The story
Origins
The company originated from Musica, a music school and shop founded in 1932 by Uilke Egmond (1878–1959), a former stationmaster in Valkenswaard and accomplished amateur violinist. In the music school he gave violin lessons, while the shop sold instruments mainly imported from Eastern Europe. After retiring at age 55, Egmond supplemented his pension through these activities.
In 1935, the business moved to Eindhoven. The shop relocated during World War II to the corner of Wal and Kerkstraat.
Family business expansion
Uilke's sons Gerard (1904–1974), Dick (1920–1992), and Jaap (1921–1993) joined the company during World War II. When the import of instruments ended, they decided to manufacture instruments themselves. From 1935 onwards, the company began manufacturing instruments, initially Spanish and Hawaiian guitars, starting in a shed on Gestelsestraat and later moving to Frankrijkstraat. Production was limited to approximately one guitar per week in 1940.
After World War II, the four Egmond brothers (Gerard, Dick, Jaap, and Piet) established a division of labor: Gerard served as president-director-general, Piet managed accounting, Dick oversaw production, and Jaap handled electronics and design. Early production focused on affordable acoustic instruments, with internal labels bearing the company name "Egmond Frères" (in French), later changed to "Egmond Brothers." Daughter Annie was a teacher and had no interest in the family business. Production of banjos and mandolins was added in the early 1950s.
Peak production
By the early 1950s there were 20 employees producing 50 guitars per week. Around 1957–1958, capitalizing on the early rise of rock and roll in Northern Europe, Egmond introduced low-cost electric models that experienced enormous demand. These guitars were notably adopted by Indo-Rock groups, a genre specific to the Indonesian community that flourished in the Netherlands at the time.
The company initially operated from facilities in Aalst. In the early 1960s, there were 80 employees producing 2,000 guitars per week. After a factory fire, the company relocated to Best. On November 2, 1960, one year after Uilke's death, the new factory officially opened as "N.V. Musical Instrument Factory Egmond formerly Musica" on Randweg in Best.
In the 1960s Egmond was the largest luthier in Europe, known more for quantity than quality. Approximately 80% of production was exported, particularly to the United States. The cheapest models cost only 10% of comparable Gibson or Fender guitars. During most of the 1960s, the American market was tremendous for Egmond, shipping one container of guitars every week to New York.
During the 1960s production moved upmarket with more elaborate models covered in vinyl, comparable to German or Italian guitars of the era. The company also diversified its semi-acoustic and acoustic guitars. In 1972, C.F. Martin & Co. made a cooperation agreement with Egmond to manufacture guitars with the Vega brand based on Martin's designs. In 1979, Martin broke the cooperation agreement, and Egmond began making guitars under the ownership of Tolchin Instruments with the brand name Alpha.
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Product range
In addition to guitars, Egmond manufactured bass guitars, banjos, mandolins, accordions, and amplifiers. The amplifiers were designed in collaboration with Philips and used Philips speakers and components. Early models like the V 820 (10W tube amplifier from 1961) succeeded the V 630 from the mid-1950s, while the V 1821 was a 30W tube amplifier. In the late 1960s, Egmond amplifiers were manufactured by Davoli and Steelphon in Italy.
Egmond also sold accessories including magnetic pickups (distributed under the Royal brand), complete equipped plates for electrifying acoustic guitars, and vibrato bridges.
Egmond instruments were distributed under numerous brand names in different markets: Alberti, Alex, Alfesta, Alpha, Caledonie, Combo, Dixieland, Frima, Goldene Harfe, Hi-Spot, Jester, Lido, Lion, Manhattan, Marizza, Miller, Orpheum, Roderich Paesold, Rosetti, Royal, Royalist, Stadium, Strad-O-Lin, Tonemaster, Vander, Vega, and Wilson. In the United Kingdom, Egmond guitars were marketed as Rosetti, after their London distributor.
In the 1970s and 1980s, when Boosey & Hawkes needed guitar manufacturing within their enterprise but only had violin manufacturer Roderich Paesold, they used that brand name for a series of guitars made by Egmond in Boxtel, just north of Best.
Decline and closure
Competition from cheap Korean instruments caused the American Egmond importer to shift to Korean manufacturers instead, ending all sales to America and placing Egmond in a difficult situation. In the 1970s, the company faced increasing difficulties. Quality remained relatively low despite attempts to produce more expensive models and jazz guitars.
Following a share exchange, Jaap Egmond acquired the Musica retail shop in Eindhoven while his brothers retained the factory. Gerard, the eldest brother, had already died by 1974. The three remaining brothers didn't speak to each other for years, though they eventually reconciled and attended each other's funerals.
In 1983 the Egmond company went bankrupt. The Musica shop continued operating in Hooghuisstraat until 2002.
From Wikipedia’s article on Egmond (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4