So, when hunting for catalogue guitars there are mysteries that arise from time to time, it being that these companies are often very old and also very gone. One mystery wrapped in an enigma that seems to be almost legendary and yet there is so little known about is The United Guitar Company of New Jersey… also known as United-Code. My introduction to the brand came about when I kept finding these parlour guitars branded “Telleno”. They seemed to be consistently low quality builds with all stencilled markings right down to the “pickguard” that (as is often the case with vintage cheap parlour guitars) actually sounded quite good for blues and slide. I even for a short time thought I might have solved the mystery of who this company ultimately was until a fellow enthusiast named Kent pointed out to me that “Wabash” was simply a name brand owned by the David Wexler Company (instrument distributors) and was the name of the street they were located on.
Before we get into what I have been able to determine about the company, lets look at some of the rumours. Probably the most widely held belief is that they were the remnants of the Oscar Schmidt Company still operating out of their Jersey City facility and, although there is some truth in the origin, I have found no direct evidence to support that they were in the original factory. In fact, there is evidence that a part of the Oscar Schmidt company continued to operate after the bankruptcy and produced autoharps in the original facility until the 1960s. There is also a rumour that because a few of the earliest United guitars can have a date stamp similar to Harmony guitars (an oval with a two digit date inside) and the “Steel Reinforced Neck” graphic often looks identical that Harmony must have made them. I have found no evidence to support this beyond appearances and now that I have a united guitar in hand I can say with confidence, the interior construction is very different and the heel is obviously and consistently different. The braces are similar but not the same and the linings are of a more common sloped and notched variety in a Harmony while the United guitar has a thin strip of perfectly squared material, not sloped, and mounted around the outside with no notches. The heel of the neck is the most obvious difference, a United build looks very similar to Gibson and many Guild guitars with a wide gently curved heel that is as wide as the neck of the instrument. United guitars also tend to be clearly marked “Made In USA” either in all caps or a “Shield” stamp inside the sound hole. It is also common especially on the less expensive models to find the tuners held in place by nails instead of screws.
In the beginning… there was the Fretted Instrument Manufacturing Corporation in Jersey City, New Jersey operating from 1935-1939 under executives John Carner and Morris Brooks. I haven’t actually seen nor heard any reference to this company before it’s mention in a post by the Amateur Luthier… but it ties in directly to a reference found in the comments section on the LeavingThisWorld site (where Fretted Instrument is also described as a latter name for the Oscar Scmidt company), “Regarding the United-Code Guitar Corporation, I have its New Jersey incorporation certificate. From May/June, 1939, it was founded by four men: John Carner; Frank Colonese; Frank Salvino; and Frank Mosiello. Thanks again. Chris.” So, the company began in 1939 (when the bulk of Oscar Schmidt’s assets were sold) and in New Jersey (where Oscar Schmidt was located in Jersey City) jedistar’s site quotes the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars’ as stating that United was in Elizabeth, New Jersey (just the other side of Newark from Jersey City), definitely there is a connection to Oscar Schmidt.
The company did enjoy enough success to continue into the 1960s and even had Bo Diddley playing one of their guitars at one point. (1955 Ed Sullivan performance) D’Angelico reportedly used United bodies on some models. (ADDENDUM Nov20: I have now found that D’Angelico and later company owner Frank Forcillo’s, “Forcillo” were both brands that had bodies constructed by United. Courtesy of Prewar GibsonArchtops.) United also, like most guitar manufacturers, made instruments with a very wide variety of brand names including: United, Telleno, Wabash, Dynamic, US Strad, Premier, Stewart, Rhapsody, Galiano, Black Jack, Beltone, Marveltone, Royalist, Encore, Leban, Lyra, Marathon, and Orpheum.
United was not limited to low quality instruments either, there are instruments with higher quality tonewoods, nice binding and inlay work. Particularly, some of the “Premier” and “Orpheum” branded guitars I have since found can be quite nice. They built archtops and electrics, many of which are sought after by collectors. Also, reportedly United used the same Franz pickups that Guild used. I’ll leave you with a gallery of other United built guitars and a list of my sources.
Leaving This World: https://www.leavingthisworld.com/oscar-schmidt-company-1897-c-1939/
The Amateur Luthier: https://www.stlamateurluthier.com/2019/12/fretted-instrument-mfg-co-united-guitar.html
The Gear Page: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/what-is-the-guitar-bo-diddley-playing-in-this-video.967236/
Folkway Music: http://www.folkwaymusic.com/museum/electric-guitars/1958-stewart-oriphonic-1018/
Jedistar: http://jedistar.com/united/
Prewar GibsonArchtops: https://www.facebook.com/PreWarGibsonL5/
Hello great article.
I wanted to know if my guitar is a Galiano? if you could help that would be great. it is the same on that’s
in the article with headstock cropped, same lighter wood on neck, same bigger heel, same big wave grain.
Thank you
It could be, most of this model I have found with a brand on it was branded Galiano; however, United (like many manufacturers) made several different brands for different clients. I suspect that these were meant to be strung with nylon strings but I also suspect that there is no difference between the model of neck on this and the metal stringed instruments they sold. They did use a metal reinforced (no relief) neck after a bit but I don’t know when that started. I intend to use light phosphor/bronze or maybe Silk and Steel strings on mine when I get it fixed up.
