Phil O'Keefe Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Just saw this press release and thought some of you might be interested in reading it. _______________________________ FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES INTENT TO SELL GUILD® BRAND TO CORDOBA MUSIC GROUP SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (May 6, 2014) – Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) announced today that it has finalized a letter of intent to sell the Guild guitar brand and related assets to Cordoba Music Group, the manufacturer of Cordoba acoustic guitars, ukuleles and accessories. “It was important for us to find a great steward to continue the important legacy of Guild guitars,” said FMIC’s interim CEO and board member Scott Gilbertson. “We have found a great fit in Cordoba Music Group, a company committed to quality and with impressive U.S.-based production capabilities.” “Guild is an iconic American brand with a rich heritage and we’re truly excited and honored to be the ones to move it forward. It’s a great complement to our current position in the acoustic guitar market and provides opportunities for growth in new categories,” said Cordoba Music Group President Jonathan Thomas. “We will continue to make instruments of exceptional quality in the USA, and look forward to giving one of the industry’s great American brands a new home.” Sales of Guild guitars will continue as usual during the transition process. Upon finalization of the sale, Cordoba Music Group is expected to begin production in Oxnard, Calif. FMIC recently announced the closing of Guild’s U.S. manufacturing facility in New Hartford, Conn. Guild was founded in New York in 1953 by Alfred Dronge and the company’s excellence in acoustic guitar design made the name synonymous with acoustic quality and craftsmanship throughout the ensuing decades. Guild joined the FMIC family in 1995, combining it with modern design to produce new generations of guitars that remain highly sought-after instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted May 7, 2014 Members Share Posted May 7, 2014 Good maybe they'll reissue the Starfire and Bluesbird guitars instead of hiding them because they compete with Fender stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 7, 2014 Members Share Posted May 7, 2014 It's really hard being a Guild fan these days. They just issued a really nice set of low-cost electrics, the Newark Street MIK guitars. It might be a good idea to pick one of these babies up before they disappear. http://www.sweetwater.com/c589--Guild--Electric_Guitars That M75 Aristocrat looks sweet to me. Hollow body. I don't know what TAH would think of this. I don't know anything about Cordoba. They make Savarez strings. But what kind of retail presence do they have with guitars? They manufacture thousands of Chinese guitars and a few hundred high-end US & Spanish nylon string guitars. Guild would be their only steel-string line. Someone at Let's Talk Guild posted this. Thought I'd pass it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members missedmyexit Posted May 7, 2014 Members Share Posted May 7, 2014 I am a Guild lover for years and this is just sad. I don't know much about Cordoba and that's not good. On the other hand if you had some spare money I would pickup a hartford Guild asap. My guess is they will be worth something in a couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kreepydo Posted May 7, 2014 Members Share Posted May 7, 2014 I am a Guild lover for years and this is just sad. I don't know much about Cordoba and that's not good. On the other hand if you had some spare money I would pickup a hartford Guild asap. My guess is they will be worth something in a couple years. They make mid-high end nylon string acoustics, not junk - https://www.cordobaguitars.com/ This is awesome news Cordoba gets into electrics & steel string acoustics, and Guild gets to be its own company again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 8, 2014 Members Share Posted May 8, 2014 They make mid-high end nylon string acoustics, not junk - https://www.cordobaguitars.com/ This is awesome news Cordoba gets into electrics & steel string acoustics, and Guild gets to be its own company again. They make high and low end classical guitars. It makes sense to expand into the steel-string market. BTW, they own Savarez strings. They are very good and very pricey. If they distribute US-made Guilds to GC & MF, it will be good for Guild. But what about warranties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bieke Posted May 8, 2014 Members Share Posted May 8, 2014 Heh, Fend2 weeks ago Fender said it would be consolidating production of U.S.-made acoustic instruments due to current market conditions and insufficient volume levels.So they are stopping Ovation and now they're selling Guild.This may all be in the interest of improving the balance sheet, because about $237 million of its $246 million in long-term debt will be due this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 8, 2014 Members Share Posted May 8, 2014 Look at these new guitars they were making - some in New Hartford. The MIK Newark Street electrics look really fine. And the Orpheums? Pricey but lovely. Doyle Dykes Signature? Watch for bargains on EBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 23miles Posted May 9, 2014 Members Share Posted May 9, 2014 This is a shame. They were making some nice guitars in New Hartford! I have a NH D40 Bluegrass Jubilee that is fantastic. I feel bad that the New Hartford community is losing those jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members koaguilds Posted May 12, 2014 Members Share Posted May 12, 2014 Glad I got some good ones back in the day. X180 Park Avenue, X170 Manhattan, JF30's 6 and 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w-w-wertard Posted May 12, 2014 Members Share Posted May 12, 2014 My last Guild would be here regardless, being a 74 mahogany mini jumbo 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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