Tell Me what you really think of the New GAD'S !

Gasman

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I have read some very nice things about these guitars and some not so positive. Reminds me of the Blueridge/Martin and Masterbilt/Gibson comparisons. So why don't you guys and girls tell me what you really think of these guitars. ---But be nice.
Gasman
 

songsmith7

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I've never played one, and never wanted to. The GAD's may be great guitars, but to me, they're not Guild guitars. I have enough of a problem acknowledging Corona or Tacoma as being Guilds, though I know that's my own personal issue.

I don't think the Masterbilt/Gibson comparison is a valid one, though. Epiphone and Gibson are two different entities, and the Masterbilt (I want an EF-500R sunburst, BTW) doesn't claim to be a Gibson.

To me, Fender is trying to capitalize on a great guitar name, and should be ashamed of themselves.
 

West R Lee

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I was just telling Darryl that I was shocked to read that GAD 30s are built with bone nut and saddle.

West
 

Benee Wafers

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I have only played 2 GAD's. The GAD50 which impressed me enough to buy the GAD40C when I saw one on e bay
There are several gadsters on this site who very much appreciate the series.
They are very well built and very nicley finished and of course depending on the model feature solid tone woods( Sitka,Mahogony,Rosewood) for front,back & sides, Grovers, bone nut and saddle. All very impressive.
Mid light weight but solid. Great neck. Sound really jumps out at ya, strong on mids and highs, in fact the 5 string is of itself very powerful.
I wish for more from string 6 but I think that's something that the right set up man could get for me.
Overall for the same money I prefered this guitar over Martin and Taylor.
No they are not Westerlys or Hobokens or Tacomas. These Guilds are Made in China and in my opinion Fender is doing well by the Guild name in producing some pretty fine mid entry level Asian acoustic guitars.
I think most everybody here is in agreement with those sentiments.
Benee Wafers
p.s. from a commercial point of view I think Fender has hit the jackpot as I understand that the GAD's are becoming very popular indeed.
 

drowlins

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I won't get into a pissing contest with what a "real" Guild is or should be. I own a Hoboken M-20 and a GAD-50. They are very different guitars, meant for different uses. I love my M-20, and I love my GAD-50. I play with a lot of old timers who tell me how good my git sounds. It's cheap enought to be my travel guitar, yet it'd still built Guild tough.
Don't get me wrong, I am angling for a Westerly D-25 or D-40, but the GAD does everything I would expect a good guitar to do.
 

sfIII

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I have played a few of these in Guitar shops and at Merlefest... I wanted to be disappointed.. but they sounded and felt fine to my ears and hands. I do know that Donnie Wade spent considerable time in China showing them how to build these guitars. I have had other Fender reps point at him and tell me that it is his fault that they sound so good.

Actually, I have a hard time comparing any new Guild guitar to any old Guild guitar. If the wood is similar I always like to older one.

I still would not buy one, but if they result in a profitable Guild Guitar division within Fender and this allows Guild to expand the line of Tacoma built guitars it is over-all a good thing. Bottom line is that Guild was losing money in RI, and had production problems in CA (lots of seconds with finish checking on the market). I think they build fine solid body guitars in CA an Mexico but hollow bodies require a different skill set. The Tacoma folks have this skill set were also not in good financial shape. Moving production there also saved those luthier jobs. And that is what it is really all about - keeping skilled luthiers working while making a profit. If this requires having a line of foreign made guitars, so be it.
 

Gasman

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Ok my 2 cents--- For years I have been a firm believer of buying American guitars/made by Americans - with a few exceptions. But I guess at this point in my life I really don't care! I remember back in the late 80's early 90's seeing Fender Strats made in Japan and thinking they have to be kidding- until I played one - The same goes for the Fender electrics coming out of Mexico a few years later - The one Guild I own now was made in China - Does it bother me- No - Does it feel and sound like a Westerly built guitar-No - Will it have good resale- Probely not. Does it make me smile when I play it - Yes. ---Thats about it --- I need to take a nap--Gasman
 

Gasman

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Oh---And I would love to know what Hans thinks of them? And if they will be mentioned in his next book.---Gasman
 
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Passing gass

Gasman -- My question back to you is, after reading your statement of summary above, why do you ask our opinion? It seems to me you are happy with this little Chinese guitar, don't care what others think of it, and can;t find any problems with it. So, why ask?

O, you're perfectly entitled to ask, but it seems so rhetorical when you entered your summary. I mean, this question has been batted around here so much I don't even care to give an opinion on Mr. Wade (thought I personally wish the Chinese had kept him, the Chinese builders, Fender's motivation, Tacomma's promise, Carona's cock-up or Westerly's closing.

