A GAD by any other name?

[West R Lee]

Fender has Squier.
Gibson has Epiphone.
Should Guild consider calling the GAD line something else entirely?
Since I hear varying opinions of the GAD models (but uniformly high praise for USA Guilds) I worry they may have cheapened the brand by calling the offshore products Guild and confusing less discriminating customers.

Thoughts?

Sorry Archie, but I'd love to direct you to threads that were written here about the subject 5 years ago.....but yes sir, it's been a concern around here for a very long time.

West

 

[wontox]

adorshki: Yep, no argument there. My desire for an American made instrument is entirely setimental. NO reason a guitar equal to any of mine couldn't be built in China, I just don't think they're tooled up and have all the materials for it. It's not what they're there for.[/quote]

That's an excellent point, Al, you're right, that's not what they're there for.

Wontox

 

[Don]

So... If I said I was looking for a guitar or two to take to summer camp in the Midwest the assemblage would recommend the GAD? God help me I used to take my '72 D40SB to camp for the entire summer when I was a kid. Now I just go for a couple weeks and haven't dragged my baby with me out of respect. BUT I HATE BEING GUITAR-LESS!!! So how about it sports fans, GAD for summer camp?

OBTW, way back in the thread someone mentioned Sigma guitars. Maybe I got lucky as my DM12-3 was everything I ever wanted it to be. Martin sound? Not even close but very playable, kept tune and sounded fairly decent.

 

[fronobulax]

So... If I said I was looking for a guitar or two to take to summer camp in the Midwest the assemblage would recommend the GAD?

My rule for camp would be to take something that could be easily replaced and did not have a lot of sentiment attached. By that criteria, take a GAD.

 

[capnjuan]

... The salesman I bought my D25 from told me that once there was a massive Japanese manufacturing complex.

Hi Al; he might have been referring to FujiGen Gakki.

 

[capnjuan]

... I'm just glad that Guild produced the GAD series, because I think it's the single best "entry level" big-name manufacturers acoustic on the planet ... Basically, when I see a discussion like this it reminds me of _________

Hi skippy; discussions like this remind me of [................] ... a group physiological response ... like yawning ...

The general feeling is that Guild tarnished the brand name by putting it on the GADs; they could have called them something else ... the way they branded Korean Guilds DeArmonds. Anyway, we have a much-too-large number of piss-on-GAD threads (not our member GAD :wink: ).

Enjoy your guitar; IMO the greatest virtue of Guilds is the relationship between their cost and value ... sounds like you got your money's worth.

 

[Graham]

My very first post;

I'd like to add my thoughts here if I may.

This is my first post in this forum and I have read all of the posts to this topic.

I am a beginning guitar player. I own a Cort guitar that I bought 9 years ago, made in Korea. The shop I bought it from made it sound like a very good entry level guitar, which it has been. I'm now looking for another guitar and while I would love to own a Gibson J-45 I can't justify the cost for me as I'm just not that good a player yet. So I am looking to keep the cost under $1000 CAD.

I have played over a dozen guitars, Taylor, Martin, Larrivee, Seagull, S&P, Takamine, Epiphone, Guild in the past couple of months trying to find one that I like. When I played the Guild, it was a GAD-50, it sounded like what I wanted. I could not tell where it was made by it's sound, nor can I tell where a Honda Accord is made just by listening to it idle, or a Panasonic TV by watching a football game, etc...
Frankly I don't care where it is made, as someone put it earlier, if you believe in your product you put your name on it. A Larrivee is still a Larrivee even if they are made in California now and not Canada where they originated, correct?

Some day I might want to buy myself a $2000 guitar, but not today. I love the look of the Guild, the sound of the Guild and the price. If I buy it and am satisfied, I would buy another. At this time I'm not that satified with my Cort. Perhaps, even though I'm a beginner at this, my playing has improved past the point of this guitar?, so I want to move up a couple of steps.

Anyway I'm off to play an Epi AJ-500 made in china to compare it with the Guild GAD, and I'm looking forward to it.

Graham


I'm very glad they have Guild on the headstock!

 

[chazmo]

Welcome aboard, Graham. Enjoy your time on LTG. Be prepared to suffer massive GAS attacks!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I like most of the GADs I've played, other than the butt-ugly p/gs (otoh, easy to replace) and look forward to hearing how mellowed a lovingly played 20-yo sounds...If it weren't for the drunk gal on the cellphone T-boning my truck into a ditch (w/ my GAD JF-48, in it's HSC, in the bed) a year ago last March, I'd be able to find out, myself, in about 18 years... :x

American-made Guilds are great, too. 8)

 

[Graham]

Welcome aboard, Graham. Enjoy your time on LTG. Be prepared to suffer massive GAS attacks!

