Guitars

Fred Kalisky became enamored with the maracas on his very first trip to Mexico City and realized it was an instrument that could be successful in the Canadian market (his home since relocating from his native Poland after World War II). The same year, 1957, he formed his wholesale business and called it the Efkay Music Group. The company soon expanded following the Beatles boom of the early 1960s with Fred’s sharp idea to import electric guitars from Japan.

David Kalt remembers, with a smile, the Fender Stratocaster he dreamed of as a kid. He also recalls that great day in 1985 when he finally got a 1970s Strat! The instrument has a special place in his own passion for music, an idea and feeling he never forgot. In fact, it was that passion for musical instruments that inspired him to create Reverb. Founding two successful software companies—one dedicated to the travel industry and one for trading options—gave him the experience he needed to ultimately form  a site dedicated to musical instruments.

Bill Kaman served as president of Kaman Music Corporation, a company started by his father. Under Bill’s direction, Kaman Music expanded its product line, developed overseas markets, and acquired new companies to be managed under the corporation. In addition, he has also insisted on new and innovative improvements to the instruments under the Kaman name, particularly the Ovation guitar. Bill served on the NAMM board during the early days of market and development activities, supporting the industry’s growth beginning in the early 1990s. His interview included his views on his fath

Hideo Kamimoto quite literally wrote the book on guitar repair. After building his first guitar in the late 1950s, he discovered a lifelong passion for luthiery while studying in college and working part-time in a guitar shop during the folk and bluegrass boom. In 1962, he joined the J.L. Ash Violin Shop in Oakland, California, where he gained invaluable experience addressing common instrument repair challenges. By 1967, he opened Kamimoto String Instruments in Oakland, offering repairs, sales, and lessons, later relocating to San Jose.

Ken Kantor is the president of ZT Amplifiers and the inventor of the compact amp technology used in such products as The Lunchbox and The Club. His long career in music began when he was about ten years old and built his own tube amplifier.  Ken wrote, played and recorded his own music and along the way began building audio products for a few companies.  As he developed skills as an engineer and manufacturing of musical products, Ken created the loud speaker company in Northern California NHT.  After he retired Ken decided he wanted to create another company, building amps.  And Z

Debra Karlowitch likes to tell people that she started working at C.F. Martin & Company the same week Chris Martin joined full time!  At the time of her NAMM Oral History interview in 2013 she was nearing her 40th year with the company.  She might also tell you, with great pride, that because the company promotes within, she has been able to work her way up throughout her career.  As Vice President of Human Resources, Debra is one of the company’s cheerleaders and if you are looking for someone who loves their job, look no further.

Jorma Kaukonen played guitar in two classic rock bands of the 1960s and 70s, Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna!  His passion for the blues helped create his style, which was in such demand by up and coming players that Jorma started a fantasy guitar camp to teach his style.  The Fur Peace Ranch: Guitar Camp, located in Pomeroy, Ohio, provides workshops, on-line lessons and live concerts that often feature Jorma and many of his old rocking buddies.

Faruk Kavi is a professional guitarist with more than 30 years of experience in the music industry, recognized for an extensive performance career alongside many of Turkey’s leading singers and bands. His deep expertise and longstanding presence in the field have earned him the respect of fellow professional guitarists, who regard him as a trusted authority on instruments and gear.

Carol Kaye can be heard on such landmark recordings as “La Bamba,” the Mission Impossible theme, and scores of hits produced by Phil Spector. She started playing jazz guitar in a big band during the early 1950s. Within the decade, she gained employment at the studio where she would later meet Spector and became one of the most prolific studio players in Los Angeles. Carol has authored a series of method books for electric bass guitar and has been a noted endorser at countless NAMM shows. Her first NAMM Oral History interview was completed on February 2, 2002. 

TK Keckler moved to Memphis at an early age and began playing with local bands, which is when he met Mike Ladd. Mike was a musician who opened a small guitar shop in town and would later become a strong force in the electric guitar movement of the 1970s, including the reissue of the Gibson Le Paul. TK was hired by Mike and helped modify and design guitars, which led to several custom projects for Led Zeppelin and Elvis Presley, among others. TK most recently has been a consultant for St. Blues Guitar Workshop in Memphis.  

Catfish Keith was proud to take part in the 40th anniversary of Santa Cruz Guitar Company in the fall of 2016.  He not only performed on his favorite SCGC model on stage at the Rio Theater but also took the time to talk about his early passion for music and his introduction to the Santa Cruz Guitar Company during his NAMM Oral History interview.

