Valco

Valco was a prolific manufacturer of guitars, guitar amplifiers, and other musical instruments from the 1940s through 1967.

History

In the 1940s, Valco was formed by three business partners and former owners of the National Dobro Company; Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera. The company name was a combination of the three partner's first initials (V. A. L.) plus the common abbreviation for company (Co.).

Valco manufactured Spanish acoustic guitars, metal-faced resonator guitars, electric lap steel guitars, and vacuum tube amplifiers under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, Oahu, National, and others. They also made amplifiers under contract for several other companies such as Gretsch, Danelectro, Harmony, and Kay. In the 1960s they began producing solid body electric guitars.

Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company in 1967, and the merged company was out of business within a year because of financial difficulties.

Some Valco products, particularly the solidbody electric guitars produced between 1962 and 1967, and certain Supro amplifiers, are highly sought after by collectors of vintage guitar gear.

References

* [http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=242 Vintage Guitar Magazine] - Article about Valco's resonator guitars
* [http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=78 Vintage Guitar Magazine] - Article about Valco's Supro brand