Thank you Chazmo, it looks like a very nice place.

 

[Ian]

Hi Graham,

Just popped along to say Welcome from New Zealand. Another option for your new guitar might be to check through the FS/FT column, I know theres a member there "WEST R LEE', who's selling a nice US made D55, for around your price. MIght be you could get a deal......

I've bought a few guitars off members here, all with very fine results, it's a trustworthy sort of spot.

Cheers, Ian

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

 

[Graham]

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

Thank you very much Ian. And yes that is me.

 

[chazmo]

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

Thank you very much Ian. And yes that is me.

Bwahahahahaha!!!!!!

 

[Graham]

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

Thank you very much Ian. And yes that is me.

Bwahahahahaha!!!!!!

What? :shock:

 

[fab467]

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

Thank you very much Ian. And yes that is me.

Welcome to LTG! Love that pic of you in your avatar.

Any action photos playing your instrument? We do love pics here... 8)

 

[Graham]

Good luck in your search for a new Guild. Is that you in the Avatar ?

Thank you very much Ian. And yes that is me.

Welcome to LTG! Love that pic of you in your avatar.

Any action photos playing your instrument? We do love pics here... 8)

Thanks Fab.

No pics of me playing I haven't found a stable enough camera. :shock:

 

[SkippyX]

... I'm just glad that Guild produced the GAD series, because I think it's the single best "entry level" big-name manufacturers acoustic on the planet ... Basically, when I see a discussion like this it reminds me of _________

Hi skippy; discussions like this remind me of [................] ... a group physiological response ... like yawning ...

The general feeling is that Guild tarnished the brand name by putting it on the GADs; they could have called them something else ... the way they branded Korean Guilds DeArmonds. Anyway, we have a much-too-large number of piss-on-GAD threads (not our member GAD :wink: ).

Enjoy your guitar; IMO the greatest virtue of Guilds is the relationship between their cost and value ... sounds like you got your money's worth.

:lol: @ teh youtube. That scene is a classic.

And thank you. :wink:

In a way I can see where the guys who feel that the Guild name is being "tarnished" by the GAD series are coming from. Guild is an old name w/ a very loyal following. I would love to pick up a Westerly Guild some day. Who knows? Maybe some day I'll have the unallocated cash laying about and the right deal will pop up. Until then, I'll revel in the pure joy of playing my (sniff) "not-up-to-American-Guild-standards" guitar. I do know I got my moneys worth.

I also know that when I pull the GAD-G212 out of its case around other players, it's not rare for me to hear a reverent "wow - that's a Guild twelve string". I hate to admit that's a good feeling, but it is.

Thanks Fab.

No pics of me playing I haven't found a stable enough camera. :shock:

I suspect the issue is not the camera, but the cameraman.

:mrgreen:

(snip)...Anyway I'm off to play an Epi AJ-500 made in china to compare it with the Guild GAD, and I'm looking forward to it.

Graham
[/b]

I'm very glad they have Guild on the headstock!

Interestingly enough I was torn between those same guitars when I bought my GAD50. I had just about decided on the Epiphone and was shopping around for good prices on new ones when I happened upon a used GAD50 for sale online at a MusicGoRound in PA (think it was PA) for less money than a new Epi would have cost.

It might just be that I have since bonded with my guitar but having A/B'd them since, I'm glad I got the Guild.

And I too am glad they say Guild on the headstock!

 

[adorshki]

Welcome aboard, Graham. Enjoy your time on LTG. Be prepared to suffer massive GAS attacks!

Hey Welcome aboard! Just out of curiosity, do you use REALLY LONG guitar straps? We're always interested in the ergonomics of playing, around here...

 

[Graham]

Welcome aboard, Graham. Enjoy your time on LTG. Be prepared to suffer massive GAS attacks!

Hey Welcome aboard! Just out of curiosity, do you use REALLY LONG guitar straps? We're always interested in the ergonomics of playing, around here...

As a matter of fact I do. How did you know? :shock:

 

[adorshki]

Welcome aboard, Graham. Enjoy your time on LTG. Be prepared to suffer massive GAS attacks!

Hey Welcome aboard! Just out of curiosity, do you use REALLY LONG guitar straps? We're always interested in the ergonomics of playing, around here...

As a matter of fact I do. How did you know? :shock:

In my side job as a private investigator I would also deduce that your plastic surgeon must be a very wealthy man. And that he must be a man. :lol: