Of course FMIC is totally profit driven, which isn't necessarily a bad thing when viewed from a big picture perspective. However, the FMIC vision seems to vary with every management change and shift in beancounter philosophy.
Guild certainly went through management and ownership changes during the 70's, 80's and '90s, including the first few years under FMIC. However, the same guys were making the guitars, regardless of who was signing the checks. One need look no further than the beautiful (ahem) solid bodies from the hair band era to know there were some total knuckleheads making some of the marketing and management decisions for the company. BUT...production stayed in one place, performed and managed by people who knew what was necessary to make a damned good guitar. Those nasty pointy looking things are usually darned good playing guitars, because the same people and the same guitar-making philosophy still existed. Whether making acoustics, archtops, "traditional" solidbodies or freaked out wanker guitars, a tradition of quality stayed with the products. Where is that tradition, where are those experienced craftsmen, when production facilities and employees crisscross the country four times in less than a decade? Is there one single person making guilds now who was involved in making them 20 years ago? Ten years ago? Five years ago? Last year?
Look soon for a Guild with a fiberglass bowl body. yum.