Guild New Hartford Ct.

When did Guild start building in New Hartford Ct.? Was the original plant in Westerly RI started around 1966? I realize Fender took over in the '90's and moved to CA and Tacoma, WA, but was not sure if the New Hartford Ct. facility still made 'em. Are any solid,semi-solid and jazz boxes still made at all? If so...where? I know it's a lot of questions, but I'm a huge fan of Guild and it's history.

Funny you should ask, Jorj. FMIC bought Guild in 1995, I believe, and did the moves you've mentioned. I don't know if you've looked at any of the other current posts and hot topics on the forum, but FMIC has just closed the New Hartford plant, effective the end of this month. Also, announced just days ago, FMIC has sold the Guild name badge to the Cordoba Guitar company. As of this moment, it's not known exactly when production will start up again, but it will most likely be in Oxnard, CA under new leadership. It's yet another time of TRANSITION for Guild..... stay tuned!!

Jorj said:

I'm a huge fan of Guild and it's history.

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You came at just the right time, as an old chapter in Guild history is coming to a close, and a new chapter just about to begin. Exciting times!!

Was the original plant in Westerly RI started around 1966?

Jorj

Guild started in 1953 in NYC and later moved to Hoboken NJ prior to the move to Westerly RI

Hi Jorj,
if you are interested in Guilds history, you need definitely to own Hans' book, it covers the whole Guild history until 1977. A second edition for the years after is in the works but not yet published.
Here's the link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/Guild-Guitar-...=http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/content.php

Jorj said:

Was the original plant in Westerly RI started around 1966?

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"The first guitar that came from Westerly was an M-20 in August 1967." (according Hans' book page 17).

Also you asked about electrical guitars. New Hartford produced the Custom Shop American Patriarch models as well as Guild Special Runs, called the GSR series.
Here are the links:
http://www.guildguitars.com/instrum...section=all&series=American+Patriarch™+Series
http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/?gtype=electrics&section=all&series=GSR+Series
http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/electric/archive/

The Newark St. series was made at SPG in Korea for Guild since second half 2012:
http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/?gtype=electrics&section=all&series=Newark+St.™+Collection

davismanLV said:

FMIC bought Guild in 1995, I believe, and did the moves you've mentioned.

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Yes, FMIC bought Guild in 1995 but the Guild factory in Westerly/RI continued production until mid 2001. Afterwards Guild production started in Corona/CA. Shortly after FMIC bought the Tacoma Guitar Company in Tacoma/WA in 2004 and moved the Guild production there. In 2008 FMIC acquired Kaman Music Corporation and moved production from Tacoma to New Hartford/CT. FMIC announced a few days ago that New Hartford will close by 5/31/2014 and FMIC sold the Guild brand and all related assets to Cordoba Music Group in Santa Monica/CA and some Guild production will be located in the Cordoba factory in Oxnard/CA in future.
Ralf

Hey, I just realized Guild moved as many times under FMIC as it did in the four decades preceding FMIC. They need to stay put for a while now, so Hans gets a chance to finish part two of his book.

I'm not sure if anyone answered your original question... New Hartford was building some initial prototypes in 2008 after KMC was taken over by Fender (as Ralf pointed out), but specifically the first production D-55 models were finished for NAMM 2009 (January), and those were the first to come from New Hartford. It was the end of 2008 that actually saw Tacoma shut down, so there's no real year overlap there.

There's been continuous production from New Hartford until the doors close this month, which is May 2014 -- a little over 5 years, and longer than either Corona or Tacoma.