I played a Guild today...

[immelman]

...a GADJF 30 and I really liked it. Great sound, great action, great price. It would save me a lot of money toward a new classical guitar too. I really like the L model Larrivees, but this actually felt better to me all the way around. But you know how it is when you take it home and spend a lot of time with it... you maybe start to discover reasons why you shouldn't have bought it.   I'm not a professional (ha ha, far from it). If I were, I'd buy a guitar for every style.  Whatever I buy, I'd like it to be versitile enough to handle fingerstyle (ragtime, blues, slack key), bluegrass, and whatever else I get turned on to.  I have a really nice Taylor NS72bc --nylon string, Brazilian rosewood, limited edition -- that I need to sell. Great guitar, but limited to certain things. I figure if I replace it with a nice steel string and a quality classical guitar, I'm covered.

So, what are your thoughts on the Guild?

[tuffythepug]

There's nothing wrong with having both in my opinion.   I had my GAD JF-30 prior to getting my
OM-03R and L-10.   I still think the Guild is a great looking and  great sounding guitar for the money.  I admit that, since acquiring the Larrivees, I don't play it as often.  But I do play it when I want that big booming sound of a jumbo.  The flamed maple on the back/sides is some of the best I've seen on a guitar of any price.  Even after paying a luthier to convert mine from righty to lefty it was a bargain. I don't think you'd be dis-satisfied with it soon.   You may, however, want something a little smaller to go along with it at some point.   The Chinese made GAD Guilds sound pretty darned good to me.

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[prof_stack]

Guild is going to be moving their US factory from Tacoma, WA to (I think) Conneticut this Spring and hopefully will continue making great guitars there.  If you like the Chinese-made Guild, then go for it.  The GAD's I've played didn't tempt me to buy.  But a new Jumbo out of Tacoma sure did.

[ducktrapper]

They used to make some fine guitars. They're under new ownership now so the continuity and dependability of the Guild brand is questionable. Overall Larrivée's, I would say, are better guitars. However, if you've found a special guitar that you like, that really suits you, who cares who made it?   

[FNG]

They used to make some fine guitars. They're under new ownership now so the continuity and dependability of the Guild brand is questionable. Overall Larrivée's, I would say, are better guitars. However, if you've found a special guitar that you like, that really suits you, who cares who made it?   

Actually, FMIC has owned Guild since 1995.  The Tacoma Guilds are really great guitars, so heres to hoping the move to Conn works out.

With that said, I would certainly compare the similar priced Larrivees vs. the GADs.  They make good guitars in China, but I think I would rather throw my coin at Larrivees.

[ducktrapper]

Actually, FMIC has owned Guild since 1995.  The Tacoma Guilds are really great guitars, so heres to hoping the move to Conn works out.

With that said, I would certainly compare the similar priced Larrivees vs. the GADs.  They make good guitars in China, but I think I would rather throw my coin at Larrivees.

Fender's had the brand since 1995? Where have I been? Time passes quickly up here in the northwoods!     

[immelman]

Do you think the GAD JF30 is as versitile a guitar as a Larrivee L?

There in the shop, the action on the Guild was better than any of the Larrivees. Can that be corrected with a setup on the Larrivee? There are a couple used Larrivees in Nashville that I'm going to look at tomorrow. It would be good to know how much better I could expect them to play with proper setup.

[tuffythepug]

"Do you think the GAD JF30 is as versitile a guitar as a Larrivee L?

There in the shop, the action on the Guild was better than any of the Larrivees. Can that be corrected with a setup on the Larrivee? There are a couple used Larrivees in Nashville that I'm going to look at tomorrow. It would be good to know how much better I could expect them to play with proper setup."


Probaby not as versatile, no.   The action on a properly set-up Larrivee should be at least as good if not better than the Guild.  The action on my two Larrivees is better than the Guild although they were all professionally set up.   But.............Put a set of mediums on the Guild Jumbo and rattle the windows if you want to.  It can take some heavy strumming, picking, anything you want to throw at it from what I've seen.   It's just not always the most comfortable guitar to sit on the couch with and it doesn't have that "Larrivee sound" we all love.

A well set-up Larrivee should be one of the easiest playing guitars you'll ever play.

[immelman]

That's interesting. I guess I've never played a properly set up Larrivee, because I haven't played any that played as easily as the Guild or Taylor. Do Larrivees generally need to be set up after you buy them?

[mikey007]

That's interesting. I guess I've never played a properly set up Larrivee, because I haven't played any that played as easily as the Guild or Taylor. Do Larrivees generally need to be set up after you buy them?

Usually, in my experience, larrivee's are good straight out of the box.  How do you like your guitars set up? 

Mike

[immelman]

I guess I like a lower action than the Larrivee. The ones I've tried seem like the strings are stiffer... like they might be mediums, but they say Larrivees are set up for light gauge strings. The action on the Taylors and Guilds seem lighter.... they respond to a lighter touch. The Larrivees seem a little more like Martins to me.  i'm really trying to justify a Larrivee in my mind because I know how good they are and how great they sound.

[mikey007]

I guess I like a lower action than the Larrivee. The ones I've tried seem like the strings are stiffer... like they might be mediums, but they say Larrivees are set up for light gauge strings. The action on the Taylors and Guilds seem lighter.... they respond to a lighter touch. The Larrivees seem a little more like Martins to me.  i'm really trying to justify a Larrivee in my mind because I know how good they are and how great they sound.

Thats nothing that can't be changed with a good setup!   

Mike

[hognogger]

That's interesting. I guess I've never played a properly set up Larrivee, because I haven't played any that played as easily as the Guild or Taylor. Do Larrivees generally need to be set up after you buy them?

Larrivee has a pretty flat fretboard compared to most other acoustics I've played.  Some may find it tricky with barre chords.  I can easily imagine someone not liking the Larrivee fretboard, although I'm happy with mine.

[skinny]

I like Guilds very much.  I was in the market for a minijumbo/ auditorium size and I played a GAD-JF30.  I have VERY discerning ears and I know what sounds good. If you like volume and warmth, go with Guild. It sounded much better than the Martin or the new taylor GSMS guitars with similar back and sides. I ended up buying a Guild F47M with red spruce top and maple back and sides. If you want volume go with either Guild or Gibson guitars.  I still dont know what people see in taylors. They sound so incredibly thin. Too each their own I suppise.

I did alot of research the last 2 weeks on Tacoma made Guilds. If you search the message boards, you will find everybody in agreement that the Tacoma made Guilds (2005-2007) sound as good as the original Westerly, RI guitars.  It makes sense because Tacoma guitars were build so well from what I have heard. The common denominator is the factory equipment.  Frankly, I prefer American made guitars vs Chinese.  I just dont want my money going back to China. Anyways, Guilds are unappreciated.