Future of Newark series

Diggey · Sep 29, 2016

I'm curious if anyone knows if Guild intends to continue to produce the same series or a similar series overseas or will they start making them all in the USA once the factory is up and running 100%? Does anyone know or will they treat it like the Connecticut facility and just do custom shop type electrics and do the majority over the pond? Thanks

AcornHouse · Sep 29, 2016

I don't know if we're ever going to see a US made Guild electric again. It seems like they're only geared up to produce flat tops in Oxnard.

chazmo · Sep 29, 2016

We heard from the horses' mouths in New Hartford over the years that the electrics were not a high priority. The fact that we ever got some electrics from there is still somewhat astounding to me. It may actually be that all the whining we did about electrics over the years at the LMG events is what pursuaded them to introduce them at all. I don't know.

That reality, however, was Fender's voice. The staff in NH would've built electrics from the first minute, if they'd had the go-ahead.

Who knows what Cordoba will do? They have no background in building electrics. Do they have any desire?

I could be wrong, but I don't think they've made any public statements at all about what direction they intend to take in the future. Frankly, the Koreans seem to be doing a good job at building nice "re-issues" of old Guild 'leccies at an astoundingly low cost. I expect this will continue for a long time, and probably we won't see any more USA-built electrics. But, that's just me talking.

fronobulax · Sep 29, 2016

Diggey said:
I'm curious if anyone knows if Guild intends to continue to produce the same series or a similar series overseas or will they start making them all in the USA once the factory is up and running 100%? Does anyone know or will they treat it like the Connecticut facility and just do custom shop type electrics and do the majority over the pond? Thanks

No hard facts, just opinions. Analogies to New Hartford are probably worse than useless because a) Cordoba is not FMIC and b)Guild electrics competed with FMIC products but there are no Cordoba electrics to compete with. A third point, not necessarily worthy of a bullet, is that the employees at New Hartford had equipment and experience that allowed them to build electrics quickly and easily.

That said, as long as the MIK Newark Street line sells at the current price point, there is no economic reason to make them anywhere else unless costs in Korea start to skyrocket.

If a made in USA electric line is introduced then the price point is expected to be comparatively high and thus the market will be smaller. While Cordoba may decide to do that, it would seem to be a distraction until there are a full line of Guild acoustics in production.

kakerlak · Sep 29, 2016

Like frono said, I'm not confident there's room to be had, price wise b/w MIK Guilds and second hand American models. I've said before that about all that makes sense would be a handful of super high end archtops each year as sort of a prestige piece. Would be even better if they collaborated w/ some sort of known archtop maker to design top carve/bracing, etc., like they did w/ Benedetto back in the '90s. That's not going to be a money-maker, but if they could break even on them and get one into each big-market Guitar Center, it might be good marketing. I think they should've put out a handful of F-50s, too, for the same reason -- I worry that a few solid years of satin finish mahogany dreds will give people the mental association of Guild with low-end guitars. I think Gibson's reissue Les Pauls sell a lot of Les Paul Studios and Custom Shop Strats sell a lot of Squiers.

Mark WW · Sep 29, 2016

I am just happy to have the Newark St. line available. If they made them in the U.S. I just wouldn't be able to justify the price like a Gibson.

JohnW63 · Sep 29, 2016

The open space in the price market could be a problem.

NS used to new ( $600-$1100 ) -> Used USA Guilds ( $1000- $3000 ).

Where would their new US electric fall ? Some of those used USA electrics are highly praised. How do you convince people to forgo the classics for a new beast ? Not everyone likes the same pickups, even among the awesome version or the neck widths or solid vs semi vs hollow.

Do you jump in the crowded waters of the type that everyone sells, like a Les Paul body or Strat body, and try to get noticed or do you go with more semi hollow and work to be noticed in a smaller pool, or go full hollow and get Jazz or Rockabilly people to notice ?

Maybe the sales numbers of the NS electric can guide them, if they wish to go into the electric market. Find the model and appointments that seem to be moving the most and see if you can beat Fender or Gibson or PRS or who ever in that segment.

marcellis · Oct 9, 2016

Dunno. But I think you have a point. The opening is in the first-tier name
semi-hollow market. In fact, I'm looking for an excuse to order a SF II NS bass
from Sweetwater. I already bought a SF III.

http://guildguitars.com/g/starfire-bass-ii/

Guild is still a first tier name - even after all these years.

It must take years of thought, planning to set up an assembly production for a world market.
I think Newark Streets will be around. But the intended market may not be North America.

And if it's not North America -- they ought to take another look at that again.
You look at the Sweetwater sales - the SF's are definitely selling. Their competition is
Les Pauls Gibby's and Epi's for 750 and some of the other second-tier brands.

I don't see any semi-hollow Gibsons at the price of the NS Guild SF's.

Gibson is gradually introducing a lower-priced line though.

Watching Korean TV shows - as I rarely do - I see Ovation Celebrities being played.

guildman63 · Oct 10, 2016

Digger, one thing you will learn if you spend any time out here, or on most any forum, is that there is a ton of speculation. Much of it here tends to be very pessimistic. Not long ago many were doubtful that Guild would ever make high end USA acoustics again, and they are on deck for next year per Cordoba. Clearly acoustics are the priority at this time, but in speaking with Cordoba a while back I was told specifically that USA electrics will happen, but the specific models were not disclosed.

