High prices of the new Guilds; maybe should shop around.

[bluesypicky]

I could legitimately extend the thread and ask whether including GADs or the new Standard series changes the answer. .

Any little bit helps! :lol: ...and I'm all for the extension to GAD's in the subject matter. :wink:

 

[taabru45]

i guess we'll all have to ramp up and add a bunch of NH Guilds to our collections.for a fair comparison :lol: ..and why not???
Steffan

 

[jgwoods]

Y'all just hoping that none of the newly minted moderators decides not to flex their muscle and delete the extraneous posts, ain't ya?

That said, since my take on the original question boils down to the question "Do any new Guilds still reign as king in the "bang for the buck" category?" I could legitimately extend the thread and ask whether including GADs or the new Standard series changes the answer. I think we all agree that the Traditional Series are wonderland guitars but not necessarily the "best" guitar available at their price point.

My 3 guitars are certainly "best at their price point" for me. There is so much variety at any given price point that there is no way to form an argument, but my Martin, my Gibson and my Guild are excellent players for me, attractive, well built, gotten for a good discount and there is really no competition for any of them at the prices I paid.

 

[capnjuan]

So we're just trying to get this thread to 30 pages?

And.. are you looking for just one post into the 30th page, or 30 full pages?

And isn't there a forum setting of how many posts to display per page?

The default setting ....

 

[capnjuan]

... is 15 posts per page ....

 

[capnjuan]

... regardless of the length ....

 

[capnjuan]

... Turn The Page ...

 

[jcwu]

That said, since my take on the original question boils down to the question "Do any new Guilds still reign as king in the "bang for the buck" category?"

I guess you can call me Scrooge, but when a guitar goes for more than $1000, I find it hard to see any bang. Granted, I'm sure the quality is there, but with so many sub-$1k guitars that are so well made nowadays, unless I could REALLY REALLY hear a difference (and I'm just not at the level yet where I can), it's hard to justify spending the extra money.

But that's just one man's take on the situation.

 

[fronobulax]

but when a guitar goes for more than $1000, I find it hard to see any bang.

So the next time I see someone complaining about a high guitar price I'll just dismiss them with a comment about how they are not good enough to understand what they are getting...

Seriously though, I'm in agreement that there are a lot of high priced and/or luxury goods out there that offer improvements over their lower priced brethren that I am just not capable of observing or enjoying.

I'm kind of reminded of the days of my youth when I wanted to see just how fast my 1964 Rambler could go. As I recall, I chickened out at 90 mph but it was pretty clear that the car had more to give. This experience strongly suggests that I should not pay extra for a car with a top speed over 100 mph because I almost certainly would never experience it.

Of course when I do pay over $1,000 for any bass I fully understand that I am buying something intangible above and beyond the basic, measurable utility.

 

[Ross]

I'm kind of reminded of the days of my youth when I wanted to see just how fast my 1964 Rambler could go. As I recall, I chickened out at 90 mph but it was pretty clear that the car had more to give.

I had one of those, too. Paid a lot less than $1000 for it

 

[adorshki]

Brand new D-25 with case, 1997: $1199.00 Desperate salesman's discount: $400.00.
2 complete refrets, bone nut and saddle, and strings (13 years worth): $734.00
Per-hour operating cost: $1.80
1330 hours of playing enjoyment: priceless.

Brand new F65ce with case, 2002: $2295.00 ("Last of the Westerlys" display signage included at no charge)
Closeout discount: $700.00
Pulse rate increase every time case is opened and bling is revealed, inciting "virgin bride moment": priceless. :lol:

Brand new Richie Havens D40e with case, 2004: $1895.00 (memory may be off here, price list copy is at home)
Courtesy discount, just for asking: $500.00 ( I know it netted out to $1395.00)
Sheer pride of ownership and backup value when D25 was in shop for refret: priceless. 8)

Peace of mind factor in knowing all 3 guitars were acquired in unmolested condition and covered by warranty in any event: priceless.
SO-o-o-o-o....shop around? Sure, why not. Just make sure to ask what the shop would take as a cash offer right now, before you continue on your way.
And to be fair, I KNOW it's a different world today. The real problem seems to be finding Guilds on the shelf AT ALL. :?

 

[Dadaist]

Brand new D-25 with case, 1997: $1199.00 Desperate salesman's discount: $400.00.
2 complete refrets, bone nut and saddle, and strings (13 years worth): $734.00
Per-hour operating cost: $1.80
1330 hours of playing enjoyment: priceless.

Brand new F65ce with case, 2002: $2295.00 ("Last of the Westerlys" display signage included at no charge)
Closeout discount: $700.00
Pulse rate increase every time case is opened and bling is revealed, inciting "virgin bride moment": priceless. :lol:

Brand new Richie Havens D40e with case, 2004: $1895.00 (memory may be off here, price list copy is at home)
Courtesy discount, just for asking: $500.00 ( I know it netted out to $1395.00)
Sheer pride of ownership and backup value when D25 was in shop for refret: priceless. 8)

Peace of mind factor in knowing all 3 guitars were acquired in unmolested condition and covered by warranty in any event: priceless.
SO-o-o-o-o....shop around? Sure, why not. Just make sure to ask what the shop would take as a cash offer right now, before you continue on your way.
And to be fair, I KNOW it's a different world today. The real problem seems to be finding
Guilds on the shelf AT ALL. :?

