What's in a name? Guild's brand reputation.

[dreadnut]

I'll belabor everyone with this story one more time. I was just out of the Navy, newly employed, and went looking for a real guitar. I had Martin and Gibson on the mind, I really wanted a Martin or a Hummingbird. Had never really heard of Guild. The store had all threee brands. And after playing them and looking them over carefully, I walked out with the D-25M, and never looked back. It was my only guitar for 25 years. Then I found my DV-52 about 8 years ago, its the last (acoustic) guitar I'll ever need.

My friend owns a music store and used to deal Guilds. He's a Taylor freak. He had a NOS JF-30 that I was playing a few years ago, he walks up and puts a high-end Taylor in my hands and says "Here, try this." I tried it and handed it back to him. He asked "What do you think?" I said "Nice, but it's no Guild." He wasted a lot of breath trying to convince me that the Taylor was clearly the superior instrument. I played them both again and I was still hearing a deeper, richer tone coming out of the Guild, so we agreed to disagree. I wonder if everyone's tone range is a little different, maybe that's why some of us just resonate with Guilds?

In the end, yes I've played many Martins and Taylors that I'd love to own, but not at that price. When you can still get a vintage Guild acoustic for under $1,000, and it sounds equal or superior to other brands at 2-3X the price, what else is there to say? I love some Martins, Jimbow, but I can't afford one, and because of Guild, I don't have to.

 

[fronobulax]

I don't let other people make my decisions for me. If Trek is popular, and they make a bike that's right for me, then I'll buy it. I did in fact last spring when I decided I needed a commuter bike. The Trek Allant was perfect for me- already has the rack and fenders, fairly light for the kind of bike it is (yeah, a LOT heavier than my Litespeed Firenze), and the Trek dealer is the good bike shop in town[*]. If they don't make one that's right for me, I won't buy it. That's like rejecting music just because it's popular, or because it's NOT popular.

Judge them on their own merits.

When I say I bought a Guild because it wasn't a Fender like everyone elses's, I should clarify that at the time there was no compelling reason to follow the herd. My skills, talent and desired sound were such that there was no objective reason to pick one brand over another. I'm the kind of person who reads Consumer Reports or the reviews at PCMag and brand typically doesn't become a consideration until I have a sense of relative quality and value. Popularity is at best an indirect factor in my buying decisions.

That said, there was (is?) definitely a coolness factor associated with not following the herd when playing an instrument and trying to play rock and roll. The Cult of the Outsider or the Rebel, perhaps? If you play the same instrument as everyone else, you are expected to be better than everyone else to be successful or even accepted. Expectations were different, or at least more manageable, with a different instrument. Indeed in some circles it was assumed you knew what your doing if you played a "different drum".

Clearly when buying something as personal and individual as a guitar there are times and circumstances where the opinions of others will drive the decision. However I recognize that the teenager who bought a Guild bass in 1972 was motivated by many things, including peers, that are much less of a factor to the geezer that kid grew up to be.

 

[Ross]

Here's my Guild history....

When I moved to Toronto in 1982 I knew only one person here - an old hometown friend. He had just taken a well-paying job and wanted to reward himself with a new guitar. He asked me to go shopping with him. We spent several Saturdays trying out instruments. He would play them, then I'd play while he listened. The guitar that most impressed me was a Guild D-25. My friend eventually bought a Martin, but I found myself drawn back to the shop that had the Guild. Even though I wasn't in the market for a guitar at the time (I had a surprisingly good plywood Aria), I persuaded myself (single at the time) that I had to have it! :lol:
It's been my only acoustic ever since

That said, there was (is?) definitely a coolness factor associated with not following the herd when playing an instrument and trying to play rock and roll.

A couple of years later I joined a recreational rock band. Naturally, an electric guitar was required. I went pawnshop cruising, and found a nice M-75. Definitely cool (everyone else had Fenders).
I've still got that one, as well

 

[bluesypicky]

Reading this thread puts a smile on my face and reminds me what makes each and everyone of us an "LTG'er"!
I agree with most everything I read so far; that Guild remained the underdog for so long will always be a mystery to me, considering many of them are the best playing / sounding guitars I've ever seen... And now I REALLY want a DV-52!!!! :lol:

 

[Graham]

I have always wanted to play guitar. Unfortunately I left it until I was 37 and my 15th wedding anniversary. I bought a Cort Earth 200 as a gift to myself. Nice enough guitar, for those that know nothing about guitars. The sales guy made it sound good and it was much more affordable the the Gibson hanging on the wall.

The interweb was just taking off and I found tab sites, so I was on the way to stardom, or is that stardumb?

I had no idea of "action", "set up", etc so I endured with vice grip type action for as long as I could and I put the guitar away.

In 2006 I thought I needed a "new" guitar and sought out new brands. A stop into a not so local store brought me in contact with a GAD-50. It was sweet!!! It sounded, to me at least, like a guitar should sound.

Thanks to the interweb I thought I should search for a bit more info and stumbled into this site.

I asked for and received much advice. West was/is particularly helpful in the procurement of Guilds.

The rest, as they say, who are they anyway?, is his story!!

 

[killdeer43]

You all have probably seen this cool video, however Jim's story reminded me of it again.

Verlon Thompson's The Guitar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Lkg7GsKQQ

What Guild model was that he was playing??????

