Ed Roman's opinion on Guild factories

[stclrob]

In my never-ending search for a DV73, I check random shops' websites hoping for a hit. I checked Ed Roman's website today and came across his opinion on Guild's build quality across the factories. He has some strong words about CA Guilds and loves Tacoma Guilds. I know this guy loves his rants, but "avoid at all costs" seems harsh for the CA ones. Here's the site. And here is the summary:
Good
Guilds Have Been Made In Elizabeth New Jersey (Original Location)
Good
Guilds Have Been Made In Westerly Rhode Island (Usually Excellent except the last few years)
Worst
Guilds Have Been Made In Corona Ca. At The Fender Factory (Avoid At All Costs)
Best
Guilds Have Been Made In Tacoma WA. At The Tacoma Factory (Fabulous Quality Awesome Guitars)
Good
Guilds Are Now Being Made In New Hartford CT. At The Ovation Factory We Shall Soon See !!!!

 

[adorshki]

Seems to me like this guy is must be pouncing on what are rarely reported finish blems from Corona and completely ignoring all the warrranty-less seconds and Graphite neck block guitars from Tacoma! I stand behind my D40 100% as do many other Corona owners around here stand behind theirs! 8)
He's in Las Vegas. I think that tells us all we need to know! :twisted: :lol:

 

[stclrob]

I was also thinking from the electric side, some of the bluesbirds are from the Corona plant. I've never heard of any serious problems with those.

 

[chazmo]

"avoid at all costs"... that's completely ludicrous. Just shows you can't put much stock in generalizations like this. What would probably be somewhat useful would be specific case studies on problem/standout models from each period.

 

[dapmdave]

In my never-ending search for a DV73, I check random shops' websites hoping for a hit. I checked Ed Roman's website today and came across his opinion on Guild's build quality across the factories. He has some strong words about CA Guilds and loves Tacoma Guilds. I know this guy loves his rants, but "avoid at all costs" seems harsh for the CA ones. Here's the site. And here is the summary:
Good
Guilds Have Been Made In Elizabeth New Jersey (Original Location)
Good
Guilds Have Been Made In Westerly Rhode Island (Usually Excellent except the last few years)
Worst
Guilds Have Been Made In Corona Ca. At The Fender Factory (Avoid At All Costs)
Best
Guilds Have Been Made In Tacoma WA. At The Tacoma Factory (Fabulous Quality Awesome Guitars)
Good
Guilds Are Now Being Made In New Hartford CT. At The Ovation Factory We Shall Soon See !!!!

What's with the Elizabeth, NJ reference? I was under the impression Guild started in New York City in 1952 and moved to Hoboken in 1956.

 

[dogberry]

From the same site: "Never buy any guitar made in Southern California New Mexico Etc Arizona, Texas , Florida, Mississippi Etc"

That seems to rule out some guitars I wouldn't mind having!!

 

[coastie99]

Who's Ed Roman ?

Does he host a talk show, like Ellen Decheezeness ?

If, so I'll pass on him.

And, by the way: I owned a beautifully made Corona F47RCE.

 

[devellis]

Gee, I wonder if this guy happens to have some Tacoma-built Guilds lying around in inventory.

 

[fronobulax]

his site[/url].]Guild Guitars Originally Were The old Epiphone Employees after Gibson bought it & ruined Epiphones forever.

Hmmm.

Sinnce Guild was founded in 1952 and Gibson did not buy Epiphone until 1957 the quote is at least suspect. If he allows that summary of corporate origins to stand then I would have my salt shaker handy when assessing his opinions on factory locations.

I will also note that it seems to be LTG's collective opinion that no factory was totally consistent. There are times and places where a factory may have tended to be "good" or "bad" but just as soon as anyone pushes a mild generalization into a pseudo statement of fact, counter-examples will appear.

Bottom line is that evaluating an instrument "in your hands" is a much better indicator of quality than time or place of production.

