendants of the dopyera brothers and dobro , bought kay from seeburg . with robert engelhardt as president and al link as vice - president of valco , kay products were unchanged . during valco’s ownership , kay’s catalog was simply reprinted with valco’s name at the head . japanese competition , debt accumulation and inventory excesses were difficult for kay / valco to handle and a decision was made to dissolve the company .
kluson manufacturing company of chicago agreed to do the metal work for tuners and side plates .
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a vintage kay k162 electric bass guitar was sold on urltoken for $ 750 .
kay produced a model c - 4 bass which was a blonde concert model .
shield tag says ( genuine kay bass viol maestro model _ _ _ ) .
during the production of the kay bass every effort was made to produce instruments to exacting tolerances set forth by menc , the musical educators national conference . menc , a non - profit organization was formed in 1907 , with the intent of helping every american student obtain a musical education by encouraging schools , communities and educators to offer music programs .
american archtop guitar , kay musical instrument company , chicago , c . 1950 , model n2 , serial number l 1442 , the headstock with metal kay logo , width of lower bout 15 5 / 8 in . , no case . estimate $ 300 - 350 note : start the video at 5 minutes in to hear a similar kay . this archtop has the classic tone you would expect . this one is maple fingerboard , sides and back and a ply - construction top ( in pictures look at f - hole closeup ) . works well with the lace pickup i have for sale separately .
in 1967 , valco company who had been responsible for the national and supro brands , descendants of the dopyera brothers and dobro , bought kay from seeburg . with robert engelhardt as president and al link as vice - president of valco , kay products were unchanged . during valco ' s ownership , kay ' s catalog was simply reprinted with valco ' s name at the head . japanese competition , debt accumulation and inventory excesses were difficult for kay / valco to handle and a decision was made to dissolve the company .
- offering a download containing high quality scans ( 300 dpi ) of the rare complete original 9
x 12
four - page brochure from my personal archive . this digital brochure shows and describes the line of student basses and cellos produced by the kay musical instrument company in chicago , illinois at this time . also included some pages from a grossman counter catalog showing the very cool kay maestro m - 1b , swingmaster s - 9 and chubby jackson model s - 51 basses and kay accessories . download includes pdf continuous document allowing you to see or print the entire catalog clearly . great reference material .
engelhardt manufactures the same line of upright instruments as produced by the kay musical instrument company . basses are advertised as concert ( ec - 1 ) , maestro ( em - 1 ) , maestro 1 / 4 ( em - 3 ) , supreme ( es - 1 ) , and swingmaster ( es - 9 ) models , with the
e
simply representing the engelhardt name . cellos represent a larger part of the business than basses .
one of the more unusual guitars kay offered in 1960 was the solo king , the upper part of the body was not carved , except for the upper cutaway . the lower part had a carve to rest the instrument on the players leg and a cutaway . it was available with one or two pickups . eastwood guitars briefly revived this instrument .
the origins of the company can be traced as far back as the 1890s with the groeschel mandolin company of chicago , illinois . in 1921 , the company changed its name to stromberg - voisinet and in 1928 produced the stromberg electro , which is widely acknowledged as the first commercial electric guitar .
kay produced many of its instruments for resell by retail stores and catalog companies to sell as house brands this means kay instruments can be found under a variety of names .
this same year kay introduced their thin line electric models which became a staple with student guitarists , as did the kay pro which had more of a les paul vibe .
like a guitar , but sounds like a big upright double bass
. the kay
some of the nickeled kay script metal insignias have “japan” stamped on the back side .
groehsl instrument company , who had been in business in chicago since 1890 , changed its name to stromberg - voisinet . they were expanding their product line from bowl - backed mandolins , to include banjo ' s and guitars which would position them to become one of the lead instrument producers in the city of chicago . kuhrmeyer wished to be a part of their growth .
the company made electric bass guitars as well , and in this edition of old school , bassist frank novko shares his late 50’s / early 60’s kay model k5915 electric bass with us .
vintage kay electric guitars are regularly sold on ebay . in january 2012 alone , several kay electric guitars were sold between $ 200 and $ 800 . a vintage 1950’s kay “sizzler” black silvertone electric guitar , in good condition , sold for $ 1 , 400 .
