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Pre and Post Fender Guilds


Rada

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What about them has changed since Fender has taken over?

 

Does anybody own any of both? How do they compare?

 

I'm in the market for a 12 string right now, and I'd love to get my hands on a pre Fender one like I played when I was a little girl....

 

My experience with Fender Acoustics has been anything but great....I'm wondering if they have had an affect on the production quality

 

:wave:

 

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I have a pre-F DV52-NT. It was my first acoustic, the one I learned to play on, and to say I love the thing is a wild understatement. It's the one I'd grab if my place caught fire, and not just because it's heavy enough to use to bludgeon my neighbors out of my path of escape. It's a wonderful guitar in every respect.

 

I've played a few of the Fender US-built Guilds - several D-55's and one F412 - and was in every case knocked right on my ass. The D-55 is just an amazing guitar. Its only drawback in my eyes is the uber-bling. F412 is a freakin' Steinway grand. I've also tried several of the Chinese GAD gits here and there (GAD JF30, GAD-50 & '40C) and I think they are all really good guitars at amazing prices, although they are somehow different animals from the USA-made stuff (in comparison to my old relatively low-esch. DV52-NT, I mean - comparison to a D-55 would be silly). I do not mean worse or lower quality (the materials and workmanship I've seen on the Chinese Guilds has in every case been terrific), just different.

 

If Fender has had a negative impact on production quality, I haven't seen it in spite of my own skepticism about the takeover. In fact, my beloved pre-F Guild dread has some pretty inexcusably sloppy fretwork and some glue slop here and there. I haven't seen this kind of thing even on the Chinese Guilds following the Fender takeover.

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Originally posted by knockwood

I have a pre-F DV52-NT. It was my first acoustic, the one I learned to play on, and to say I love the thing is a wild understatement. It's the one I'd grab if my place caught fire, and not just because it's heavy enough to use to bludgeon my neighbors out of my path of escape. It's a wonderful guitar in every respect.


I've played a few of the Fender US-built Guilds - several D-55's and one F412 - and was in every case knocked right on my ass. The D-55 is just an amazing guitar. Its only drawback in my eyes is the uber-bling. F412 is a freakin' Steinway grand. I've also tried several of the Chinese GAD gits here and there (GAD JF30, GAD-50 & '40C) and I think they are all really good guitars at amazing prices, although they are somehow different animals from the USA-made stuff (in comparison to my old relatively low-esch. DV52-NT, I mean - comparison to a D-55 would be silly). I do not mean worse or lower quality (the materials and workmanship I've seen on the Chinese Guilds has in every case been terrific), just different.


If Fender has had a negative impact on production quality, I haven't seen it in spite of my own skepticism about the takeover. In fact, my beloved pre-F Guild dread has some pretty inexcusably sloppy fretwork and some glue slop here and there. I haven't seen this kind of thing even on the Chinese Guilds following the Fender takeover.

 

 

*Strokes chin*

 

Interesting....

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Guild was an uneven brand even before Fender took over. During some years, Guild produced some of the best-sounding steel-string acoustic guitars in history. During other years, they were mediocre.

 

The post-Fender Guilds I've played in music stores are consistent. They're consistently mediocre, in my view. That includes the D-55. The D-55 I played didn't sound nearly as good as my old D-25.

 

I haven't played any of the Chinese-made Guilds.

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Originally posted by marcellis

Guild was an uneven brand even before Fender took over. During some years, Guild produced some of the best-sounding steel-string acoustic guitars in history. During other years, they were mediocre.


The post-Fender Guilds I've played in music stores are consistent. They're consistently mediocre, in my view. That includes the D-55. The D-55 I played didn't sound nearly as good as my old D-25.


I haven't played any of the Chinese-made Guilds.

 

 

I'm more curious about their Jumbo 12 strings....that's what Guild is known for....have you tried any of those?

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I'm not a 12 string guy. Sorry. But Guild has always had a great reputation for 12 strings.

 

I'll sometimes string one of my guitars with the high strings from a 12. It's called "Nashville tuning", or a "High-string guitar". I'll string my other guitar with the low strings from the same 12 string package.

 

I like that sound. It's clean. I don't like playing or listening to 12 string guitars.

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Originally posted by marcellis

I'm not a 12 string guy. Sorry. But Guild has always had a great reputation for 12 strings.


I'll sometimes string one of my guitars with the high strings from a 12. It's called "Nashville tuning", or a "High-string guitar". I'll string my other guitar with the low strings from the same 12 string package.


I like that sound. It's clean. I don't like playing or listening to 12 string guitars.

 

I take it you're not a John Denver fan :o

 

Yeah, I love the Pre Fender ones, but I was just wondering about the Post Fender. I wanted to get some feedback and see if they are good.

