Chicago Musical Instruments
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | April 1920 |
| Founder | Maurice H. Berlin |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Fate | Merged with Ecuadorian Company Limited to form Norlin Corporation |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Musical instruments and related equipment |
Chicago Musical Instruments Co. (CMI), which later became known as Norlin Music, operated as a producer and distributor of musical instruments and related equipment. It maintained controlling stakes in prominent brands including Gibson (from 1944 to 1969), Lowrey, Epiphone, F. E. Olds & Son, William Lewis & Son Co., Krauth & Beninghofen, Selmer UK, and Moog. By the mid-1970s, CMI had grown to become the largest manufacturer of musical instruments within the United States.
History
The company was established in April 1920 by Maurice H. Berlin under the name Martin Band Instrument Company of Chicago. It adopted the Chicago Musical Instrument Co. name three years later, in 1923.
CMI gained a controlling interest in Gibson Inc. in 1944, subsequently enlarging Gibson's Kalamazoo facility in 1945 and redesigning its logo by 1947. Ted McCarty assumed the presidency of Gibson in 1949, overseeing the creation of legendary guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul, ES-335, and SG models.
Following World War II, CMI expanded its portfolio through several acquisitions: it purchased brass instrument manufacturer F. E. Olds & Son; acquired Lowrey Organ Company in 1955; and took over Epiphone Guitars in 1957. Epiphone was repositioned as a more affordable line featuring Gibson-inspired designs, initially manufactured in Kalamazoo before production shifted to Asia. Beginning in 1962, CMI introduced guitar effects pedals under the Maestro brand, starting with the FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone and later adding sophisticated devices like the RM-1A Ring Modulator and PS-1 Phase Shifter.
In 1964, CMI further expanded by acquiring brass instrument maker F.A. Reynolds Company, integrating its output with that of F.E. Olds.
In 1969, Ecuadorian Company Limited (ECL), based in Panama, acquired majority ownership of CMI and merged with it to create Norlin Corporation—a name derived from founders Norton Stevens (ECL) and Arnold Berlin (CMI), who were classmates at Harvard Business School.
Norlin proceeded to acquire Moog Music in 1973. That year, Norlin reported annual revenues exceeding $120 million, with Norlin Music representing over two-thirds of total sales.
Confronted with a hostile takeover attempt in 1984, Norlin divested Lowrey Organ in October of that year and completed the sale of Gibson by early 1986.
See also
External links
- Chicago Musical Instruments Interviews at NAMM Oral History Program
- Norlin Corporation Interviews at NAMM Oral History Program
- Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States
- Manufacturing companies established in 1920
- 1920 establishments in Illinois
- Distribution companies of the United States
- Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States
- 1973 mergers and acquisitions
- Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1969
- 1969 disestablishments in Illinois
- American companies disestablished in 1969