Back to menu
The H. C. Levin Company

H. C. Levin was born in Asaka, Sweden in 1864. He emigrated to America in 1887 where, at the age of 24 he worked as a polisher for an unknown guitar manufacturer in New York City. After three years, he started his own business in 1891, making guitars, banjos and mandolins. He had two partners in his New York venture.

In 1898 he returned to Sweden and in 1900 he opened a new factory, making stringed musical instruments. The photo shows the employees outside the plant. It is from the turn of the century. Herman Carlson Levin died in 1948. The company continued in operation and in the 50´s and 60´s built the Goya brand of guitars under contract to the Hershman Musical Instrument Company in New York.

In the early 70´s, the H. C. Levin Company was purchased by the C. F. Martin Company and continued to produce the Levin line of guitars for them. They did not make the guitars marked Vega.

(History by Kjell Tedenstad)