 

[dapmdave]

his site[/url].]Guild Guitars Originally Were The old Epiphone Employees after Gibson bought it & ruined Epiphones forever.

Hmmm.

Sinnce Guild was founded in 1952 and Gibson did not buy Epiphone until 1957 the quote is at least suspect. If he allows that summary of corporate origins to stand then I would have my salt shaker handy when assessing his opinions on factory locations.

I will also note that it seems to be LTG's collective opinion that no factory was totally consistent. There are times and places where a factory may have tended to be "good" or "bad" but just as soon as anyone pushes a mild generalization into a pseudo statement of fact, counter-examples will appear.

Bottom line is that evaluating an instrument "in your hands" is a much better indicator of quality than time or place of production.

The Epiphone Connection...

According the the Holy Book of Hans, page 10, (and I am paraphrasing) Epiphone was reported in 1952 to have been closed due to labor troubles for 4 months. Epiphone was expanding and moving production. It was during this period, generally, that George Mann, former VP of Epiphone, and Al Dronge got together, hired some Epiphone workers who did not want to leave the Manhattan area, and started Guild.

I may have left a few things out, but I think that's the basics.

Dave

 

[cjd-player]

Bottom line is that evaluating an instrument "in your hands" is a much better indicator of quality than time or place of production.

+1
I think that is true for any manufacturer. Some manufacturers may be more consistent, and Gibson is known to ride the quality roller coaster, but it all still comes down to the individual guitar.

 

[stclrob]

Bottom line is that evaluating an instrument "in your hands" is a much better indicator of quality than time or place of production.

+1
I think that is true for any manufacturer. Some manufacturers may be more consistent, and Gibson is known to ride the quality roller coaster, but it all still comes down to the individual guitar.

I agree. In fact, I've been trying to convince my friend to sell my his Ibanez acoustic for a while. It just feels right.

 

[chazmo]

Bottom line is that evaluating an instrument "in your hands" is a much better indicator of quality than time or place of production.

+1
I think that is true for any manufacturer. Some manufacturers may be more consistent, and Gibson is known to ride the quality roller coaster, but it all still comes down to the individual guitar.

I agree. In fact, I've been trying to convince my friend to sell my his Ibanez acoustic for a while. It just feels right.

Fun on a bun, stclrob:

 

[adorshki]

"avoid at all costs"... that's completely ludicrous. Just shows you can't put much stock in generalizations like this. What would probably be somewhat useful would be specific case studies on problem/standout models from each period.

It's Las Vegas. They don't have a word for "useful"....

 

[adorshki]

Gee, I wonder if this guy happens to have some Tacoma-built Guilds lying around in inventory.

Aha! Methinks you have stumbled across the truth! I'll bet they're all brand new but unfortunately he can't pass on the warranty because he's the original purchaser! Note also on the website they don't want to answer emails except from serious buyers..I smell rodents cooking... :x

 

[AlohaJoe]

I can generalize too... never buy a guitar from Southern Nevada. :lol:

 

[dreadnut]

Interestingly, all he has are GAD's :roll:

 

[kevin the bass man]

I looked around his website...let's just say he makes me want to puke.

 

[dreadnut]

Yeah Kev - pretty highly opinionated!

"My copies are the only worthwhile copies." Fer cryin' out loud, they're copies! Sheesh :roll:

 

[kevin the bass man]

He says "not to buy corporate made guitars" and bashes them every chance he gets, yet he sells them...huh? Also, he complains about their markups, yet he makes enough to own and renovate an RV bus- to the sum of roughly $500,000. plus a lot of his guitars are half price or less of what he was originally sold them for. what does he call that.?

He says Les Paul's are worthless because they have someone's name on them....hmmm last time I checked, his guitars have his name on them too-what a freakin' hypocrite

And don't get me started on his rants...sounds like a famous southern Missourian who blabs his political views on AM radio.

I could spend all day reading his site and getting p--sed off at him, but that would just be a huge waste of my time.
until then...don't listen to a word he says