Richard Keldsen is the president of Saga Music in San Francisco, California.  His first musical inspiration was hearing Earl Scruggs playing Bluegrass banjo for the first time.  After two years in the Peace Corps, Richard had the opportunity to open a music store called the Fifth String in San Francisco in 1973.  He opened two more stores in Northern California before concentrating on a wholesale business he started on the side.  He called the wholesale company Saga Music and he soon began supplying retail stores around the country.  His love of music and his passion for the music

Chris Kelly has always thought outside the box, which has proven to be a perfect element for marketing guitars to rock bands. While working for Robin Guitars in Houston, Texas, Chris brought a number of instruments to a local performance center and placed them on the grass outside of the tour buses. Managers were not too thrilled with this shameless act, but the musicians loved it and often picked out guitars on the spot to purchase. Chris has worked for a number of industry companies over his career, and in each case, provided his own unique ideas for products and marketing.

Christoph Kemper is a German engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur whose innovations have profoundly shaped modern music technology. As co-founder of Access Music in the 1990s, Kemper led the development of the acclaimed Access Virus synthesizer, a virtual-analog instrument celebrated for its distinctive sound, deep modulation capabilities, and reliability. The Virus quickly became a defining tool for electronic, industrial, and pop musicians, helping establish the sonic character of contemporary electronic music.

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Barney Kessel was a well-respected and sought-after studio musician who became part of the famed “Wrecking Crew.” He was also an innovative jazz technician who inspired generations of musicians. Barney can be heard on such classic recordings as “Cry Me a River” by Julie London (1955), “How High the Moon” by Sonny Rollins (1958), and “Wouldn't It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys (1966). In 1961, Gibson introduced the Barney Kessel Guitar model, which was in prod

Carson Kielsel discussed the entire history of Carvin Guitars during his interview. As the son of the founder and long time president, Carson provided insight as to the growth and development of the company. Carson expanded the visibility of the company and its products with noted endorsement deals and memorable product displays at the NAMM show over the years. Carson was also at the company’s helm during the computer age and took advantage of technology to increase the awareness of the product line and to better communicate with their customers.  

Mark Kiesel is the President of Kiesel Guitars in Escondido, California and the son of Lowell Kiesel, the founder of Carvin Guitars. When his father began making guitars in the 1930s, it was with the Kiesel name. However, he stopped using the family name when he established Carvin Guitars in the 1950s. In 2015, Mark and his son, Jeff, began using the family name again - a fact for which Mark’s dad would be very proud. Growing up in the business, Mark designed most of the guitars produced by Carvin from the early 1970s until 2015 when his son took over as lead designer.

Lowell Kiesel, as the founder of the southern California guitar company Carvin, joined the ranks with Leo Fender, Paul A. Bigsby, and the Rickenbacker Company, in establishing the new era of electric guitar. In 1946 he formed L. C. Kiesel Company winding pickups on an old sewing machine.  As the company grew and the product line began to connect with musicians around the world, Lowell changed the name of the company to Carvin, after his sons Carson and Gavin.

Bill Kilpatrick radiates an unwavering commitment to both the craft of musical arrangement and the preservation of its storied heritage. From the tender age of nine, when he first cradled a guitar in his hands, Bill embarked on a journey fueled by an insatiable passion for melody. The echoes of the Beatles' harmonies resonated deeply within him, spurring him to master classics like "Hey Jude" on both guitar and piano by the age of 15. Amidst the coastal allure of Long Beach, his musical odyssey took a unique turn as he became a tour guide aboard the venerable Queen Mary, serenadin

Kerry King has become a regular artist that NAMM member retailers could meet during the trade shows. His career as a guitarist led to a number of product endorsements and several opportunities to provide feedback and design ideas for amps, guitars and accessories over the years.  In 1981, Kerry and Jeff Hanneman formed the thrash metal band Slayer.  The band released their first album, Show No Mercy, in 1983, about the same time he began attending the NAMM Shows.  Among his most noted partnerships and endorsement deals with manufacturers are Marshall Amps and BC Rich Guitars.  

