No, not mine though I'd love to have the AA and X-500. I saw this on the interwebs somewhere and I thought it would be of interest to share here. FMIC really blew it. They were reaching a new high level at New Hartford and they just walked away. Cordoba may never reach that point or, if the do, it will take a long time. They simply don't have the money to invest like FMIC did.
Thanks, but I'm not all that smart -- I just run my mouth (fingers?) a lot.GG and Kakerlak, you guys are really smart about those guitars, the various versions of Guild's production. I admire your knowledge. And have learned a lot.
Actually all 3 are owned by our own guildman63! It's his picture, see:No, not mine...I saw this on the interwebs somewhere
I think they're much closer to on the right track with the NS stuff, not just in price.
They were reaching a new high level at New Hartford and they just walked away.
I don't disagree, but I don't agree entirely either. The NS guitars are what they are, and they're plenty cool for what they cost, but they're still guitars built to a fairly low price point for the types of guitar they are. And yes, I bought my vintage ones for not a lot more than what an NS costs now, but that's twenty years ago, and even a nice condition Franz pickup X175 will set you back at least 2K, probably more if you're in a hurry.To expand. I think they're much closer to on the right track with the NS stuff, not just in price. Getting the street price down low enough to move reissue M-75s and X-175s, etc without having to compete with the vintage ones seems smart.
The folks who discussed this at LMGs in New Hartford were well aware of it but hand no real strategy other than to separate the price points where possible or make something that was clearly "better" than vintage. I see the AP line as exploring that strategy although its success can be debated.
Right, but the NS stuff is priced far enough away from the present day vintage pieces to survive in the market. I just think you start to have problems running (admittedly super desirable) US versions at $5-6k MSRP.I don't disagree, but I don't agree entirely either. The NS guitars are what they are, and they're plenty cool for what they cost, but they're still guitars built to a fairly low price point for the types of guitar they are. And yes, I bought my vintage ones for not a lot more than what an NS costs now, but that's twenty years ago, and even a nice condition Franz pickup X175 will set you back at least 2K, probably more if you're in a hurry.
And the NS guitars, again, are alright, but I do miss nuance, sweetness, details, and more wine tasting terms in them that are there in the vintage guitars, or indeed in a quality archtop that's not made to a low price point in a far-east factory that specializes in that sort of thing.
Yes, all true. But if Gretsch can have guitars built in Terada (Japan), so can Guild. I recently got a Terada built Gibson ES-175 copy made for a Japanese dealer (Walkin' Guitars, their "brand" is Archtop Tribute) and it's insanely nice for what I paid for it - and yes, it's more guitar than my NS Guild, in almost every aspect. I actually like it more than the clunky overbuilt things Gibson's been offering in the last 30-45 years.Right, but the NS stuff is priced far enough away from the present day vintage pieces to survive in the market. I just think you start to have problems running (admittedly super desirable) US versions at $5-6k MSRP.
Yeah, I've argued for MIJ stuff here before -- probably back when the NS stuff first came out. And it seems like it'd have been really easy for Fender to get up and running, too. I'm kind of surprised the MIJ stuff can still hit those price points.Yes, all true. But if Gretsch can have guitars built in Terada (Japan), so can Guild. I recently got a Terada built Gibson ES-175 copy made for a Japanese dealer (Walkin' Guitars, their "brand" is Archtop Tribute) and it's insanely nice for what I paid for it - and yes, it's more guitar than my NS Guild, in almost every aspect. I actually like it more than the clunky overbuilt things Gibson's been offering in the last 30-45 years.
American made archtops, market wise, are going to be a hard sell for any company I think, but a nicer guitar than a NS Guild is not impossible I think. Not to put the NS guitars down, again, they're great for what they are - but they're a little bit lacking in some respects.