THaTs A gIbSoN hEaDsToCk!!!!

GuildyAsHell

Member
Joined
May 22, 2021
Messages
197
Reaction score
374
Guild Total
1
Do any of you fine folks come across nearly belligerent people that insist that 50’s Guilds have a “Gibson headstock”. This has come up a few times in some of the Facebook groups. I know they are similar, but…?
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,466
Reaction score
7,123
Location
Central Massachusetts
Yeah, p23 in Hans' hardcover edition discusses the evolution away from the Gibson-esque headstocks (a.k.a "lip top"). I'm just guessing, but maybe Guild wanted their own identity rather than it being a result of pressure from Gibson or maybe Epiphone.
 

fronobulax

Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
24,708
Reaction score
8,836
Location
Central Virginia, USA
Guild Total
5
Do any of you fine folks come across nearly belligerent people that insist that 50’s Guilds have a “Gibson headstock”. This has come up a few times in some of the Facebook groups. I know they are similar, but…?

In another realm someone pointed out that we can observe something but not necessarily understand the reasons why it is that way. The headstock shapes can be similar but so what? Is there an accusation that Guild copied Gibson? If so, does it matter?
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,957
Reaction score
8,019
Location
Massachusetts
Nothing worse than an authentic Gibson troll...

walrus
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Nothing worse than an authentic Gibson troll...

walrus
Didn't one land here once? Proud of having quit the Gibson forum? (I always wondered if their mods actually wound up breathing a sigh of relief...) Ultimately wound up finding our members no more tolerant of bottom fishing?
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,957
Reaction score
8,019
Location
Massachusetts
Didn't one land here once? Proud of having quit the Gibson forum? (I always wondered if their mods actually wound up breathing a sigh of relief...) Ultimately wound up finding our members no more tolerant of bottom fishing?

Yes, I recall that but have no desire to dredge up his trollish posts with a search.

walrus
 

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,923
Reaction score
6,520
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
One thing I will say is that there's far more Gibson hate out there than Guild hate. A lot of the angst directed at Gibson is well-deserved, but a lot of it isn't too. I think that Gibsons can be very hit or miss, but when they're good, they're very good!
 

Br1ck

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2014
Messages
1,671
Reaction score
1,414
Location
San Jose, Ca
Despite the WTF were they thinking moments, I like what they were doing up until the early to mid 60s. I like to treat the acoustic part of their business as separate, but must admit, hooking their high end guitar models to the Slash wagon is puzzling. Doubling production might not go so well either. Their mandolin business has been left alone....so far. Even in the banner years, the build quality was never Martin good. But the sound of a good one is like nothing else. Certainly a company you can love to hate.
 

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
Since the ‘70s, Gibsons & Guilds have been my favorite acoustics, with Martin a rather distant third (in particular, Gibson’s short-scale mini-jumbo, roundsoulder, & LG bodies). Toying-with or flat-out copying the successful designs of other companies has been done forever, and can sometimes lead to positive embellishments or product improvements throughout the market. Here’s one of my favorite Guildish adaptations from a 1981 M-340:

C2364C5B-F082-415D-B905-7DE5EB3E32D9.jpeg
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,957
Reaction score
8,019
Location
Massachusetts
I realize in many eras Gibson has had issues. But they created so many iconic guitars in the '50's and early '60's, they are still riding that wave today. Things would look quite different in the world of guitars if they never existed.

walrus
 

Taylor Martin Guild

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
2,735
Reaction score
265
Location
Roy, Utah
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Al Dronge start his guitar building at Gibson or Epiphone?
If he did, that may be why his early guitars had a Gibson look to them.

I will go one step farther and say that to me some of the early Guild guitars had a Gibsonish sound to them.
The good Gibsonish sound!
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Yes, I recall that but have no desire to dredge up his trollish posts with a search.

walrus
Ooooohhhh!!! Do I sense a hint of...bitterness, Jeff? :eek: :D

Not that I'd disagree, but also why I didn't name name. Which is snarky enough in its own right to say that, so I'll just muzzle myself now. :devilish:

I like the "lips" headstocks. :)
 
Top