NAMM 2016: Guild Guitars releases USA-made M-20 and D-20

Westerly Wood · Jan 27, 2016

twocorgis said:
No offense Ralf, but I'd be surprised if either of these were as good as Martin's 15 series. The D20 would have to be awful good to be better than the last D15 I played, and that might happen at some point, but likely not out of the box at Oxnard.

Martin D15 series look like potatoes. The grain of the wood looks so cheap. And my D25BR sounds better than any 15 I ever played. They are martin's first great mistake i my humble opinion. it will not be hard to beat that series.

Westerly Wood · Jan 27, 2016

GardMan said:
When I was shopping for my FIRST Guild, back in January 1973, I was deciding between a flat-backed all mahogany D-25 at $225 and its spruce topped counterpart D-35, at $265 (prices sans case). The D-35 won out...

But, just for kicks and giggles, I ran that 1973 D-25 price thru an inflation calculator to translate it into 2015 dollars (the calculator I found on-line ends with 2015)... the result was $1201. Draw your own conclusions...

wow, amazing prices! oh wait that was 1971

for a second i was going to ask Dave what craigslist you found them on LOL

Br1ck · Jan 27, 2016

Think what you will of the 15 series Martins, I'm a fan, and if Guild sells even 10% of what Martin's 15 series sells, they will be doing cartwheels.

Guild's problem will be getting them in the hands of buyers. Already, there were few Guild dealers around, and they have lost more since the closure of New Hartford. I was at a previous Guild dealer who won't be stocking them. They have a wall full of Martin, Taylor, and Gibson products. They have learned to live without Guild. Unless, of course, the guitars just blow the sox off them at NAMM.

adorshki · Jan 27, 2016

Br1ck said:
Guild's problem will be getting them in the hands of buyers. Already, there were few Guild dealers around, and they have lost more since the closure of New Hartford. I was at a previous Guild dealer who won't be stocking them.

Who was it? I didn't think anybody in South (of Palo Alto) Bay Area was "stocking" the Made-in-USA product, even Showcase and Perkins, since at least '09.
GC only had MIC product since around 2010.

Westerly Wood · Jan 27, 2016

Br1ck said:
Guild's problem will be getting them in the hands of buyers. Already, there were few Guild dealers around, and they have lost more since the closure of New Hartford. I was at a previous Guild dealer who won't be stocking them. They have a wall full of Martin, Taylor, and Gibson products. They have learned to live without Guild. Unless, of course, the guitars just blow the sox off them at NAMM.

Interesting and I can see how they now can easily leave without Guilds. I do hope this 20 series will be a huge hit. and my opinion re Martin 15 series is just that, one man's opinion. no wrong or right here...

chazmo · Jan 27, 2016

One thing... CMG has a dealer network already for Cordoba. I know my local dealer (who, admittedly, is a Guild anomaly) loves Cordoba's stuff and, last time we talked, was looking forward to getting Guilds through them.

We'll see, I guess.

merlin6666 · Jan 27, 2016

My local luthier who has a small but well stocked store signed up as dealer at last year's NAMM and in the summer received a few Westerly series. He went again last week and I think I will see him next Tuesday, curious if he checked out the new Oxnard models.

Br1ck · Jan 27, 2016

Showcase bought a few Guild 2nds, but kept it very quiet, almost like they didn't want anyone to know.

merlin6666 · Jan 28, 2016

Acoustic Guitar interview with Ren Ferguson and introduction of the new models is here:

http://acousticguitar.com/ren-ferguson-unveils-the-first-guitars-from-the-new-guild-factory/

Westerly Wood · Jan 28, 2016

Br1ck said:
Showcase bought a few Guild 2nds, but kept it very quiet, almost like they didn't want anyone to know.

LOL. that is absurd

Westerly Wood · Jan 28, 2016

merlin6666 said:
Acoustic Guitar interview with Ren Ferguson and introduction of the new models is here:

http://acousticguitar.com/ren-ferguson-unveils-the-first-guitars-from-the-new-guild-factory/

Thanks for posting the video, was good to hear an update from Ren. He does not sound super confident in the entry level product overall, was my take, but it does sound encouraging overall. I am just not a fan of the Cadillac finish, but do like the M20. I bet it sounds great, and he seems to say that it is pretty tough to really mess up these first offerings. It will be a long time to get to the D55 but glad to hear that is the goal, that and the F512s. Anyone else get the same vibe or am I just reading in way too much?

That being said, for $1300 I could get a Westerly M20 or F20 etc on the bay or reverb...So why would a long time Guild fan buy a new D or M 20?

