First guilds from the new factory...

[capnjuan]

I would say the title We Gotta Get Out Of This Place in Guilds case could be standing for any of New York City, Hoboken, Westerly, Corona and Tacoma - each of different reasons. I see there are 20 Hartfords in the US alone and 4 Hartfords/ Hertfords in the UK. To that 5 New Hartfords can be found in the US (according to Wikipedia)

You're right Jonas; I don't know what economic development policy is where you are but, by default (sorry Steve), US cities are left to compete for new employers and jobs in the form of tax breaks, cash advances for every new employee, municipally-financed infrastructure improvements, and similar inducements ... and in recent years, the city of Hartford CT hasn't been doing any better than Detroit MI's 0-15 football Lions ...

New Hartford CT wants to borrow the name 'Hartford' but without any of its ugly municipal baggage ... which is why our noobie was so concerned that we make the distinction ... I was only acknowledging the distinction he wanted us to appreciate. New Hartford sounds like a Reston VA or Columbia MD; white, low-rise/low-density, real estate development-driven, economically-exclusive haven from the muck and mire of Hartford CT, Washington DC, Baltimore MD, and other big US cities.



Yes Bluesdan ... but just one call ... and keep it brief :wink:

 

[plaidseason]

New Hartford is definitely not like Reston, Va, which as far as I can tell is actually some kind of movie set.

New Hartford's been around for like 300 years, so it's not really that new either. It's a quiet small town in the Litchfield Hills, which aren't really a suburb to/for/of anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hartford,_Connecticut

The Hartford/Detroit comparison is dead on. And that's a pretty long discussion for somewhere outside the Acoustic/Acoustic Electric forum.

Seriously, if Fender ever lets us tour the new Guild plant, a trip to the Northwest Corner of Conn. would definitely make for a worthwhile trip from anywhere. Believe it or not your wives/husbands would actually thank you for taking you on a trip to see the Guild factory. My wife and I love the area so much that we got married at the top of Dennis Hill in nearby Norfolk.

-Chris

 

[Graham]

Seriously, if Fender ever lets us tour the new Guild plant, a trip to the Northwest Corner of Conn. would definitely make for a worthwhile trip from anywhere.
-Chris

Keep your ears to the ground on that one Chris, please. I'm sure an LTG roadtrip would be cobbled together for that! :mrgreen:

 

[capnjuan]

New Hartford is definitely not like Reston, Va, which as far as I can tell is actually some kind of movie set.

It's more than a Potemkin village but I get your point CJ

 

[plaidseason]

New Hartford is definitely not like Reston, Va, which as far as I can tell is actually some kind of movie set.

It's more than a Potemkin village but I get your point CJ

That's hilarious!

 

[fronobulax]

New Hartford is definitely not like Reston, Va, which as far as I can tell is actually some kind of movie set.

Reston is not that bad, although I haven't had reason to be there much since I changed dentists. I do agree that the public spaces feel like they are trying to be older than they are.

 

[capnjuan]

New Hartford is definitely not like Reston, Va, which as far as I can tell is actually some kind of movie set.

Reston is not that bad, although I haven't had reason to be there much since I changed dentists. I do agree that the public spaces feel like they are trying to be older than they are.

Reston was/is the quintessential 'new town'; like Columbia MD (Rouse), Weston (Arvida) / Celebration (Disney) FL, and others; a formulaic approach to wide-scale residential and low-density business and retail development. The New Hartford town website was down ... I just got the vital statistics, not the Chamber of Commerce / Currier & Ives tour; no reason to think it isn't a swell place and the parallel w/ Reston - since it is 'New' Hartford - was just a guess based on the statistics. Cheers!

