KHS Musical Instruments Co., Ltd was founded in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
in 1930 as an educational products company, and gained success in the 1950s as a producer of
musical instruments
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person who pl ...
. In 2020, KHS is a full-scale musical instrument manufacturer of a complete line of wind instruments, percussion, fretted instrument, and stand products.
History
KHS was first founded with the ''Wan Wu'' (萬屋株式會社) name in Taiwan in 1930 as an educational products company and was renamed to KHS in 1945.
KHS stands for ''Kung Hsue She'' (功學社) which means a company helping schools and culture.
KHS started harmonica production in 1956 and started band instrument production a year later in 1957.
By 1980 KHS was a full-scale musical instrument manufacturer and the ''Jupiter'' brand was started to market a complete line of wind instruments and percussion. KHS also began supplying instruments for export and sale under the American ''
Vito
Vito is an Italian name that is derived from the Latin word "''vita''", meaning "life".
It is a modern form of the Latin name Vitus, meaning "life-giver," as in San Vito or Saint Vitus, the patron saint of dogs and a heroic figure in southern ...
'' brand.
In 1985 KHS established the Musix company. KHS established Altus Co., Ltd. to manufacture professional flutes in 1990, and acquired Ross Mallet Instruments in 1994. Since 2010 Jupiter manufactures the ST line of saxophones for the German company
Keilwerth.
Brands
*
Jupiter Band Instruments
Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. Jupiter was established by its Taiwanese parent company KHS in 1980.
History
KHS was first founded with the ''Wan Wu'' name in Taiwan ...
*
Mapex Drums
Mapex Drums (Music And Percussion EXcellence) is a Taiwanese brand of musical instruments established by KHS Musical Instruments in 1989. Instruments manufactured with the "Mapex" name include drum kits and hardware.
Products
Mapex produces se ...
*Altus Flutes
*
Hercules Stands
*Ross Mallet Instruments
*
Majestic Concert Percussion
*
Lanikai Ukuleles
Kailua () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It lies in the Koolaupoko District of the island of Oahu on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'ol ...
References
Jupiter Band InstrumentsKHS-MusicWalden Guitars
External links
NAMM Oral History Interview with Wu H. Hsieh
(2004)
NAMM Oral History Interview with CEO Karl Leong
(2013)
Musical instrument manufacturing companies of Taiwan
Clarinet manufacturing companies
Percussion instrument manufacturing companies
Guitar manufacturing companies
Manufacturing companies established in 1930
Chinese companies established in 1930
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