Summer NAMM 2016: New Oxnard built D-40 and M-40 models!

[Neal]

Totally agree about "the dude", but perhaps we are not the target demographic that Guild is trying to attract.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Totally agree about "the dude", but perhaps we are not the target demographic that Guild is trying to attract.

my next Guild will be either a westerly or a new hartford, sorry.
i want to support the new Guild but i am sure one day i will come around.

 

[Neal]

I think the real test will come when these Oxnard guitars get out into the market in numbers that are great enough for a lot of people to judge their merits.

I'm sure there were questions about both Tacoma and New Hartford Guilds that were definitively answered over time by the level of quality in the product.

 

[Okieguildfan]

I agree about the test coming once folks get more of a chance to lay hands on the product. But, I do appreciate what's been done so far for the Guild "brand." In my opinion, they've done a good job in creating excitement and buzz around Guild guitars again. Revamping the 20's, bolstering the Starfires and now t-bird/bluesbird, making their own version of a gs-mini (which honestly it is), I believe were smart moves. They aren't the bread-and-butter, American made dread/jumbo, which drew me to the company initially, but I think they are drawing in a new crowd that will hopefully keep Guild alive for my son (someday). Plus, I love the new merch. I have a couple of new Guild t-shirts and I keep getting stopped by folks and asked about them.

 

[bobouz]

I'm not trying to knock Gibson by any means bobouz, But "Conventional Wisdom" must have been playing different guitars than myself and others I know. I have Always loved Gibson Acoustics but in the early 2000's you had to play 5-10 Gibson Acoustics at your local Guitar Center to find one good one. I know there were some Good ones in there, But you had to go through quite a few of the others to find them.
TX

I would agree TX, that all were not stellar. But in general, I've found that to be true of all brands and model lines. It's pretty much a bell curve situation > a few dogs, a majority of mediocre, and a few gems. But the gems have consistently been in there. One other consideration: Guitar Center is of course notorious for ignoring the welfare of their acoustics!

 

[adorshki]

The D40 Standard series in New Hartford did have satin finishes towards the end but they were Satin Nitro, Not the satin Oxnard is using. Makes you wonder.

I do stand humbly corrected, I forgot about that, focusing on the tops. I know those were always gloss.

I don't know guys, and I'm not just saying this to try and justify my purchase of my new D 20, but the finish on this guitar feels exceptional to me. Not saying I'm right, because typically I am not, but I can say I really do like it. I realize the D 20 is a base level guitar vs. a D 55 for example.

Richard, with your collection and first hand experience I gotta respect your input.
I know it's just an aesthetic gripe for me and I can accept it in the case of "entry levels" like you say, but I just think the D40 oughta get gloss....

Ok, what are they using the M- designation for now? I'd thought it was for the hog F styles, but the one identified as the M-40 in the above pic has a spruce top. Why not just F-40?

It preserves the confusing nomenclature tradition.

 

[bobouz]

The point I was making was that Just because Ren is involved doesn't mean everything is going to be Sunshine and Sparkles. My apologies to anyone offended by my opinion. I'll leave it at that.
TX

I would agree again, and absolutely no offense taken - it's just an interesting discussion. I guess my overall point would be that Guild has about as good of a shot as they could hope to get with Ren's involvement. He was the driving force that made Gibson acoustics desired and respected after the low point of the '70s. He's lived this dream once before. But he's also only one guy. It takes a unified team of people, gazing into a crystal ball with a stroke of good fortune, to pull off what they're trying to do - which is to again become a serious player in the American-made acoustic guitar market.

 

[davismanLV]

They need some standardization and consistency in the naming game. Figure what the letters mean, figure what the numbers mean, figure how to denote special features. It's not rocket science. Even the new M-20 is named wrong in my estimation. It should be an F-20M or something. Now they're using an M to denote what? Something with a spruce top? Sheesh...... :stupid:

 

[chazmo]

Tom, you wouldn't want to get bored now, would you?

 

[adorshki]

In the modern world of guitar-building, there is a cost-benefit to application of gloss finish. Prettier? Probably. Better sounding than satin? Doubtful.

You actually got me wondering if perhaps the process was beneficial to the reputed tone improvement with age (which I do subscribe to):
Spray, cure, buff, spray, cure, buff, until desired thickness is achieved. I wonder if the curing between layers improves resonance and/or how it further hardens as it ages.
IIRC, this satin finish is sprayed, right? We know it's a catalyzed varnish.
I just wonder how it will age.
And I'm only thinking out loud here and it's probably best pursued in a separate thread, and you're probably right that difference in sound may actually be undetectable to the ear.
But it does make me wonder if there was an additional reason (besides aesthetic) why they retained gloss top in NH when they were ok with satin backs/sides.

 

[davismanLV]

Tom, you wouldn't want to get bored now, would you?

Actually, I wouldn't mind a little boredom in this case!! So they start with the two guitars. D-20. D=dreadnaught and 20=??? Then the M-20. So what is M? Is it a size? A shape? If D is size and shape, then M should be too!! And then the 20 means..... what? It's on both the dreadnaught and the small concert sized one so.... what is 20? The thing they both have in common is all mahogany back, sides, and top. Is that what 20 means? Now they produced an F shaped something with a spruce top and call it an M-something? So once again, explain what M means. Please?

It's all too confusing and there's no need for it. When I look at Taylor models, I know woods, trim level, # of strings, cutaway?, electric?, it's ALL THERE!!

This is just dumb to me.....

 

[adorshki]

They need some standardization and consistency in the naming game. Figure what the letters mean, figure what the numbers mean, figure how to denote special features. It's not rocket science. Even the new M-20 is named wrong in my estimation. It should be an F-20M or something. Now they're using an M to denote what? Something with a spruce top? Sheesh...... :stupid:

Should go back to giving 'em names.
Places in California, like Hoboken used to use places in Spain:
the M20 Oxnard.
The D20 Coalinga
The D40 "Doc" Watson-ville
The D55 Earthquake Zone
the F55 Eureka
and so on.

 

[adorshki]

So once again, explain what M means. Please?

If they did, they'd have to kill you. Errrr, change the code.

 

[davismanLV]

Well, then KILL ME NOW!! Before you come up with any more ridiculous model numbers!! LOL!!

 

[bobouz]

Dial 'M' for Mahogany - just doesn't have the same "ring" to it, does it?

 

[Walter Broes]

I really, really don't like the satin finish at all. If that guitar could make me sound like Clarence White and it cost $600, I probably still couldn't bring myself to buy it. Those satin finishes are just plain ugly.

 

[richardp69]

I guess different opinions is kinda what makes the world go 'round. This world would be a much more boring place without that I think. I don't know who's right and in fact could care less. It all comes down to what works for you. To me, your guitar is a personal choice and it needs to work for you whatever it is.

I really, really don't like the satin finish at all. If that guitar could make me sound like Clarence White and it cost $600, I probably still couldn't bring myself to buy it. Those satin finishes are just plain ugly.

 

[chazmo]

Actually, I wouldn't mind a little boredom in this case!! So they start with the two guitars. D-20. D=dreadnaught and 20=??? Then the M-20. So what is M? Is it a size? A shape? If D is size and shape, then M should be too!! And then the 20 means..... what? It's on both the dreadnaught and the small concert sized one so.... what is 20? The thing they both have in common is all mahogany back, sides, and top. Is that what 20 means? Now they produced an F shaped something with a spruce top and call it an M-something? So once again, explain what M means. Please?

It's all too confusing and there's no need for it. When I look at Taylor models, I know woods, trim level, # of strings, cutaway?, electric?, it's ALL THERE!!

This is just dumb to me.....

Hehehehe.... Well, with Guild, there's a long history of being confusing when there's no need for it. Oxnard's just adding to that.

I really don't mind too much when they name a new model whatever they want. What bugs me is when they rename something. The new D-20 is, after all, a flatback D-25. And, everyone and their brother knows what a Guild D-25 is!

So, yeah, that's pretty annoying. Tom, do you have George Gruhn's book? It talks about how back in the mid- to late-80s he was attempting to rename a bunch of the models with something that made more sense. Well, a laudable effort, maybe, but do you really want to take the iconic F-50 and try to convince people it's a JF-65? Actually, I don't know if that was him or not...

Anyway, I actually totally share your feelings about the model names, but I gave up the soapbox a long time ago on it.

 

[adorshki]

Anyway, I actually totally share your feelings about the model names, but I gave up the soapbox a long time ago on it.

Who wouldn't be proud to present their F30 Turlock to a buddy?
Or how about their F40 Bakersfield?

 

[davismanLV]

Or how about their F40 Bakersfield?

Sure!! And the all mahogany version, the M-40 New Cuyama? I like it!!