Stella was a guitar brand founded by the Oscar Schmidt Company around 1899, known for producing low to mid-level stringed instruments. It gained popularity with musicians like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, Kurt Cobain, and Willie Nelson, who learned to play on a Stella. In 1939, the brand was acquired by the Harmony Company, which continued making student-grade Stella guitars and mid-level Sovereign guitars. Stella instruments were valued for their good tone at an affordable price, thriving in the early 20th century, though the brand was dissolved in 1974 before being reintroduced by M.B.T. International.