Kaki King first heard the Ovation Guitar being played by her father. It was one of his prized instruments and young Kaki was not allowed to play with it without him. He later gave that instrument to her, which she used in a few of her recordings and live performances as a professional musician. That guitar also was the inspiration for the Adamas 1581 Kaki King signature model Ovation. Her innovative style has only been matched by the innovative ways in which she uses the guitar in her performances, such as the Neck Is Bridge to the Body series in which she projects images and movi

Little Freddie King has become a mainstay within the New Orleans music scene.  His energetic performances, often with high kicks, always feature his main instrument, the Gibson Flying V!  Freddie is so much a part of the blues in New Orleans that he was inducted into the state’s Music Hall of Fame.  He has also played at the New Orleans Blues & Heritage Festival every year but one since it began in 1970.  As a songwriter, Freddie has given voice to his special style of country blues and as a result, thanks to his manager and drummer, Wacko Wade, he formed his own music publish

Ken King performed in several Country and Western bands in and around Los Angeles beginning in the 1940s. While playing his guitar as a guest on the Spade Cooley television show in late 1949, two fellow musicians in the band (Jimmy Wyble and Cameron Hill) showed Ken the new solid body Fender guitar. “What is a Fender?” he recalls asking at the time and soon found himself traveling down to Fullerton to meet the man behind the name, Leo Fender. Ken ordered himself a Fender - a model Leo called “The Broadcaster” - and within a year Ken received what he believes was the sixth Broadcas

B.B. King spoke of his great love of music making and provided sound advice for those who want to play an instrument. He smiled as he recalled buying his first guitar amplifier and spoke with a warm voice when reflecting on his greatest musical influences. BB's NAMM Oral History interview was a time for him to reflect on his early instruments and the music stores he visited during his life and career as one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time. We ended the interview with his statement, "Hi, I'm B.B. King and I believe in music."

Bill Kirchen is a well known rockabilly guitarist known by his tag, The Titan of The Telecaster! During much of his career Bill could be seen and heard playing his 1959 Sunburst finished Fender Telecaster. His driving playing style has been an influence on rock and country players alike, but Bill always seemed to be most comfortable playing Rockabilly. Bill was the original guitarist for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Bill has been associated with several musical instrument companies especially Talos Amps and Fender Guitars.  

Steve Klein is a guitar luthier’s luthier! As a pioneer and innovator in the methods and tools of guitar building and designer, Steve has maintained focus on the elements of his craft which has driven his passion since he was a teenager. He refers to his guitars as “friends” and looks after them as such, respecting the unique sound each of them produces. As a designer Steve has given us electric guitars and even acoustic basses which he co-created with Bob Taylor. Over the years he has shared his ideas and methods with new generations of luthiers. He is always looking forward to h

Billy Klein is a co-founder of Hybrid Studios in Santa Ana, California. He got into the music industry the way most of us do - playing in a band and experimenting with recording. He then went on to receive a recording arts degree from Loyola Marymount University, as well as various internships within recording studios. Once he worked his way up from intern to recording engineer, Billy and his longtime friend created Hybrid Studios, which focuses on recording with both analog and digital gear.

Tim Kletti is a passionate music maker who has played guitar in dynamic rock bands most of his life. He has found his dream day job as Vice President of Music Go Round while still playing energetic gigs on nights and weekends! His passion came simply by being exposed to a wide range of musical styles growing up and having an insatiable interest in exploring the playing techniques of his musical heroes. A critical moment for Tim came in 1976 when the band Kiss performed on Paul Lynde’s Halloween television special.

Seah Kok Hwa was born in Malaysia and wanted to make music when he first heard the Beatles. His uncle gave young Seah a guitar and he learned to play some of his favorite songs. After working in the oil business for many years, he decided it was time to return to the roots of his passion. As a result, he opened his own music store, Sandman Guitar Centre, in 2008. That same year he attended the NAMM Show and gathered ideas from the Idea Center sessions as well as what he learned from visiting local Los Angeles area stores. Those ideas helped Seah to create a special vibe in his sto

Fritz Kollitz was an expert on woods used for musical instruments and gained an international reputation for his knowledge and service to violin and guitar luthiers alike. As the founder of Fritz Kollitz: Fine Tone Woods, he played an important role in the growing awareness and education of the global concern over the limited supplies of some rare woods sought for instrument making. In the early 2000s Fritz handed over the company to his son, yet remained in a supportive role until his passing in 2015.  

Akira Komaki recalled the early days of his grandfather’s career as a Japanese retailer. Akira took over the company from his father, the eldest son of his grandfather. Komaki Music opened its doors in 1931 and has since become a part of the Tokyo landscape. Akira has studied the American music retailers and provided an impressive comparison of how he has seen them charge over the years.  

Dirk Kommer grew up close to Hohner, where he began his industry career as an apprentice in 1956. Over the years his dedication and passion for the products resulted in advances in duties. He was transferred to South Africa and back to Europe where he became the director of Hohner in London. When the company was sold, Dirk left to form his own company, European Music Company and Tanglewood Guitars. As the guitar popularity grew, Dirk expanded the channels of distributions to cover the entire world.