I bought a what?

docfishr

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I'll start by saying I am one of those old Guild lovers that was well bent out of shape by the "Westerly Series" label applied to Chinese made guitars with the Guild name. Anyway, I found myself jonesing for an F-30 with the 1 11/16" neck nut and a cutaway. You can refer to my post (F-30 Aragon cutaway?) to see how that search went. Essentially the the guitar I wanted did not exist.
So in a moment of extreme weakness born of frustration, I pulled the trigger on a Chinese made OM-240ce, used from Reverb. I no sooner paid for it than I began to regret it, feeling like a traitor to the high standard of Guild guitars that I am used to. I had nightmares about tuning it up and having it implode as I played.

So needless to say my expectations were low when the thing arrived. Well, I tuned it up and began to play it and the damn thing didn't implode but it sure did not feel or sound like any Guild I had ever played. It is light as a feather so I expected a bright tone. But this thing was harsh and not at all pleasing to my ears. The tone, coupled with sharp fret edges that raked skin as I slid up the neck, and a bad set up that resulted in a lot of buzz left me feeling like I got what I deserved by lowering my standards and buying the Un-Guild. So I put it back in its rather nice soft case and tried to sell it locally on CL for $350.

After a month with no response to my post I decided I would apply my luthier skills to at least make it play well. So I dressed the fret edges, and set the action to a nice low, buzz free playability. It still sounded like crap to me but I did enjoy the ease of playing up the neck afforded by the cutaway. And because it was now easy to play I left it on a stand in my music room and over time played it more and more.

So here's the kicker. In my 53 years of playing guitar I have never experienced one that opened up so quickly and so much. I'm talking about one month of playing it almost daily and the difference is amazing. The harshness is gone while the brightness remains. The tonal character is still nothing like a real Guild but it has become quite pleasing. It sounds more like a friend's Taylor OM than like my other Guilds. But his Taylor cost around 5x what I paid for this.

Then I tried plugging in the pickup to see how that sounds played through my Bose system. Predictably, the Vol and tone pots were crap. They offer no graduated control . It is all or nothing with each of them. So I plugged it through an external preamp with EQ that gave me control and got decent sound out of it.

So that's my story and now two months into playing it the sound continues to improve. That or my ear is degenerating in a way favorable to this tonal character. Now if it will hold up over time ( no bets due to the almost flimsy lightness ), I will be forced to revise my opinion favorably with regard to this whole "Westerly Series" thing.

Who'd a thunk it?
 

Nuuska

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Hello

I bought a new OM-240CE in january. I had been looking for a guitar, that would be good enough so it would not be rejected immediately. And cheap enough so I can leave it at cabin and not worry for burglars too much. I used to have my 1957 Gibson there - hidden behind couch in hardshell case, when we were in town. But I felt nervous about it. So now there´s a chinese Guild - can we call it Chuild - or Child ???

I ordered mine from Musikhaus Thomann - an not only this one, but two others at same time - namely Jumbo Junior Maple and M-240E - and decided I try them all and send two back. I called them first and asked if it was ok and they said it´s ok even if I send them all back. Great service. I ordered also some other stuff while at it.

Next friday about nine o´clock in the morning a delivery van arrives. The man hauls Jumbo Junior in. I ask if he has two more guitars in the van and he says NOPE.
Second delivery van arrives about 11 and brings OM-240CE - M240 arrives around 5 in afternoon. Great logistics in that delivery company. Too much fuel somewhere - have to consume it somehow.

All three guitars arrived double packed - a Thomann carton surrounding the Guild carton containing gigbag and guitar. Everything in mint condition.

So - I pull Jumbo Junior out - what on earth - it is yellow - YUCK - my wife comments "It´s disgustingly ugly!" - later she explains that while she has been looking at my beautiful old Guilds the contrast was so bad. The neck feels like a log and sound is nothing to write anybody about. Better when plugged in - could be used in rock band in sleasy bars. I am usually at home with any size and shape neck - but this one was a no-no for me.

Next comes OM-240CE - apart from the sharp fret edges it felt pretty good from start. Definitively best one of these three. Plugged in there is some issue with string balance - have to dig into that later. But for the money this one certainly met my expectations - now I will have a guitar at cabin.

M-240E was better in all aspects than Jumbo Junior - I would take that if OM240CE were not available.

