Guild's Representative Model When...

AdvenJack · Jun 6, 2013

speaking of other makers 18" and larger archtops.
Stromberg has the 400
Gretsch has the Eldorado
Gib has S400
Epi Has Acoustic Emperor

I'm talking all solid wood and carved spruce top examples only.
Would GUILD assert that the 50's and early 60's J Smith Award guitars
from their production stand with the above "Fat Boy" group?

Default · Jun 6, 2013

To be truthful, the 18" archtop is just a function of pure acoustic volume in a big band setting. By the time Guild was founded, most jazz players were already amplified. Those that weren't, were probably saving for a pickup and amp. Of course, as the fifties went on, bands were smaller and rock and roll, country and combo jazz became popular. There really wasn't a need for a huge archtop, and I don't believe one ever made it into the catalog.

mbuc · Jun 6, 2013

An 18" would sure be a great addition to the American Patriarch series, one that is on par with todays Gibson S400 and The Heritage Super Eagle.

Default · Jun 6, 2013

I suppose. I just don't know how much of a market for 18" archtops there is. How much do you want to pay for tooling for a guitar that you might sell six copies in a decade? If you look at the market for custom-built, boutique archtops, how many of them pay the rent with guitars that bulky. I mean, it would be cool, but they would be better served by building Artist Awards.

AdvenJack · Jun 6, 2013

Default,

I get you totally. :tranquillity:

hansmoust · Jun 6, 2013

AdvenJack said:
speaking of other makers 18" and larger archtops.
Stromberg has the 400
Gretsch has the Eldorado
Gib has S400
Epi Has Acoustic Emperor

I'm talking all solid wood and carved spruce top examples only.
Would GUILD assert that the 50's and early 60's J Smith Award guitars
from their production stand with the above "Fat Boy" group?

Hello AdvenJack,

For a short while during the early '70s Guild offered the Artist Award in an 18" wide body version. Only available by 'Special Order' and for an extra $ 450.00 on top of the regular $ 950.00 for a sunburst one. The 18" version was deleted after less than 2 years, so we can assume that there wasn't a whole lot of demand for a big archtop of that size.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Default · Jun 6, 2013

Have we (and by "we" I mean "you") ever seen one of those or is that a white whale kind of guitar?

SFIV1967 · Jun 6, 2013

Default said:
Have we (and by "we" I mean "you") ever seen one of those or is that a white whale kind of guitar?

Good question. Page 165 in Hans' book shows only one was made, but at the time he wrote the book Hans also only had info about one Custom 7 was made (and in the meantime several are known).
Ralf

AdvenJack · Jun 6, 2013

hansmoust said:
For a short while during the early '70s Guild offered the Artist Award in an 18" wide body version.
Only available by 'Special Order' and for an extra $ 450.00 on top of the regular $ 950.00 for a
sunburst one. The 18" version was deleted after less than 2 years, so we can assume that there
wasn't a whole lot of demand for a big archtop of that size.

Sincerely,

Hans

VERY Cool Hans... :triumphant:

mbuc · Jun 6, 2013

Fantastic knowledge, Hans! I've just bought your book but haven't reached page 165 yet. And by the way, I would surely buy part II, too.

hansmoust · Jun 7, 2013

18-inch Artist Award

Default said:
Have we (and by "we" I mean "you") ever seen one of those or is that a white whale kind of guitar?

SFIV1967 said:
Good question. Page 165 in Hans' book shows only one was made, but at the time he wrote the book Hans also only had info about one Custom 7 was made (and in the meantime several are known).
Ralf

Hello Ralf,

Don't think that I stated on page 165 that only one 18" Artist Award was made. I merely described the situation at Guild during that period, with new instruments being tried out. And on page 143, in the Artist Award section, I wrote:
1970: 18" Artist Award available by special order ( some with rosewood peghead overlay), which indicates that I've seen 'm with both regular and with rosewood peghead overlays!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

SFIV1967 · Jun 7, 2013

hansmoust said:
Hello Ralf,Don't think that I stated on page 165 that only one 18" Artist Award was made....

Ah, thanks for clarification! It sounded to me on page 165 like "only the prototype was made and no other instrument". So I might have misunderstood that.
Ralf

SBrem · Jan 29, 2014

Hello all, new member here, but a long time (72) Guild player. I've been lurking occasionally the last couple of months, and finally registered because of this conversation on the Custom 18. I worked in a little music store in Framingham, Mass., in the late '60's and early '70's. Lou Dronge was our Guild rep at the time, and he came in one day, I'm afraid I can't be sure of the year, with a new guitar for my boss to see; it was a custom 18. My boss, George Ede at Liberty Music would. Not give it back. Beautiful very tight grained spruce top, gold DeArmond pu, maple back and sides. Sorry, can't remember the fingerboard wood. I had the awful job of cleaning and regular restringing. I did get to play it quite a bit, it was pretty damn nice. Anyway, I'm pretty sure there was more than one.

Steve

SFIV1967 · Jan 30, 2014

Welcome to LTG Steve! Great story to start with!
Ralf

Guild's Representative Model When...

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