Matsujiro Hoshino founded a bookstore in 1908, selling books, sheet music, and musical instruments.
Beginning in 1921, the store began importing instruments from Europe and the United States, including classical guitars from the Spanish manufacturer Salvador Ibáñez.
Yoshitaro Hoshino succeeded his father in 1929. He expanded the selection of imported instruments to include mandolins from Italy and drum kits from the German manufacturer Ludwig.
When demand for guitars outstripped supply, Yoshitaro decided to start his own guitar production. His four sons joined the family business, leading to the founding of Hoshino Gakki. The company built a factory next to its headquarters to produce its own line of guitars, with space for up to 30 employees.
The Salvador Ibáñez guitar has since become known as the Ibanez. The company exported numerous guitars to other Asian countries. In 1937, its monthly production exceeded 1,000 guitars.
After World War II, during which the factory was destroyed, the company resumed importing musical instruments in the 1950s. It was only in 1962 that Junpei Hoshino decided to resume producing his own guitars, and a new factory was built, which also produced amplifiers and electric guitars.
The company was named Tama Seisakusho in honor of Yoshitaro Hoshino’s wife. Ibanez became Hoshino’s primary brand, but the company also produced guitars for other Western companies. The company also produced drum kits under the Tama brand.
However, in 1966, it was decided to cease producing guitars for other companies. This example was subsequently followed by other manufacturers, such as Fujigen Gakki and Teisco.
In 1967, the first Ibanez guitars were imported to the United States by Elger. These guitars had no logo and were equipped with numerous buttons and switches. In the late 1960s, a metal “spaghetti” logo appeared on the headstock of guitars.
By 1970, Ibanez shifted its focus to producing cheaper but comparable models to established American brands such as Gibson, Fender, and Rickenbacker. This era is known as the “Pre-Lawsuit era.” Despite their lower price, Ibanez replicas were of high quality and became a strong competitor to American brands.
In the 1980s, Ibanez introduced its own models, including the Performer, Musician, and Iceman. This period is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Years of Ibanez,” and many guitars from this era are highly sought after by collectors.
For over 50 years, Fujigen has partnered with Hoshino to produce Ibanez electric guitars.
Since the early 1990s, Ibanez guitars have also been manufactured in South Korea, with the EX series introduced in 1991. Because the quality of Korean guitars proved to be just as high as that of Japanese ones, Ibanez began producing other models in South Korea in 1994. Today, Ibanez guitars are also manufactured in China.
As it was 100 years ago, Hoshino Gakki’s headquarters are still in Nagoya, where its research and development department is also located. And Ibanez guitars remain among the most admired and recognized in the music community.