You've might have documented all of this....and this is old news, but why did a "new" (to me a 14 year old guitar is new...humor me) need two re-frets in that period of time?

In all seriousness, were you using extra heavy string or is your playing style just hard on a fretboard?

David

 

[jcwu]

but when a guitar goes for more than $1000, I find it hard to see any bang.

So the next time I see someone complaining about a high guitar price I'll just dismiss them with a comment about how they are not good enough to understand what they are getting...

Well, there's two differences - one difference is whether I can actually perceive the difference in quality.. and the other difference is, even if I could hear it when someone else plays, can *I* coax it out with my fingers?

 

[adorshki]

You've might have documented all of this....and this is old news, but why did a "new" (to me a 14 year old guitar is new...humor me) need two re-frets in that period of time?
In all seriousness, were you using extra heavy string or is your playing style just hard on a fretboard?
David

History was reiterated for Bluesy who asked about a page ago.... But to answer the real question, did you see the actual playing hours on it? In the first two years, since it was my only guitar it piled up 300 hours. I use .012-.053 lights, and yeah I dig in real good all over the board, but especially down around the first five frets, lot of rhythm accompaniment for singing, and I like keys E A and D a lot. Actually, when I thought about it, I think part of the notching on the higher strings might be BECAUSE they're thinner and thus able to cut a little more. That's where the real wear was. I was actually pretty surpised it needed 'em so soon (according to my experience), but also got 'em done while I could afford it and knowing the guitar was going to be a lifetime keeper.
Secondary issue, I don't believe in dressing 'em, it just means postponing a real fret job and changing the action (file nut and saddle because of the lost fret height, which also has its own effect on hammer on/offs) .
I postponed the second one for a LONG time, it didn't happen til last August and only has about 10 hours on it. So you may think of the first refret lasting almost 1000 hours and the second as not having any substantial playing time on it yet.

 

[jcwu]

In the first two years, since it was my only guitar it piled up 300 hours.

Man... you document your playing hours??

I think part of the notching on the higher strings might be BECAUSE they're thinner and thus able to cut a little more. That's where the real wear was.

That's where my DV52's wear is all focused - on the 1st to 3rd fret of the E and B strings.

 

[adorshki]

In the first two years, since it was my only guitar it piled up 300 hours.

Man... you document your playing hours??

Not as obsessively as it sounds like. :lol: I just know that when I got it, I was bouncing back from almost a year with NO guitar, and it was so good, it was inspiring me to play more than ever. At that time Friday nights were guaranteed to be at least an hour out of 2 including time-outs, Saturdays were guaranteed to be at least 2 out of 4 or 5 including timeouts (At Wildwood Park in Saratoga, at least 40 weeks a year) and about another hour a week of practicing scales and arrangements. I didn't go back and figure all that out until it needed its first refret and it wasn't quite even 2 years old. I thought that was kind of premature but when I totted up all the time I realized I was playing it at least 3 hours a week on average, thus a minimum of 150 hours a year. That lasted about 7 years then started tapering off as the park scene died away, and the other 2 came on board. It's only about 30 actual hours a year now 'cause it's down to maybe a couple hours a week on a heavy week, and I actually concentrate more on the F65 and D40 now, to open 'em up. Also since I had the frets done August before last, I'm trying to keep it as fresh as I can. Save it for when I want that "brand new" feeling.

I think part of the notching on the higher strings might be BECAUSE they're thinner and thus able to cut a little more. That's where the real wear was.

That's where my DV52's wear is all focused - on the 1st to 3rd fret of the E and B strings.

I get the A, D and G strings pretty good too. Do a lot of hammers on stuff in E and A and Amin and Dmin, and I like playing scales with open strings in 'em, so, down low by the nut a lot. 8)

 

[ironvic52]

I search Craig'sList all the time for used Guilds because the pricing on new is too rich for me these days. I still remember one that got away back about 15 years ago. It was 300 bucks at a local pawn shop--old dred, cracked and repaired top and was so deep and lush it almost made you cry with a singing simple C chord. Didn't have the dough at the time, and like all good gitboxes, it was gone by the time I did.

Just bought a nice, 2 year old GAD classical off Craig's that really impressed me with the quality of the build, I guess craftsmanship knows no boundaries-it's all in the hands anyway... Everything from the nice tonewoods to the attention to details is amazing for the price (4 hun). It kills me to know that it's sitting in my closet, lying in the case until Christmas. Feel like a kid again!

BTW, my first post here--I really like this site.

Vic

 

[jcwu]

BTW, my first post here--I really like this site.

Vic

Welcome, Vic!!!

 

[jcwu]

I search Craig'sList all the time for used Guilds because the pricing on new is too rich for me these days. I still remember one that got away back about 15 years ago. It was 300 bucks at a local pawn shop--old dred, cracked and repaired top and was so deep and lush it almost made you cry with a singing simple C chord. Didn't have the dough at the time, and like all good gitboxes, it was gone by the time I did.

Next time, you gotta ask about the layaway plan!

 

[JTMartin]

Yeah.......shop around for a used Guild. I'm amazed at what I see some of them go for on Craigslist or Ebay. The market for second hand Guilds is a buyers dream. I bought two Tacoma D50's this year, one for right under a grand and one for just a little over. Both were a couple of years old in new, practically unplayed condition. Bought the first one then sold it to fund another guitar. Missed it so much I sold a D-28 to get the second one which I have now and plan to keep. Still can't believe I got this high quality, flawless, adirondack top guitar for the price I paid.