- offering a download containing high quality scans ( 300 dpi ) of the rare complete original 9
x 12
four - page brochure from my personal archive . this digital brochure shows and describes the line of student basses and cellos produced by the kay musical instrument company in chicago , illinois at this time . also included some pages from a grossman counter catalog showing the very cool kay maestro m - 1b , swingmaster s - 9 and chubby jackson model s - 51 basses and kay accessories . see photos for complete contents . . download includes pdf continuous document allowing you to see or print the entire catalog clearly . great reference material .
there is also another s - 10 which was manufactured for the selmer instrument co . the basses were manufactured in 1937 . the ¾ sized
there are a plethora of vintage guitar dealers and internet sites that sell kay musical instruments , such as vintageguitarpro . com , urltoken and soundpure . com . however , if possible , it is widely recommended to buy a vintage guitar “in - person” , as although the instrument may look good on the online photograph , there could still be numerous problems with its internal mechanics .
the upright bass and cello lines were sold to a company formed by a ranking valco employee and was called . engelhardt - link . the kay name ( and some of its trademarks , such as knox were acquired by teisco importer , weiss musical instruments aka w . m . i . which was owned by sol weindling and barry hornstein . these men put the kay logo on imported japanese guitars that were manufactured by teisco .
this little - known company is responsible for the st . george badge . this particular badge was made from 1963 - 1967 . it also produced the rare shiro guitar . it is possible that the company may also be responsible for the pleasant guitar badge after 1966 . this company may have been a small offshoot of aria guitar company , founded by shiro arai , but that has not been verified as of today .
yasuma still exists as a company today , making high quality acoustic guitars . located in nagoya , japan , the company may have been a source for yamaha in the 1970s . manufactured house brand yasuma guitars .
mid - ’30s stromberg / kay del oro , with “resonator” containing the stromberg electro unit .
two new kay models were available in 1962 . one was the kay double cutaway solid guitar , k300 . it featured two pickups on a curly maple body and what kay called its thin lite neck . the kay double cutaway model k592 was perhaps the precursor to gibson ' s johnny a model . this excellent guitar featured twin florentine cutaways and a bigsby vibrato .
the k162 kay electronic bass guitar .
it ' s held like a guitar , played
a year later , kay began producing their well - known upright – a 3 / 4 size bass hand - built using special machinery and featuring the embossed trademark kay cursive script .
this is a very rare k - 48 manufactured by the kay musical instrument company . limited numbers were produced from 1947 through 1951 . the k - 48 was kay ' s answer to the gibson l - 5 and epiphone deluxe . the guitar featured a solid handcarved spruce top , highly flamed maple back and sides as well as an ebony fretboard and bridge . the body was bound both front and back with 5 ply cream / black binding . the ebony and pearl headstock sported top of the line kluson sealfast tuners . it was available in either blonde or sunburst finish .
in the late ‘60s , guitar sales were waning , and kay was soon bought out by the valco company ( also located in chicago ) . valco marched on for a few more years , but by the early ‘70s , kay only existed as a brandname attached to japanese import guitars .
though kay may have initially made amplifiers early on , when the company was established it subcontracted its amplifier production to valco . this is interesting because valco / national was their rival in the 1950’s .
according to one of the employees who has worked for kay , kay tried producing some plastic or fiberglass model basses . the one bass found like this had a standard maple neck , rosewood fingerboard , and kay inscribed on the back of the peghead and a rosewood tailpiece with the nickel finish kay metal logo attached . we have still not determined the exact model designation .
kay / valco went out of business soon afterwards , and in 1969 its assets were auctioned off . syl weindling and barry hornstein of w . m . i . ( the main importer of teisco del rey products ) purchased the kay brand name during this time . as a result of this , the names
teisco
and
kay
were used on teisco del rey guitars for a while in the early 70 ' s . in 1980 the kay guitar company was purchased by tony blair and is currently active selling kay brand and santa rosa brand guitars , chicago blues harmonicas and accessories and of course the kay vintage reissue line of professional guitars and basses .
true oddities of the 1959 kay catalog were the sizzler guitars that came in one and two pickup versions . the pickguard and headstock designs were a departure from the more traditional kay guitars .
another kay custom kraft ' sizzler ' sold in april , 2013 on urltoken for $ 1600 .
wtb kay barney kessel jazz special , blond single pu . please contact me : dlnolet @ urltoken
even paul mccarney played a double cutaway kay jazz bass model with wings during their 1970s tour .
company was founded in 1948 and made high quality acoustics . maker of house brand c . f . mountain .
