The roots of the Ibanez brand began with the Spanish luthier and inventor Salvador Ibanez, whose impeccable instruments were widely sought-after in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Distributor Hoshino Gakki began importing Ibanez guitars into Japan, and after the original company disbanded, they eventually adopted the Ibanez name. While the production of Ibanez instruments moved to Japan, superior craftsmanship and innovation prepared Ibanez to take a prominent position in the guitar market from the ’50s onward.