Kay Musical Instrument Company Kay Musical Instrument Company Kay Musical Instrument Company was a musical instrument manufacturer of the United States, in operation from the 1930s until the 1960s. Kay was established in 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, by Henry Kay Kuhrmeyer, from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet (founded as Groeschel Mandolin Company in 1890). Kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936 — five years after the Rickenbacker "Frying pan", and the same year as the Gibson ES-150. However, the Kuhrmeyer-owned Stromberg-Voisinet brand had produced the Stromberg Electro even earlier, in 1928, making the short-lived model arguably the first commercial electric guitar. The
Institute of Musical Instrument Technology Institute of Musical Instrument Technology The Institute of Musical Instrument Technology is the main professional body for all musical instrument makers, tuners and repairers. It was inaugurated on 24 February 1938 and was incorporated on 13 March 1961. According to its website, the Institute is the only professional qualification covering the whole field of musical instrument technology. Sydney A Hurren was the founder of the Institute. Other distinguished members, past and present, include Sir James Jeans, Henry Willis III and Henry Willis IV, Sir James Blades, David Grover (Bentley Pianos), Matthias Stöckle (Renner), Herbert Norman, John Norman, Alexander Kerstan (Steingraeber