GGJaguar
Reverential Member
You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.
GG, it comes as no surprise that after Gibson absorbed Epiphone, though they kept the brand but lowered its status over time, Guild felt pressured to identify Gibson as its main competitor.You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.
No idea where that photo comes from, but I was wondering if that Guild X-175 really has a gold finished tailpiece or if it's just a reflection of the floor?
GG, it comes as no surprise that after Gibson absorbed Epiphone, though they kept the brand but lowered its status over time, Guild felt pressured to identify Gibson as its main competitor.
Here's another picture of that same 1954 guitar. It's copied on multiple blogs without giving a source. On the first picture below, which was on Pinterest, it looks like a store logo with VINTAGE in the name.No idea where that photo comes from, but I was wondering if that Guild X-175 really has a gold finished tailpiece or if it's just a reflection of the floor?
Here's another picture of that same 1954 guitar. It's copied on multiple blogs without giving a source.
But the source would tell a minumum date range. Those pictures inmy post are around since at least 2014 already.I was wondering if the gold tailpiece, if it is a gold tailpiece at all, came before or after the chrome one.
Looking over Hans' Guild Guitar Book.....the section that goes over some of the early NY history of Guild, the first shop supervisor
came over from Epiphone in 1953 along with a two or three other Epiphone employees. There was mention of a few other craftsmen coming in at that time, but one gets the impression that the original work force on the shop floor might have been less than 10 people!
If I've got that wrong hopefully Hans might correct me or add more.
It's fascinating to think about how simple the beginnings of Guild seem to have been.
You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.
The D-70 had similar inlays like on that Epiphone on the right.