Goya Guitar G15
Attention collectors and players. Martin Goya Classical guitar in good condition. There are a couple of larger sized dings on the back of the guitar that will be shown in the last two pictures. There are other minor imperfections. VTG 1956 Goya G15 Acoustic Classical Guitar 50s Gretsch Martin Sweden Orig Case You are bidding on an authentic vintage 1956 Goya classical acoustic guitar. This guitar is in very good condition.
Serial numbers on Goya instruments made by: Levin normally consists of four to seven digits, either hand written or printed on a Goya label. During 1954-1960 that number was a six digit: Levin serial number, and during 1960-1972: several other series was used. However, on some instruments, a six digit: Levin serial number was impressed into the top. His second guitar was a Goya which he bought in 1958. This is way more than you needed to know to consider this Goya G110 guitar. Martin distributed this model from 1978 to 1986, and it has served many musicians well over the years. Despite its classical configuration, it was frequently played as a “folk” instrument.
Goya Guitar G314b
Goya guitars were first made by the Levin company in Gothenburg (Goteborg), Sweden sometime in the early 1950s. I have received a Goya G-15 serial number dating to 1955. Levin guitars began in 1900 and were well known for their quality workmanship. Their guitars were exported under the 'Goya' brand to America through the Hershman Musical Instrument Company in New York under an exclusive distribution agreement. Goya and Levin guitars models are essentially identical. The distribution of Goya guitars then went to Kustom Electronics Inc. and then to Dude Inc. sometime in the early 1970s. The Martin Guitar Company took over the Levin company by 1975 (see the last page of the 'Levin 75th Anniversary Brochure'). 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. Martin stopped making the Goya brand guitars in 1996. Goya electric guitars have been made in Sweden, Italy, Japan, Korea and possibly other countries by various guitars makers.
Goya Guitar G150 G10486
The following Goya/Levin guitar information was provided by Eva Lundin who is related to the Levin family through her grandparents. She talked by phone with Hans Levin, the son of Hartwig Levin and grandson of Herman Carlson Levin the original founder of the Levin company. Eva asked Hans some questions I had sent her. Eva has also communicated by mail with Jerome Hershman, a member of the original Hershman family who first distributed the Goya brand guitars in America. Vintage Goya Guitars wishes to thank Hans Levin, Jerome Hershman and Eva Lundin for providing this important historical information.