like a tuning fork , the split may double the vibrations to the solid portion of the post and transfer more vibrations to the back of the instrument .
the groeshel mandolin company was established in chicago in 1890 . in 1921 , the company was renamed to stromberg - voisinet . stromberg - voisinet was the chicago company that became kay around 1931 . stromberg - voisinet was one of numerous companies that built musical instruments in chicago in the early part of the 20th century . like regal , harmony and most of their other competitors , stromberg - voisinet made relatively inexpensive instruments that were designed to be sold through catalogs . the 1920s stromberg - voisinet instruments were very well made , given their inexpensive prices , and they generally had a unique designs to attract buyers .
the musical instrument producer recognized henry ' s talents and offered him an opportunity to invest in the company , which he did with the help of his father , charles . by 1923 , henry kuhrmeyer was listed in the chicago city directory as secretary for stromberg - voisinet . charles , while a businessman in st . paul , minnesota , was listed as the vice - president of stromberg - voisinet in the 1928 chicago city directory .
some of kay ' s lower - grade instruments were marketed under the knox and kent brand names .
possibly the kay was embossed on every peghead and then through the sanding and finishing process became invisible .
kay went away from the hand written number beginning with serial number 10 , 000 ( approx ) .
shield tag says ( genuine kay bass viol orchestra model no . _ _ _ _ _ ) .
although kay had been producing this model in the late ‘50s , by 1962 the company had dubbed this thinline the “speed demon . ” these are auditorium–sized guitars ( 40–¼” x 15” ) but were only 1 ¾” thick .
kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936—five years after the rickenbacker frying pan , and the same year as the gibson es - 150 . nonetheless , kay is considered an electric guitar pioneer because kuhrmeyer bought their past company , stromberg - voisinet , and produced the first commercial electric guitar , the stromberg electro , in 1928 .
holiday was the logo on alden’s musical instruments . old kraftsmen was sold through the spiegel catalog . orpheum was distributed through the wards catalog . penncrest was the brand sold by j . c . penny . silvertone and supertone were brandnames for sears musical instruments . suprema was distributed in canada by eatons and truetone was sold through western auto stores .
introduced in the 1952 kay catalog , the new k–161 was featured as the newest development in electric guitars .
it seems like barney’s endorsement ended by 1960 , and these upscale kay jazz boxes ceased production soon after .
so , if you have a number written on the inside back on a suspected kay bass over 3100 on a concert shape , or over 5000 on a maestro shape , then the bass is probably a kay .
- offering a download containing high quality scans ( 300 dpi ) of the rare original 9
x 12
four - page brochure from my personal archive . this digital brochure of one piece of paper folded to produce 4 pages shows and describes the
instruments by kay standards by kessel
kay kessel guitars produced by the kay musical instrument company in chicago , illinois at this time . black and white illustrations and descriptions of some cool stuff included : kessel jazz special , kessel artist guitar , kessel
pro
guitar and the western rhythm guitar ( flattop ) . also includes a full page showing and describing the silva banjos by kay . silva model , silva
pro
model and silva artist . all instruments include retail prices too ! download includes pdf continuous document allowing you to see or print the entire catalog clearly . kelvinators ! ! . . . . . great reference material .
i ' m unsure if this company existed or not , but since many major electronics manufacturers jumped into the electric guitar market in the 1970s , it seems reasonable that hitachi could have ventured briefly into guitar production . a seller of the badged guitar
splender
claims it was made by this company . yet another seller claims the badge slendon was made by this company .
the inner linings , only visible by close inspection of the instrument ' s interior , appeared where the top and back join the ribs . the outer linings were clearly visible showing thin 1 / 2
strips of wood glued to the ribs and running the entire distance around the exterior of the instrument body . the top and back of the instrument extended over the ribs a short distance and the outer linings were installed to provide an additional gluing surface . the inner lining appears to be always kerfed or slotted .
body size , string length , distance from the nut to the top of the base , and depths of the base were dimensions monitored continuously to ensure standards were met . since the target market for kay basses was the beginning student musician , it was important each instrument noted the same .
oahu was not a manufacturing company but a music publishing house . they introduced their own line of musical instruments in the 1920s , sourced primarily from kay / stromberg - voisinet and regal . when electric instruments became popular in the mid 1930s , oahu sourced their electrics from kay and dickerson ( which would be come magnatone ) . a few amps were made by national - dobro . after world war ii , most oahu electrics and amps were built by valco , though some 1940s - 1950s lap steels were built by kay . there is sometimes confusion because a few lap steel models – such as the famous tonemaster – were built by kay and later valco with little cosmetic differences . the valco - built versions can be identified by their string - through pickups .