I know what I like. I've played guitar long enough to have a valid opinion. Probably just like you. Look at the list of what I own and decide for yourself what I would probably say here - fill in the blanks and you may even get some of it spot on. Enjoy your nap. dbs
 

West R Lee

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SF,

I am reserving comment here, other than to ask you what you base your statement on that Westerly was losing money? I have no knowledge of that and that is not to say that I ever had any knowledge of the impetus that set the buyout in motion. I'm simply asking what you base that on? Is that a fact and how do you know that? Obviously, there was a reason that Guild sold Westerly, I've just always assumed that it was the corporate giant gobbling up the little guy for financial gain pure and simple. Please correct me if I am wrong, but offer some basis for your remark. I am trying to learn something here.

West
 

Gasman

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Well- Smith I guess I get a little pissy when I read that Guilds arent Guilds inless they were made in Westerly or NJ or NY. I agree that some of those Westerly guitars were very special - But I have played allot of duds too! Why did I ask the Question? I guess to see how many Guild Fans would be exceptive to their new line imports. I am really not trying to ruffel feathers. But so many of our famous American Guitars are made over seas these days its hard to avoid. I take it by your reply that your a hard core Guild man - Hey and I get it. But it puts me in mind of an Uncle I had that in the seventies wouldn't be caught dead in a Japanese car. Before he passed away in the late nineties he owned a Honda Accord - and all he did was brag about it. Time Changes many things.---Gasman
 

dreadnut

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Nice little guitars for the money, (especially seeing as Martin has guitars listing for up to $879.00 where the "woodgrain is photographically reproduced.") The workmanship on every GAD I've seen was outstanding, I'll give 'em that.

They just shouldn't have the Guild name on them.

They should have a different name, like my DeArmond Starfire, great axe, but it got a unique name and identity from the Guild Starfires because it was built in Korea. I got a nice hollowbody for half the cost of a Guild Starfire, but the DeArmond never claimed to actually be a Guild Starfire.
 

jbkatia

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I purchased a GAD-50 from Dreamquest Specialties (all Guilds have been purchased from Steve the owner. Great prices and FAST service!). It plays and sounds great. Don't care that much that a clear pickguard is on but, maybe it might grow on me? Only one disappointing fact. I noticed a small dent on the neck just yesterday. Only after I had played a couple of times!! I'm calling Fender and see what they say on correcting this annoying defect. They might direct me to Dreamquest Specialties? In any event, see what develops.

Overall, a very nice sounding and playable guitar so far.

Westerly 1998 DV-52HG NT
Fender 2005 DG-22
Fender 2005 ESD-10
Martin 2005 HD-28
Gibson 2005 Sheryl Crow
Guild 2005 D-40 Ritchie Havens
Guild 2005 GAD-50
Guild 2005 D-55
Guild 2006 D-40 Bluegrass Jubilee
Guild 2006 D-50 Bluegrass Special
 
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It's a Gas!

Gasman -- As I said - you are certainly entitled to your opinion, as we all are. And here of all places - Don has given us this wonderful forum to talk about things we are all greatly interested in and some amazingly passionate about. Am I a hardliner when it comes to Guild? Yes, I have to admit that I am. I feel like I have an investment in the company and would like to think that the quality continues - whether I ever purchase another new Guild or not.

In the 70's and 80's - many guitar companies decided they should have a more affordable, economical line of guitars - call them a student line or 'starter guitars'. Guild had Madeira and Martin had Smegma. I played a number of Madeiras and they were not to my liking at all. They were oversees (matters not where) for Guild, and like the other companies, Guild delineated them with a different name. They could see the market possibilities and they could see what was happening in Asian guitar building - good business forethought.

As I am on the road a considerable amount of the time, I get to play A LOT of other guitars. After 35+ years of playing professionally, I wouldn't give a fig for 90% of the Martins I've played - mostly because they aren't what I'm looking for, but also because I find them overpriced and overhyped. But, hey! people love them and are willing to pay large amounts of coin for them. They are just not for me. Same with Gibsons - and I've owned and played a great number of them. Over the years, I've owned instruments by Gibson, Epiphone, Alvarez, Alvarez-Yairi, Ovation, Yamaha, Ibanez, Stella, Harmony, and lots of other brands. I've truly searched the guitar planet in an effort to find my style, my sound, and how to best produce it....and I always come back to Guild.

Don't get me wrong, I've played some Guilds that I thought were lesser instruments - though I've never played any that completely sucked. In any line, there are some that sing and some that don't. I just always felt that as a general rule Guild had a higher percentage of wonderful sounding instruments for what I want than did others. I've had players play my instruments and say, "Man that's a great sounding guitar - wish I had one." Only to go off and purchase another brand without even considering Guild.

One of the reasons is that Guilds aren't as easy to find and never have been. And while I think a lot of that is bad business over the years and not hiring the right reps...some of it is that Guild has always been a player's shop and they've had their head in the workshop rather than in the marketplace to a degree that has set up such a situation. Al Dronge was a player with an interest in players and what they thought. All this was true to the very closing of Westerly. I could always call and get someone knowledgable to chat with and work out ideas and problems. If people think hardcare Guild owners are a rare breed (you'll find that echoed here periodically), exponentially magnify that when you talk about old style Guild dealers like Greg Tringas in Pensacola; Al Whitney in Alexandria, LA; Jay Pilzer in Franklin, TN and so forth. They were people who were passionate about Guilds while recognizing that Guilds weren't for everyone. I've oft told the story of Al Whitney taking me in the back of his shop where he kept his best models in their cases and matched me up to the 1975 Guild G37 I still own - that process started in 1976 and continued until I finally bought that guitar in 1977 or 78.