Just like DOCKFISHR says the pots are somewhat useless - the volume has a jump in both ends and so does the tone - they are almost like three-way switches. All three guitars were the same. I have here a Fishman set, that I ordered from China - I will build that into my D125 - all mahogany China Guild without pickup. This Fishman acts exactly same way - suppose we get what we pay for - I paid 13€ for the whole system with postage.

Now after two months and almost daily playing I really like this guitar - OM-240CE - I might have to ease the truss rod a bit. The sound is pleasing - different from my F50R and Gibson - which is nice - it is good to have alternatives. I was never fan of open tuners, but they have nice feel and hold, so they are fine, too. Matt finish looks great. There are no slightest flaws anywhere - except for sharp fret edges. Intonation leaves nothing to hope for. I have used standard tuning, dropped D - DGDGBD - DADF#AD - DADF#AB - both w&wo slide. All work fine for me.

So finally a "family portrait" of the Chuilds - Jumbo Junior Maple - M-240E - OM-240CE - D125 - after taken the picture Jumbo Junior & M-240E went back to Germany.

img_2867.jpg


January 9 was a cloudy day - and sun was perhaps four fingers high - iPhone is not the best camera ...


Oh - I almost forgot - the gigbag is excellent - well padded, thick enough, stiff enough so it stands up even with no guitar inside. Full 10 points.
 
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killdeer43

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Doc and Nuuska, both great reports, especially for those of us who, at times, find ourselves tempted to try those waters. My GAS budget being what it is, this is where I need to shop to satisfy the itch.

Thanks, :victorious:
Joe
 

jedzep

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Sounds like a little rationalization to like a guitar, not that that's bad. I've played 'inferior' or economy built guitars in my collecting adventures amidst my more valuable core group, sometimes excessively, over my 'finer' guitars. I think I was hoping I could pull something out of them to convince myself they have a voice I can exhume. Over time, if you're used to Hoboken or Westerlys, the 'outsourced' guitars ultimately disappoint. You just have to be careful about what you A vs. B with.
 
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refret

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I had a hard enough time accepting "Westerly".......old dog syndrome, Martins are from Nazareth, Gibsons are from Kalamazoo, Guilds are from Hoboken, and that was the way we liked it. Now I can't tell where any of them come from. My wife took me to the Martin factory tour about 5 years ago. I nearly had a stroke. Every thing seemed to be on a 6 second turn around. Nearly all automated. Any guitar that was under $1500 list was made in Mexico. Ain't my world anymore.
 

docfishr

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Over time, if you're used to Hoboken or Westerlys, the 'outsourced' guitars ultimately disappoint. You just have to be careful about what you A vs. B with.[/QUOTE]

Definitely a good point, Jedzep. Although this ax keeps growing on me, I have been there before so it ain't likely to stay in my collection for long.
Fun for a while though.
 

Nuuska

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........ so it ain't likely to stay in my collection for long..

Hello

Do you mean you do not have a cabin where you could leave a guitar for them burglars ???
 

Bonneville88

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I'd read enough critical posts about MIC Guilds that I was on
the dark side of skeptical and totally prepared to be disappointed in a late-model D120 that found its way here -
but I'm pleased with it. One the guys I take my guitars to, who did a great setup on this one, said
it compared favorably to similar offerings from Blue Ridge or Eastman.
 

bobouz

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I was in the big city on Friday & happened upon some of the recent Chinese-built Westerly lineup.

Some of them look quite nice, and appear to be a good value at their price points.
 

Rayk

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My first Gad was the oh boy whatever the orchestra hog was or f30 lol it was pretty nice sounding to me at the time . But I was on a Rosewood hunt so ordered that version.

I recorded a tune with it , in the 0-8 fret range she sounded good but notes really dulled out after that so I sent back .

The few westerlys I tried when they came out were hit or miss but hit for me just meant exceptable .

I’ve had a chance to see them since then Samash is pain to get to just to try them out . Lol
 

docfishr

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Hello

Do you mean you do not have a cabin where you could leave a guitar for them burglars ???

Actually, you hit upon a good idea there Nuuska. Trout season opens here the last Saturday in April. I will be spending a lot of time at a friends riverside home up in the Cascades. Those guys love it when I bring a guitar and sing and play at campfire. I could just leave the OM there for the season rather than packing it back and forth.
 

