SmithfieldFair
Member
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
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