Telleno guitars and many other instruments branded Telleno were a store brand of Henry Teller & Son music wholesaler located at 56 West 103rd St. Chicago 28 Ill. They later became Harris-Teller, Inc. 222 East 135th Place Chicago 60627. I own a 1962 catalog and a 1971 catalog, both feature several styles of Telleno guitars, including the little parlor guitar everyone claims is pre-war. None of them are.
Thank you very much for the information! Do you have a beginning date for Teller & Son (Telleno)? United began in 1939 but I agree with you as far as Telleno is concerned, I don’t think I have seen a Telleno that is that old.
Harris Teller is a music warehouse in Bedford Park, IL now. I worked there about 15 years ago. Didnt know they had their own branded guitars as well! I have Telleno parlor and it looks very close to my 50s Kay Student parlor.
I have a Beltone parlor acoustic, purchased in “66”.
I’m looking for a Beltone headstock decal. Are there any to be found ?
( it looks just like your pic of a Wabash parlor guitar w/ natural finish)
I don’t know of any premade “Beltone” decals but this guy has made decals for me before. If you can provide him with photos and size requirements he can make just about anything you want I expect. https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/StringKraft
Thanks for the informative article I have an Orpheum acoustic guitar I’m thinking 50s or 60s with a arched back no doubt pressed with a great body shape it’s sunburst on the back and sides. I was told it’s probably a United guitar.
Interesting. I have a Made in China Telleno that I can not find out anything on. Plays well and is in great condition. Model T34SSG is the only identifying mark. I can send a couple of photos if you want for reference.
It’s neat to see that the brand continued to be made by someone.
I just got a Telleno parlor guitar and also can’t find anything on it. Mine says Made in Korea, Model T108 or maybe T10S. This is on a label inside. It looks old. I really had to clean and polish it. The neck is surprisingly good. I filed one fret to get rid of a buzz and it is playing nicely. Apparently made with inexpensive materials but it sounds good. I’m comparing it to a Stella/Harmony parlor I have here. The Telleno has more clarity, where the Stella sounds muddy. The Telleno neck is more comfortable than the Stella. Would love to know more about the Korea/China made ones!
Sadly I know very little about the Telleno brand beyond the US, I have found Korean made guitars branded Citation and Harmony that are pretty decent instruments as well.
I actually just noticed the TELLANO stencil on an old Univox amp I suspect to be a U-42. I picked it up in the Chicago burbs, so I would expect it can be from Harris Teller if its been around this area its whole life.
The body shapes of the smaller size guitars seem very similar to the Oscar Schmidt concert sized Stella (souvereign etc.). Have you had the chance the compare a United and a Stella guitar. Do the United guitars have the same curve to the back ?
The only parlour model I have had in hand so far was a nylon string model that did not have curvature in the back.
Great article. I found this article while searching for info on my Telleno tube combo amplifier. In the top right corner of the front of the amp (as you are looking at it from the front) is a small white plastic rectangle with TELLENO engraved into it with a very plain font. The back of the amp head has clearly printed 12″ SPEAKER WITH TREMOLO on the far right side (as you look at it from the back). From left to right it features 3 numbered inputs, a Modulation knob, a Speed knob, a Pilot Light, a Off-Volume-On knob, and an input for a Foot Switch. The 3 knobs are chicken head type with a thin white indicator line and a ridge along the top of knob. The knobs and all printing on the back of the silver orange-peelish painted head are maroon in color. It has two small transformers and 5 tubes; one of which is in a retainer. Speaker is a 12″ Jensen Special Design; black frame, date code 220239, model # C12R C7319 (1962? 25W? ?ohms?).
The amp still works. It takes a minute or two to warm up, and isn’t very loud; though I haven’t pushed it, let alone used it much over the last 25 years. When I acquired it, I would occasionally run a small Peavey amp into it to get more volume (I’m a drummer and was starting to learn guitar at the time). I have owned this amplifier for 30+ years.
I have only ever seen one other TELLENO combo amp. It was listed on Reverb.com (I think) and had very little info in the description. Any info on TELLENO amplifier history would be appreciated. Thank you!
Sadly, I know that United and Jackson Guldan made guitars for the brand but that’s all I know. I will post the information if I ever find out who owned the name or who they hired to make amps, this is the second time I have heard of the name on an amplifier.
Thank you!
Otpheum, c 1958-1961. SAME shape as Premier bantam, and as some bantams have — 23 frets. def United code/Multivox
I have one of the Telleno parlor guitars bought in Chicago and used by my uncle and aunt in the 1960s or 1970s. I still have the original case. There is a MADE IN USA stamp in the sound hole. With it is an Alfred’s guitar method book 1 dated MCMLIX or 1959.
My prized Telleno also has nails on the tuners and affixing the metal bridge on the bottom of the guitar. I would definitely believe this is post WWII. The frets and parts of tuners are made of brass or bronze. Copper alloys were used for bullets during WWII. Acoustic guitar strings were wrapped with nickel instead of bronze, copper, brass, etc…
Harris Teller is a music warehouse in Bedford Park, IL now. I worked there about 15 years ago. Didnt know they had their own branded guitars as well! I have Telleno parlor and it looks very close to my 50s Kay Student parlor.
Is there catalog or any pictorial matter that shows acoustic guitars made at the United factory. I have an Orpheum from 50s or 60s with an arched sunburst back and sunburst neck I have been told made by United.
Thanks
Joe Zappo Buffalo NY
There is some more information here although not a lot of photos. https://www.snathanieladams.com/2019/12/fretted-instrument-mfg-co-united-guitar.html