I have had my worries from the day Cordoba purchased Guild due to the fact that before that, Cordoba was really only known for making $300-$600 foreign made nylon string guitars that plastered the walls at Guitar Center. I hope they don't turn Guild into the same thing, It would be a shame. Of course this is all just my personal opinion so take it for what it is worth.
TX
Their MIC steel flat-tops also had a decent rep according to Ralf, but most important was that they actually make very high-end classicals in Oxnard.
World-class high-end according to reports.
THAT kind of luthiery skill is readily transferable to steel strings and if you think getting a steel-string to sing is an art, think about what it takes to get a nylon string guitar to sing, with so much less tension on the soundboard......
Edit: GUIldman, in my rush to post I missed that you'd touched on this but it bears emphasizing anyway.
So let's dispel this myth of "no
expertise" at Oxnard and qualify that as "No
steel flat-top experience".
I think Ren had enough time to pass on whatever he was willing to pass on.