Beatrice Lang
Valco was a US manufacturer and seller of guitar amplifiers and electric, acoustic, and bass guitars from the 1940s to 1968. They manufactured and sold electric lap steel guitars and vacuum tube amplifiers under various brand names, including Supro, Airline, Oahu, Melofonic, and National. Eastwood Guitars is one company that currently sells Valco steel laptop electric guitars, and Vintage47 Amps of Mesquite, Nevada, recreates several of Valco's earlier amplifier models.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Valco Manufacturing Company |
| Founders | Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera |
| Year Founded | 1930s/1940 |
| Company Name Origin | Combination of founders' initials (V.A.L.) and "co" for company |
| Product Types | Electric and acoustic guitars, basses, amplifiers |
| Brand Names | Supro, Airline, National, Oahu, Melofonic |
| Amplifier Manufacturing for Other Companies | Gretsch, Harmony, Kay |
| Merger | Kay Musical Instrument Company in 1967 |
| Current Status | Folded due to financial difficulties |
| Reissues and Recreations | Eastwood Guitars, Vintage47 Amps, Absara Audio |
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What You'll Learn
Valco's history and brand names
Valco, or the Valco Manufacturing Company, was formed in 1940 by three business partners and former owners of the National Dobro Company: Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera. The company name was derived from a combination of the three partners' initials (V.A.L.) and the common abbreviation for company (Co.).
Valco was a large-scale producer of budget musical instruments, including acoustic guitars, metal-bodied resonator guitars, electric lap steel guitars, and vacuum tube amplifiers. They manufactured and sold these instruments under a variety of brand names, including Supro, Airline, National, and Oahu. The company also made amplifiers under contract for other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay.
In addition to their original products, Valco commercialized electric and acoustic guitars and basses through its subsidiary companies. They began manufacturing solid-body electric guitars in the 1950s.
Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company in 1967, but financial difficulties forced the merged company to fold the following year. Despite Valco's demise, several manufacturers have since issued copies or derivatives of their instrument and amplifier models.
For example, Eastwood Guitars produces reissue Airline guitars and at least one Supro model. Absara Audio has also purchased the rights to the Supro trademark and debuted a series of new Supro amps in 2014, reminiscent of their 1960s designs.
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Valco lap steel guitars
Valco was a US manufacturer of guitar amplifiers from the 1940s until 1968. The company was formed in 1940 by Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera, former owners of the National Dobro Company. The company name was derived from the first initials of the founders' names (V.A.L.) combined with the abbreviation for "company" (Co.).
Valco manufactured and sold electric, resonator, lap steel, and classical guitars, as well as vacuum tube amplifiers. They sold these products under various brand names, including Supro, Airline, National, and Oahu. Valco also produced amplifiers for other companies, such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay.
In 1967, Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company, but financial difficulties forced the merged company to cease operations the following year. Despite Valco's short history, the company left a significant mark on the music industry, particularly with its lap steel guitars.
Today, Eastwood Guitars carries on the legacy of Valco lap steel guitars, offering various models that capture the vintage vibe and unique sound of these instruments. One notable model is the Airline Lap Steel, which delivers the distinctive humbucker tone that lap steel guitars are known for. For those seeking an even more authentic experience, Eastwood offers the Airline Lap Steel PRO, featuring the new Valco 'String-Thru' pickup, a recreation of the original Valco lap steel pickups.
In addition to Eastwood Guitars, Vintage47 Amps of Mesquite, Nevada, recreates several of Valco's early amplifier models, utilising octal preamp tubes for a truly vintage sound. For those seeking to restore their old Valco amplifiers, Vintage47 Amps also offers custom amp covers and repair services to bring your Valco amp back to life.
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Valco amplifiers
Valco was a US manufacturer of guitar amplifiers from the 1940s until 1968. Valco manufactured and sold vacuum tube amplifiers under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, National, Oahu, Melofonic, and others. They also made amplifiers under contract for several other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay.
