Memphis
Memphis
Also known as: Memphis Guitars
UnclaimedMemphis was a budget-tier music gear brand of Asian-made instruments, amplifiers, and effects pedals distributed in the United States from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s by C. Bruno and Sons, a subsidiary of Kaman Music Corporation. The line was aimed at beginner and price-conscious players and mirrored the era's dominant body shapes, with Fender- and Gibson-styled electric guitars, basse...
Memphis was a budget-tier music gear brand of Asian-made instruments, amplifiers, and effects pedals distributed in the United States from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s by C. Bruno and Sons, a subsidiary of Kaman Music Corporation. The line was aimed at beginner and price-conscious players and mirrored the era's dominant body shapes, with Fender- and Gibson-styled electric guitars, basses, acoustic guitars, and solid-state amplifiers sold through U.S. retailers as an affordable alternative to American-built instruments.
The product catalog also included a range of stompbox effects such as delays, reverbs, overdrives, and the Memphis Fuzz, alongside the Roto Phase, a single-knob phase shifter designed to emulate a rotating-speaker cabinet. Production is generally attributed to Japanese factories in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with sourcing shifting toward Korean builders later in the decade — a pattern common to many import house brands of the period. Possible contract manufacturers cited by collectors include Matsumoku, Yamaki, and Cort.
Memphis-branded U.S. distribution ceased in 1989, and the instruments now circulate mainly on the vintage and used market. The brand is most often referenced in the context of budget Les Paul and Stratocaster copies from that era; Slash has noted that his first electric guitar was a Memphis Les Paul copy.
Memphis has 27 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Solid Body Electric Guitars, Electric Basses, and Classical & Nylon-String Guitars. Their gear is featured by 11 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include James "Munky" Shaffer, Slash, and Pino Palladino.
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