Guild bracing?

[fronobulax]

Fro, not sure if we were in the same tour group, but I remember Darren telling us that they only used the brace cutter CNC machine sporadically because the shop didn't make enough guitars to put it into frequent use.

I had three public tours and a private tour with him. I don't recall that quote but given the low production numbers it makes a lot of sense. At the time I was more excited about the process and machinery and not production as such and I have already proven I don't remember things that I want to remember

 

[plaidseason]

Once upon a time, in a Galaxy far, far away, people would walk into a store, play guitars, and pick the one they liked. Then I first heard the words scalloped bracing, when the new HD 28 came out. It's been downhill ever since. Why would you need to know a guitar had adirondak bracing? You'd hear it as liking the guitar better. Or you'd like sitka bracing better. Your ears and not marketing hype would tell you.

A friend recently called me in a tizzy. He bought two 000 18s with the intention of sending one back. One was a stock 000 18, the other had hide glue, adirondak bracing, and some cosmetic upgrades. He by far liked the stock 000 18 better, but was so freaked out about liking the much cheaper guitar. Thought there must be something wrong with him. I had to slap some sense into him. It's indicative of how far marketing has come in getting you to doubt your own senses.

YES!

For a while I longed for the vintage vibes of a Martin 000-17 "Whiskey Sunset," but I never found one I liked better than my $550 (if new) Simon & Patrick Songsmith Folk. The same thing happened when comparing the S&P to recent M20s. So instead I picked up some tuners with ivoroid buttons and put those on the S&P, and once again accepted the fact that guitars really are mysterious.

 

[Br1ck]

The serious orchestral string world works this way. When shopping for a $5000-10000 viola for my daughter, I had six lent to me with a DL number, for a period of two weeks. Recently the same daughter had eight violas, $20,000 to $30,000 sent to her from across the country for the cost of shipping and insurance. Well over $100,000 worth of instruments for a month. Then she narrowed it down to two, and got a month for those. She shipped one shop a viola, and the other a check. Shipping and insurance was around $1000. Still a deal for getting the right instrument.

 

[Mingus]

the possibility that larger than necessary braces were used on some Westerly Collection acoustics in order to deaden the top and make them less competitive with Oxnard made instruments with similar specs.

I don't want to speculate on things like that, but the westerly collection acoustics were a real shock to me in general....so they must be doing something right there....bulky bracing or not!

 

[Gdjjr]

YES!

For a while I longed for the vintage vibes of a Martin 000-17 "Whiskey Sunset," but I never found one I liked better than my $550 (if new) Simon & Patrick Songsmith Folk. The same thing happened when comparing the S&P to recent M20s. So instead I picked up some tuners with ivoroid buttons and put those on the S&P, and once again accepted the fact that guitars really are mysterious.

I had a Whiskey Sunset I wanted a lot- sold it at a loss. It just didn't do it for me, especially comparing it to the 00015M... I love the sound of that thang... prior to getting my new D140, I had looked seriously at the D15M from Martin. But the D140 was half the price.