https://www.connguitars.org/
CONN GUITARS--A BRIEF HISTORY
Conn acoustic guitars began production in 1971 and continued through 1978. MacMillan & Co bought the G. C. Conn Company in 1969, and moved Conn's corporate offices from Elkhart, Indiana to Oakbrook, Illinois where they hired Jerry Ackley to get the business up and running. Below is the orignal building at the Oakbrook location (current-day).
Click to see map of the Headquarters
Administrative offices for the guitar operations were set up in late 1970. The first employee of the official Conn Guitar division was Jerry Ackley. Jerry, who was a guitar player himself, was hired in August of 1970 and was tasked with setting up and building the Conn guitar business--with an emphasis on building upon the established "rent to own" network that Conn already had with schools in the brass and woodwind products. Conn was a well-known and established brand, and saw opportunity in the booming guitar market. No guitars were actually made in Oakbrook. Instead they were built to Conn's design standards by contract manufacturers in Japan. Mr. Ackley was responsible for helping to design the first models, and for setting up a contract with an overseas manufacturer, and overseeing product import. He chose an established guitar factory in Hamamatsu, Japan--an hour from Tokyo (see map below),
Tokai-Gakki was the factory who was the first to build the first Conn guitars. Tokai already had their own line of instruments--known mostly for their classical instruments. All initial production guitars were made there (until at least 1972--and probably afterward--history after 1972 is vague). Concurrently with setting up production contracts with Tokai-Gakki, Mr. Ackley also wrote a book for school instruction called "The Conn Method". This blue-vinyl binder with its comprehensive teaching method (and accompanying 33-1/3 LP,
(and later cassette) was written to bridge the only real gap that existed in the school market by providing a comprehensive teaching method for music teachers--assuming that most were only knowledgeable of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Essentially, music teachers would learn guitar as they taught it.
JERRY ACKLEY'S C-60 PROTOTYPE
Tokai actually built a prototype classical guitar for Mr. Ackley before actual production began, as he was developing the materials for schools. It was a prototype C-60--which he still has today. Below are photos of Jerry's original prototype C-60. Classical instruments were the primary focus when the business began.
After Jerry established the business, he left Conn in 1972 to pursue other ventures. But during his tenure with Conn, several guitar manufacturers including builder Tad Adachi, and the famed Matsumoku and Aria factories sent prototypes to Mr. Ackley in an effort to show their wares for the purpose of gaining some of the Conn business. Jerry gave several of the prototypes to associates, and some to family members, budding musicians, or even professional musicians, and many are still around--and probably do not match any of the current catalog data. These were all high quality solid wood instruments, most of which had no branding shown on them.
THE 70'S GUITAR REVOLUTION
What began in the mid- to late 60's with the new style of rock and roll music, the 70's were a time of competitiveness in the guitar industry, and manufacturers--in Japan especially--raced to make their capabilities known and to gain market share in the booming guitar business. Conn was seen as a lucrative customer, given their their huge distribution network, their reputation as a quality instrument maker, their readiness to spend the cash, and their long-established relationships.
After 1972, Aria factories (who produced Yamaha guitars under contract to Yamaha) may have succeeded in gaining some of the Conn business, and may have made several models under contract to Conn (Conn branded). Some sources state that Matsumoku built almost all Conn acoustic guitars after 1972--but this is unsubstantiated. There are few records that exist about Conn's history before 1981 because, according to the Conn-Selmer company, all records of that era "were destroyed". Any and all remaining information, including catalogs and brochures about the former company are in the hands of private individuals. Research into the 9-year Conn guitar history is somewhat inhibited by these limiting factors, and information becomes increasingly difficult to obtain as former employees of that era are aging, and others are either no longer alive, or may not remember. Additional information may be included in various books that are for sale in the open market--many of which have been consulted (but probably not all).
CONN GUITARS--A BRIEF HISTORY
Conn acoustic guitars began production in 1971 and continued through 1978. MacMillan & Co bought the G. C. Conn Company in 1969, and moved Conn's corporate offices from Elkhart, Indiana to Oakbrook, Illinois where they hired Jerry Ackley to get the business up and running. Below is the orignal building at the Oakbrook location (current-day).
Click to see map of the Headquarters
Administrative offices for the guitar operations were set up in late 1970. The first employee of the official Conn Guitar division was Jerry Ackley. Jerry, who was a guitar player himself, was hired in August of 1970 and was tasked with setting up and building the Conn guitar business--with an emphasis on building upon the established "rent to own" network that Conn already had with schools in the brass and woodwind products. Conn was a well-known and established brand, and saw opportunity in the booming guitar market. No guitars were actually made in Oakbrook. Instead they were built to Conn's design standards by contract manufacturers in Japan. Mr. Ackley was responsible for helping to design the first models, and for setting up a contract with an overseas manufacturer, and overseeing product import. He chose an established guitar factory in Hamamatsu, Japan--an hour from Tokyo (see map below),
Tokai-Gakki was the factory who was the first to build the first Conn guitars. Tokai already had their own line of instruments--known mostly for their classical instruments. All initial production guitars were made there (until at least 1972--and probably afterward--history after 1972 is vague). Concurrently with setting up production contracts with Tokai-Gakki, Mr. Ackley also wrote a book for school instruction called "The Conn Method". This blue-vinyl binder with its comprehensive teaching method (and accompanying 33-1/3 LP,
(and later cassette) was written to bridge the only real gap that existed in the school market by providing a comprehensive teaching method for music teachers--assuming that most were only knowledgeable of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Essentially, music teachers would learn guitar as they taught it.
JERRY ACKLEY'S C-60 PROTOTYPE
Tokai actually built a prototype classical guitar for Mr. Ackley before actual production began, as he was developing the materials for schools. It was a prototype C-60--which he still has today. Below are photos of Jerry's original prototype C-60. Classical instruments were the primary focus when the business began.
After Jerry established the business, he left Conn in 1972 to pursue other ventures. But during his tenure with Conn, several guitar manufacturers including builder Tad Adachi, and the famed Matsumoku and Aria factories sent prototypes to Mr. Ackley in an effort to show their wares for the purpose of gaining some of the Conn business. Jerry gave several of the prototypes to associates, and some to family members, budding musicians, or even professional musicians, and many are still around--and probably do not match any of the current catalog data. These were all high quality solid wood instruments, most of which had no branding shown on them.
THE 70'S GUITAR REVOLUTION
What began in the mid- to late 60's with the new style of rock and roll music, the 70's were a time of competitiveness in the guitar industry, and manufacturers--in Japan especially--raced to make their capabilities known and to gain market share in the booming guitar business. Conn was seen as a lucrative customer, given their their huge distribution network, their reputation as a quality instrument maker, their readiness to spend the cash, and their long-established relationships.
After 1972, Aria factories (who produced Yamaha guitars under contract to Yamaha) may have succeeded in gaining some of the Conn business, and may have made several models under contract to Conn (Conn branded). Some sources state that Matsumoku built almost all Conn acoustic guitars after 1972--but this is unsubstantiated. There are few records that exist about Conn's history before 1981 because, according to the Conn-Selmer company, all records of that era "were destroyed". Any and all remaining information, including catalogs and brochures about the former company are in the hands of private individuals. Research into the 9-year Conn guitar history is somewhat inhibited by these limiting factors, and information becomes increasingly difficult to obtain as former employees of that era are aging, and others are either no longer alive, or may not remember. Additional information may be included in various books that are for sale in the open market--many of which have been consulted (but probably not all).
