Fender sells Guild.

[chazmo]

Excellent letter, Steve.

Somehow it'll be interesting to see if this letter makes it up the chain to the CEO (Jonathan Thomas) and that you get something other than a pat response. Keep us posted, Steve. I hope it does. If nothing comes of it, we should try mentioning letstalkguild in a separate contact so they know we're here and watching/interested in their decisions.

 

[blue335]

I talked to my 'personal shopping assistant' at Sweetwater and he said the Newark Street Guilds are showing as discontinued on their database, obviously waiting for Cordoba to state what they are going to do with the electrics from Korea. I hope they continue, they are very nice guitars. In the meantime get 'em while you can!

 

[bluesypicky]

In the meantime get 'em while you can!

The thought of pulling a "Walter move" on the X175 crossed my mind....

 

[blue335]

I bought the Capri!

 

[bluesypicky]

I bought the Capri!

No you did not. Unless you have a pic?.... :soap:

 

[blue335]

only the pics from Sweetwater now, I'll take some when she arrives.

 

[bluesypicky]

As long as NGD threads keep popping up, we'll be a happy bunch. :tranquillity:

 

[twocorgis]

OK, here's my meager contribution to the Cordoba page. I made sure to mention our little village here:

"As a lifelong Guild Guitar owner and fan, first of all let me congratulate you on the acquisition of the Guild brand. I hope that the future is a mutually beneficial thing for both your company and the brand. Myself and a lot of friends are very active participants in the Let's Talk Guild internet forum (http://www.letstalkguild.com) and have been discussing and pondering what your company's acquisition will mean for the future of our beloved guitars.
Doing some research on your facilities, it seems that you only have a very limited space to manufacture domestically, and was wondering if you might consider continuing the production of Guild guitars at the existing New Hartford CT factory? There are some extraordinary workers there, who we have come to know at Let's Talk Guild as the result of touring the factory with our internet group the last four years there. All the tooling and advanced CNC machinery are already in place, and it would be a basically turnkey operation. I own or have owned Guilds that were manufactured in all of their factories, and I can say unequivocally that the guitars that were produced at the New Hartford CT plant were the best of all of them, as my 2010 F512, and 2013 Orpheum 14 Fret Slope Shoulder will attest.

Whatever happens, I wish you only the best in the future, and will most definitely be watching. Please visit our board some time and check in with us. We would really appreciate being apprised of events as they happen going forward."

 

[chazmo]

Super, Sandy!!! We're doin' our jobs!

 

[geoguy]

I sent a similar message to Cordoba Music Group a couple days ago, though I suggested hiring some key people from NH (I assumed they wouldn't want that physical location). No reply as of this time.

For anyone else who wishes to write to them, here's a link:

http://cordobamusicgroup.com/contact

 

[Watasha]

Note the Waverly tuners on this one, something that FMIC never thought the Guild Orpheums worthy of.

This irritates the fire out of me & just reaffirms my thoughts that Fender never deserved Guild in the first place.

 

[12 string]

Fender never deserved Guild in the first place.

Too true!!

 

[Synchro]

OK, here's my meager contribution to the Cordoba page. I made sure to mention our little village here:

"As a lifelong Guild Guitar owner and fan, first of all let me congratulate you on the acquisition of the Guild brand. I hope that the future is a mutually beneficial thing for both your company and the brand. Myself and a lot of friends are very active participants in the Let's Talk Guild internet forum (http://www.letstalkguild.com) and have been discussing and pondering what your company's acquisition will mean for the future of our beloved guitars.
Doing some research on your facilities, it seems that you only have a very limited space to manufacture domestically, and was wondering if you might consider continuing the production of Guild guitars at the existing New Hartford CT factory? There are some extraordinary workers there, who we have come to know at Let's Talk Guild as the result of touring the factory with our internet group the last four years there. All the tooling and advanced CNC machinery are already in place, and it would be a basically turnkey operation. I own or have owned Guilds that were manufactured in all of their factories, and I can say unequivocally that the guitars that were produced at the New Hartford CT plant were the best of all of them, as my 2010 F512, and 2013 Orpheum 14 Fret Slope Shoulder will attest.

Whatever happens, I wish you only the best in the future, and will most definitely be watching. Please visit our board some time and check in with us. We would really appreciate being apprised of events as they happen going forward."

According to what I've heard from people at Fender, the cost of rent in NH had become prohibitive and that's why they closed them in the first place. If you want to blame someone, blame Kaman. If I were a gambling man, my money would be on NH being a thing of the past. I'm not happy about it, but that's what I've been hearing.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

i sent a similar message to cordoba music group a couple days ago, though i suggested hiring some key people from nh (i assumed they wouldn't want that physical location). No reply as of this time.

For anyone else who wishes to write to them, here's a link:

http://cordobamusicgroup.com/contact

"It's a movement!"