Nuuska

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When I was young I used to take my guitar everywhere with me - so my precious F512 has travelled with me through Siberia in a train from Finland to Moscow - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Nahodka - then on a shiff to Tokyo. I was playing on the streets and underground stations - hitchhiking to Kyoto, where I ended living a week in a paper house in the mountains. After three months in Japan I flew to LA and hitchhiked to MPLS. Spent fall and early winter there and returned to cold Finland.

At this age I would not engage on that kind adventure anymore - and even if I were out of my mind to do so - I would take some lesser instrument with me. Even if I were to go playing on the street here in my hometown, it would be a no-no. The Times They have a-changed too much - nowadays the streets are not so nice as they used to be. All sort of people out there.
 

Bill Ashton

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Seems as though either the build quality of the Asian Guilds has gone down...or the inspection of the incoming pieces is more accepting of flaws. I remember the fragment of a story that a pallet full of the last Asian guitars that showed up in New Hartford were sent back on their way for QC issues...wonder where those wound up? I bought my GAD in 2009 and I suspect it was a wall hanger for a while, she was one of those guitars that you play a couple chords and then hand it to the clerk at the register. My only trouble with her was I also bought a NH D-55 the next week...so between the two either it was low overtones that muddied up everything or the sound of a cardboard box! Alone and separated, each one sounded magnificent though. As we know, sadly the D-55 wound up on NH's bandsaw, and maybe we don't know, but the GAD30PCE wound up with my brother in a trade. She is still a nice guitar. He has no trouble moving between her and a D-28. Must have a tin ear :biggrin-new::emmersed:.

Actually, I would love to stumble upon a GAD50...aside from the awful pickguard, I'll bet by now that rosewood dread model would be a cheap banjo-killer...
 

adorshki

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Seems as though either the build quality of the Asian Guilds has gone down...or the inspection of the incoming pieces is more accepting of flaws. I remember the fragment of a story that a pallet full of the last Asian guitars that showed up in New Hartford were sent back on their way for QC issues...wonder where those wound up?
Bill I think maybe it's an inaccurate memory or just "casual usage" on you part about how Guild operated, but, a pallet of the MIC guitars would never have been sent to New Hartford for QC, they had nothing to do with servicing or distributing the MIC product (at least the acoustic stuff, and don't think they touched the electric product either).
It was all handled by Fender.
Or maybe you meant Oxnard?
 

Big-Al

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My somewhat limited exposure to the 100 series and the original GAD series (all solid wood) MIC Guilds has been 100% positive. The two I own are amazing guitars.

That said, I owned a MIM Guild ARCOS AD3 (laminated-arched back) and I played a D-240 MIC laminated-arched back in a store. I'll say that I was really disappointed with the arched ones. They were pretty lifeless. I'm not even sure if the 200 series guitars are made by the same factory as the 100 series. They are priced cheaper and don't look as nice either.

(A friend had a vintage arched back Guild jumbo though that was very nice.)
 
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Bill Ashton

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No Al, not mistaken...although maybe the referral was to electrics rather than acoustics, of that I cannot be sure...only repeating what was said to me, which maybe I should not have, but I thought that time had distanced us enough that it was safe. Prolly should keep my mouth shut. Move along folks, nothing to see here...
 

Big-Al

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Snip . . .

Actually, I would love to stumble upon a GAD50...aside from the awful pickguard, I'll bet by now that rosewood dread model would be a cheap banjo-killer...

I have one of those, a 2010 model. Mostly agreed about the pick guard, but it's growing on me. At least it sets the guitar apart from the later GADs. It is definitely not lacking in the volume department. The banjo player in the group I play in gets drowned out unless he plugs in. I actually tried to sell my GAD-50 on the local Craigslist a couple of times without success, as I play my D-125 most of the time. It's probably good that it didn't sell. I've been playing it a lot more lately and enjoying its deep growling voice.
 

docfishr

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I've been playing it a lot more lately and enjoying its deep growling voice.[/QUOTE said:
Now there's what I want. A guitar with a voice to match mu own.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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I was never happy with Guild trying to sell imports posing as Guilds.
I'm over that now.
Mostly because almost every other American guitar maker is doing the same thing.

I had a GAD F-47 for about a year.
It was a good guitar but not a great guitar.
It had a nice sound but to me it wasn't a Guild sound.

I have noticed that there are a lot of very nice sounding guitars coming out of Chine today.
Guild is at the top of them.
 
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