Westerly Wood · Jan 28, 2016

dupe, sorry

adorshki · Jan 28, 2016

Westerly Wood said:
LOL. that is absurd

Don't forget that's where TXbumper got his famous 50th Anniversary D55 they had listed for $8995.00 for years.
Owner of Showcase was a buddy of Fender President at the time it was released, got dibs on first one.
Wouldn't surprise me if there are "economic politics" involved in this current situation.

adorshki · Jan 28, 2016

Westerly Wood said:
That being said, for $1300 I could get a Westerly M20 or F20 etc on the bay or reverb...So why would a long time Guild fan buy a new D or M 20?

Warranty.
OR if you're TXbumper, because it's a new factory.
:biggrin-new:

merlin6666 · Jan 28, 2016

Westerly Wood said:
He does not sound super confident in the entry level product overall, was my take, but it does sound encouraging overall.

I think in world that is dominated by marketing spin and spoo he comes across as refreshingly honest and up front about what the guitars are. Cordoba has decided to take a hard and long road with a huge investment that may not pay off quickly, but hopefully starting small and doing it right from the beginning is putting down a foundation of excellence for what's to come. It would make sense that they also target a young generation of players who are looking for their "first" good guitar and who can identify with this kind of approach. Maybe some of the old fogies will pick one up too and feel some rejuvenation. I for one hope that my dealer is getting them so I can try one out. Who knows maybe good deals can be had on them too ...

Westerly Wood · Jan 28, 2016

merlin6666 said:
I for one hope that my dealer is getting them so I can try one out. Who knows maybe good deals can be had on them too ...

me too. I want to try the M20, though if I have 1400 bucks, I am spending that on an older Guild with nitro etc...I learned my lesson long ago re satin finish and spending that $.

adorshki · Jan 28, 2016

merlin6666 said:
I think in world that is dominated by marketing spin and spoo he comes across as refreshingly honest and up front about what the guitars are.

Yeah I like that too.

merlin6666 said:
Cordoba has decided to take a hard and long road with a huge investment that may not pay off quickly, but hopefully starting small and doing it right from the beginning is putting down a foundation of excellence for what's to come.

Westerly Wood said:
and he seems to say that it is pretty tough to really mess up these first offerings.

History coming full circle? Don't forget the first guitars to come out of Westerly were M20's, for pretty much the same reason.

merlin6666 said:
It would make sense that they also target a young generation of players who are looking for their "first" good guitar and who can identify with this kind of approach.

That's exactly how I found 'em twenty-odd years ago, and I hope there's a ton of guys like me out there in the current crop.

Westerly Wood · Jan 28, 2016

good point Al, remember now. Still, my take is for 1400 i can find a westerly or even hoboken Guild with nitro finish and its own sense of history...so definitely wise to market to the younger gen of players

txbumper57 · Jan 28, 2016

adorshki said:
Don't forget that's where TXbumper got his famous 50th Anniversary D55 they had listed for $8995.00 for years.
Owner of Showcase was a buddy of Fender President at the time it was released, got dibs on first one.
Wouldn't surprise me if there are "economic politics" involved in this current situation.

Once again Al, Check Your Facts! I found my D55 Anniversary in the basement of Chuck Levins Music world in Wheaton, Maryland, Not at the Showcase. It was a First run they lost in the basement for 13 years! LOL.

adorshki said:
Warranty.
OR if you're TXbumper, because it's a new factory.
:biggrin-new:

Obviously you haven't seen any of my latest posts about Oxnard. I will wait and see if the Orpheums are of the same Quality that they were in New Hartford but Honestly I doubt they will get to that level of Quality for years to come if they even get close. As far as the M20 and The D20 are concerned I am not a fan. They don't appear to be anywhere near the quality of even the Standard line from New Hartford. I am not a fan of the way the M20 sounded on the Facebook clip either. I will try them when my dealer gets them in but I have no intention of buying either one. I already have a set of backup paddles for the canoe.

adorshki · Jan 28, 2016

txbumper57 said:
Once again Al, Check Your Facts! I found my D55 Anniversary in the basement of Chuck Levins Music world in Wheaton, Maryland, Not at the Showcase. It was a First run they lost in the basement for 13 years! LOL.

Facts? Facts? This is the internet!
No time to check facts anymore, but well, hell, blow me down!
Thought that was you!
But yeah I remember now and I still think they changed the strings from lights to mediums.
Just before they lost it for 13 years.

txbumper57 said:
Obviously you haven't seen any of my latest posts about Oxnard.

That was you?
:shocked:
:biggrin-new:

NAMM 2016: Guild Guitars releases USA-made M-20 and D-20

Venerated Member

Venerated Member

Senior Member

Reverential Member

Venerated Member

Super Moderator

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Venerated Member

Venerated Member

Venerated Member

Reverential Member

Reverential Member

Senior Member

Venerated Member

Reverential Member

Venerated Member

Enlightened Member

Reverential Member