An observation

[yoffer]

@ Jerry im in Staffordshire, unfortunately a bit to far away from you for jam

 

[yoffer]

I wouldn't say the Guilds I have seen have anything other than cosmetic issues, although I have to say the used condition of the Gibsons I have come across have been even worse than Guilds.

 

[Jeff]

Just for fun I browsed the 1st page of Ebay Martin acoustics. Hardly scientific, ... surely seems to be a lot of old Martins with patched cracks, buckle rash, fresh neck resets & the like. Not at all sure Guild guitars are more prone to these problems.

Does seem some of the Gibson crowd is pretty hard on guitars. :?

 

[JimbowF212]

...and of course a Martin or a Gibson can't take the sort of punishment that a Guild can.

Any instrument is not supposed to be abused nor have to take punishment. Would you take a Stienway piano and put it in the middle of a battle field? I think not so why would you take a fine guitar, no matter who made it and put it in one. BTW Martins will take punishment with the Best OF 'EM Ask Tony Rice or any one else who have taken a Martin on the road. Now Gibson, Well.......... :mrgreen:

Hi Jim,

Quite correct, but you do seem to find a lot more battered Guilds than you do Martins. As you know Martins a lot lighter constructed than Guilds, perhaps the beater Martins have all destructed over time only leaving the Guilds ? Survival of the fittest and all that...

Of course old Martins are now seen as valuable, not sure if that was always the case ? As for Martins taking punishment with the best of them, well Peter Rowans D18 didn't fare too well did it !!

Cheers, Ian

I haven't heard about Peter's D-18 What's the scoop?

 

[Ian]

Hi Jim,

There was a thread about it on the UMGF a while back, apparently it got written off by baggage handlers whilst he was on tour. Quite why you would entrust an expesive vintage Martin to the vagaries of the baggage handlers instead of just paying for another seat kind of baffles me though...

Cheers, Ian

 

[JimbowF212]

Hi Jim,

Quite why you would entrust an expesive vintage Martin to the vagaries of the baggage handlers instead of just paying for another seat kind of baffles me though...

Cheers, Ian

Me too?!?! I wouldn't trust those people to handle my old Maderia much less my Martin's!!!!!

 

[JerryR]

@ Jerry im in Staffordshire, unfortunately a bit to far away from you for jam

Ah - perhaps one day I'll find a local fellow Guildite had to go all the way to Texas for my last Guild jam session

 

[Ian]

@ Jerry im in Staffordshire, unfortunately a bit to far away from you for jam

Ah - perhaps one day I'll find a local fellow Guildite had to go all the way to Texas for my last Guild jam session

Maybe the cowboy boots put them off....

 

[TonyT]

Maybe the reason that the used Guilds are in such poor shape is that no one wants to get rid of theirs until its nearly dead.

 

[killdeer43]

Maybe the reason that the used Guilds are in such poor shape is that no one wants to get rid of theirs until its nearly dead.

Tony,

That's a good setup for any number of snappy comebacks, but I do believe someone once said that's the reason my wife lets me hang around. Sort of like an old dog you just don't want to say goodbye to, maybe? :lol:

I'm still here,
Joe

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

So for those of you that have owned or do own 80's Guilds AND Martins,
do you see any difference in how they are holding up?

As far as Guilds go,
so far I see a tendency that the necks can be a bit of a problem and finish checking is very common.
I would think that finish checking may be dur to the type of lacquer used by Guild.

Another conclusion:
Guild owners may not take the best care of their guitars because that are not as expensive as Martins.

Is this the consensus here?

 

[JimbowF212]

Hey TMG, I can't comment on the 80s Guilds but, My Martin D-35V was received in the Store in March of 1985 and I have had it since then. The only issue I have had with it is the binding has been coming loose but, that was due to my useing Lemon oil to clean it with and the oil loosened the glue that was holding the binding on. As far as the neck no issues at all and no finish cracks. Now it does have some dings and scratches which were put in it by me, I told you I didn't baby it, other then what I have listed no issues that weren't inflicted by ME!!! :lol:

 

[GardMan]

So for those of you that have owned or do own 80's Guilds AND Martins,
do you see any difference in how they are holding up?

I've never owned a Martin, so I can't really compare... but there are a lot of posts on UMGF about neck resets on guitars that are no older than my Guilds. And I have seem some early Guilds that are in good a shape as comparably-aged Martins and Gibsons...

As far as Guilds go,
so far I see a tendency that the necks can be a bit of a problem and finish checking is very common.
I would think that finish checking may be dur to the type of lacquer used by Guild.

I think it may be true that Guild necks were underset during some years... certainly the (original) bridges on my early Guilds started out lower than on my later Guilds (by as much as 1/16"-1/8"). As for checking... only one of my Guilds is severely checked... my '92 D-55. Presumably as a result of shippng thru a -10F NY blizzard in the deep of winter. My D-46 has a couple checks... others are pretty clean, as far as checking goes. Although I am certainly responsible for many dings and dents on my D-35 (as are my college roomates, kids, etc), I have never had a guitar crack/split on my watch... and may get thru my lifetime w/o ever having a neck reset (but maybe not).

Another conclusion:
Guild owners may not take the best care of their guitars because that are not as expensive as Martins.

I can only speak for myself, but I certainly abused my first Guild... I didn't know any better. Used to take it out camping in the S. CA and UT desert... thought it would be safer locked in the car than sitting unattended in a tent. Took it camping in the mtns of OR, CA, and UT summer and fall... where it surely cooled below freezing some nights. I never even considered that humidity (or lack thereof) could be a problem. Don't know if it wouldn't have been any different if I had a Martin... because I couldn't afford a Martin when I was 17.

Is this the consensus here?

"Made to be played!" and play 'em I will!

 

[killdeer43]

I've owned Martins, Gibsons, and a number of other brands in 40 years + and never kept any of them long enough to encounter any problems. I guess I subliminally followed my Dad's advice to "take care of your things." While I might not have "babied" my guitars, I cannot remember ever abusing one, no matter how 'cheap' it might have been. I have an abiding respect for guitars!

I'm the original owner of my '89 D50 and I have certainly played it, but I have also taken good care of it for 20 years. It is quite simply the best all-around guitar I've ever owned. The music store owner who sold it to me still talks about what a "great guitar" it is.

We could add to "made to be played" the rest of the Guild story and that is, "made to last." :wink:

Guilded I am,
Joe

 

[Scratch]

Another conclusion:
Guild owners may not take the best care of their guitars because that are not as expensive as Martins.

Is this the consensus here?

In my case (only) TMG, I am anal about the way I care for my guitars. I love Martin Guitars, but just sold my last one. Until 2007, they were my guitar of choice. I've owned several 70s, 80s and 90s Taylors and Martins (sorry; no Gibbys; at least not yet). Sold them and kept the Guilds; probably due to the influence of this forum.

My Guilds are kept better than any because I find they (IMO) play better than others. Right or wrong, I tend(ed) to take care of my Guild acoustics better than others. I found and personally enjoy a passion for Guild Guitars. For what it's worth...

 

[RussD]

For what it's worth...

I love Buffalo Springfield!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm6NeM-6vBE

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Scratch,
I also take very good care of my guitars.
What I ment from my statement was that several others posted that some Guilds are in poor condition because their owners didn't respect the guitars and used them where they wouldn't take their more expensive guitars.
I'm not sure that I buy that myself.

I have read somewhere though, that the lacquer used by Guild was prone to cracking.

My own impression and from observations is that Guilds are holding up as well as other American made guitars.