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

[Neal]

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.

My '12 F-50 Standard has a gloss back and sides, with a satin neck, so I really can't speak directly to what difference (if any) the satin finish has on tone.

I do have an '81 D-35 that I saved from the gloppy poly tomb in which it was encased, and getting it free of all that crap did wonders for its tone. The light varnish I replaced it with makes the guitar sound great, but does make it more susceptible to inadvertent noise from clothing rubbed against it, or the movement of my strumming/picking arm.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

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.

Well, didn't you all say that you hoped Cordoba would continue the Guild tradition...

 

[davismanLV]

I remember Gloppy!! :encouragement:

 

[chazmo]

Well, didn't you all say that you hoped Cordoba would continue the Guild tradition...

Hehehehe... Absolutely, Jane. Nuthin' new under the sun.

 

[adorshki]

My '12 F-50 Standard has a gloss back and sides, with a satin neck, so I really can't speak directly to what difference (if any) the satin finish has on tone.

I would only really expect it be relevant on the top, but at this point I'm ok with Mr. Ferguson's judgement about its use, even though I've got a personal aesthetic preference.

 

[adorshki]

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

I never even knew there was an Old Cuyama.

 

[geoguy]

I'm holding out until the release of the D-55 "Cucamonga" edition . . . you know, the one with the 1.75-inch nut width.

 

[adorshki]

I'm holding out until the release of the D-55 "Cucamonga" edition . . . you know, the one with the 1.75-inch nut width.

Special hand-painted "Land of Fruits and Nuts" limited edition?:

And I'd be willing to bet an F20 Dogtown would hit their target demographic right in center mass:

 

[geoguy]

Um, I was thinking more along these lines: :untroubled:

 

[davismanLV]

I never even knew there was an Old Cuyama.

Al, I wasn't aware of it either. Since it's surrounded by miles and miles of agriculture, I can only imagine it's underneath this new one. Which is hard to conceptualize. I mean, the main drag looks like this:

And according to the sign, they have a bit of a sense of humor. I like that in a town. Sign and place to dine:

Pronunciation help: NU QWEE AHMMA.

 

[adorshki]

And according to the sign, they have a bit of a sense of humor. I like that in a town. Sign and place to dine:

In addition to which it's always handy to know exactly where you are when you're on the road:

 

[fronobulax]

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

According to folks at New Hartford at one of the LMGs the Standard series was supposed to be cheaper to produce than the Traditional Series and thus compete at a lower price point but the same quality. So I would say the New Hartford folks thought satin was cheaper but no difference in sound/tone.

 

[fronobulax]

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.

Ren presumably had the freedom to build the factory from scratch, which includes the workers. So it is reasonable to believe/hope that what comes out of the factory is the best he can do, or will be once the kinks are worked out.

 

[JohnW63]

Dial M for Modesto.

 

[guildman63]

I think Neal hit it on the head. We are not Guilds or Rens target market. And to fronos point, they are likely doing what they feel allows them to produce the best guitar for the best, most competitive price for the purpose of grabbing the biggest market share they can. If they offend a few of us LTG'ers in the process so be it. In reality, you can't please all of the people all of the time.

As for naming conventions, here we go again! :congratulatory:

 

[AcornHouse]

As for naming conventions, here we go again! :congratulatory:

That's what we need; a naming convention. We can hold it in Vegas.

 

[chazmo]

Every town should have a total.

 

[chazmo]

And, we definitely need a naming convention. the only question is where..

 

[jte]

As a former Guild dealer (1977-1988) the naming thing IS a problem. People hear or play something, come in looking for it, and we can't figure out what it was or what it is now. A certain amount of consistency helps avoid those problems. When I talk about an A50, I have to be clear I'm talking about my (barely) pre-FMIC flat top, not a '50s archtop.

G for dreads, or D, and what's an F? Why is a D40 mahogany but an F40 is maple? It does impact how the guitars are handled by dealers and the buyers.

j

 

[fronobulax]

We are not Guilds or Rens target market.

That, or something similar, seems to have been true for as long as I have been on LTG. While there has always been a high level of interest in new product and there are people on LTG who will buy new product and sing its praises, it seems to me that there are a lot more people preaching about used Guilds as being the "bang for the buck choice".

To some extent that makes a lot of sense. More people post about what they already own rather than what that are going to buy. We are also not a source for objective information - if someone comes and asks whether they should but a Martin XXX or a Guild YYY we are going to talk them into a Guild, even if it needs to be a used one to meet the poster's preferences and budget.

And the usual cautions apply. "more" and "most" are defined in terms of my anecdotal experience. At least once someone took strong enough exception to the picture I pained that they successfully challenged my assertions with something approaching statistics. Since I was wrong once, I could be wrong again