THERE'S GOOD NEWS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

at my guitar lesson last night in Paxinos Pa., K+S Music I met the regional Guild salesman. His name is Mike Pritchard. He told me the whole story about Guild's move to Tacoma. The line is being run by a luthier from Texas whose only passion in life is acoustic guitars and he is a true GUILD GUITAR LOVER!!!!! I have so much to tell, but what I was told is that Guilds coming out of tacoma WILL be better than ever. Great care is being given to construction that Mr. Dronge would be proud. The Texas luthier is ADDING scalloped bracing to the acoustics. Otherwise these babies are the Guilds we all know and love. Best of luck to the Tacoma Guild factory. carson

Carson,

That really is exciting news. I don't suppose you were told anything of the man from Texas' backround or his name? When you have time, elaborate a little more on what you found out. That's cool stuff.

West

Tell us more, more.

Donnie Wade is from Texes and runs Guild at the moment. He has told me that building acoustic guitars is what he loves to do. He did at one time run Jackson and joined FMIC when they bought Jackson. He is responsible for the GAD line as well as the guitars out of Tacoma. I asked him about the Guild sighting on 60 Minutes (Kinky Friedman was playing a new D-55) and he told me that he and Kinky are old friends.. If your in Texas vote for Kinky..

Donnie Wade

Donnie Wade is the fellow that was mentioned. The Gad guilds were moved to china because of the volume needed could not be met in Corona, and the Guild's made there were to Mr. Wade's Guild Specifications. At Corona, the line could only produce 5 to 7 Guilds per day because of Mr. Wade's exacting specifications. Will Guild's made in Corona be worth something in the future because the move to Tacoma will be it. Your guess is as good as mine. Mike told me that Donnie Wade found this facility himself and recommended it to the Fender boys to produce all the Guilds there. Mr. Pritchard told me that the Guilds I am searching for (D-55 and F-50, F-50R) will be BETTER than that made in westerly. He explained that the additional bracing will make it sound better and the plant there in Tacoma was built to manufacture acoustic guitars. It is a climate controlled facility from top to bottom and they will follow the manufacturing that was done in Westerly. In Rhoade Island, the factory was only climate controlled where they stored the wood. Being so close to the coast the place was exposed to very high humidity in summer and the complete opposite in winter. I am taking this news as a positive message that Guild will continue to be a GREAT AMERICAN GUITAR. Under Mr. Wade's leadership, and he sounds very dedicated to it's great history our future love affair with this guitar should continue until long after we're all gone. I can imagine Mr. Dronge up their in heaven, just smiling and smiling.....................carson

I'm so glad to hear that Guild will be living on in the hands of someone who loves the brand and history.

I've always had a fondness for Guilds after my uncle let me play his D35 over 20 years ago. About 7 years ago I purchased my first Guild, a used D35 (actually the serial number is 190 units newer than my uncle's).

Any word on the electric line? I've owned a few Guild electrics in the past and I'm getting back into it with a Starfire III. In the past, Guild has produced the most desirable acoustics and electrics in the business, IMHO.

I think I speak for all the forum members when I say that we'd love to see a resurgence in the Guild line. A step in the right direction would be for the marketing people to keep us loyal players informed, maybe by updating their website regularly.