A Confession (Hoboken vs. Westerly)

donnylang · Oct 13, 2021

After owning maybe 25 acoustic Guilds from 1964-1975 (and playing a handful more than that), I come to the following surprising conclusion:

I like Westerly Guilds more than Hoboken.

I think I've wanted to like Hobokens more, but ultimately the early Westerlys are always preferable to me. I will also note there is a distinct sound difference and character (I've owned a few of the same models at this point).

That said, post-1972 Westerly-made guitars do not do it for me either. This leaves me with approx. 1968-72 being the sweet spot years IMO, particularly 1968. I have a suspicion that maybe I like the Hoboken-Westerly hybrid guitars best, if there is such a thing.

Westerly Wood · Oct 13, 2021

If you have not done so already, you should get a flatback D25 all hog then from '68-'72/'73, before they went all arched w spruce tops.
I hear they record well...they are darker than the D35 of the same period, and a tad more subdued, but they mix well and offer a tad different color. they also fingerpick well.

Br1ck · Oct 13, 2021

You won't get an argument from me from my limited experience. I certainly never like post 73 guitars as much. I've never not liked a D 55 or any of the 12 strings from any vintage. The Hobokens I've played all needed work, and to be fair, so did my 70 D 35. Light build plus 50 odd years equal neck set territory. Not such a financial conundrum for Martins what with post neck set 70s D 18s fetching $3k.

GGJaguar · Oct 13, 2021

I think it's great you've come to that conclusion. Some people search forever and never find "it".

Walter Broes · Oct 13, 2021

I wish Hoboken era acoustics were easier to find over here in Europe, but they're not common at all. I've played two Gruhn-era Westerly guitars I liked a lot, and some other Westerly guitars I wasn't crazy about.

donnylang · Oct 13, 2021

Westerly Wood said:
If you have not done so already, you should get a flatback D25 all hog then from '68-'72/'73, before they went all arched w spruce tops.
I hear they record well...they are darker than the D35 of the same period, and a tad more subdued, but they mix well and offer a tad different color. they also fingerpick well.

I had a '72 D25, that was actually one of my favorites. I would like a '68-'69 D25 in cherry if I could find one. That would probably be a good compliment to the D35.

D30Man · Oct 13, 2021

Never owned a Hoboken but I will definitely say the best Guilds I have ever owned in my 9 years of Guild appreciation were Westerly. They had more time at that plant to get it right.

D30Man · Oct 13, 2021

Although of all of the Guilds I have owned or currently own the Oxnard F55 has garnered the most praise from my wife and audience members.. and I gig with it the least..

Heath · Oct 14, 2021

I’ve liked some guitars from all eras. My preference seems to be Westerly and Hoboken, but there have been some newer ones that sounded fantastic as well. I’ll second WW that you might really like an early flat back D25.

richardp69 · Oct 14, 2021

They are like my children I guess. It's very hard for me to love one better than the other be it NYC, Hoboken, Westerly, Tacoma, New Hartford or Oxnard. I've even come around a bit on Corona built acoustics. The F 50 I recently picked up is a winner.

For me at least, I just can't say that without exception, the best Guilds were built in the xxxxx facility. I just think each case is different.

dreadnut · Oct 14, 2021

Westerly was knocking out some great guitars in the late '90's.

valleyguy · Oct 14, 2021

I've come to appreciate the differences in the Guild years. I don't want my guitars to all sound alike, otherwise I'd only need one.

Westerly Wood · Oct 14, 2021

dreadnut said:
Westerly was knocking out some great guitars in the late '90's.

and throughout the '70s. When Martin and Gibson were struggling during this decade (1970s) with quality issues and inconsistencies, Guild was a champion. Did Guild even have a bad decade? Maybe CMG is the first time the brand has suffered even a little bit, and I think that was just change and growing pains. It cannot have been easy...

dreadnut · Oct 14, 2021

"Did Guild even have a bad decade?"

Couldn't prove it by my '76 D25M or my '98 DV52.

donnylang · Oct 14, 2021

Westerly Wood said:
and throughout the '70s. When Martin and Gibson were struggling during this decade (1970s) with quality issues and inconsistencies, Guild was a champion. Did Guild even have a bad decade? Maybe CMG is the first time the brand has suffered even a little bit, and I think that was just change and growing pains. It cannot have been easy...

Almost every '70s Gibson I've played was a total dog (and the late '60s ones not so great either). I think '70s Martins are decent IME, but their late '60s guitars were better. I know Martin supposedly had lots of quality issues in that era, and I had a '67 D12-20 where the saddle/bridge was misplaced, which I hear was one of the common issues. Once that issue was corrected, it was a great guitar though.

I agree Guilds are consistent across the board from what I’ve played- and certainly the post-‘72 periods were not “bad”, those guitars just haven’t spoken to me as much- though I will say I liked my ‘75 F50 more than the ‘71 F50 I had. So you never know.

donnylang · Oct 14, 2021

I do know the first Guild I ever played was I think an M20, and it must have been a ‘70s example. All I know remember is I grabbed a little Guild guitar that was kind of old when I was visiting a shop when I was young. In my memory it was black or dark brown (I think it had the larger black pickguard), and it had a muted sound and it really was magical … but at the time I thought “what am I gonna do with this guitar/do I need it”, and decided not to spend the $495.

Westerly Wood · Oct 14, 2021

donnylang said:
I do know the first Guild I ever played was I think an M20, and it must have been a ‘70s example. All I know remember is I grabbed a little Guild guitar that was kind of old when I was visiting a shop when I was young. In my memory it was black or dark brown (I think it had the larger black pickguard), and it had a muted sound and it really was magical … but at the time I thought “what am I gonna do with this guitar/do I need it”, and decided not to spend the $495.

cool story. wow, $495. that is a great deal today.

Br1ck · Oct 14, 2021

I think we are proving nothing here. I have not liked post 73 guitars as much as my 70, but I have not lived with one. Ten minutes in a shop does not tell the tale as my 70 would most certainly prove. Really, only after I did my recording experiment with guitars in a bass, guitar, mandolin, vocal arrangement, did my D 35, best every other of my keeper three. It won't best the bluegrass Martin D 35, and it won't out thunk my Texan. But in a 1,2,3 ranking by category, it comes out #1 in recording and playability and #2 in most everything else.

I'd have to lend it to someone for a couple of months for them to really get it. When I got mt Martin D 35 Custom, a friend just assumed I'd quit playing my Guild, but the Guild stints are usually three weeks vs two for the others. However I've decided to keep my 00 15 12 fret out on a stand too. That one I can't stick to exclusively for weeks, but it becomes an interesting change of pace. I keep thinking of selling it until I play it.

In the end you decide what you like and that's that, and you are not wrong. For you.

Shakeylee · Oct 14, 2021

i like both.

fronobulax · Oct 14, 2021

Westerly Wood said:
Did Guild even have a bad decade?

When people talk about bad years for a consumer product I usually understand that to mean when something bad was going on and products from those years should be avoided. Most of the time "bad" is more objective than subjective. Poor design. "wrong" choices on specs. Inadequate quality inspection/control/assurance. Unreliable sub-components. Etc. Think of the auto issue of Consumer Reports where there are lists of used car brands, models and years to avoid, usually based on repair history and sometimes on the absence of specific (usually safety) features.

So by that definition I don't think Guild has had a bad decade.

That is not to say that if someone has a subjective response to specific features they might find it on some decades more than others, but that is as much about someone's preferences as it is about what Guild was doing.

How seriously would someone take me if I claimed the only good decade Guild had was the 1960's and based my comments on the availability of a Bisonic equipped bass?

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