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Why don't Guild make elctrics anymore?


gorebreath

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It didn't help that the last batch ot Guild electrics, made under Fender ownership,apparently didn't sell particularly well. Some people speculate that Fender becoming producer and distributor of Gretsch Guitars led Fender to drop Guild electrics to avoid competition between the brands, but I've seen no evidence. On the other hand there have been rumours for some time that Fender might revive Guild electrics.

 

And before someone posts about Fender "ruining" Guild I can't imagine any other possible buyer treating it much differently. If Fender hadn't bought the name I suspect it would be gone now, or used strictly for Asian imports.

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It didn't help that the last batch ot Guild electrics, made under Fender ownership,apparently didn't sell particularly well. Some people speculate that Fender becoming producer and distributor of Gretsch Guitars led Fender to drop Guild electrics to avoid competition between the brands, but I've seen no evidence. On the other hand there have been rumours for some time that Fender might revive Guild electrics.


And before someone posts about Fender "ruining" Guild I can't imagine any other possible buyer treating it much differently.
If Fender hadn't bought the name I suspect it would be gone now, or used strictly for Asian imports.

 

 

Kind of like what they are doing with the Charvel name? Apparently they discontinued the MIJ Charvels now and are only making the new Desolation line.........In Fenders defense though the rumor is that the supplier went bankrupt.

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Kind of like what they are doing with the Charvel name? Apparently they discontinued the MIJ Charvels now and are only making the new Desolation line.........In Fenders defense though the rumor is that the supplier went bankrupt.

 

 

Well, Charvel has had a long history of ups and downs. It went from being Jackson's sister brand in the '70's and early '80's, to being Jacksons import line in the late '80's, to being the budget line when Jackson also became an import line. If anything, Fender has done more than anyone to salvage the reputation of Charvel, probably more than they have done for the Jackson line, though the latter has remained stable or a line time.

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I'd mostly be interested in seeing some reissue Starfires, maybe a Bluesbird, but that's the thing. There are plenty of them on the used market, both the originals, and then the ones they made again in the 90's, and they're reasonably priced at that.

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Hard to fathom corporate decision making at times. Guild and Gretsch seem to be different species and fit into guitar eco-system in different niches, imho.

I got a 99 Starfire IV. Would love to see them make the Starfire III again too.... or come to think of it, the II since then you don't have to deal with Bigsby issues.

Maybe the build quality was too difficult for them to reach?

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Because Fender doesn't realize that it would be a great way to invade Gibson's market. At least that's what I see possibly happening; by making S100s, Bluesbirds, and Starfires well (good quality control would be part of that) and selling them for less than the comparable Gibson models, they'd be introducing a great way to compete.

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Fender bought Guild to get the ability to sell acoustics(something they have not been able to do with their own Fender lines:thu:), and the Guild name and brand are legendary for their acoustics, and thus, Guild name will be great for Fender to sell acoustics under. While the Guild electric models have a small, very loyal following, they sold poorly over the years, and Fender will not spend money to revamp the electric line when they already know that they will not sell many:cry:......................The REAL Rocker.

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Because they bombed i the marketplace the last time fender tried?

 

 

Not that I have any inside knowledge (or knowledge of any kind) but I wouldn't be surprised to find that Fender and Gibson have a gentlemen's agreement to stay out of each other's key markets. Just as Fender stay off the setneck gibsonesque models even though they own both Guild and Hamer, Gibson have taken the Valley Arts brand with its bolt on models absolutely nowhere

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ooh yes! love it


here's another that caught my eye (on the right, although i have no idea what model that is)

I believe that's the Polara S-100 (their model names are a little confusing). The link I posted earlier was the S-50 Jetstar.

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