Custom Kraft

Parent brand: 

product types: 

  • tube amplifiers
  • acoustic guitars
  • bass guitars
  • electric guitars

Information: 

St. Louis Music is a long established musical instrument distributor (rather than manufacturer), founded in 1922 by Bernard Kornblum as an importer of German violins. By the 1950s St. Louis Music were distributing Magnatone Hawaiian lap steel guitars as well as steels made by Harmony, Kay, Alamo, Supro, and Rickenbacker.  St. Louis Music also sold acoustic jazz guitars made by Kay under their own  Custom Kraft brand.

By 1963 St. Louis Music were distributing solid body electric guitars including Custom Kraft Ambassadors produced by Valco and the Custom Kraft Golden Regent and Silver Caravelle both made by Kay.

By October 1968 St. Louis Music introduced its last Custom Kraft models: the Mod line. The Mod series included the Super Zapp six-string, Saturator 12-string, and Bone Buzzer bass.

From around 1968  onwards St. Louis Music concentrated on distributing other brands including Apollo, Electra, typically made in Japan.