New Guild USA GSR models!

[richardp69]

I have not sees 3 others (where?) but at least one more, and just one serial number apart from one of the CME ones!

Guild USA GSR F-40E Traditional Satin - Antique Burst

This is a one-off GSR (Guild Special Run) model that we were fortunate to acquire. Based on the F-40 Traditional, but with a super-thin satin lacquer, gold tuners, an LR Baggs pickup system, and a handcut celluloid pickguard, this is a true one of a kind piece that looks and sounds fantastic...

harrysguitarshop.com

Ralf

One is Calido Guitars in Texas. That's who I was discussing the F 40 GSR with inititally. He had 2 naturals and 1 burst GSR's. I decided no on all of them. As far as I know he hasn't put any of them yet on his website. He's likely a bit upset with me. I told him initially I was all in but when I saw the little difference between the F 40E T and the GSR I backed out. I also bought my F 55E GSR and my BT 258 Baritone from him.

Another was Bearded Monkey Music out in Washington somewhere. That's where I bought my F 40E T instead of the GSR. They at least had the D 40 GSR and maybe the F 40E T GSR as well.

I can't remember the 3rd but it was out there somewhere.

 

[Default]

Read the specs: "scalloped Adirondack braces "

Ralf

Yeah. Guess I missed that, while being underwhelmed with the meatloaf presentation.

 

[bobouz]

Cordoba’s formula thus far may not please us all, but compared to Fender’s nineteen years of tinkering & reboots, they seem to have already done more in the last seven years to get the brand re-recognized in a very competitive market. Additionally, I believe it was a stroke of good fortune that Cordoba’s primary line was classical guitars, so they could acquire & fully promote Guild without essentially competing against themselves in the electric & steel-string markets. For Fender, Guild was seemingly like an afterthought, relegated to fight for showroom scraps behind the Fender, Squire, and Gretsch brands.

So my only current quibble with Cordoba is that they’re not making a 16” short-scale F-body with a 1-11/16” nut. How many times do they have to be told, darn it!

 

[adorshki]

No match to Tacoma or New Hartford GSR models...

That D-40 is also no match to the special Sweetwater exclusive D-40T DELUXE which had gloss NC and wasn't even called a GSR...

Ralf

Warning, Snark attack:
More capitalizing on venerated Guild names with watered-down (and worse) "re-boots".

 

[adorshki]

My opinion: Cordoba is over thinking its strategy, and not respecting Guild history. Cordoba needs to defend the Guild credibility while protecting its bottom-line. Tweaking Guild "standards" in the wrong ways will ultimately fail. In the end, Guild must continue to compete with Gibson and Taylors, etc., otherwise weaken the brand's reputation as an outsider who deserves respect.

Cordoba: hope you got your ears on.

 

[adorshki]

There is one man in charge, which reflects his decisions on identity.

Ralph

He doesn't identify as human?

 

[beecee]

Some time ago I also bought the Oxnard built D 40 T Deluxe. It was a limited run for Sweetwater and although they called it a GSR it really isn't. But, it is the best D 40 I've ever owned and again, a lot of differentiation between it and the typical/regular D 40's.

Question if I may: How would you compare that to the hog Martin you just bought??

 

[richardp69]

Question if I may: How would you compare that to the hog Martin you just bought??

They are both fine guitars but to me at least, the Guild is the better sounding guitar. Now, in all fairness, the Martin is all Hog and the Guild is Spruce/Hog so not entirely a fair comparison. But, however you'd like to compare it, the D 40 T Deluxe is a fine Guild for sure.

To be clear, that doesn't mean I'm disappointed in the Martin, not at all.. That's my problem though, I tend to like a lot of different guitars.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Cordoba: hope you got your ears on.

i don't think they mosey over to the LTG too often, Al

 

[cupric]

i don't think they mosey over to the LTG too often, Al

But they should! Maybe that's the "why" in the job listing.

 

[adorshki]

i don't think they mosey over to the LTG too often, Al

Oh we know they "monitor", they just don't want to participate. Which is understandable, they'd be a lightning rod for all kinds of unreasonable complaints.

Like: "When are they finally going to admit they lost the 16" jumbo body bucks and arch-back dies?"

 

[mavuser]

why are there inlays on a D-40? and why no NCL on the GSR? i guess we are now throwing around the term "GSR," like a child throws sand on the beach.

 

[SFIV1967]

why are there inlays on a D-40? and why no NCL on the GSR?

