Standard vs Traditional

Making a parallel to cars, Standard and Traditional described two different trim lines for the same guitar model. The terms were used by New Hartford and it seems like Oxnard is also using them now.

1) Are there any other times in Guild's history when the terms were used in a similar fashion?

2) I know that the NH F-30 Traditional has a 1 11/16" nut and the NH F-30 Standard has a 1 3/4" nut. Are there any other cases where there is a difference in dimensions between the trim lines? (We can veer and talk about the other differences but since I kind if remember them...)

Thanks

Fro,

I'm not aware of Guild using the "Standard" term prior to New Hartford. I do think "Traditional" was used before then by Tacoma, but I'm not 100% that was the origin of that. At that point, Tacoma had their "Contemporary" series, and probably they were also referring to the MIC "GAD" guitars as well.

I may be wrong, but I think terms probably originate from Martin. There've been so many variations of their different lines over time that it's really hard to know what's going on. The latest thing I heard was "reimagined standard" which I think took their standard model and modernized them somewhat. Go figure.

At least in Guild nomenclature there really is a significant set of differences between the Standard and Traditional series guitars from New Hartford (where I think that distinction originated). Not sure what Oxnard is doing along those lines. Can you elaborate? Or, has it already been spelled out somewhere here?

chazmo said:

Fro,

I'm not aware of Guild using the "Standard" term prior to New Hartford. I do think "Traditional" was used before then by Tacoma, but I'm not 100% that was the origin of that.

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Imagine my surprise when I stumbled on the term in the '87 price list a few years back, used on the then-new GF series (all based on F40/"GA" outline):
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/files/87PL2.jpg
But I still think using the term's consistent with Tacoma's revival of old model names like "Bluegrass Jubilee" as well.

chazmo said:

At that point, Tacoma had their "Contemporary" series, and probably they were also referring to the MIC "GAD" guitars as well.

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I agree, I think they revived the term to help bring awareness of, and differentiate between, the major segments of the line, especially since the Contemporarys were supposed to be their next big thing at the time.
(There was a lot of advertising and artist endorsements published about 'em, in fact it's how I first heard about 'em before I even knew they'd moved to Tacoma or even joined up here)
Just the way their price list and catalogs were laid out by "Series" instead of "body size" as others had been over time seems to confirm it.

chazmo said:

At least in Guild nomenclature there really is a significant set of differences between the Standard and Traditional series guitars from New Hartford (where I think that distinction originated). Not sure what Oxnard is doing along those lines.

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The first example was the D40 Traditional which has the true dovetail neck joint, HG NCL finish, and a 3-pc neck as part of the "spec";
The so-called F40 Traditional has the same features (which also includes the chesterfield headstock and a hand-signed numbered CoA)

chazmo said:

Or, has it already been spelled out somewhere here?

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Not "formally" that I've seen yet.
It seems as though they're applying it on a model-by model basis as opposed to applying a set of spec upgrades to specific models.
As noted above the two "Traditional" models offered so far do share a common set of upgrade specs but nowhere is there a definition of what a "Traditional" version is from Oxnard.
At least, not on the websites I visit.
It's possible they've put it up on their FB or Instagram accounts which also lets 'em revise Guild history for their target market/younger crowd who knows nothing about 'em and who will spread their gospel for free to boot.
(Ok sorry, snark attack over)
More accurately, whereas in New Hartford the "Standard" line was introduced with a specific set of "Economy measure specs" for a variety of selected models, it seems like all Oxnards start off as "standards" although they don't use the term, and the "Traditional" term is used to denote the upgrades to what we here know to be Guild's "traditional" (actually "standard") specs, most notably the dovetail neck joint and high gloss NCL finish.
At least all this is consistent with Guild's tradition of inconsistency in nomenclature.
But I still can't forgive 'em for calling an F48 an F40 and even worse creating a "Traditional" version of it.

Thanks, Al. Good call on the prior (to Tacoma) uses of "Traditional" at Guild.