Regarding Korean NS electrics, they aren't going anywhere. They are very good guitars for the price, and seem to be selling reasonably well.

SFIV1967 · Oct 10, 2016

chazmo said:
I could be wrong, but I don't think they've made any public statements at all about what direction they intend to take in the future.

Lot's of info from Jonathan Thomas in the Reverb article: https://reverb.com/news/bringing-back-guild-a-look-at-the-new-factory-and-the-builders-behind-it
Also in the 8 pages from Music Trades with info from Jon and Tim can be read here: http://guildguitars.com/new-guild-ventura-county-factory-featured-in-music-trades/
Ralf

marcellis · Oct 10, 2016

guildman63 said:
Digger, one thing you will learn if you spend any time out here, or on most any forum, is that there is a ton of speculation. Much of it here tends to be very pessimistic. Not long ago many were doubtful that Guild would ever make high end USA acoustics again, and they are on deck for next year per Cordoba. Clearly acoustics are the priority at this time, but in speaking with Cordoba a while back I was told specifically that USA electrics will happen, but the specific models were not disclosed.

Regarding Korean NS electrics, they aren't going anywhere. They are very good guitars for the price, and seem to be selling reasonably well.

I'm surprised how quickly the electric line made it to retail. I look forward to seeing a D-55 or F-50 come out of Cordoba.
There is a sweet spot in semi-hollow electrics now Cordoba seems to be hitting. The D-55's, D-50's and F-412's/512'shave a reputation right out of the box. Great high-end models a little less expensive than the two comparable American companies offer.
And the 12'ers are legendary.

guildman63 · Oct 10, 2016

Ralf,

Good links. To share one quote from the first link...

"Archtop acoustics will also be in the works: “Of course, that’s a major part of Guild’s history,” Thomas said. “That’s how Guild started out … with workers from the Epiphone factory. They were an archtop company before they ever made a flat top … it's a major focus for us … We built the factory with archtops in mind, electrics in mind; we want to do it all here.” Thomas noted that these models are still far off, so more details would have to wait."

That is consistent with what I was told directly by Cordoba. It will be a while, but I am anxiously awaiting the return USA electrics.

Guildadelphia · Oct 11, 2016

While Cordoba may not have experience building electrics (or archtops) there is nothing to stop them from diversifying and hiring people who have tons of experience building those types of guitars. That being said, any USA built electrics or archtops surely will be $$$$$

Synchro · Dec 16, 2016

JMO: I'd be surprised if they did any US made electrics with the possible exception of a prestige priced Artist Award.

Frankly, I'm not all that impressed with Córdoba. It think that they bought the lime for the cachet of Guild's flattop reputation and the NS line are a slam dunk; the heavy lifting having already been done by Fender.

JohnW63 · Dec 16, 2016

I would rather a well planed and marketed slow start, than a rush to market with poor QC that gives them a black eye. I'm not yet to the point where I think they are going TOO slow.

Synchro · Dec 16, 2016

JohnW63 said:
I would rather a well planed and marketed slow start, than a rush to market with poor QC that gives them a black eye. I'm not yet to the point where I think they are going TOO slow.

Agreed: if they're going to do it they need to do it right. IMHO, the Artist Award is one of the best, if not the best, sounding factory-built archtop. If they decide to continue the line, they need to make certain that they create a guitar worthy of the name.

FWIW, my NS A-150 Savoy has turned out to be a surprisingly good guitar, acoustically speaking. It's better sounding, to my ear, than the Gibson Johnny Smith I used to own. Good design? Good construction? I do t know, but my A-150 has won a place in my heart. Unfortunately, the OCD fixation Fender has with preserving vi take specs has now traipsed into an area I can only think of as pathological, so the pickup on the A-150 pays homage to the original pickup's characteristic of making the high E all but inaudible.

DrumBob · Dec 18, 2016

I think Cordoba may initiate a custom shop line of high end electrics at some point, and I hope to hell they don't stop making the Newark Series guitars that most of us can easily afford.

Mark WW · Dec 21, 2016

The NS line is right on the upper fringe of my self appointed budget. I own 2 and if the right color/config comes along I may be interested. I was all ready to pull the trigger on the new SF VI but did not receive an answer on the color. A quick little email response and I would have shelled out the monies but no answer...no guitar. Sorry for the micro rant.

fronobulax · Dec 22, 2016

Mark WW said:
The NS line is right on the upper fringe of my self appointed budget. I own 2 and if the right color/config comes along I may be interested. I was all ready to pull the trigger on the new SF VI but did not receive an answer on the color. A quick little email response and I would have shelled out the monies but no answer...no guitar. Sorry for the micro rant.

No problem with the rant. Cordoba still has some teething problems. FWIW people have reported that the phone seems to have a slightly better success rate for getting answers from Cordoba. But if they are not going to answer email then they should remove the email addresses from their site and literature, says one who almost never uses the phone if there is an alternative.

Future of Newark series

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