The later acoustic Goya guitars had a high quality finish and their use of nylon strings gave the guitar a different tone from older guitars that used steel strings, making it popular among folk musicians. In the late 1950's a line of steel stringed flattops were launched, with adjustable truss rods and bolted necks. The folk model Goya guitars during this era (to 1950 - 1973) were acoustic guitars handmade in Sweden by the Levin company but were distributed into the US under the brand name of Goya. These Goya guitars are among the rarest of the Hagstrom guitars from Sweden.Goya folk guitars were the preferred choice of many of the 1970 s folk artists such as Melanie Safka and Stevie Nicks. This feature appeared later in the 1960’s with the Dan Amstrong designed Ampeg guitars. With a few basic bodies and colours the dealer can instantly change pickup to satisfy the requirements of any customer.
They were easily plugged into the guitar body enabling the consumer and dealer to make any combination of guitar and pickup to suit the customer’s needs. These unique pickup units are self contained and enclosed and were sold separately from the guitar. The most important feature of the guitar is however the patented interchangeable pickup. They were manufactured in mahogany (back and sides) and spruce (top) with support posts quite similar to Gretsch guitars, then finished with a variety of glitter or solid colours, and sometimes natural mahogany top too as this example. This is a Goya Model 90 and is identical to the Hagstrom EDP46 Deluxe.The Goya Standard and Deluxe models were all hollow. According to the article there were only 177 of the Model 90 made and 370 of the Model 80 made. The Model 90 has a pointed pick-guard while the Model 80 had a rounded pick-guard. The article goes on to say that the Model 90 (DeLuxe) sold for $135 and the Model 80 (Standard) sold for $90. In the July 1999 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine the article "Swedish Hagstrom Guitars, Part 1" the article stated that production lasted only a year from 1960 to 1961 for the Goya Hagstrom brand guitars.
#GOYA GUITAR SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERS#
Based on the Hagstrom serial numbers list (477/027) it indicates a 1960 model. This vintage Goya "hollow-body" Les Paul style electric guitar was made by the Hagstrom Guitar Company of Sweden in the 1960's.
Goya electric guitars have been made in Sweden, Italy, Japan, Korea and possibly other countries by various guitars makers. Martin stopped making the Goya brand guitars in 1996.
By the late 1970s Martin Guitars started making the Goya guitars in Japan then moved manufacturing to Korea during the 1980s and finally to Taiwan during the 1990s. The Martin Guitar Company took over the Levin company by 1975. The distribution of Goya guitars then went to Kustom Electronics Inc. Goya and Levin guitars models are essentially identical. Their guitars were exported under the "Goya" brand to America through the Hershman Musical Instrument Company in New York under an exclusive distribution agreement. Levin guitars began in 1900 and were well known for their quality workmanship. Goya guitars were first made by the Levin company in Gothenburg (Goteborg), Sweden sometime in the early 1950s. Guitar building flourished in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s around the world.
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