New Member and GAD Guilds

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Hello Acoustic LTG Forum...new member here, but have been reading the forum for several months now as a non-member. My Guild story, as short as I can make it: back in Feb I came across a NOS 2011 GAD F150R at my favorite shop in Fairbanks, AK. They had it squirreled away, and one day it just showed up on the wall with all the Martins they sell. They were offering it for $850, and after playing it one time (and against some of the new Martins on the wall), I knew it was too good a deal to pass up. What a remarkably fine built and great sounding instrument. I brought it home and compared side by side to my Taylor 814CE & Martin HD-35 & JC-40…obviously all different sounds, but in quality and playability I could see no real difference. Only then did I start reading the LTG Forum (starting with the 06 archives), and began to see all the pro/con opinions of MIC Guilds, including the “this will never be a real Guild” comments. I do understand those sentiments, but was so taken with the 150 I really wanted to try a few other GAD models. Over this summer I acquired several… a 2006 F40NATw/F ($650), a 2009 JF30BLD ($500), and a 2010 30PCENAT ($575). All have not disappointed….very, very nice guitars, all in very good condition, and I feel like I hit the MIC jackpot. Unfortunately my wife says no more….for now. I have not had the opportunity to play a MIA Guild of any vintage, but hopefully the next time I’m in the Lower 48 I’ll get a chance to….but for now just wanted to share my MIC story.
 

adorshki

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….but for now just wanted to share my MIC story.
Hi Bill, welcome aboard!
I read the archives a lot before I joined too.
Hopefully you saw the gradual change in sentiment about the MIC models.
I think you must have or you wouldn't have posted for fear of immediate ridicule!
I'll only point out that more than a couple of currently active members started off by trying an MIC and then got curious about all the ooh-rah about the domestics and finally tried one.
Or a couple.
Or several.
Which they wound up keeping.
You've been warned.
:glee:
 

davismanLV

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When you're talking "bang for your buck" the MIC/MIK Guilds pack a real punch. Glad you're enjoying yours and welcome to LTG. We have plenty of GAD and Asian built Guild owners here. I've learned a hell of a lot during my time here! :encouragement:
 

Antney

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Hi Bill
i haven't played a mic guild yet that hasn't impressed me. in fact you hear more stories about American made guitars that disappoint that mics that disappoint. I compared it a bit to this: a lousy movies at a $5 matinee was ok, but at a $15 evening show it's a pretty crappy movie.
 

Cougar

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I knew it was too good a deal to pass up.

Welcome to the boards, Bill. I know what you mean. I was hooked on Epiphone Masterbilts for a number of years. I had four of them - a mahogany, a maple, a rosewood, and a cedar-top 12-fret slot-head. All Chinese made. All solid wood. At least one of them was made in the Grand Reward factory (still got it), which is where the MIC Guilds are made, as I understand it. As you say, quality and playability were well above their pay grade. Then I got a few other Epiphone models. The prices were ridiculously good for such cool guitars.

At some point I figured if I sold off a number of the Epiphones, I could fund a made in Bozeman Gibson, maybe an iconic J-45. I actually had an order in on a new but rare sunburst walnut-backed J-15 with an abalone rosette.

A couple days before one of those J-15s became available, TX, great Guild finder extraordinaire, noted a super nice New Hartford made sunburst F-50R (with abalone rosette and DTAR dual source electronics) on reverb. I put in an offer for just a bit more than the cost of the new J-15, and it became mine. MINE. It'll never be not mine. Quality was better, with AAA spruce top, nitro finish, bling, just superb. Playability was better (although polishing the frets would probably give any guitar better playability). But then there's the tone. It's just better. Better balance across all strings, but mainly the low E string is much more present. Great big jumbo sound coming out of this guitar. I'm no longer looking for a Gibson 6-string. I'm selling off most of my Epiphones, which just aren't getting played anymore. I haven't played a lot of Martins or Gibsons for comparison, but I don't care. This F50R is the ultimate 6-string in my book. Oh, if I hit the powerball, I'd probably pick up a Gibson SJ-200 - they're stupid-expensive - but until then, I'm good.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :tiger:
 
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All-- Thanks for the warm welcome....I'll definitely do more reading than posting....more than enough great info to keep me busy for a while. I've been playing since I was 14, having learned on a pretty looking but pretty awful Hofner acoustic and electric, both copies made by some very fine Filipino craftsman on the streets outside of Clark AFB.
It's been a long road since then, as I am a little over a month from turning 59. Every time I feel like I know a lot about guitars and guitar playing, I find out through forums like this how much info I don't know that is out there. Anyway, you all keep posting and I'll keep reading.
 
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Thanks Tom....we have a vacation townhome in Henderson just before you get to RR pass; we usually get down there for at least 2 weeks at the beginning of summer and 2 at the end, sometimes a bit more...my wife is still actively teaching 3rd graders so our time off revolves around that. Maybe next year I can get in touch with you when we're there and you could 1) let me see whatever MIA Guilds you have on hand, and/or 2) introduce me to anyone else you know who has a MIA Guild I can see...they seem to be so hard to come across even just to take a look at one!
 

kostask

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You have a F50R, and want a Gibson SJ200? Why? I have never heard a great sounding SJ200. Somw were good, the majoryity weren't. On the other hand, it is hard to find an F50R that is at least very good, and quite a few are great. They are similar guitars, both big six string Jumbos.
 

chazmo

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Welcome BillTodd (and RubSoul).

