If you are never going to buy a new Guild, are you still helping out the brand?

[Westerly Wood]

This is something I have wondered about from time to time...and with the news of the Standard Series coming out of Oxnard, and the Yamaha purchase and what their marketing juggernaut will do for the brand...as I never plan on purchasing a US made Guild or anything really outside of a Westerly or Hoboken Guild acoustic, am I helping them?

Probably not... well, perhaps one can be a champion of a brand without investing in their current business.

To be fair though, and believe me, I am not bragging at all, but I have done hundreds of Guild videos and posted them on YT. That has to count for something other than my kids watching them after I am dead....(oh dear, that got morbid awfully fast...)

 

[Guildedagain]

Appreciating them and sharing that with others is enough.

 

[chazmo]

Whether we're helping Guild or not, it won't stop us from jawboning about them.

 

[Westerly Wood]

This has got to count for something. Maybe Guild could compensate me with a GSR satin finish standard series dread? 7500 views....

 

[Default]

It depends on what the new ownership does with it. I already have top-tier guitars, and it would take something special to do so.

 

[walrus]

I agree. The fact that we talk about them to other people, play with them with or in front of other people, etc., has to count for something. Many of us have not been their target market for years...

walrus

 

[GGJaguar]

I have two Oxnard guitars and they aren't currently making any acoustics that I want. But if they bring back the F-47, I'm on board (unless I find one from Tacoma or NH first). I doubt they make electrics again and, if they do, they will be competing with the used American-made Guild electrics so it would be a tough sell. Oh well, that's economics for ya.

 

[schoolie]

It's difficult to make a case for buying a new Guild when I can buy used NH models in good condition at half the cost.

 

[James Hart]

I have one newish USA, one slightly older import bass, and one Hoboken. I'm planning a 12 string dread in the near future... prefer a USA if they start making one again, otherwise the D-1212 will be what I end up with.

 

[GAD]

Cordoba Guild has referred people to LTG so I’d say collectively we are all helping the brand.

 

[AcornHouse]

There’s a difference between promoting/supporting Guild guitars and promoting Guild the company (via whatever parent company owns it at the time.) As a Guild fan, I don’t care if I’m helping Guild the company. I’m not getting a commission and they have a paid marketing department. I will promote Guild guitars, which includes multiple eras and variations that happened to be produced by various companies, some of whom do not exist anymore.
I‘ll share info and praise about my favorite incarnations. Personally, I don’t care about the current company because they are not making anything for me. I prefer skinny neck Hoboken era Guilds which they have pretty much abandoned.
So, what is the “brand”? That’s marketing speak for the company. I’ll keep on promoting Guild guitars.

 

[twocorgis]

I did my part not long ago, even if I did get it for a crazy cheap price!

It's just back from a summer setup, and getting an LR Baggs Anthem pickup installed. If my girl gets up the nerve to sing (and I know she can), we're going to get our feet wet at a few open mikes in the near future.

 

[F30]

If you play a Guild and share it with others whether stage, parties, get togethers, camping trips, etc.
then I feel you are certainly supporting the brand and showing others that Guild is still alive and well
and something to consider.

 

[Boneman]

Never say never! Agree with others though, just promoting Guild guitars as you do, and enabling others towards acquiring them is most of what all can do to keep the brand alive and well. Sure buying their new products every once in a while is helpful but there are others with money for that

 

[Stagefright]

I can’t help Guild at this point. It’s up to them to build the best American made acoustic at a reasonable price. From what I’ve seen so far, there isn’t a serious effort to capture the interest of those that can’t afford to play in the Martin/Gibson/Taylor end of the pool.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Our job isn't to help businesses. Their job is to help us.

But if you want to help Guild, just keep on singing their praises. That's what I do. Free word-of-mouth advertising is powerful.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I can’t help Guild at this point. It’s up to them to build the best American made acoustic at a reasonable price. From what I’ve seen so far, there isn’t a serious effort to capture the interest of those that can’t afford to play in the Martin/Gibson/Taylor end of the pool.

Yup. That's the advantage of used Guilds. You get so much more for the money. I hate their Asia solution.

 

[GAD]

Our job isn't to help businesses. Their job is to help us.

Their job is to make money. A good company produces something people want or need produced by people who enjoy doing it with everyone involved moving enough money that everyone is happy.

Good companies are hard to find.

 

[chazmo]

. . .
Good companies are hard to find.

OMG.... Amen, to that, GAD.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Their job is to make money. A good company produces something people want or need produced by people who enjoy doing it with everyone involved moving enough money that everyone is happy.

Good correction! I'll rephrase. Helping a company make money isn't our job.

That's why I don't wear advertising.

Good companies are hard to find.

Coincidence? Good company is hard to find, too!