George Strait's Flashy Guild

Jeff · Apr 9, 2006

I caught a George Strait concert last night on TV. George was playing a "Very Flashy" Guild Dreadnaught.

Actually he was more using it as a prop, he didn't actually play it much, but it surely was a looker. It has lots of Abalone or Mother of Pearl, nice inlays. The inlays caught the lights, shimmered & glowed even on the Television.

I don't know what model it was, but it was very nice. Anyone else catch the concert or happen to know what kind of a Guild George was using.

hansmoust · Apr 10, 2006

Jeff said:
I caught a George Strait concert last night on TV. George was playing a "Very Flashy" Guild Dreadnaught. I don't know what model it was, but it was very nice. Anyone else catch the concert or happen to know what kind of a Guild George was using.

Hello Jeff,

Haven't seen the concert and I know that Mr. Strait has several Guild guitars but I guess you're referring to the Custom Shop D-100 he has. Basically a D-100 but with a vine inlay in the fingerboard.

Sincerely,

Hans

Here's a photo that might show the guitar in question. Photo by Brenda Gay.

[img:372:570]http://wtv-zone.com/judyful/html/george/geocol7.jpg[/img]

sfIII · Apr 10, 2006

George Straight's father sold Guilds in Texas.. I found this out because the previous owner of my G-37 took the trouble of filling me in on the history of my guitar.. It was bought in 1972 from Straight Music.

West R Lee · Apr 10, 2006

Any idea where Straight Music might be or would have been? It seems like I read somewhere that George is from the San Antonio Area.

West

hansmoust · Apr 10, 2006

Strait Music

sfIII said:
George Straight's father sold Guilds in Texas.. I found this out because the previous owner of my G-37 took the trouble of filling me in on the history of my guitar.. It was bought in 1972 from Straight Music.

Hello sfIII,

Maybe somebody from Texas can fill me in, but I used to do business with Strait Music on N. Lamar Blvd. in Austin, Texas when it was still worth it to drive around and check out the local guitar shops. That was sometime during the mid-'80s. Anyway, I bought some cool guitars from these people but I don't think they were related to George Strait; or I should say I don't think the business was run by George Strait's father. Might have been family though!
Anyone from Austin, Texas on this board?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust

sfIII · Apr 11, 2006

Straight Music

I looked over the e-mail I received after I boughtt the G-37.. The guy who donated to the Zouk Fest organization. indicates that Straight Music was in Houston. Here is the e-mail:

Howard--
Roger Landes told me you had purchased the Guild G37 that I had donated
to Zoukfest. I thought you might be interested in its history. I purchased
it new from Straight Music in Houston, Texas in March, 1973. At that
time that was a small music store owned and operated by George Straight's Dad. I had been looking at Martins, but I couldn't find one that suited me. I couldn't afford a vintage one, and the new ones at that time
sounded like washtubs. Mr. Straight suggested I try the Guild, and I took to it immediately. It had a wonderfully fast neck, much like an electric
guitar. Most of all I liked the bright crisp sound. I think that is
because of the maple body. If memory serves I paid $400 for it, which
seemed like a lot of money in 1973. It really withstood the test of
time, adapting well to very diverse climates in Galveston, Los Angeles, Ann Arbor, and Albuquerque. During the Ann Arbor years it became well known among the folk/acoustic crowd and was often borrowed for special gigs.
It was used on some recordings.
Due to a neuromuscular condition I became unable to play such a large
instrument. It sat unused for a couple of years, which broke my heart.
I had Tony Sutherland, a luthier in Taos, build a custom guitar for me
that I can comfortably play, so the Guild became redundant. Even so I couldn't bring myself to sell it, so I donated it to ZF to be auctioned off. I'm glad it has found a new home. I hope it brings you all the joy,
pleasure, good times, and friendships that it brought to me.
best personal regards,
Dale Kennedy

Guild/GibsonPicker · Apr 11, 2006

It is a fine thing when someone like that takes time to pass along the history. Thank you for sharing the story with us.

Mr. P ~ · Apr 11, 2006

I wish we could see that guys special made guitar. It must have a pretty strange shape.

West R Lee · Apr 12, 2006

P,

It a D-100 with fancy inlay up the fretboard. It looks much like a D-72 except it has abalone around the soudhole, instead of the turquoise. The D-100 also has beautiful abalone around the binding, a beautful guitar. I just passed on one in mint condition for $2700. I really did think about that one since Hans told me there were less than 30 built.

West

Jeff · Apr 12, 2006

West,

How old was the D 100 you passed up. Is it a flat back or arched like the D 55.

Don't suppose it is still available?

hansmoust · Apr 12, 2006

West R Lee said:
P,

It a D-100 with fancy inlay up the fretboard. It looks much like a D-72 except it has abalone around the soudhole, instead of the turquoise. The D-100 also has beautiful abalone around the binding, a beautful guitar. I just passed on one in mint condition for $2700. I really did think about that one since Hans told me there were less than 30 built.

West

Hello West,

That would be less than 30 for that one year (which was 1999), not the total production for the D-100. That was quite a bit more.

Jeff said:
West,

How old was the D 100 you passed up. Is it a flat back or arched like the D 55.

Jeff,

The back on the D-100 is solid rosewood, so it has what is usually called a flat back, although it has some arch to it just like a D-55 or your DV-62 for that matter. An arched back would be like the maple ones on the JF-30 or JF-65.

Sincerely,

Hans

Jeff · Apr 12, 2006

Hans,

Thanks for the insight. I guess I have it. A D100 is a traditional dreadnaught design with select wood & a lot of fine inlay.

Perhaps similar to a Martin D42 or whatever their high end models are called?

$2700 ? The price for show is pretty steep, doesn't appear to have depreciated much.

West R Lee · Apr 12, 2006

Hans,

Thanks for the clarification. I did think that you meant total production.

Jeff,

Hans is correct, it was a 1999. The price was a fair one, however I was going to have to buy it online, not on Ebay, but from a dealer. I had the dealer send me several digital pictures and even though he told me several times it was mint, there was this one picture that really appeared to show a flaw and I couldn't get comfortable with the transaction. It appeared to have some seperation in the binding between the top and side at the lower bout. It was a beautiful guitar though and my loss I'm sure. For that amount of money, I've got to be confident of what I'm buying, and I just couldn't get over this one picture. I'll see is I can attach them. Have to go now, but when I get a chance.

Thanks guys,
West

Mr. P ~ · Apr 12, 2006

Jeff said:
Perhaps similar to a Martin D42 or whatever their high end models are called?

Martin's Flagship is the D-45 which normally has either Block MOP inlays or the snowflake patern for the Vintage style D-45.

The "Tree of Life" fingerboard inlay is a custom shop add on $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ :roll:

George Strait's Flashy Guild

Jeff

Enlightened Member

hansmoust

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sfIII

Member

West R Lee

Venerated Member

hansmoust

Enlightened Member

sfIII

Member

Guild/GibsonPicker

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten

West R Lee

Venerated Member

Jeff

Enlightened Member

hansmoust

Enlightened Member

Jeff

Enlightened Member

West R Lee

Venerated Member

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten