The amazing, vanished GUILDS

Hello - I've just discovered this forum and today have posted about a half-dozen times. After 35+ years as a Guild player, I'm still excited about the instruments and have an on-going love affair with Westerly Guilds in particular. I have a 1975 G37SB as my principal studio instrument, and two GF25s and two F112s for the road (one F112 is a '69 Hoboken). I also own a 1979 B50. With Smithfield Fair, we are a Guild showcase in many ways - my wife plays an M20 and my brother has two fretless B50s. So, you can see we're committed.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, we used to deal with Al Whitney at Alexandria (LA) Music. Al carried Guild, Martin, Gibson and several other brands of acoustic and electric. A number of our instruments were purchased from Al - including my brother's blonde G37. I know a number of other friends who lived in the Alexandria area at one time or another that purchased instruments from Al.
The thing about Al was that he kept his best instruments in the back in their cases and had just a few of each brand or model on display in the front. When you came in, Al listened to you play. If something you did connected with him or he found you of interest, he would take you in the back and match you up with a guitar he felt best suited your playing. He was a player and collector himself and when he died his daughter sold an incredible list of his instruments to collectors. But...you NEVER see Guilds in Alexandria area pawn shops or music stores. You never see ads in the paper for used Guilds. Now that Guild is owned by Fender - there are no dealers in Alexandria and haven't been since the early 90's. In the 60's, 70's and 80's, Al sold an incredible amount of guitars in the area - especially Guilds, which were his particular favorite. Where are all those Guilds? I've asked a number of friends who still play and they say - "O, I still have that guitar - it's my favorite and I'll never part with it." Quite something in our disposable time.
I often lament the passing of that type of dealer and store. I lament the passing of Guild as it was. I still keep my eye out for used Guilds and purchase here and there....but then, I still have my Al Whitney Guilds and I wouldn't part with them. He DID match them up correctly after all - it wasn't just a sales pitch. Cheers! dbsmith

If you guys ever play Northeast Texas or the Shreveport area, let me know. I'd like to come and listen. Thanks

West R Lee

Small World

Hi Smithfield Fair,

Al Whitney sold me my first Guild at Alexandria Music, I believe it was a '69 D-35. It has that abbreviated pickguard. It was hanging on the wall near the back of the store. I was just a neophyte beginner back in '75 and probably deserved a Yamaha, but that guitar gave me great memories. I sold it to a friend when I upgraded to a D-50, and as the years have gone by I have regretted letting it go, but this is the type of lessons that old men learn the hard way and young men don't believe.

Of course, the little woman has to be understanding of the need to have more than one guitar.

Your post brought back memories...I can recall looking through that backdoor and seeing cases with Martin, Guild, and Gibson written on them, but not seeing those models out front. Until now, I never knew why.

CK

Guilds & Good Times

West -- We're still filling in our 2006 schedule, but we have a tentative in Monroe on April 29th at Enoch's Pub and of course at the Texas Scottish Festival at UTA Arlington June 2-4. The latter is an exquisite opportunity to see A LOT of great music - Alex Beaton, Alasdair Fraser on our stage, plus Ed Miller & John Taylor with Brian McNeill (ex-Battlefield Band), Jiggernaut, Scottish Mayhem, the Rogues,etc. A great time, but HOT!

CK -- See...I just finished telling Leon Medica that I have ALWAYS run into people from Alexandria/Pineville EVERYWHERE I go. I'm going to hear my friends Steve Conn and Sonny Landreth play in Alexandria this Friday. Cenla people get around everywhere.

But, good to hear from you. Yes, Al was one of a kind and we all have those stories about guitars we have sold and shouldn't have. I happened to havemarried the one kind of woman (or one of them anyway) who lets you have more than one guitar - someone who is both a guitarist AND a collector. Ha!

But Al was the genuine article and whenever I mention him, I hear even more stories. Thank heavens for guitar store owners like him - and thankfully there are still a few out there. Happy thanksgiving to all. dbs

Hello SmithfieldFair!!

Do you ever come near Huntsvill Alabama?

I can remember seeing a D-25 with carved back and spruce top (burgundy toned finish on all but the top, which was a kind of chocolate color) in a local store in the early 70's. Being in college I did not have the money.

Many years later I owned a Brazilian Rosewood HD-28 which I was forced to sell after a full year of unemployment. My guitar instructor found me a buyer and after the sale he said I know someone that has a Guild D-25 ('74) that would be just right for you and this way you will have a guitar of some kind. It is Identical to the one I had seen so many years ago!!!

Like Al Whitney, Jeff knew I would grow to love the guitar. I started playing again a few years ago when a guitar club was started here at work, and then I started realizing what I have. With the addition of a TUSQ saddle and bridge pins, it's voice got louder and cleaner, and is not significantly less the the HD-28 was.

Based on that guitar I have bought a Antique Burst D-40.

The collection has started. :roll:

Amzing guilds

Good morning, Mr. P -- I'm sure this is the same for any brand of guitars...or anything for that matter....but people come to our shows and tell me the most amazing stories about amazing guitars they own, have owned, wanted to own, let slip away....and amazing dealers. Al Whitney was a rare guy....but obviously not unique. In my nearly 4 decades of playing guitar, I've met a number of them - George Gruhn in Nashville, Greg Tringas in Pensacola, a guy named Fred at the Guitar Store in Boulder...and Al Whitney in Alexandria. (Though I've never personally met Jay Pilzer - I get the feeling from our email and phone conversations that he's one as well.) Personally, I miss those days when guitars overwhelmed you in some dark, woody shop off the beaten path...except the path traveled by musicians who truly knew and loved guitars. These days, the only thing generally overwhelming seems to be the massive number of cookie-cutter guitars in bright, shiny "new" dealerships. But, I digress.
Currently, I'm looking for a road replacement for my '75 G-37 (an oddball with the mahogany arched back and sides and a wonderfully dark sunburst finish and sound to match). I'm afraid taking this guitar on the road would one day be its undoing. My luthier - Holger Notzel at Riverfront Music in Baton Rouge - admits whenever I take it in for some adjustment that it's a mighty guitar. But the dreadnaughts have almost too much sound with my mic. system for some venues. So, I want another Gruhn-designed 1988 or 1989 GF25 - prefereably with a sunburst finish. I have a 1987 GF25 that is GREAT for the studio, but not as strong on the road as my 88. One doesn't see GF25s very often. Jay Pilzer had one once and Elderly had one once. I bought the 87 on Ebay for a great price (I think those days are gone) and the 88 from Al Whitney - one of the last he sold.
Does Smithfield Fair play Huntsville? Well, we have, but nothing coming up. Last year, I think, we played a private dinner/concert at the hotel (Holiday Inn?) next to the Space museum. We flew in early enough for a brief tour before the show. If there's a concert promoter/venue or arts council that promotes up there, let me know and I'll send them a packet. It's certainly somewhere we would go back to. Speaking of changing endpins - EVERYTIME I buy a Guild, I immediately replace the nut and saddle with bone if not already so equipt and take out the plastic endpins and replace them with ebony pins - I feel strongly the plastic inhibits the tone and transmission of sound. A little thing, but something I feel makes a difference. We even do it on the B-50 basses using ebony endpins. I HATE plastic on guitars.
Nice talking to you and I love stories like yours about the ups and downs/buying and selling and treasured instruments. We all live and grow. Best to you! dbs