Back in August, it was debated to be either a D40 or D50. Don't know if there was ever a definitive ID. :?:

Joe

 

[JimbowF212]

You all have probably seen this cool video, however Jim's story reminded me of it again.

Verlon Thompson's The Guitar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Lkg7GsKQQ

What Guild model was that he was playing??????

Back in August, it was debated to be either a D40 or D50. Don't know if there was ever a definitive ID. :?:

Joe

I don't think it is either one because both the 40 & 50 have white binding and this one has black or tortise. I guess it could be a custom D-40 but it ain't A 50 I am pretty sure, the wood looks like Mahgogony.

 

[FNG]

That's a Tacoma D-50 or -40. I'm guessing D-50.

 

[Ian]

Mahgogony.

Is that a custom shop option ? :lol:

 

[JimbowF212]

Mahgogony.

Is that a custom shop option ? :lol:

OK OK I'm a guitar player not a spelling bee champion.!!!!!! :wink:

 

[killdeer43]

Mahgogony.

Is that a custom shop option ? :lol:

ZINGer! :lol:

Joe

 

[southernGuild]

Jimbo! I like it!!!! I love new words!!!.....the world needs MORE of them!...and perhaps you just made one!
If MISOGYNY is defined as a contempt and hatred for women and girls ( imagine THAT kind of twisted mind!)
and MISOGAMY is contempt and hatred for Marriage ( Hmmmmm)..........
then "MAHGOGAMY" can mean a contempt and distain for all woods other than mahogony!
Those folks that hate rosewood and maple, pear, and ash guitar sides and back.....Loving only mahogony........MAHGOGONIST!!! :lol:
works for me!
Anyway....dont worry about that spelling bee, I never won one either. George S Patton ( fine general, bad speller) once said, "any fool can spell the same word the same way over and over again.....It the great minds that come up with creative alternatives!"
I certainly keep the alternatives coming........and stopped caring long ago!
MAHGOGONY!!!!!!! I LIKE IT!!!! On ya mate! Southern

 

[Paddlefoot]

Hey Southern, I live just an hour or so from the Gen. Patton Museum. There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that the General was dyslexic, however you spell that. They also believe that this contributed to his developing the ability to remember poetry, literary quotes and terrain since he couldn't read well from the page.

Back to Guilds; I think the thing that attracts me to them besides the sound is that they seem so darned elegant for what you pay for one. I open the case on my Artist award or my X-500 and just the sight and smell make me want to practice. When I get those two guitars in my hands I feel like someone who carved the top or or sprayed the sunburst really cared that this was going to be "The Guitar" for someone. I like the way they put the extra little lines of binding in from the fretboard binding, just because it is classy. Might not make it play or sound any better but it makes me want to play more. Sort of like driving a sports car, you might not get there any faster but you sure enjoy the drive.

 

[taabru45]

Guilds have a way of improving you're playing...they are just so darn nice....and hard to put down... 8) Steffan

 

[southernGuild]

Hey Paddlefoot! Yep, Ive been to his museum a few times, ( the one at Fort Knox, KY ) I am a great fan of the old general, my dad served under him and even shook his hand at Bastone! Yep, that dyxlecic rumour is likely true, he struggled with it ( or something much like it) at West Point, and had to work just that much harder than the rest to achieve what he had...and achieve he DID.....made him what he was, in some ways. Again, showing how great things can come from adversity, if we meet it head on, and keep kicking. Great museum, I hope to visit it again someday.
My Guild motivates me as well, I appreciate the workmanship that went into her, and try to keep giving it my best. After awhile, as you know, our best just gets a bit better, and so we kick in a bit more. The DV52 just suits me down to the ground....I love the look, feel, and sound of her,....AND I love that Chesterfield headstock I have been keeping in my mind all those years. A real pleasure to own my own!

 

[JerryR]

Guilds sound like guitars should sound!

Why use 600 words when 6 say it all

 

[jgwoods]

Yogi Berra said "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded"
So too Martins and Gibsons?

I admit I am a Factory Made American Guitar snob. I like Guild, Martin and Gibson best and have owned many. I like the lifetime warranty that is longer than the career of the boutique builder. I like the price/quality point. I like supporting American made goods by buying them. And I love the way they play and sound.

I try to balance out my small collection- big and small bodies, Mahogany, Maple, Rosewood, Sitka, Adi. I don't have'em all but I can cover the ground ok with my 4 guitars. Next up for me as I change things around is a Martin 0000-18, aka M-18 like Gruhn sells. Next after that is a nice new D-40 Guild.

I think these are the last great days of traditional guitars as the wood will become too scarce to make working musician instruments out of the good stuff- get'em while you can and hang on!

 

[adorshki]

I think these are the last great days of traditional guitars as the wood will become too scarce to make working musician instruments out of the good stuff- get'em while you can and hang on!

That's what I thought when I bought my D40. Now it looks like the tradition will survive in New Hartford. Hopefully that'll just mean our guitars will be understood as "classics" from a still-producing mnaufacturer!

 

[Ian]

mnaufacturer![/quote]

Is that a guitar maker from Minnasota ? Wonder if they make anything in mahgogany ?

 

[killdeer43]

Is that a guitar maker from Minnasota ? Wonder if they make anything in mahgogany ?

OUCH!

Joe
:|