 

[adorshki]

I wonder how close they are to Larrivee?
Jim

Oh hey, I see a first post! Welcome aboard, Jim!
Heckuva time to join up, eh?
Larrivee's in Oxnard also.
Or did you mean, "How many steets over from Larrivee?"
Sorry, can't answer that one!
:laughing:

 

[ladytexan]

Excellent letter, Steve.

Somehow it'll be interesting to see if this letter makes it up the chain to the CEO (Jonathan Thomas) and that you get something other than a pat response. Keep us posted, Steve. I hope it does. If nothing comes of it, we should try mentioning letstalkguild in a separate contact so they know we're here and watching/interested in their decisions.

I have sent an email directly to Jon Thomas, President of CMG, as well, on Tuesday - to date, no response - content below.

Dear Mr. Thomas,

As a Guild guitar owner for 41 years, I wanted to send you a short email to let you know how many members of the Let’s Talk Guild (LTG) forum are excited and hopeful about ‘our’ new owner. As one can imagine, there’s been quite a bit of discussion about Cordoba Music Group buying Guild Guitars. LTG is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about Guild Guitars and its 61 year history. Perhaps, you and other CMG team members might want to join LTG.

Many LTGers have attended the Let’s Meet Guild (LMG) events held at the New Hartford factory over the past four years. Kim Keller, Customer Service Manager, Guild and Hamer USA Guitars, coordinated and was our host for the LMG events. We love Kim! I have been fortunate enough to have attended the last three LMG get-togethers. The LMG events allowed Guild guitar owners to meet the talented, skilled folks who made our beloved Guilds, Ren Ferguson, and Doyle Dykes. What fun we have had! It was like a homecoming of sorts. At the last LMG (the Guild’s 60[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary Celebration), there were about 85 LTGers who travelled from all over to attend. Folks have come from Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and all over the USA. Yep, there’s lots of love for our Guilds.

One member of LTG is Hans Moust, author of the renowned book, The Guild Guitar Book. He always serves as a resource when we have specific questions about any of the acoustic or electric models.

JT, I know CMG does not have any commitment to the employees of the New Hartford facility, but they are such a talented group of folks who know how to make wonderful guitars. It is my hope that at least a few of the former employees might transition to your Oxnard facility. There is concern for the employees.

And finally, congratulations to CMG on the purchase of Guild Guitars! What a gem you have bought! I want to wish you much success and hope the transition is not too stressful for everyone. If there is anything I can do to help, I would be glad to do so.

 

[chazmo]

Boy, we're in motion. This is great!

 

[adorshki]

I only know how to do one thing well. And I have to get on planes to do it.

You're a professional skydiver?
:excitement:

I do find it interesting, however, that nobody from New Hartford is being recruited. If this is true, how will Cordoba learn how to make Guilds? From specs? Drawings? Watching videos?
Neal

Since that's a recurring theme, I'll finally chime in with my take on it: I don't see that as a major hurdle. After all, the NH guys had to do it when Guild was moved in there.
In fact if you think about it, Westerly guys had to learn (Hans mentions the first guitars were the bottom-of-the-line M20's, "for learning"), and we KNOW Corona guys actually had NO acoustic experience and practiced on "kits" and "first articles" (we saw a first article Corona D50 (or 55?) here a while back), and no doubt Tacoma guys had to learn about "Guild" details..why, it's a Guild tradition to break in a new set of luthiers every so often!
:biggrin-new:
The Cordoba background shown so far describes how their luthiers made extensive measurements of some of the highest end classicals to come up with their blueprints, no reason to think they couldn't do the same when tooling up to make steel string guitars.
Not to mention that I'm sure existing blueprints constitute part of the "assets" that are being acquired.
To me, at that level of craftsmanship, "when you're that good, you're that good", and learning how to make something new at a high standard is part of what makes you that good.
I also happened to notice that the article in Vintage Guitar specifically says there WILL be AMERICAN production of steel string guitars IN Oxnard..
If somebody already mentioned that I must have missed it.
I think the only question left is at what level of quantity and quality?
I'd still like to see some American built entry level product like D25, but I'm sure they'll need to be in the $1500.00 ball park at least.

 

[adorshki]

It is also worth noting that Fender was not confident in Tacoma's ability to keep up with corporate change orders on the guitars,

DID they (FENDER) ever update the spec sheet to show the truss rod spec change on your F-512?
(sorry, rhetorical question and couldn't resist) :cocksure:

 

[adorshki]

OxNARD sounds pedestrian and like weird animal parts.

Any westerner worth his salt will tell you that Oxnard literally translates as "prairie oyster".
Now that I think about it though, "Prairie Oyster, Montana" DOES sound a heck of a lot more inviting than "Oxnard, California".
:biggrin-new:
And I went to to kindergarten at Oxnard Street School.
In North Hollywood.