Well, why not? I like the inlays on the D-40. That's at least a nice touch! Same already used on the D-40 T DELUXE in 2018. And it is NCL, just satin NCL. Sure I also think satin does not fit a GSR...see the "better" D-40 T DELUXE.
Ralf

 

[mavuser]

Well, why not? I like the inlays on the D-40. That's at least a nice touch! Same already used on the D-40 T DELUXE in 2018. And it is NCL, just satin NCL. Sure I also think satin does not fit a GSR...see the "better" D-40 T DELUXE.
Ralf

they made such a vintage old-timey looking D-40 like it was from the hills, and then just added random bling. ladies and gentlemen...the D-45!! #satin #GSR

 

[fronobulax]

i don't think they mosey over to the LTG too often, Al

To repeat myself. Sometime right after the sale an LTG member talked to someone from CMG about LTG at a trade show. Contact info was exchanged and the conversation was referred to me. The CMG person was focused on social media and wasn't sure how LTG fit in to that. If CMG "used" LTG, CMG wanted a lot of control which would mean either a thread that only CMG could post to or a thread where all posts were moderated. CMG did not want more than one person who could be identified as a CMG employee posting because they wanted to control the messaging and public image. LTG wanted to maintain their independence. The end result was the realization that LTG did not fit into CMGs social media and marketing strategy.

I believe that CMG does monitor LTG although it may be a bot that views content that is Public and not Members Only. CMG used to list LTG as a resource in www.guildguitars.com but when I went to find it for a citation, it was gone. So they may have tech metrics that indicated no one ever clicked on the link or they may have been monitoring and decided they no longer wanted potential customers reading LTG or the link is just harder to find than I remember.

We should also remember that Facebook has an order of magnitude more people folling Guild than LTG has members so LTG is not the best "bang for the buck".

 

[gjmalcyon]

I believe that CMG does monitor LTG although it may be a bot that views content that is Public and not Members Only. CMG used to list LTG as a resource in www.guildguitars.com but when I went to find it for a citation, it was gone.

We're still there: on the "Contact Us" page:

Contact Us | Guild Guitars

guildguitars.com

 

[davismanLV]

they made such a vintage old-timey looking D-40 like it was from the hills, and then just added random bling. ladies and gentlemen...the D-45!! #satin #GSR

I agree. Totally. But if they're already paid for, then, so what? If you don't like it, don't buy it. Right? I mean paid for guitars are totally amazing. Money in the bank! But then let's do some really, REALLY nice guitars with super cool features that people want. Even if they came up with a F65ce with a short scale and 1 3/4 nut? What would they charge for that? At this point in my life it's out of my price range. So..... I wish they'd do other stuff, but i think it's on the horizon, yes??

 

[West R Lee]

I will say that I've dealt with Chicago Music Exchange, and they were first rate. I bought one of my Collings guitars from Joel at CME. Cool guitars.....I'd like to play one.

West

 

[plaidseason]

I don't mind these models so much, but I agree that the GSR moniker sets ups high expectations.

I'm continually bummed about the legendary F40 (my favorite of all Guilds, and all guitar shapes and sizes) going from a 16" mini-jumbo to a full on jumbo.

I don't the think the GSR situation is far removed from that. In an effort to clarify the naming of models, they've lost a little of their iconography. They could've kept the "GSR" for higher end special releases and then created new models, say "D41" for this dreadnought. But selling and branding go hand and hand, and most of the people buying Guilds aren't hanging out in this forum for 10-20 years.

I know more than one person who fell head over heels and bought a Martin 000-16 Whiskey Sunset, a guitar I find aesthetically pleasing. But the few I've played were completely underwhelming to me - like I quite literally preferred the sound of my $500 (new) Simon & Patrick Songsmith Folk (with laminate cherry back and sides) over the ones I've played - like without question. But . . . Martin knows how brand, and it's a really cool looking guitar (with a sort of Kalamazoo/Waterloo vibe). So if I'm the product guy at Guild, I'm going to call every special edition "GSR."

 

[Default]

Ya know...
We keep talking about how"we aren't the target demographic" at LTG, and, for the import stuff, I'd agree for the most part. But...

For the GSR offerings, we absolutely are. We are older, a lot of us have no mortgages and minimal bills. A lot of us are still working and in decent financial shape. I could buy a GSR with cash and it would not beggar me. So we shouldn't call it "hate" if CMG puts out a product that is at the same price point as Gibsons or Taylors or Martins that look more, um, finished.
It should be more like tough love, because we do want to see the brand succeed.