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I can't answer this question directly. I have a 1973 Guild F-412 (Maple) and it is the loudest, most balanced and HEAVIEST dang guitar I've ever played. Playability-wise, I'd have to say it's the easiest of any 12 I've ever played. Intonation is near-perfect all the way up. I have no experience with Fender-Guild products.

 

This guitar is so loud that it drowns out other guitarists at jam sessions. It's not good for that. It is great for solo riffs in larger venues because of it's super projection. The F-512 (Rosewood) doesn't have quite the power of the F-412 and is better for session work.

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Originally posted by Sweb

I can't answer this question directly. I have a 1973 Guild F-412 (Maple) and it is the loudest, most balanced and HEAVIEST dang guitar I've ever played. Playability-wise, I'd have to say it's the easiest of any 12 I've ever played. Intonation is near-perfect all the way up. I have no experience with Fender-Guild products.


This guitar is so loud that it drowns out other guitarists at jam sessions. It's not good for that. It is great for solo riffs in larger venues because of it's super projection. The F-512 (Rosewood) doesn't have quite the power of the F-412 and is better for session work.

 

Yup...that's why I want both :D

 

You have a Guild from the same decade as the one that I played when I was a little girl...I remember thinking if all guitars are this heavy, I don't want one

 

But when my dad's friend played it for me it sounded so nice :)

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FYI:

 

Fender also bought Tacoma a year or so ago and that's where the MIA Guilds are now made. Prior to the buyout, Tacomas were a strong "bang for the buck" guitar with regards to workmanship. Although I have not tried any Guilds as of yet, I can only assume that Fender kept the old Tacoma crew on the payroll and put their talents to good use. :thu:

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The U.S. Guilds are being made at the Tacoma Guitar factory, which Fender also bought. But Fender's leaving Tacoma alone (thank God), to do what they do best - make great sounding acoustic guitars at excellent prices. The word is that the new Guilds out of Tacoma are extremely well made and sound great. The Guild fans seem very pleased so far. I'm a Tacoma fan myself, and we've been watching and waiting to see what kind of changes might occur once Fender did the buy-out. According to Tacoma, all it's going to do is infuse them with some much needed cash so that they can grow and improve their company.

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Originally posted by MyM.O.

The U.S. Guilds are being made at the Tacoma Guitar factory, which Fender also bought. But Fender's leaving Tacoma alone (thank God), to do what they do best - make great sounding acoustic guitars at excellent prices. The word is that the new Guilds out of Tacoma are extremely well made and sound great. The Guild fans seem very pleased so far. I'm a Tacoma fan myself, and we've been watching and waiting to see what kind of changes might occur once Fender did the buy-out. According to Tacoma, all it's going to do is infuse them with some much needed cash so that they can grow and improve their company.

 

There you have it: confirmation. :)

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Originally posted by knockwood

What you really want, though, is a nice Marty D12-28...
:D

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/D1228.htm

 

I, myself, owned a D12-28 and sold it about 4 months after purchase...It's a rare Martin 12 that's worth owning...the D12-20 was consistently pretty nice, but that's about it. If you have a good D12-28, you're a VERY lucky guy!

 

OTOH, this is why most serious 12-string players play Guilds and Taylors (I have 2 of each and highly recommend the new F212 from the Tacoma factory).

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The 1st 5 years or so that Fender owned Guild,they seemed to leave them alone,except that they expanded the product line and got Guild product into Fender dealerships,which greatly increased their visibility and availability.They moved the plant to California in 2000 or 2001,but I've only played a new archtop electric from this plant,and it was a fine guitar.I think Tacoma will continue to build guitars that live up to the name myself.

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Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall



OTOH, this is why most serious 12-string players play Guilds and Taylors (I have 2 of each and highly recommend the new F212 from the Tacoma factory).

 

A jumbo MUST be maple, my friend!

 

;)

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Okay...I'm gonna jump in;)

 

My buddy has a nice '76 Guild D25 all mahogany - real nice guitar,

although I don't really prefer the neck - so whatever.

 

I have heard nothign very good about the post Fender era ones,

but I'll say this, I saw one at a music shop (I don;'t recall the model - a Dread) strummed one chord and was immediately in love,

 

It was so friggin nice, played like butta (I hate that phrase)

sounded incredible too!

If I had the $ at that particular moment I'd be telling you about my new Guild!

 

It was fantasic. Like alot of makes out there, you just gotta find a good one!

 

I've played incredible Martins, and also some $2,000 Martins that I wouldn't give you $200 for!

 

It all comes down to that particular guitar in your hands at the moment,

 

Its really kinda silly I think to stick wioth one make and be totally brand loyal, 'cuz trust me, your favorite brand is making some duds as we speak!

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