Valco was formed in 1940 by three business partners and former owners of the National Dobro Company: Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera. The company name was a combination of the three partners' initials (V.A.L.) and the common abbreviation for the company (Co.). In addition to amplifiers, Valco also manufactured and sold electric, resonator, lap steel, and classical guitars.
Valco's amplifiers were well-known and sought-after due to their unique features and sound quality. For example, the National brand of amplifiers featured active tone circuits, which were rare in guitar amps at the time. These circuits dedicated a triode from each half of the 6SL7 tube to amplify the treble and bass frequencies, resulting in a high gain and unique sound. Another notable Valco amplifier is the Supro1605 Reverb, which was made in the early 1960s and is known for its loud and rich tone, as well as its major gain and overdrive capabilities.
Despite Valco's demise in 1968 due to financial difficulties, the company's legacy lives on through the recreation of its amplifier models by companies such as Vintage47 Amps of Mesquite, Nevada. These recreations use octal preamp tubes, capturing the essence of Valco's original designs while incorporating modern components. Additionally, Absara Audio of Port Jefferson Station, New York, has purchased the rights to the Supro trademark and debuted a series of new Supro amps in 2014, paying homage to the iconic Valco designs of the 1960s.
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Valco's subsidiaries and mergers
Valco, or the Valco Manufacturing Company, was formed in 1940 by Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera, former owners of the National Dobro Company. The company manufactured and sold electric, resonator, lap steel, and classical guitars, as well as vacuum tube amplifiers, under a variety of brand names, including Supro, Airline, National, and Oahu.
Valco also made amplifiers under contract for other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay. In 1967, Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company, but financial difficulties forced the merged company to fold the following year.
Since Valco's demise, several manufacturers have issued copies or derivatives of Valco's instrument and amplifier models. For example, Eastwood Guitars produces a variety of reissue Airline guitars, as well as at least one Supro model. Vintage47 Amps of Mesquite, Nevada, recreates several of Valco's earlier amplifier models. Absara Audio of Port Jefferson Station, New York, purchased the rights to the Supro trademark in 2013 and debuted a series of new Supro amps in 2014.
In terms of subsidiaries, Valco Group has subsidiaries on five continents, including in the United States, Malaysia, India, South Korea, and China. Additionally, a recent merger between Dodson Global and Industrial Valco resulted in the formation of Dodson Valco Inc. (DV), which is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and specializes in supplying carbon steel weld fittings, flanges, forged steel fittings, and valves.
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Valco copies and derivatives
Valco was a US manufacturer of guitar amplifiers from the 1940s through to 1968. The company also commercialised electric and acoustic guitars and basses through its subsidiary companies. Valco manufactured and sold electric, resonator, lap steel and classical guitars, and vacuum tube amplifiers under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, National, and Oahu.
Since Valco's demise, a number of manufacturers have issued copies or derivatives of Valco instrument and amplifier models. For instance, Eastwood Guitars produces a variety of reissue Airline guitars, as well as at least one Supro model. However, all of the former semihollow Res-O-Glas models are now wood solidbodies.
Several of Valco's earlier amplifier models are recreated by Vintage47 Amps of Mesquite, Nevada, using octal preamp tubes, rather than the later miniature noval preamp tubes. In late 2013, Absara Audio of Port Jefferson Station, New York, announced that it had purchased the rights to the Supro trademark from Bruce Zinky. Zinky had used the Supro name for a series of amps beginning in 2005 from his company, Zinky Electronics.
Eastwood Guitars also produces Valco lap steel guitars, which are available to shop on their website.
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Frequently asked questions
Valco was a US manufacturer of guitar amplifiers from the 1940s through to 1968. They also commercialised electric and acoustic guitars and basses through subsidiary companies.
Valco sold electric (since the 1950s), resonator, lap steel and classical guitars. They also manufactured vacuum tube amplifiers.
Valco sold guitars under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, National and Oahu.
Yes, Valco manufactured amplifiers for several other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay.
Eastwood Guitars sells a variety of Valco reissue Airline guitars, as well as at least one Supro model. They also offer the Airline Lap Steel PRO, which features a Valco 'String-Thru' pickup.