in the early 1930s when the depression was well underway and many instrument makers were struggling to survive kay contracted stromberg - voisinet a violin maker to build a deluxe arch top acoustic instrument with an adjustable neck other innovative design features . sorry folks but bob taylor guitars didn ' t invent the bolt on neck . this kay bolt on neck system is simple , effective and works ! in fact this kay system works so well you don ' t even need a service technician to perform a neck reset . you can do it in about 3 minutes . just loosen the strings , reach inside and loosen the giant wing nut , adjust the neck how you want it and retighten , done !
collectors generally rate kay slightly above harmony guitars , but both are below gibson in terms of collectability and quality . kay made some fine instruments from stand up basses , cellos to some nice acoustic and electric guitars and basses .
in recent years the brand kay has emerged and is being applied to some student grade instruments made in the far east and pacific rim countries . in checking linkedin , tony blair is still the man in charge of kay .
roger fritz was hired by tony blair in 2010 to develop the vintage reissue line of kay guitars and bass .
1950 ' s - 60 ' s kay guitars 6 string parlor guitar , with case . nice , # l7230
mark heller says
vintage kay bass . . . . . . . . - rat strat guitars | facebook
direct digital download of a high quality scan of the 1945 kay upright bass print ad shown . scanned directly from original print ad that measured approximately 8 1 / 4
x 11
. a cool early ad for kay that shows slam stewart ( then of the benny goodman orchestra ) playing his kay five string upright bass . .
playing the 5 - string kay upright basses . . . . byline is
kay 5 string bass artists place first and second in polls !
. . minor crease evident from fold in source trade paper . . .
four questions are included to properly register your kay bass . after answering the questions , send the info , and i will be able to add your kay bass to the database . hopefully with enough input we can learn about kay bass serial numbers and model types . after registration i will provide a date of manufacture for your bass .
shield tag says ( genuine kay bass viol _ _ _ _ model ser no . _ _ _ ) .
just search [ kay archtop walk around ] . head has one of the best kay tin emblems ever made . guitar sounds and looks great ! if you push in on the crack it has
no give
it feels solid .
playing the 5 - string kay upright bass . . . minor crease evident from fold in source trade paper . .
there is an empty space a little larger than a quarter and frequently the word kay is embossed into the wood .
stromberg - voisinet had primarily manufactured mandolins , tenor guitars , tenor banjos and 6 - string guitars under its own brand as well as a large number of other brands , as stromberg - voisinet was an oem supplier to many other manufacturers . kay musical instruments continued this practice ; however , kay did sell many instruments under its own brand , “kaykraft . ” kay also made guitars under a few different brand names , such as silvertone , truetone , airline , and old kraftsman , among others sold through catalogs which was the practice in this era .
- this rare complete original 1930 ' s - 40s carl fischer musical instruments catalog shows and describes the complete line of musical instruments and accessories offered at this time . everything musical from bagpipes to horns , banjos , guitars , violins , fifes , flutes , flageolets , french horns and more . includes 88 pages with a neat color illustration section in the middle . also includes 2 - page order form . please see photos for contents . . . it ' s a dazzling array of fine ( now valuable vintage ) instruments . . . ( see photos for more about contents )
during the best years for kay , the company was overshadowed by other usa brands , such as gibson , fender , guild , gretsch and martin , who were building superior products . however some of the kay models , both electric and the acoustic archtops were excellent guitars and are now commanding high prices in the vintage market . they were just under appreciated back in the day .
during the same time gibson convinced barney kessel that they would match the deal he had with this company and build him a better guitar .
i also have hohner hg 9 - 12 arbor series 12 string and found some info on it but not what japanese company made it .
kay also built one of the earliest electric bass guitars using the similar “thin” single coil pickups called the pro bass . commonly referred to as the “howlin’ wolf bass” as it was used by andrew “blueblood” mcmahon in the wolf band . the kay pro bass was the second electric bass on the market , built by kay in response to fender’s electric precision bass . unlike the precision bass that has a solid body , the kay pro bass is a hollow body and has a different sound . these original basses are sought after and still used today in some studios . these basses have also been reissued by kay .
