Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
Was it a true custom shop like the one at Nashville? Or was it Fender hype? Do items from the Corona custom shop have the same mixed reputation as other Corona items?
Corona custom shop: A custom shop, or a cussed 'em shop?
- Thread starter Darryl Hattenhauer
- Start date
Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Was it a true custom shop like the one at Nashville?
Yup, but for electrics, primarily (with the exception of Guild production after the Westerly plant closure).
Do items from the Corona custom shop have the same mixed reputation as other Corona items?
I think they make fine custom electrics there. The only bad rep they might get is from when they made Guilds in Corona.
While some people will debate on and off about this, here's my take on it: Logically, it seems that a facility which makes electric guitars cannot *suddenly* be expected to produce world-class acoustic guitars, like those that were coming out at Westerly. Without going into it too much, I'll say that even the Guild folks at LMG alluded to this fact.
All in all, I'll leave it on a positive note and say that Corona makes good quality custom Fender electric guitars.
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
jazzmangione,
So the Guild custom shop was also the Fender custom shop?
Hatted Frau
So the Guild custom shop was also the Fender custom shop?
Hatted Frau
I've seen some Custom Guild Electrics that were built there, but IIRC, custom Guild acoustics were built in Nashville only back in the day (with only a few exceptions, of course once Nashville was changed to general FMIC Repair and ceased to be Guild's Custom Shop)
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
So there are no Corona custom shop acoustics?
adorshki
Reverential Member
This may need some semantic clarification:Darryl Hattenhauer said:
When I first saw the label inside my D40, "CRAFTED IN CORONA CA" I thought to myself: "AHA, it's a Custom Shop guitar!" (big ego trip), since the only Fender facility in Corona was the "Custom Shop". I also thought that maybe since my particular D40 is a Richie Havens "e" (D-tar), maybe it was still built in the actual "Custom Shop".
MY fuzzy memory of some of the posts (Hans, I think, in fact) about the move indicate Guild was given its own area in the facility to start tooling for acoustics, or maybe it was even unused space in a different building. SO, does this mean they are " Corona Custom Shop" acoustics? With due humility I would say, "NO".
Another point is that "Custom Shop" guitars received, or at least did at that time, specific custom shop labels because it was a big selling point. For that reason, I would expect them to have specifically stated that on the Guild labels too, but there I go wildly speculating again.
adorshki
Reverential Member
NO, the Guild custom shop was established in Nashville ca '95-'96, it built only special order and limited run acoustics. It did not move during the Corona. There was a write-up on it in the 1st Guild Gallery, the one with Richie Havens on the cover.Darryl Hattenhauer said:
As Jazzmansays it has morphed into the "FMIC Repair center", but I don't think that occurred unti the after Tacoma was closed.
(note edited for better accuracy)
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
Have any of you other LTGers out there seen any Corona Guilds with a custom shop label?
adorshki
Reverential Member
Good question. On the Fender 'lectrics it's a decal.Darryl Hattenhauer said:
FNG
Enlightened Member
I thought the Fender Custom Shop is in Corona, and they build electrics there when they shifted production from Westerly until they could get a normal production line open.
adorshki
Reverential Member
Guild got its own production area for acoustics in Corona.FNG said:
I'm sure that Fender saw no problem in letting guys like me think their guitars were "Custom Shop" guitars, but now, with a little more education, I just don't think the Corona acoustics should be considered true Fender Custom Shop guitars. The real GUILD custom shop was still in Nashville. Maybe that's the way to think of it.
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
I thought the Nashvile custom shop was closed after Guild moved to Corona.
Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Some time afterwards. IIRC, some custom shop Guilds were made after 2001.
Timeline:
Westerly closes
Guild production moved to Corona
Custom Shop 'closes'. Transitions to "FMIC repair". No more official Guild custom work.
Tacoma
New Hartford
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
In Corona?
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Hmmm, I was under the impression that it is still open for repairs anyway. Sandy (twogorgis)....where was your D50 fixed. I do know that Hoboken (Ed) send his DV72 to Nashville 3 or 4 years ago and they changed the neck.
West
No, I meant in the real Custom Shop in Nashville.Darryl Hattenhauer said:
I have seen some 'one-off' Custom Shop Guilds from Corona though. They exist, but I believe these were done through Artist Relations at FMIC.
What I'm trying to say is that the Nashville Custom Shop remained open for a small amount of time after Westerly was shut down.
Once the Nashville shop stopped taking custom orders, FMIC would have special custom orders (through artist relations at FMIC) made at whatever facility was producing Guilds at that time.
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
So Tacoma had one and Hamer has one?
adorshki
Reverential Member
I'm sure he means Nashville. Never mind I should have finished reading the posts so far.Darryl Hattenhauer said:
And WEST, yes, the repair facility IS still open and that IS where Sandy had his guitar done.
Interestingly I also remember a NASHVILLE Custom Shop Bluesbird shown here in the last year, eBay listing I think. Had a specific Nashville decal or logo on it, IIRC.
Darryl Hattenhauer said:
I recall hearing about Tacoma custom builds for certain artists, but they did not have a Custom Shop, meaning that typical customers (me, you, etc...) could not procure a custom built Guild at that time.
I haven't heard of any custom guitars coming out of New Hartford Guild... yet.