Introducing the Guild Westerly Collection

[merlin6666]

My local luthier received two Westerly on Friday and he had one of them at his booth at the Regina Folk Festival today. Didn't look at it closely but when people played it I thought it cut through the noise nicely. If he has it out again tomorrow I will give it a spin.

 

[guild-1979-d40]

To the new owners of a Westerly Collection model: Would you mind letting us know following info:

1) Did you buy it in the USA or abroad? Which country?
2) Is there a serial number on the round paper label visible inside the soundhole?
3) Is there a serial number on a second label or stamped inside on the neck heel? Is it a 10 digit number? Does it start with 14 or 15 ? Are the 3rd and 4th numbers between 01 and 12?
4) is there anywhere a sign that shows the guitar was made in China? On the guitar? On the back of the headstock? Inside the guitar? On the neck heel inside? On the shipping box?

We were speculating about those things and need members help who actually bought a new Westerly Collection Guild.

Ralf

Answers to your questions…..

1. I bought an OM-140CE in the USA from Music Store Live. My first on-line purchase.
2. No.
3. The only place that I found anything that resembles a serial number is on the SKU included with the paperwork. It is called the product# and mine is 384-2405-837. I just noticed something else…The bill of sale from Music Store Live lists a SKU number of 1174017. The SKU has another number of 0987030110, which I believe is the actual SKU number.
4. No on all counts, although I will need to double check the shipping box. Assume the answer is no, unless I follow-up. The Owner's Manual is generic.

 

[westerlyborn]

Jeff speaks for me. China has ripped off enough.

 

[guild-1979-d40]

There is an another SKU on the box. It says the serial number is G1150850.

 

[tommym]

Answers to your questions�..

1. I bought an OM-140CE in the USA from Music Store Live. My first on-line purchase.
2. No.
3. The only place that I found anything that resembles a serial number is on the SKU included with the paperwork. It is called the product# and mine is 384-2405-837. I just noticed something else�The bill of sale from Music Store Live lists a SKU number of 1174017. The SKU has another number of 0987030110, which I believe is the actual SKU number.
4. No on all counts, although I will need to double check the shipping box. Assume the answer is no, unless I follow-up. The Owner's Manual is generic.

Check to see if there is a sticker on the neck block; look through the sound hole.....might be over there???

EDIT....if there is a sticker over there, then you might see the number G1150850 on the sticker.....maybe.....:uncomfortableness:

Tommy

 

[SFIV1967]

The only place that I found anything that resembles a serial number is on the SKU included with the paperwork. It is called the product# and mine is 384-2405-837. I just noticed something else…The bill of sale from Music Store Live lists a SKU number of 1174017. The SKU has another number of 0987030110, which I believe is the actual SKU number.
There is an another SKU on the box. It says the serial number is G1150850.

First of all thanks for checking all the details!
It's interesting that this guitar sold in USA has absolutely no Country of Origin info... (UPDATE: I think it has, on the second label on the neck block inside where also the serial number is).
The number 384-2405-837 is the number that CMG uses as internal part number for that model I believe. You would see it on the webpage in the spec table for that model I think.
I have no idea about those other numbers you found. Non of them follow the former GAD line serial number schema. G1150850 has a "15" included which one could see as manufacturing year but where is the month ? 08 = August is impossible if the guitar came from China. Also the number would be way to short as serial number unless they use a yet unknown coding scheme. And if you later sell the guitar how would a new owner or even Guild for warranty reasons know the serial lumber if it was only on shipping papers. Makes no sense to me.
In the past the real serial number was stamped with ink on the side of the internal neck support block, so you had to look through the soundhole towards the neck block to even spot it.
Ralf

 

[Young Buck]

Okay I just bought a D-1212 (Westerly Collection) from a Guild dealer in Nashville. I had to order it 'cos they weren't in stock. There's no serial number on the hole sticker. The serial number and "made in China" are on the neck heel. Serial starts with "G" and then 7 numbers beginning with 11.
I played this,Taylor, and Martin 12 strings - all around $700-800 range. Taylor was playable but did sound too good. Martin was nice sounding but not as easy to play. Guild had the strengths of both guitars. BTW, it came with cool soft-shelled case that is light and formed. Plush green color inside - very cool.

 

[fronobulax]

Okay I just bought a D-1212 (Westerly Collection) from a Guild dealer in Nashville. I had to order it 'cos they weren't in stock. There's no serial number on the hole sticker. The serial number and "made in China" are on the neck heel. Serial starts with "G" and then 7 numbers beginning with 11.
I played this,Taylor, and Martin 12 strings - all around $700-800 range. Taylor was playable but did sound too good. Martin was nice sounding but not as easy to play. Guild had the strengths of both guitars. BTW, it came with cool soft-shelled case that is light and formed. Plush green color inside - very cool.

Welcome and thank you.

