# The United brand - history search



## alwaysflat (Feb 14, 2016)

Hi Folks,
I've got an old guitar that was given to me, not from the original owner. It had a fairly cheap metal stick-on logo "UNITED" . It was intended to be a test mule for me to challenge some repair skills. Literally a piece of old musty garbage that wound up in a heap of old items. In searching out the brand, I've only come across some reference that United was stencil brand that provided instruments for United Music Schools, in Winnipeg. This tidbit was sourced through Garnet having been a provider for some United guitar amps back in the day.
I have to look for the logo from the guitar, but here is a web reference that I'd seen Garnet Stencil Amps - Different Brand Names - garnetamps.com - Home of the Garnet™ Amplifier Company
The guitar's lines are nice and I was attracted to it only after getting the first layers of dirt off of it. It had (sorry, yes ... had) brass type fairly soft frets which suggested to me wartime era. It had been worked on too ... hole where a volume pot used to be, a nibble out of the sound hole, plus a few other un-intentional holes.

So if you have some connections, recollections or vintage info, I'd appreciate contributions to help understand where United's instruments came from through the years.


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## alwaysflat (Feb 14, 2016)

Sorry about the pic quality, this is the camera I used to go inside a guitar, not the best. The logo is from the headstock. I filled the sound hole nibble with a GFS tele pu. The top is very thin .. I've not seen any this thin yet (when I remember to check others). 
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## alwaysflat (Feb 14, 2016)

Luthier list Unicon, Unique Guitars, Univox, United 
site says : United brand instruments were made in 1940s in Elizabeth, New Jersey [Source: Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars ] According to Michael Wright, United also made Orpheum guitars - possibly in the 1950s. United was the successor to the Oscar Schmidt Company [Source: My Rare Guitars]


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

The sticker is the same as the one that was on the headstock of my Les Paul Copy.
My LP copy was Matsumoku made (Japan) under the brand name Granada for a bunch of music schools in Canada.
they branded some as Granada, some as United, and possibly other names as well.
The sticker on mine fell off & was lost many years ago.

That doesn't mean that yours was built by Matsumoku--they could easily have imported guitars by other makers.

That is the same United that sold Garnet Stencils amps (I have two)


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## alwaysflat (Feb 14, 2016)

An instrument article here mentions the relationship of Frank Forcillo, owner of United Guitars, to John D'Angelico a prominent independent luthier of archtop guitars who would in his later years source some guitar bodies through United or “Code” (pronounced Ko-Day) of New Jersey. 
link->
D'Angelico (used, 1959) Electric Archtop guitar built on a United body


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

alwaysflat said:


> An instrument article here mentions the relationship of Frank Forcillo, owner of United Guitars, to John D'Angelico a prominent independent luthier of archtop guitars who would in his later years source some guitar bodies through United or “Code” (pronounced Ko-Day) of New Jersey.
> link->
> D'Angelico (used, 1959) Electric Archtop guitar built on a United body


I don't think this is the same United you're asking about--for reasons given above.

But I do find it interesting to read about guitar history--so that info is appreciated.


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## redman (Oct 18, 2016)

I like it.very interesting..does it have a rosewood board?/hows it play/?


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## Frustrated Bassist (Apr 5, 2016)

The Canadian and NJ 'United' labels are definitely two different brandings. The Canadian 'United' label is most likely from the 'United Conservatory of Music', which appears to be a former chain operation with two existing Alberta locations. There is also a 'United Conservatory' in Kamloops, BC but they don't appear to use that logo. May still be a remnant of a chain though. Below is a link to a 'United' stenciled Kiel amplifier (Kitchener, On), and Paul at Jedistar was able to make out 'Conservatory' under the 'United' on that bottom face plate.
I am originally from Winnipeg and I will be hearing back in regards to whether any of my connections there have any knowledge of a 'United' school/conservatory there. 
Will update as I get further info on this brand.

United
United Conservatory of Music - Calgary - World Class Piano, Guitar and Singing Lessons in Calgary! - Calgary
United Conservatory of Music - Medicine Hat


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Frustrated Bassist said:


> The Canadian 'United' label is most likely from the 'United Conservatory of Music'


Not most likely---it is.

There were number in various places
May only be a couple left with that name--but they still have an affiliation with some other music schools...


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