Maybe some hope for Guild

[griehund]

Apparently they're not ready to make that announcement yet.
(Att'n Tom: How's that for "very carefully crafted"? :excitement
These pesky internet rumors're harder to start than you think.
Let's give it a few more days to hit critical mass.
We'll know for sure when it pops up on the AGF.
:biggrin-new:

You want the truth? You can't handle the truth. :highly_amused: The variable in question is in fact the level of intent on the part of FMIC to create a statement that is either accurate at a specific point in time or to obfuscate the conversation with words that approach fact and can be accepted based on assorted geographical truths. :crazy:

 

[davismanLV]

Sometimes you guys make my head hurt...... :frustrating:

 

[adorshki]

....The variable in question is in fact the level of intent on the part of FMIC to create a statement that is either accurate at a specific point in time or to obfuscate the conversation with words that approach fact...

Gosh that's a little harsh, don'tcha think?
I always thought they were just f---ed up.
Or, to be polite, like I said here:

I think Fender's record will speak for itself.
Right, Tom?
:hypnotysed:

Still, when it comes to making no commitment in 1000 words or more, "My lawyer can beat up your lawyer".
:boxing:

 

[adorshki]

Sometimes you guys make my head hurt...... :frustrating:

I tolja no more wine over on the DS46 thread.
No sympathy.

 

[JohnW63]

Based on Toyota's move, from the state that never saw a new tax it didn't like, to a state actively TRYING to get business to move there, I'm really rooting for Texas.

 

[gtrman100]

Yep, the one and only. He sold Groove Tubes to Fender 6 years ago, and now has a studio in San Fernando, CA and has many other side projects going. He's a hell of a great guy, and creative soul.

 

[fronobulax]

"U.S. production of Fender acoustic and Guild® instruments will transition to other facilities at a later date..."

It does specify that production will stay in the USA, just not what specific location. That's the way I read that anyway.

I read it that way as well, but I have noticed that people who write press releases are often clueless to the amount of scrutiny a dedicated fan base will give to the exact wording.

That said I can think of several reasons to be vague:

• FMIC just doesn't know what they are going to do, yet.
• We are reading it wrong and FMIC is not going to start producing acoustic Guilds in the USA in the near (3-5 years) future.
• FMIC is is in the process of acquiring assets (Gibson seems to be the joke de jour) that would determine where it will make guitars.
• FMIC is delaying action on Guild because they really and truly want one plant producing all of the FMIC branded acoustics and they have not figured out the strategy for the other brands.
• FMIC is in negotiations with Connecticut for tax breaks and other incentives that will allow New Hartford to be reopened and thereby keep approximately 50 jobs in the state.
• FMIC is negotiating with key individuals and their willingness to relocate effects the decision.

and so on.

 

[dapmdave]

• FMIC is in negotiations with Connecticut for tax breaks and other incentives that will allow New Hartford to be reopened and thereby keep approximately 50 jobs in the state.

This is something I've been wondering about since the announcement first came out. Down here we've had examples where a company will take the tax incentives until they run out, then hold the local economy hostage for more. Corporate welfare, I think it's called.

 

[Watasha]

I read it that way as well, but I have noticed that people who write press releases are often clueless to the amount of scrutiny a dedicated fan base will give to the exact wording.

That said I can think of several reasons to be vague:

• FMIC just doesn't know what they are going to do, yet.
• We are reading it wrong and FMIC is not going to start producing acoustic Guilds in the USA in the near (3-5 years) future.
• FMIC is is in the process of acquiring assets (Gibson seems to be the joke de jour) that would determine where it will make guitars.
• FMIC is delaying action on Guild because they really and truly want one plant producing all of the FMIC branded acoustics and they have not figured out the strategy for the other brands.
• FMIC is in negotiations with Connecticut for tax breaks and other incentives that will allow New Hartford to be reopened and thereby keep approximately 50 jobs in the state.
• FMIC is negotiating with key individuals and their willingness to relocate effects the decision.

and so on.