It's interesting that this guitar sold in USA has absolutely no Country of Origin info...

Interesting that we have one sample with and one without. Probably need a few more samples...

 

[merlin6666]

I just checked out the om-140 here. As posted above there's a sticker on the neck block with serial number starting with G and Made in China at the bottom. It looks well made, though the tuning gears appear flimsy. The mahogany at the bottom is considerably more figured than I'm used to see. The fingerboard feels quite wide and flat so should be inviting for finger pickers and factory action was good.

 

[guild-1979-d40]

I just checked out the om-140 here. As posted above there's a sticker on the neck block with serial number starting with G and Made in China at the bottom. It looks well made, though the tuning gears appear flimsy. The mahogany at the bottom is considerably more figured than I'm used to see. The fingerboard feels quite wide and flat so should be inviting for finger pickers and factory action was good.

I'm confused by your post, especially the first sentence. How are you able to look at my guitar?
Anyway, I've checked and rechecked. There is nothing on the outside of the guitar indicating Made in China or a serial number. When I look inside at the piece of wood where the truss rod adjustment is, there is no indication of either. The pick-up battery is attached above that section, so maybe I don't have a clear view of the neck heel inside the guitar.

 

[merlin6666]

I looked at a guitar that is on display at a booth at the Regina Folk Festival in Canada.

 

[SFIV1967]

The serial number and "made in China" are on the neck heel. Serial starts with "G" and then 7 numbers beginning with 11.

Welcome to LTG! Excellent info, so we just need to find out how the coding of the serial number works.

"G" might simply stand for Guild. The "1" afterwards, no idea. The 15 afterwards is most probably 2015. (I simply assume after the "11" you mentioned is a "5" ?) But the next four numbers, who knows...Maybe in that case before, where the S/N is G1150850, the 0850 simply means it is the 850th one produced? That way they could make 9999 per year at least. The Newark St. Collection from Korea has a 5 digit number after the year.

I just checked out the om-140 here. As posted above there's a sticker on the neck block with serial number starting with G and Made in China at the bottom.

Great. So I think we can close that case and I assume also the European sold Westerly Collection guitars have that second label on the neck block inside.

Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

When I look inside at the piece of wood where the truss rod adjustment is, there is no indication of either.

It seems to be somewhere on the neck block inside, not on the brace (cross strut) where the truss rod hole is.

Ralf

 

[merlin6666]

Yes quite visible on the neck block. It's great exposure to have one at the festival here and I have seen quite a few guys who picked it up and liked it particularly for finger style.

 

[fronobulax]

I'm confused by your post, especially the first sentence. How are you able to look at my guitar?
Anyway, I've checked and rechecked. There is nothing on the outside of the guitar indicating Made in China or a serial number. When I look inside at the piece of wood where the truss rod adjustment is, there is no indication of either. The pick-up battery is attached above that section, so maybe I don't have a clear view of the neck heel inside the guitar.

I understood merlin to be saying that a guitar was checked out locally to merlin and unless you two are real life friends, there was no explicit reference to your guitar, just to a similar one.

I'm beginning to think the unmarked guitar just "snuck through the cracks" but there is always room for more data.

 

[SFIV1967]

I'm beginning to think the unmarked guitar just "snuck through the cracks"...

No, guild-1979-d40 didn't look on the neckblock yet I believe, he only saw the cross strut brace where the hole for the truss rod is and said there is no label on it. So I still believe it is on the neck block as well.
Ralf

 

[adorshki]

No, guild-1979-d40 didn't look on the neckblock yet I believe, he only saw the cross strut brace where the hole for the truss rod is and said there is no label on it. So I still believe it is on the neck block as well.
Ralf

I can't say thank you enough for your method and suggestions for helping the new owners help us with the question we've been wondering about.
Not that it would be conclusive proof, but do you think the different s/n system might indicate they're not from the same plant that made the GAD's?
It would be interesting if we could compare it to the "pre-Guild" Cordobas.

 

[chazmo]

That's good news. Good sleuthing, guys.

 

[SFIV1967]

Not that it would be conclusive proof, but do you think the different s/n system might indicate they're not from the same plant that made the GAD's?
It would be interesting if we could compare it to the "pre-Guild" Cordobas.

You mean "pre-CMG"-GADs ??? Well, they had Handcrafted in China on the main label. And the 10 digit serial number showing year and month of manufacture stamped with ink on the neck block as far as I know.
I don't know if the Chinese factory was changed, maybe that new labeling of the Chinese Guilds is just part of the new requirements from CMG. If you want and have time...you could scan the US customs freight import data for Cordoba Music Group and Guild and see who the exporter in China is. But they might all come in under Cordoba, so you don't see if they were Cordoba or Guild Guitars.
Ralf

 

[Rayk]

Big C told me it's the same manufacturer about a month ago or so when I inquired but I've been told wrong before