Goya Guitars

Goya branded guitars were made starting in 1954 and ending around 1996. The Goya brand name was originally used by the Hershman Musical Instrument Company from New York under the subsidiary name Goya Guitars Inc. The name "Goya" comes from Francisco Jose de Goya, a famous 18th century Spanish painter famed for painting guitarists. The distribution for Goya guitars went from Hershman to Kustom Electronics Inc. in 1970 and then over to Dude Inc in late 1972. The Goya brand name was then sold to Martin Guitars in 1974 and lasted until 1996.

The Goya company featured a number of guitar innovations that most people are not aware of. Goya was the first classic guitar line to put the trade mark name on the guitar headstock, and also created the ball end classic guitar string, still used today. The famous Goya Rangemasters electric guitars were produced between 1965 and 1969.

Jimi Hendrix played a psychedelic Goya Rangemaster, which can be seen pictured in the Jimi Hendrix Electric Gypsy book by Shapiro & Glebeek. The photograph (taken in March 1968 in the USA) shows Jimi playing the Rangemaster guitar and has a note declaring it as "the first psychedelic guitar available on the market". Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac composed her first song "Ive Loved and Ive Lost" with a Goya guitar, which was her very first guitar given to her by her parents on her 16th birthday.

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