Amzing guilds

Good morning, Mr. P -- I'm sure this is the same for any brand of guitars...or anything for that matter....but people come to our shows and tell me the most amazing stories about amazing guitars they own, have owned, wanted to own, let slip away....and amazing dealers. Al Whitney was a rare guy....but obviously not unique. In my nearly 4 decades of playing guitar, I've met a number of them - George Gruhn in Nashville, Greg Tringas in Pensacola, a guy named Fred at the Guitar Store in Boulder...and Al Whitney in Alexandria. (Though I've never personally met Jay Pilzer - I get the feeling from our email and phone conversations that he's one as well.) Personally, I miss those days when guitars overwhelmed you in some dark, woody shop off the beaten path...except the path traveled by musicians who truly knew and loved guitars. These days, the only thing generally overwhelming seems to be the massive number of cookie-cutter guitars in bright, shiny "new" dealerships. But, I digress.
Currently, I'm looking for a road replacement for my '75 G-37 (an oddball with the mahogany arched back and sides and a wonderfully dark sunburst finish and sound to match). I'm afraid taking this guitar on the road would one day be its undoing. My luthier - Holger Notzel at Riverfront Music in Baton Rouge - admits whenever I take it in for some adjustment that it's a mighty guitar. But the dreadnaughts have almost too much sound with my mic. system for some venues. So, I want another Gruhn-designed 1988 or 1989 GF25 - prefereably with a sunburst finish. I have a 1987 GF25 that is GREAT for the studio, but not as strong on the road as my 88. One doesn't see GF25s very often. Jay Pilzer had one once and Elderly had one once. I bought the 87 on Ebay for a great price (I think those days are gone) and the 88 from Al Whitney - one of the last he sold.
Does Smithfield Fair play Huntsville? Well, we have, but nothing coming up. Last year, I think, we played a private dinner/concert at the hotel (Holiday Inn?) next to the Space museum. We flew in early enough for a brief tour before the show. If there's a concert promoter/venue or arts council that promotes up there, let me know and I'll send them a packet. It's certainly somewhere we would go back to. Speaking of changing endpins - EVERYTIME I buy a Guild, I immediately replace the nut and saddle with bone if not already so equipt and take out the plastic endpins and replace them with ebony pins - I feel strongly the plastic inhibits the tone and transmission of sound. A little thing, but something I feel makes a difference. We even do it on the B-50 basses using ebony endpins. I HATE plastic on guitars.
Nice talking to you and I love stories like yours about the ups and downs/buying and selling and treasured instruments. We all live and grow. Best to you! dbs

Amazing! Guilds?

Wow! Thanks very much. I've already contacted two of them and will get to all of them before morning. Now if all of you on this page could do the same thing for your cities.....

Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Scots CAN conquer the world...with their Guild guitars in hand.

Best to you! dbs

Amazing! Guilds?

Wow! Thanks very much. I've already contacted two of them and will get to all of them before morning. Now if all of you on this page could do the same thing for your cities.....

Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Scots CAN conquer the world...with their Guild guitars in hand.

Best to you! dbs

That's pretty cool Mr. P.................Congrats Smith!

That's pretty cool Mr. P.................Congrats Smith!

I hope some thing comes of it for you. If you do decide to come this way, be sure and let me know so I can catch your show.

I hope this doesn't insult you, but has anyone ever said you remind them of Norman Blake?

http://www.charlie-poole.com/cp2005/blakes.html


8)

I hope some thing comes of it for you. If you do decide to come this way, be sure and let me know so I can catch your show.

I hope this doesn't insult you, but has anyone ever said you remind them of Norman Blake?

http://www.charlie-poole.com/cp2005/blakes.html


8)

Amazing...

No, not that I can remember. What I used to get all the time was to be asked if I was Bruce Cockburn. I don't think I resemble him at all - less and less as we both age, but I can see it occasionally in some photo or another. Still, if someone would confuse my PLAYING with Norman Blake - now that would be something...

Thanks, again! Cheers! dbs

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair
1969 F112 (Hoboken)
1973 F112
1975 G-37
1979 B-50
1987 GF25
1988 GF25

Amazing...

No, not that I can remember. What I used to get all the time was to be asked if I was Bruce Cockburn. I don't think I resemble him at all - less and less as we both age, but I can see it occasionally in some photo or another. Still, if someone would confuse my PLAYING with Norman Blake - now that would be something...

Thanks, again! Cheers! dbs

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair
1969 F112 (Hoboken)
1973 F112
1975 G-37
1979 B-50
1987 GF25
1988 GF25