.strandberg* Guitars grew out of a project called the Ergonomic Guitar System started  in 2007 by Ola Strandberg.  Ola had been making guitars since the mid eighties, but his innovative Ergonomic Guitar System designs quickly gained momentum through Internet forums. Soon he was able leave his day job in software, patent his EndurNeck™ neck shape and devote his time to making .strandberg* Guitars.  .strandberg* Guitars focus on egonomics with a headless design, comfortable EndurNeck profile, fanned frets and ergonomic body shape that enables multiple playing positions. .strandberg* Guitars' use proprietary hardware and often come in 6, 7 and 8 string models as well as basses.

Source: Strandberg Guitars website (17 September 2018)

Jaakko Noso (1913 - 2013) was a Finnish instrument maker. Noso made his first violin while in the army in 1933 and following the second world war began to sell his violins and guitars in local music shops. He opened his own factory in Järvenpää in 1945 where it ran until 1965. The factory was situated at Setulantie 13 - opposite the current music school (Keskisen Uudenmaan Musiikkiopisto), but was replaced by a block of apartments in 1973. At the peak of production in the late 1950s there were 12 people working there and it produced around 10,000 instruments in total - making Noso second only to Landola as a Finnish guitar maker. With success came large tax bills which led to the eventual closure of the Noso factory in 1965. Jaakko Nosos left Finland and moved to Vancouver, Canada. Noso made some instruments in Canada but it was difficult to compete with cheap Japanese instruments in the late 1960s.

Dallas was a UK musical instrument manufacturing and distribution company, founded by John E. Dallas. Dallas began making banjos in 1873, eventually moving to premises at 415 Strand. In 1905-1906 Dallas' three sons were given directorships and the firm's title changed to John E. Dallas and Sons.

By the late 1920s, Dallas instruments were being mass produced under the brand name "Jedson." derived from Dallas' initials, "J.E.D", and "Sons". When John Dallas died in 1921 the form became a private limited company

In 1926 The firm moved to larger premises, at 6-10 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2, and became a wholesale importer and distributer of musical instruments. They moved again to Dallas moved to Ridgmount Street in 1937 (concinding with the introduction of the Ridgmount brand), before eventuallu settling in Clifton Street, EC2.

Phil Norsworthy established Norsworthy Guitars in 1992 and specialised in making high quality solid body electric guitars. Norsworthy previously worked with Patrick Eggle.

Source: Norsworthy Guitars catalog 1995

Edward Polak grew up in Belarus and has been making guitars since the age of 15.  Polak makes electric, bass and acoustic guitars (particularly guitars for Gypsy Jazz). He established his own company (ERG) in Russia in 1987 but has since moved to Israel and renamed his company Polak Guitars.

Source: Polak Guitars website (29 August 2018)
 

An instrument importer and dealer, Charles Bruno immigrated from Germany to Macon, Georgia in 1832. In 1834, Bruno moved to New York where he probably worked as a clerk or salesman for several years before being listed as a book seller in 1837. In 1838 Bruno formed a partnership with Christian F. Martin. His book shop on Fulton Street most likely served as a retail outlet for Martin's guitars. When Bruno & Martin dissolved their partnership in 1839, Bruno left New York for several years.

On his return to New York Bruno established the partnership Bruno & Cargill from 1851 to 1853, and then Bruno, Weissenborn and Company with Herman W. Weissenborn (this was not  the designer of the Weissenborn lap steel guitar - that was Hermann C. Weissenborn) 1854 to 1857.

The Solar guitar brand was launched in 2017 by Swedish death metal guitarist & YouTuber Ola Englund. Solar guitar designs would suit death metal styles and include 7 string and baritone models.

ODE banjos was founded by Chuck Ogsbury who started making banjos while still at University in Denver, Colorado in 1959. In 1961 he opened his first proper workshop in North Boulder and employed a friend, Dave Walden, to help with production. 1962 saw a move to a larger workshop and an expanded line of banjos. Creston Stewart (later of StewMac) joined ODE around 1963 and contributed to designs of new models.ODE sold their banjos direct to customers but also had a brand Muse which was distributed via music stores.