These are good points. Any one of them could be true.

 

[fronobulax]

This is something I've been wondering about since the announcement first came out. Down here we've had examples where a company will take the tax incentives until they run out, then hold the local economy hostage for more. Corporate welfare, I think it's called.

We probably should not discuss whether it is good policy, or not, but it happens a lot, and I have a vague recollection that several other manufacturing companies are making noises about relocating from CT or have already done so.

 

[srickl]

And yet we do have profitable companies staying in CT. Like the entire East Coast, the cost of living is high and the environmental regulations are tight. Frequently, the line is the same as FMIC - it's the corporation that moves the plant for greater profitability. The individual entrepreneurs and company owners however, are either staying, or using Connecticut as part of their operational network. FMIC carries too many lines and duplicates itself all over the place. IMHO, it's a corporation failing to focus, much like General Motors.

 

[griehund]

One day I went to work and my boss met me in the office with a severance check and said his contract with the parent company had ended and therefore I didn't need to come to work anymore. From that experience I learned that the only certainty in life is that nothing is for sure. My goals in life changed from making lots of money to making sure I caused no harm. So far so good.

 

[srickl]

My goals in life changed from making lots of money to making sure I caused no harm. So far so good.

And helping out a lot of wonderful hound dogs, Cliff. Cheers!

 

[JohnW63]

The problem is that doing business in California is very overloaded with taxes and regulations. Businesses are LEAVING this state, not moving in. I don't know how Taylor does it and I don't understand what Jean Larrivee was thinking about, by moving here.

My concern is that all the great builders in CT are not going to want to move their families out to California with such a flaky company and HOPE they don't get the rug pulled out from under them again. That means a whole NEW crop of people who may NOT have the same experience.

 

[Greg1233]

I'm still a newbie on this site and sorry for hijacking this thread but gtrman100 left something dangling out there....please tell us more about the thin line classical prototype that Doyle was playing. I currently have a GAD-C2 and a Paloma (both of which are great guitars) but it would also be fun to have an acoustic thin line. Hopefully Guild will settle in to a new US location and still be around to get prototype models off the ground.

 

[Chaz]

From that experience I learned that the only certainty in life is that nothing is for sure.

You forgot about death and taxes... :friendly_wink:

 

[gtrman100]

I'm still a newbie on this site and sorry for hijacking this thread but gtrman100 left something dangling out there....please tell us more about the thin line classical prototype that Doyle was playing. I currently have a GAD-C2 and a Paloma (both of which are great guitars) but it would also be fun to have an acoustic thin line. Hopefully Guild will settle in to a new US location and still be around to get prototype models off the ground.

I believe they said it would be released shortly. It's a nylon string thin bodied flat top with a cutaway and with no sound hole. I'm not sure what the top wood was, but it could have been spruce. Supposedly the body is carved from a single piece of wood, like a hollowed out log, and has an X braced top. He held it up to a mike unamplified to demonstrate it's tone. It sounded fabulous through the PA system, but Doyle could make a cigar box sound good. It had the volume and multiband EQ controls right on the top.

 

[SFIV1967]

I believe they said it would be released shortly. It's a nylon string thin bodied flat top with a cutaway and with no sound hole.

It's the DD-6NC "Doyle Dykes Signature Nylon Cutaway Electric" as introduced at NAMM 2014 and discussed multiple times here at LTG already.
The guitar features a Solid Sitka Spruce Top with Solid Mahogany Body as well as custom LR Baggs acoustic preamp with a special Doyle Dykes Signature Series Soloist acoustic guitar pickup from Barbera Transducer systems.

Some videos here:
http://youtu.be/UxgkGEokNVI
http://youtu.be/imeL8Rujux0
http://youtu.be/ZCR51pI1YmI

Ralf

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

The prototype DD-6NC I had the opportunity to play at NAMM has a maple body.

 

[Default]

The prototype DD-6NC I had the opportunity to play at NAMM has a maple body.

If it doesn't deviate from the specs, it ain't a Guild! ;-D