The Orpheum Brand

[hansmoust]

The "Orpheum" series is a new series to be introduced at NAMM 2013 this week. There is no history about them at Guild in the past.

There's something that FMIC doesn't know about Guild history:

Here's a photo of an early '50s Guild headstock and next to it a photo of an Orpheum-brand guitar headstock that was obviously made by Guild. You can see where they removed the headstock inlays, filled up the cavities and sprayed the face of the headstock black. It probably took some time before the old Guild trademarks became visible again.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[killdeer43]

Very interesting!

Thanks,
Joe

 

[chazmo]

I have to admit... I was wondering about the name. Hans, that is a very cool connection.

Do you think maybe they [did] know about that connection, Hans? Or, maybe Fender owns the Orpheum brand? Probably not. After NAMM I'll see if I can find out where the name came from.

[edit :ahh, never mind. Ralf did a little research on the brand, and the connection for Fender clearly is brand ownership, as you probably already knew. See viewtopic.php?p=385445#p385445 ]

 

[hansmoust]

Do you think maybe they [did] know about that connection, Hans?

No, they didn't!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[FNG]

I think they should hire Hans as a consultant. 8) 8)

 

[chazmo]

Although, if there's one person among us who needs to remain objective, it's Hans!!!

I have no such concerns and make no such claims about myself, however (as if you guys didn't already know that)!

 

[jgwoods]

I believe Fender has owned the Orpheum name for a while now. A few years ago Tacoma made some Orpheum banjos, or maybe they imported them from their Korean owners instrument factory before Fender bought the lot of them.

I played a 1906 Orpheum banjo for many years. It was made in NYC. It was a wonderful instrument although the necks didn't stand up real well for 100 years. Mine was fine while many warped.

Unlike the Guild name, which has been stores constantly for the last 50+ years, Orpheum is mostly long forgotten. I wonder if there is any "blue sky" value there.

 

[Scratch]

Hans is THE recognized Guild Historian and based on his Westerly roots, I think I know him just enough to speculate he is about as interested in New Hartford production as he was Tacoma and Corona.

Although I'm not sure Hans would be interested, I agree with FNG that Hans could be a most valuable asset as a consultant. There's no one else who could come close to knowing the ins and outs of Guild's birth and growth through the Westerly years and thus establish a vintage connection (collection?) as they look to the future at least with US crafted instruments. Not so sure they could interest him in China, Mexico or Korea product relationships though... :roll:

 

[hansmoust]

I think they should hire Hans as a consultant.

What would they need me for?

......... and based on his Westerly roots, I think I know him just enough to speculate he is about as interested in New Hartford production as he was Tacoma and Corona.

Also not sure what you mean exactly by that. True, so far I've been concentrating for the most part on earlier Guild production, but I do keep track of what's going on with Guild these days. I've seen 'm do stupid things in the recent past, but that doesn't mean I could tell them what would be the right direction for the future. I know what I like, but I already have those and I'm not convinced that producing exactly those models would be the way to go.
However, I am convinced that the work that I do benefits the company, but the fact is that I will do that anyway and they don't have to hire me for it.
It would be nice if they would pay me just to be (kind of0 part of their Consumer Relations Dept. , but if that would be my daily work, it would probably just become another boring office job.

So, I just stick to what I've been doing for a long time ............... as long as I'm enjoying it!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[dapmdave]

It would be nice if they would pay me just to be (kind of0 part of their Consumer Relations Dept. , but if that would be my daily work, it would probably just become another boring office job.

So, I just stick to what I've been doing for a long time ............... as long as I'm enjoying it!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Hans is speaking words of wisdom.

Dave

 

[chazmo]

Amen, Hans. You keep doin' what you do!!!!

And, if you ever need an introduction to some of the recent Fender/Guild employees, I'm sure any of us who've met the management chain will be happy to do what we can to facilitate that.

Have you had a New Hartford factory tour yet?!?

 

[FNG]

I think they should hire Hans as a consultant.

What would they need me for?

......... and based on his Westerly roots, I think I know him just enough to speculate he is about as interested in New Hartford production as he was Tacoma and Corona.

Also not sure what you mean exactly by that. True, so far I've been concentrating for the most part on earlier Guild production, but I do keep track of what's going on with Guild these days. I've seen 'm do stupid things in the recent past, but that doesn't mean I could tell them what would be the right direction for the future. I know what I like, but I already have those and I'm not convinced that producing exactly those models would be the way to go.
However, I am convinced that the work that I do benefits the company, but the fact is that I will do that anyway and they don't have to hire me for it.
It would be nice if they would pay me just to be (kind of0 part of their Consumer Relations Dept. , but if that would be my daily work, it would probably just become another boring office job.

So, I just stick to what I've been doing for a long time ............... as long as I'm enjoying it!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

I was thinking guitar model. Just tryin' to hook a brother up!

 

[chazmo]

Guitar Model!!!! Yes, Hans.... I should hook you up with Sales!!!

 

[zombywoof]

Sometime in the 1940s, Orpehum became a name only brand owned by a distributor who contracted with various companies like Kay and Harmony to make the instruments. Here is another similar shaped Orpheum-badged headstock from the early to mid-1950s.

 

[tjmangum]

Tenor Orpheum from about 1920.

 

[southernGuild]

:shock: TJ, That, is a beautiful Banjo. What a nice slice of musical history.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

It would be nice if they would pay me just to be (kind of0 part of their Consumer Relations Dept. , but if that would be my daily work, it would probably just become another boring office job.

So, I just stick to what I've been doing for a long time ............... as long as I'm enjoying it!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Hans is speaking words of wisdom.

Dave

When it comes to words of wisdom about acoustic instruments, Fender has ALWAYS needed all it can get!

And they should pay Hans well for it, too! 8)

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I have a Tacoma era Orpheum resonator, metal body. I think these were sold in Europe but not America.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/v ... hNG3dxxw1C

 

[AcornHouse]

With all the talk about the Orpheum brand and the new Guild Orpheum series, I noticed this listing on the Cinn. CL today. http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/msg/3541742387.html

 

[SFIV1967]

Sometime in the 1940s, Orpehum became a name only brand owned by a distributor who contracted with various companies like Kay and Harmony to make the instruments. Here is another similar shaped Orpheum-badged headstock from the early to mid-1950s.

Amazing! That one also shows the Guild shield coming out now from hiding under the black paint after all those years! So another Guild rebranded to Orpheum.
Ralf