There hasn't been much GAD/100-series/Westerly-series bashing recently. Most of us agree that these guitars are a terrific value. As far as having Guild on the headstock, yeah, that ship sailed years ago. I have a local dealer who tells me that during the very lean years (2008+) GADs are practically all he could sell. So, as much as we want to quibble about whether they're "real Guilds" or not, it's doubtful to me that Guild would even exist as a new brand without the GADs. Of course, there are many among us who don't really care about new guitars, so the point is more a question of the "definition" of Guild, which is a fun discussion but completely subjective.

It's also worth noting that we don't allow political discussion here on LTG for a number of good reasons.

I will tell you that at at least one of our Let's Meet Guild events in New Hartford, we (LTGers) had an opportunity to talk with New Hartford and Fender senior management about the MIC Guild production and it was a fascinating and eye-opening, open discussion. I think most of us came away from that thinking that (at that time) the MIC Guilds were in good hands and, geo-politics notwithstanding, Fender knew what they were doing.

Anyway, best wishes and welcome aboard. We don't have many members from AK, and we're happy to have you aboard!!! I cruised through your fantastic state with my wife 5 years ago and was completely blown away.

Can someone point me at the "2006 archives" of which you were speaking earlier? I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know what you guys are talking about.
 

killdeer43

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WELCOME TO LTG!
I've owned at least four MICs and if you're talking bang for the buck, as Tom alluded, they all banged quite well. I say that if it feels good and sounds good to you and your budget is a little on the tight side, feed the GAS.
:cheerful:

Enjoy your time here,
Joe
 

bobouz

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You have a F50R, and want a Gibson SJ200?

Actually, imho, a maple jumbo Gibson would be a nice addition to go along with your rosewood Guild. The clear & punchy attack of maple is my favorite for fingerpicking, and you might find that it opens up some new sounds to explore.

A used maple-bodied J-100 from the early 2000s can periodically be found for a very reasonable price. Minus the bling, but all the other good stuff remains under the hood.
 

jwsamuel

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I am a very happy GAD-30R owner here. I was so happy with this guitar that a few years ago, I thought that if the Chinese made Guild was this good, the US made must be even better. So I ponied up the bucks and got a Tacoma-made F-30. I may have received a dud and another F-30 might have been different, but is guitar was liefless, dull and hard to play. I ended up selling it and now have the GAD-30R as my only guitar.

I am currently thinking of getting mahogany dreadnought and will most likely go with a Guild D-140. I will check out the US-made D-40 but unless there is a world of difference, I will stick get the D-140.
 

kostask

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Getting a regular F-50 (as in the non-"R") would get you a maple Jumbo with a far higher probability that it will have a good to great sound, and would do the same regarding tonal variety that an SJ200 or J100 would. If however, the need for gaudy bling is the overriding factor over a guitar that sounds like it was stuffed with a thick wool blanket, then feel free to get an SJ200, its your money after all.
 

D30Man

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Late to the party as usual, but welcome Bill! I am a GAD owner and though I also own 2 US Made Guilds, my GAD F40 is an outstanding guitar in almost every way. From the tone to the ebony fretboard this thing is just as well made as any US guitar I have owned. Though my US D30 could likely withstand a nuclear holocaust.


US or MIC I am looking for guitars I can enjoy playing at an affordable price. Not necessarily for investment. I am a 6 is my limit guy. All of mine serve a different tonal purpose. Of the 7 guitars I own only 3 are US Made. Two are Guilds ( one of which is for sell to keep me at 6 ) and the other is a strat. The rest are MIM, MIC and MIJ. So needless to say I am a fan of some of the imports!!
 

Butch

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Welcome Bill, I am relatively new to the forum as well. I have been very impressed with the GAD series of guitars. I have a GAD 40 cutaway with a built in pick up that I bought back in 2004 or 2005. I was very impressed with it. At the time I was playing in a band and I really didn't want to take a chance on having any of my more valuable guitars damaged. I was so impressed with it that I bought an F1512 a couple of years ago. The F1512 also didn't fail to impress. Both of my MIC guitars are awesome instruments. I also own a number of vintage Guilds and while the MIC guitars don't compare, they are a close second, for sure.
 

adorshki

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I am a very happy GAD-30R owner here. I was so happy with this guitar that a few years ago, I thought that if the Chinese made Guild was this good, the US made must be even better. So I ponied up the bucks and got a Tacoma-made F-30. I may have received a dud and another F-30 might have been different, but is guitar was liefless, dull and hard to play. I ended up selling it and now have the GAD-30R as my only guitar.
Did you know the Tacoma F30's had adirondack tops that have a reputation for taking a long time to open up?
They're pretty stiff and need medium gauge strings and a pretty strong stroke to get 'em going when young.
Did you mention that purchase here?
It mighta got by those of us who would think of that.
In fairness we had another member who did let a New Hartford D40 Bluegrass Jubilee go for a similar reason, he was sure the top was too tight and he didn't have time to wait for it toreallyopen up so never really bonded with it anyway.
Not having the time to wait for a guitar to open up is getting to be a "legitimate excuse" around here, in case that would have applied in your case too.. :friendly_wink:
 
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