Introducing the Guild Westerly Collection

Nice looking guitars. But I really hate the name. Westerly Guilds were made in Rhode Island, not China. This devalues the Westerly name; it also devalues the chesterfield (with the early indication that the Oxnard Guilds will feature the G-shield on the headstock, not the chesterfield).

I'm fine with the Newark St. Collection--it evokes the past without trying to co-opt it. But I'd surely feel differently if the Newark St. Collection was called the Hoboken Collection.

jeffcoop said:

Nice looking guitars. But I really hate the name. Westerly Guilds were made in Rhode Island, not China. This devalues the Westerly name; it also devalues the chesterfield (with the early indication that the Oxnard Guilds will feature the G-shield on the headstock, not the chesterfield).

I'm fine with the Newark St. Collection--it evokes the past without trying to co-opt it. But I'd surely feel differently if the Newark St. Collection was called the Hoboken Collection.

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+1
I'm with you on this one, Jeff.

Joe

I also agree that the name Westerly was a poor choice.
A good marketing ploy but not a good representation of the guitars that are made in Chine.

Guild has a facebook page and just posted about the Westerly Collection on it.
Several people including myself posted our dis satisfaction about the name.
Of course Guild tried to justify their decision.

Here is the Facebook article.

https://www.facebook.com/guildguitars?fref=ts

Taylor Martin Guild said:

I also agree that the name Westerly was a poor choice.
A good marketing ploy but not a good representation of the guitars that are made in Chine.

Guild has a facebook page and just posted about the Westerly Collection on it.
Several people including myself posted our dis satisfaction about the name.
Of course Guild tried to justify their decision.

Here is the Facebook article.

https://www.facebook.com/guildguitars?fref=ts

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I just left a comment. This is *not* going to earn Cordoba the trust of Guild fans.

:sorrow:
I can see confusion and misinformation going both ways when people start selling on the secondary markets. Thinking a "Westerly Guild" (Chinese) is US made, and thinking a Westerly Guild (US) is Chinese

:hopelessness:

Hate to say it but "I told you so"...................

Holy Moly, how about something in the other direction. Custom guitars with 7k pricing http://guildguitars.com/guitars/electric-guitars/american-patriarch-series/

I have to agree on the name not being a good idea...

walrus

The Chinese model, together with the 7K model referenced above, will only increase the value of vintage Guilds that were actually made in westerly (and the other locations). Have to agree though "westerly collection made in China" is a bad idea. Not sure who the target market it. May flop over here but could be successful in China possibly?

Unfortunately for us Guild acoustic fans it looks like we've been put in the alley as far as anything new for the forseeable future. I've built a couple of guitars and can understand why they chose the electrics first. They require much less tooling and time to make generally than an acoustic and can provide more consistent sound and performance.
Acoustic guitar players are a very hard bunch to please anyway :bi_polo:.
After looking at the new web site I had a gut feeling that they were giving top priority for the electric market. I agree with mavuser hopefully this might help out values of the USA made acoustics. That's only good if you already have one though.

It amuses me that no one remembers this thread. Reactions are much milder this time around but I'm not expecting Guild to react or change this time

fronobulax said:

It amuses me that no one remembers this thread.

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Ah, you're referring to the thread where I made an attempt at being funny (posting # 93), which obviously no one did get.
At least it made it clear that I probably wouldn't last a day as a comedian!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Now that was funny, Hans!

I guess it doesn't really matter what they call the import line.
I won't be buying one.

hansmoust said:

Ah, you're referring to the thread where I made an attempt at being funny (posting # 93), which obviously no one did get.
At least it made it clear that I probably wouldn't last a day as a comedian!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

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That actually was pretty funny Hans! The Canal St collection- then u know for sure it came from China! As well as Chinatown. Then after you buy the guitar on Canal St u can go in the back room and purchase some bonus products for cash

hansmoust said:

Ah, you're referring to the thread where I made an attempt at being funny (posting # 93), which obviously no one did get.
At least it made it clear that I probably wouldn't last a day as a comedian!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

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I think it was funny. but I'm not a native english speaking individual.

Has anyone sent an email or maybe start a petition ? I know I'm new but from what I've read and learned from you folks I agree poor choice for the name . I send one to but being a novice ......... Just let me know .

fronobulax said:

It amuses me that no one remembers this thread.

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Or this one: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?185495-New-to-LTG-Westerly-Collection
Ralf

mario1956 said:

Unfortunately for us Guild acoustic fans it looks like we've been put in the alley as far as anything new for the forseeable future.

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Not really, there are no California made guitars at all on the webpage yet as the factory is not yet running. But they are coming: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...amphlet-From-Catalog-For-Oxnard-Guitar-Models
As far as I understood the delay seems to be due to Californian environmental laws and the necessary certifications that the factory needs before they can start producing there.
Ralf

Rayk said:

Has anyone sent an email or maybe start a petition ? I know I'm new but from what I've read and learned from you folks I agree poor choice for the name . I send one to but being a novice ......... Just let me know . 

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Not picking on RayK personally and if it sounds like that in spite of my best efforts, PM me and I will delete.

I am continually amused by the sense of entitlement some folks have when it comes to telling Guild how to market a product they they personally would never buy. I first started noting it circa the beginning of New Hartford operations. There were the "I love Guilds but I would never buy a new one" and the "I love Guilds but they need to be at least five years old" and the "I love Guilds but vintage Guilds are a better bang for the buck" and "I love Guilds but I would never buy one not made in the USA" and "I love Guilds, but only Westerly made ones" and "I love Guilds but not electrics" and "I love electric Guilds and I wish they would make them in the US 'cause I ain't buying one otherwise" and "I love Guilds but my budget is $500 and even that is stretching things".

Now if I owned Guild or was being paid to manage the brand, I would certainly listen to those voices because they have a secondary effect on how the marketplace perceives the brand but since I am an arrogant SOB who is out of a job if the new guitars Guild makes, remain unsold, the voice I am going to react to is the one that says "I love Guilds and I love the tradition but I want a new guitar and my budget is $500 but I might check the sofa cushions for more if an instrument spoke to me of quality and tradition". Since Guild is making MIC and MIK instruments right now, that is what I would focus on to sell them. I'll change my tune once the Oxnard factory is producing and that marketing would probably focus on made in USA and mixing Guild tradition with Ren Ferguson innovation at a quality that is unmatched by a production guitar under $5000. Take that Martin!!!

Bottom line is that the people I see most concerned about "the Westerly Collection" as also the people least likely to buy one and the people who would almost never recommend to their buddy that they buy any new Guild if a used/vintage were available.