It's that passion that seemed to trickle through this company from Al Dronge and Carlo Greco down to those reps and dealers and then to the players. I believe Guild attracts a certain, yet indefinable breed of guitar lovers. And it's that passion that calls into question the why of Fender building a "student line" overseas and putting the Guild name on the headstock when they couldn't keep the higher end models at any quality. I understand why Fender bought Guild - they wanted a higher end quality name for their acoustic lines. Guild sold because it desperately needed an infusion of capital to keep its doors open. I understand Fender's decision to close Westerly (though I've never been happy about it) as a cost-effective move against serious renovation of that facility. I NEVER believed that NOT ONE Guild employee of Westerly was willing to move to California - there was more to it and that was just a thin corporate line - a snow job Bill Acton came up with to justify a lame attempt at relocating. Corona was a mistake - I understand that as Fender does. You can't have your expensive line of guitars where bridges pop off because electric guitar people finished the tops before gluing the bridges on. I think it was a brilliant move and possibly the salvation of the Guild name to purchase Tacoma and have the higher end guitars made there. Tacoma made great guitars before (not that I'd own one - different ethic) and from what I've seen thus far - they're doing the same great work with the new upper line Guilds.

As I've said before, the Chinese Guilds (how appropriate it is to call them GAD!) are nice work for an inexpensive line - though I believe they are a bit overpriced. I think they are comparable to Dean, lower Tacomas and lines like that. But their sound and structure doesn't resemble Guild at all. You can't just pick up any decent quality student line and slap a well-established and well-loved name on it and expect it to fit. To use your Japanese car reference, you have Lexus and Toyota and they are great cars with a good reputation for quality and durability. But if Toyota suddenly decided to add a new line and went out and slapped the Lexus or Toyota names on say...a Ford Fiesta or a Geo Metro or a Yugo...Lexus and Toyota lovers would spit and sputter just like people spit and sputter here.

That's all we're saying. There's a heritage to the Guild name...an expectation. There's a sound and a certain ethic. "Sorry, but the GADs just don't mesh!" is what I think people here have been saying. No one's criticizing the guitars themselves. The Chinese have done a splendid job of building student level guitars, entry-level instruments. No one's taking anything away from them. Those being flogged here are the powers that be at Fender (FMIC) and people like Donnie Wade who don't give a fig for what long-time, hardcore Guild players think or have to say. I don't like Taylors, personally, but they so popular and successful because Bob Taylor listens to his players.

OK - I've gone on too long. Forgive me...but I think this is my explanation for why GADs have gotten the reception here that they have. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, so it seems. To old-guard Guilders, GADs are not Guilds. They are well-built Asian guitars, but bear no resemblance to what these Guilders have come to love, respect and desire from the name Guild. It's what is making Westerly Guilds all the more precious and Fender's actions, much like the Pre-CBS moniker in Fender's history, of such disdain. It's not the Chinese that are being criticized - sadly, if so, they are taking the rap for Fender's (FMIC's) corporate blunders.

Enjoy your GAD, but just understand this is all new to people that have put up with constant tumult from the corporations behind their beloved Guilds. Best to you. Hope you enjoyed your nap. dbs
 

Gasman

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Yes Brian! Very well said - And I agree with almost everything you said. Funny - My first experience with a Guild was in the early 70's while a guitar player in our band had a G-37 -(I loved that guitar) Now its long gone and he has switched over to Breedlove's.
Jay pilzner!- What a great guy - spent sometime talking to him at the Phila guitar show. Martin guitars - I absolutely love them.- Keep in mind I grew up less than 60 miles from their factory - and its a bit of a pride thing. Gibson's - love them too! I owned a number of them and never had any complaints - But their Quality has gone up and down through the years. American made Guilds - Always felt they were the sleeping giants- Very affordable and could hold up to any other med. to high end guitar.
I guess I see your point. Putting the Guild name on the Headstock of a not so Guild guitar might have not been the smartest thing. But I think we can both agree - that they are not bad guitars at all.
Now this is a good discussion!
Thanks Brian---Gasman (Ken)
 

dklsplace

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Played a new GAD 30 yesterday. Very nice finish work & quality woods, but the neck was very shallow & wide. Felt really awkward. Not something I could get used to. I don't recall other GAD necks being this way.

Anyone else?
 

Benee Wafers

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Can't speak about the GAD30 DK but the 40C has a real fine neck, not wide but not chunky.
BW
 

Gasman

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Yes that is strange Don-- The neck on my 25 seems great -but I have never played a 30 yet. Though I think they are sized wide for finger style playing.
Gasman
 
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