Getzen History

1939
T.J. Getzen leaves the Holton Company after nearly ten years as plant superintendent to start his own business. The Getzen Company, Inc. is born in a converted dairy barn behind the Getzen family residence at 329 East Geneva Street, Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Although manufacturing is still to come, T.J. and his three employees focus on band instrument repair.

1946
Branching out from the band instrument repair business, the Getzen Company produces its first trombones. The trombones roll off the line in the summer of 1946. Only about 1,000 trombones are produced in that first year.

1947
Following the success of the first trombones, T.J. Getzen again decides to expand and begins producing trumpets and cornets.

1949
Seeing an ever-expanding market and opportunity, T.J. Getzen expands the product line once again and starts the manufacture of piston bugles. The bugles are designed for and used by many Drum and Bugle Corps gaining popularity in the country at this time.

J. Robert Getzen, son of T.J., is appointed plant superintendent of the Getzen Company after 10 years of experience within the factory. This marks the start of the long standing family tradition that is still seen within the company today.

1950 - 1958
Over the decade the Getzen Company grows to 80 employees. With the increase in employees comes an increase in production numbers as well as in quality. This increased quality quickly moves the company into the higher ranks of the industry with its well respected line of student band instruments. The competition even notes the quality of the Getzen instruments. Vincent Bach, president of the Vincent Bach Corporation, says in 1956 "They certainly are very beautiful horns, and Getzen can be proud of being able to turn out such a fine instrument…"

1959
J. Robert Getzen follows the same footsteps as his father and resigns as the plant superintendent of the Getzen Company to start his own business. Allied Music Corporation is opened in a 3,000 square foot building just a mile away from the Getzen Company at 530 South Highway H in Elkhorn, WI. The entire company consists of Robert, one employee, and zero customers.

1960
After 21 years of business, T.J. Getzen sells the Getzen Company to Milwaukee attorney Harold M. Knowlton. Shortly after the purchase, Mr. Knowlton moves the company from its original home in the old "barn" to another facility at 211 West Centralia Street.

1962
With the help of Carl "Doc" Severinsen and many other well know professional musicians, the Getzen Company begins to design and manufacture a complete line of professional trumpets, cornets, and fluegel horns. The success of the company's student line of instruments is easily carried over to the new professional line.

1963
The entire Getzen factory, with exception of the offices and some storage areas, is destroyed by a late night fire. The fire began at 12:30 am and burned until after 2:00 am. Due to the quick spreading of the flames and the extensive smoke and water damage, the factory is all but a complete loss. Almost immediately after the flames are extinguished plans were being made for the construction of new factory.

Just a month after the devastating fire, the new Getzen factory is under construction on the same site as the destroyed building. By early December things are moving so smoothly that a target date of January, 1964 has been set for the resumption of manufacturing in the new facility.

Meanwhile, Allied Music Corporation is seeing continued success. Both its customer base and full time staff continue to grow.

1964
A mere five months after the tragic fire destroyed the Getzen Company, the new factory opens. At first the production is limited to few select models, but after a few months production is back up to full capacity.

1965
Again history repeats itself and another Getzen leaves the company to start his own business. Don Getzen, son of T.J., resigns as Executive Vice-President of the Getzen Company and founds D.E.G. Music Products in Lake Geneva, WI.

1966
After seven successful years at the helm of Allied Music, Bob Getzen once again works with his brother Don as Allied begins the manufacture of piston bugles for the D.E.G. Music Products Company.

1967
Following the success of Allied Music Corporation, Bob Getzen founds Allied Supply Corporation. Allied Supply specializes in replacement band instruments parts, cases, and band instrument repair tools and seeks to fill an obvious void in the industry. Despite serving band instrument repair shops throughout the world, Allied Supply consists of a few rows of shelving located in the shipping department of Allied Music.

At the same time, Bob begins the further expansion of Allied Music. The first being the creation of the Allied Music Repair School. The program is designed to teach individuals the finer points of band instrument repair. Each participant goes through a 48 week course that covers all of the necessary steps needed to repair any brass or woodwind band instruments. Many of the graduates go on to open their own repair shops, most of which are still in business today. Second is the expansion of the repair business to include a second facility in Santa Rosa, California. Unfortunately, the distance between the two locations made management of the western Allied Music very difficult and it only operated for three years until being closed down.

1972
Following the initial success of its piston bugles, Allied Music begins to produce a full line of trumpets, cornets, trombones, and marching brass instruments for D.E.G. History is again repeating itself with the company shifting from instrument repair to instrument manufacturing.

1974
Allied Supply Corporation has grown to occupy its own department within the Allied Music building. Now with both companies growing larger by the year, Bob Getzen decides to sell Allied Supply to his two sons Thomas R. and Edward M. Getzen. Both sons have several years of experience working for both Allied Music and Allied Supply and are eager to take over control of Allied Supply. The tradition of the family in the business continues to grow with this, the third generation.

1980
Continuing to grow, Allied Supply now occupies several hundred feet within the Allied Music building. The increased space is needed to house the constantly growing product line as well as the increasing staff size.

1985
After 25 years of success as the President and owner of the Getzen Company, Harold Knowlton sells the company to Charles F. Andrews.

1988
After more than 49 years in the industry, Bob Getzen sells Allied Music Corporation to his sons Tom and Ed. Despite being semi-retired, Bob continued to play a crucial and invaluable role in the company for many years until his passing in February of 2003.

1989
Facing ever crowded factory space, Allied Supply moves out of the Allied Music building and into its own quarters next door. The new Allied Supply building is over 9,600 square feet and is a vast improvement from the companies humble beginnings.

Another big step is taken at this time as Allied Music begins production of the first Edwards Trombones. Through the Edwards Band Instrument Company they hope to produce a trombone that meets the demanding needs of the world's best professional trombonists. This is the first step towards the making of arguably the world's best trombone.

1990
After years of building horns for D.E.G., Allied Music begins the production of its own line of instruments. They work hand in hand with the famous brass quintet, The Canadian Brass, to design and manufacture instruments that will be played and marketed by the group.

Quickly outgrowing its new location and needing to expand to better meet the needs of its customers, Allied Supply again expands and adds a case warehouse. The addition of the warehouse takes the total square footage of Allied Supply to more than 11,000 square feet.

1991
After several years of production problems and financial hardship the Getzen Company, under the direction of Charles Andrews, declares bankruptcy. Shortly thereafter, Allied Music Corporation, owned and operated by the grandsons of the Getzen Company's founder, purchases the assets of the Getzen Company out of Federal Bankruptcy Court and after 31 years the company is once again in the hands of the Getzen family.

The employees and equipment from the Getzen Company are immediately moved from its old location on Centralia Street to its new home on Highway H. Following the move, the Getzen Company is made the parent manufacturing company and Allied Music is named a wholly owned subsidiary and repair division.

An 18,000 square foot addition is built onto the Allied Music building. The new construction effectively doubles the size of the factory in order to accommodate the new equipment and employees from the Getzen Company. Once the addition is completed, the Getzen Company and Allied Music operate together splitting resources and personnel between new horn manufacturing and instrument repair. As Tom and Ed pledge to improve the quality of the instruments they produce, the long journey to return the Getzen Company to its former greatness begins.

1992
Following the success of the Edwards Trombones, the Getzen Company seriously enters the trombone market with a new line of completely redesigned professional trombones. The ever improving production quality is being noticed in the market as the Getzen Company begins to regain respect as an instrument manufacturer.

1993
Tom and Ed decide to discontinue the Allied Music Repair School, choosing instead to focus the necessary resources on new horn production.

1994
Again facing space restrictions, Allied Music discontinues its reed instrument repair services. Now the main function of Allied Music is the repair of brass instruments.

1995
Following suit with the repair school and its reed instrument repair, Allied discontinues its brass instrument repair service. Allied Music is now dissolved and all of its resources and employees are dedicated to the Getzen Company.

Meanwhile, the Getzen Company continues to regain the respect it once had within the industry as the production of higher quality instruments and the introduction of new models goes on.

1999
After more than two decades in business together Tom Getzen purchases Ed Getzen's shares in both the Getzen Company and Allied Supply. Tom becomes the sole owner and President of both companies.