Pictures of the Tacoma Factory Tour...

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Tacoma Guilds

I'm a 35+ year GUILD player. I don't play anything else and nothing else sounds right to me. I have one Hoboken and the rest (8) are Westerly Guilds. The sound connects with me and the playability is perfect for me. I don't care what anyone else plays - I just love Guilds. So, it came as a great sadness for me when the local dealer dropped Guilds when Fender moved the making to Corona - they didn't like something in what was proposed or they heard. I don't know - bad omen. The new local dealer brought in a dozen or so Corona Guilds - several (almost half) were sent back because the bridges came off - a problem of attaching the braces to finished tops. Then Fender discontinued Guild in Corona and bought Tacoma. I haven't seen any of the new Tacoma Guilds, but I am hopeful, despite the foolishness I've observed in the bouncing in and out at Guild - the latest yo-yo is Donnie Wade - try getting him on the phone. I weary of corporate stupidity - but, again, I'm hopeful for I've always thought Tacoma was a pretty decent little company and had a solid product - just not what I was looking for. I loathe the Chinese Guilds - they have the logo, but not the sound OR feel. They aren't real Guilds to me. So, until I see better....and I AM hopeful....I will continue to play Westerly Guilds only and purchase them used. Hey - there are some wonderful guitars out there just waiting to be played. Cheers! dbsmith
 

West R Lee

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I'm with you SmithfieldFair!

Like you, I've been playing Guild acoustics for almost 30 years. Also like you, I've felt for sometime that it is a travesty that Fender would shut down a factory that produced what I consider to be an American icon, and then move production to China. I own 3 Westerly Guild acoustics and am just always amazed by the fact that in my very humble opinion, they just blow away Martin D-28's and D-35's. You know, the mahoganny, the maple and the rosewood Guilds all have their own sound, yet they are all amazing. The enginneering and carftsmanship that went into these precious beauties, I am so afraid, is a thing of the past. I suppose all we can do is appreciate what we have and hope one day, Fender will see the err to their ways.
 
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