also because of customer demand the flat was removed from the fingerboard , giving the fingerboard a rounded appearance . this change helps the student musician
bow
his instrument with less arm movement .
irish musical instrument lessons : 6 : 30 p . m . to 7 : 30 p . m . wednesday evenings for ages 5 - 18 . braintree community arts center , 1969 washington st . , braintree . wednesday evenings group class teaching of the fiddle , flute , accordion and tin - whistle . the type of music taught will be traditional irish music . ages 5 - 18 . materials required : take an instrument . rentals available ; contact in advance to arrange . cost : $ 25 per class . for information : 781 - 348 - 9241 , braintreecommunityartcenter . com .
carl and august larson were swedish immigrants who settled in chicago , hotbed of american instrument manufacturing . they started building instruments for the maurer instrument company , which the brothers purchased for themselves in 1901 . the two brothers – alone , without any other workers in their factory – built thousands of guitars for the maurer , dyer , stahl and bruno brands . ( aside from maurer , these brands also sourced instruments from other manufacturers ) . they also built under their own euphonon and prairie state names . however , not one of their
a vintage kay kraft “sizzler” electric guitar , made in 1961 , was sold on ebay in january 2012 for $ 1500 .
kay produced a 1 / 4 bass , ( m - 3 ) , along with at least three different sized cellos .
tag no 5 shield tag says ( genuine kay bass viol concert model no . _ _ _ _ _ _ ) .
most common tag introduced in 1938 and used until 1969 . tag says ( genuine kay bass viol _ _ _ _ model
the s models sported the inlaid purfling on the front , back and around the f - holes .
f
holes would be bound . ( s models ) . a very early s model manufactured for the selmer musical instrument co . had the f - holes purfled , however the purfling was at the very edge of the hole , not set back from the edge of the hole .
in 1954 the company offered its first bass guitar called the model k - 162 electronic bass . this remained in the catalog for many years .
the matsumoto musical instrument manufacturers association was the organization responsible for fresher guitars . little is known about this association , other than it did not have larger guitar manufacturers matsumoku or fujigen gakki as members . nakai gakki was a possible member of the association . fresher guitars began production in 1973 by the kyowa shokai company , an association member , which was also responsible for the camel badge . it ' s interesting to note that fresher guitars were eventually being produced by chushin , which leads me to believe that they may have been an association member along with kyowa . the beginning production year was considered a low quality benchmark for the company . the fresher brand continuously improved in quality until 1980 .
stromberg - voisinet is particulary well - known among serious students of stringed instrument design for its unique “venetian” body shape , which was used for its mandolins , tenor guitars and 6 - string guitars .
1960s kay 6109 western dreadnought , freshly set up . kay made this model in the 40s , 50s and 60s , labeling them either as “western” or “western rhythm . ” . the pointy pickguard probably makes this a 60s example ( i think ) .
kay k - 161 thin twin electric guitars made from 1952 to 1959 . this one looks like early 1950s ( but hard to tell exact date ) . commonly referred to as the “jimmy reed” guitar because he was pictured on an album cover with one . the kay musical instrument company mass produced instruments in the usa and the k - 161 thin twin was introduced not long after gibson’s les paul . the thin twin is a semi - hollow body guitar and is not a thin - line . it is larger than its name “thin” implies as it is really a reference to the unique appearance of the dual pickups , having a very slim “blade” profile . the guitar’s body was 2 3⁄4 inches ( 70 mm ) deep . underneath the pickguard these thin blade pickups are actually large single coil pickups .
i have my father ' s mandolin which he told me he bought when he was around 16 or 17 years old . so i am guessing that he bought it somewhere between 1943 - 1945 . it is made by kay musical instrument company and has their full name in the logo . it is also stamped k63 inside . i am wondering if anyone can tell me anything about its worth , if my guess on the age is correct or any other information that i might find useful or interesting . i am wondering if it is worth fixing it up ( my 15 year old son has fallen in love with it ) or if this is going to create further problems with the instrument or whether i would be better off looking for a newer mandolin . it is missing the e strings and is missing a screw that holds the pick - guard in place , otherwise to my untrained eye it looks to be in fairly decent condition . the strings still remaining however are all original to the instrument ( my dad said his fingers were too thick for him to play so he quit ) and i was told that sometimes when you change out the original strings on an old instrument that things start to fall apart . any information or advice would be very much appreciated . thanks