Westerly made vs Hoboken
- Thread starter Craig
- Start date
GGJaguar
Reverential Member
I own and have owned a bunch of Guild imports as well as many US-made Guild electric models from the 1990s. The imports have great bang-for-the-buck value which includes fit and finish. However, the US-made guitars like the '98 SF-III is a step or two up in terms of quality (and value). You cannot go wrong with that '98 SF-III. 
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2009
- Messages
- 22,938
- Reaction score
- 18,549
- Location
- NJ (The nice part)
- Guild Total
- 112
The current imports are built like the Hoboken Guilds. The ‘90s reissues are their own thing and are much more robust.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2009
- Messages
- 22,938
- Reaction score
- 18,549
- Location
- NJ (The nice part)
- Guild Total
- 112
Back at my computer, so here's more detail.
Hoboken: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/03/13/1966-guild-starfire-iii/
Westerly: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/06/04/1997-guild-starfire-iii/
Newark St.: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/05/13/2016-guild-newark-street-starfire-iii/
Note that the Westerly (like the one you show) is maple while the other two are mahogany. My favorite of the three by far is the Westerly because I actually prefer the more robust feel and like the darker tone of the pickups. The Hoboken has mini AntiHum pickups and the Newark St. has clones of those.
If you want the chimey tone of the Hoboken you won't really get that in the Westerly models. If you're looking for a quality US-made guitar without a preconceived notion that it should sound like the Hoboken models, the Westerly is hard to beat.
Hoboken: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/03/13/1966-guild-starfire-iii/
Westerly: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/06/04/1997-guild-starfire-iii/
Newark St.: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/05/13/2016-guild-newark-street-starfire-iii/
Note that the Westerly (like the one you show) is maple while the other two are mahogany. My favorite of the three by far is the Westerly because I actually prefer the more robust feel and like the darker tone of the pickups. The Hoboken has mini AntiHum pickups and the Newark St. has clones of those.
If you want the chimey tone of the Hoboken you won't really get that in the Westerly models. If you're looking for a quality US-made guitar without a preconceived notion that it should sound like the Hoboken models, the Westerly is hard to beat.
What GAD said...
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
My own experience with Hoboken hollowbodies is that 50's examples are lighter builds, and as time progresses tops and backs get thicker, so the guitars get stiffer and heavier - a lot more like the later Westerly guitars.
The 1960 X175 and CE100D I used to have were lightweight guitars with very thin tops and backs, very similar in feel and weight to something like a mid 1950's Gibson ES175 in that respect, but with brighter sounding pickups than the Gibson.
My 1962 and '63 X175 are much heavier and stiffer guitars, better suited to higher volume playing, but they don't have the sweet midrange and detail you get from a lighter guitar.
SFIV1967
Venerated Member
Well as part of it yes, even if the subject said differently he asked: "Westerly 1998...vs Hoboken and imported new."
Ralf
GGJaguar
Reverential Member
Sometimes getting Ralf'ed is a good thing.
AcornHouse
Venerated Member
After I’d gotten my Hoboken ‘65 Starfire IV, I tried a late Westerly SF 4 that Gruhn’s had. 60s are much lighter built, with a skinnier neck (at least on mine) and have a woodier, more open sound That’s a combination of the pickups and the body. The 90s one was heavier, with a heavier and much more durable finish, thicker neck (but no chunky), and the sound is mostly pickups.
My take.
My take.
I think '98 was a banner year for Guild!
swiveltung
Member
I lean toward Westerly most all the time, but of course model matters too. It just seems I bond with a Westerly Guild pretty fast. There are some (T-100?) and similar that just feel like a cheap Harmony to me. But my sample size is very small!
jp
Senior Member
For me, the difference can mostly be felt in the thin hollow bodies -- SF and T-100Ds. As others mentioned above, Hobokens are definitely lighter builds and convey resonance accordingly. Compared to the '64 CE-100 I used to own, my '68 CE-100D feels more like a Westerly, which I attribute to it being close to the transition. In fact, the 90s Westerly Starfires feel more like my CE-100D.
I agree with @GAD that the build quality of the Westerly Guitars from the 1990s is excellent and better than the Hoboken electrics BUT when I play my '64 Starfire II it transports me through time back to 1964. It sounds and feels like the Kinks, the Young Rascals, the Monkees, and the early Beatles. As wonderful as my '97 X-170 is, it doesn't quite do that.
Great observation, Norrissey, and great references ! A vintage SFII is on my bucket list.