Yamaha Guitar Group acquires Córdoba and Guild Guitars

The Yamaha Guitar Group, a subsidiary of the Yamaha Corporation, has announced the acquisition of the Córdoba Music Group, which owns Córdoba Guitars, Guild, DeArmond Pickups and several other brands.

“We’re thrilled to be making this announcement,” says Yamaha Guitar Group President Joe Bentivenga. “Córdoba Music Group’s brands, in particular their flagship Córdoba and Guild lines, are revered throughout the world. We are honored to take on the next phase in maintaining and evolving these beloved brands.”

Adds Tim Miklaucic, Founder and CEO of the Córdoba Music Group: “Córdoba and Guild guitars, as well as our other products from HumiCase, DeArmond, Savarez, and Aquila have created a strong and lasting bond with both our customers and our employees. We’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work on this transition with Yamaha, and I’m confident that both the customers and employees are going to find that our brands are now in great hands.”

Miklaucic originally founded the Córdoba Music Group as Córdoba Guitars in 1997, with a mission to bring the nylon-string guitar to a wider community of guitar players.

The company grew in subsequent years, acquiring Guild Guitars, another guitar brand which was founded in 1953, in 2014. The Córdoba Music Group has continued to grow since, adding HumiCase – a brand specializing in cases that protect guitars from the elements – and pickup maker DeArmond to its portfolio. The company also handles distribution of Savarez and Aquila guitar strings in the US.

“This new venture is an instant complement to Yamaha’s own array of nylon fretted instruments and adds ukuleles and acoustic bass guitars to the mix, as well as a selection of pickups, cases, and strings.

“The addition also brings with it skilled US-based premium guitar manufacturing and processes. All of this is in service to an initiative by Yamaha to continuously broaden the scope, quality, and innovation it can offer guitar players.”

Córdoba's portfolio joins the Yamaha Guitar Group's existing lineup of products, which alongside Yamaha electric and acoustic guitars also includes Line 6 and Ampeg bass amps.