Goya Guitars originated in 1952 when American distributor Jerome Hershman struck a deal with Swedish manufacturer Levin to market its acoustic guitars in the United States. Believing the Levin name would be a hard sell to American consumers, Hershman rebranded the instruments after Spanish painter Francisco Goya, whose work frequently depicted guitars. For roughly two decades, Goya-branded guitars were essentially Levin instruments built in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the line became popular during the American folk revival of the late 1950s and 1960s.

The catalog spanned classical and steel-string flattops, archtops, and electrics, along with mandolins and banjos. Well-known models include the Goya G-10, G-13, and G-17 classical guitars, the T-series steel-strings, and the Rangemaster and Panther electrics from the 1960s. Some electric models were sourced from Hagström and later from Italian and Japanese makers as the supply chain shifted. C.F. Martin acquired the Goya trademark in 1976 and used it through the 1990s for a line of imported acoustic guitars, mandolins, and banjos before discontinuing the brand around 1996.

Goya instruments are primarily encountered on the vintage market, where the Swedish-built Levin-era flattops and classicals are valued for their cedar and spruce tops, craftsmanship, and distinct tonal character compared to American-built peers of the same era.

Goya Guitars has 10 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Steel-string Acoustic Guitars, Classical & Nylon-String Guitars, and Solid Body Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 12 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include Blake Mills, Közi, and Ezra Koenig.