 

[Bing k]

I spoke with my rep at Fender about the new Guild production late last week.
These comments are based on our conservation.
There are core models being built such as the D-55, D-40, and D-50. The number is up in the air and I believe so is the release date.
I had thought we might see introduction at the Winter Namm but now I believe it will be later such as the Summer show. From the reps comments there has been no indication inside of anything happening sooner.
We spoke of other historic models and there is no indication of current production to the inside sale staff other than those mentioned.
On the subject of electrics. They are believed to be there in the plan but nothing is on the cutting table yet.
If there was to be any release of the Conn. Guilds soon there would be some materials showing up on the sales desks in the specialty sales department. According to the people I spoke with none have shown up yet.

 

[marcellis]

I wonder what effect the economic downturn will have on Guild production.
Best-case scenario, it will make no difference.

 

[6L6]

I just KNOW we're gonna love the New Hartford Guilds too!

6

 

[sitka_spruce]

I just KNOW we're gonna love the New Hartford Guilds too!

6

I have a vision... or premonition these CT Guilds will be virtually indistinguishable from the Tacoma made ones. The shape of them and the looks of them will be the same and most probably the sound will pretty much be too.

 

[Brad Little]

Well, I'm coming to this discussion late, so this might have been mentioned already. I've only read the first couple and last couple of pages. I've heard from a fairly reliable source that some ( if not many) of the craftsmen from Westerly were hired by Ovation after the move west. Previously, many of the top luthiers moved from Hoboken to Westerly, so there may be some connection to the earlier past. I guess time will tell.

On a different front, I am not happy with FMIC's decision to use the Guild name on Chinese made instruments, no matter how good they are. I would rather have had them revive the Madeira trademark that Guild used in the past for foreign made instruments built to Guild specs.

Just my 2 cents.
Brad Little

 

[hideglue]

I've heard from a fairly reliable source that some ( if not many) of the craftsmen from Westerly were hired by Ovation after the move west.

Hi Brad,

Initially only two went to Hamer, none to Ovation.
One has since left.

 

[6L6]

On a different front, I am not happy with FMIC's decision to use the Guild name on Chinese made instruments, no matter how good they are.

+1

 

[Bing k]

quote 6L6: I know we will like the new Guilds


I believe so also 6. We just have to have the patience to wait until it happens. There is no sense in us Guilders getting in a snit because production isn't meeting our, let's say " expectations".

The economic slowdown, downturn, recession, depression, what ever term we decide to use on any given day to suit present company will have effect on the market and thus decisions made at corporate headquarters as to what to produce and when.
With the price of American made Guilds or any other American guitars for that matter the market is probably above the average persons means, economic troubles or not. As a result the market for the Americans may not be affected as it may be for less expensive instruments.
Now the GADs on the other hand which the price point lends it's self to be more affordable for the masses may see more market loss because the folks in that market will be forced to tighten up the budget to make things work within their means.

 

[guildzilla]

In retrospect, at least the timing of the Tacoma closing decision and Connecticut restart process happened before the economic poop really hit the fan this fall. The result was that the transition was underway and all these guitars got started in advance of the worst news about the economy.

I'm glad to hear there are USA Guild guitars coming through the chow line in New Hartford. And the points Bing makes above are good ones about the guitar market. This is not to say that I'm optimistic about FMIC's ability to overcome the challenges ahead with the marketing of these new Guild instruments. It's going to be a struggle, requiring persistence, patience and long-range thinking by the parent company. These are not qualities FMIC demonstrated with the Tacoma adventure.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

As much as I hate to say it,
it would be good for Guild, if they could get into the Guitar Centers.
At least a lot of people would be able to see and play them.

The down side would be seeing these wonderful instruments getting abused by the Guitar Center Thrashers.

 

[chazmo]

Taylor has done something interesting, and they are distributing in teh US in BestBuy stores. Very interesting.

What they've done though, is gone and signed a deal with Fender to distribute Taylors in Europe. Honestly, I think this is going to end up distracting Fender in the short run, and will not be good for Guild.

 

[newt81567]

The guilds from New Hartford are going to be awesome! You guys just have to have patience.

 

[Graham]

The guilds from New Hartford are going to be awesome! You guys just have to have patience.

Who are you new guys with this "info"?

Show yourselves!

And, once again, welcome to LTG. :wink: