Body shape

[JohnM2001]

Hey, this guitar's body shape looks familiar, where have i seen this before?? 

[strawintogold]

I don't understand why they would use a top with run out on a guitar that expensive. Then again, I don't understand why Larrivee used one on my Bubinga. I mean, if you are only making fifty...  None of my other gits have this issue although my S.O. has run out on the back. For under a grand it doesn't bother me, ok, yes ot does, but not enough to be a deal breaker. But this is supposed to be Guilds brand new magic neck and whatnot, why skimp on the top?

Or is it really not an issue and I'm just picky?

holly

[RoundLakeDT]

I don't understand why they would use a top with run out on a guitar that expensive.

My ignorance on what grain runout is... does this refer to the shading difference between the two halves of the top?

Dave

[strawintogold]

Yes. If you do a search on the forum for Grain Runout are better explanations than I can offer. It's not a huge deal but i do consider it a bit of an eyesore.

holly

[GA-ME]

It only matters to someone who is interested more in aesthetics than in acoustics. Flash photographs can make the difference much more noticible in a picture than it is in person as well. Quite frankly, most people are way more concerned with how their guitar looks than how well they are learning to play the instruent.

[ncognito]

I've been very impressed with the few Guild Contemorary Series that I've tried; they sound very nice, they are quite functional and reliable.  This series is prettier than their series and past lines ( except for that bulky, pointy bridge), but let's face it most makes aren't anywhere near as stunning as most Larrivees.  The Guild GAD line does nothing for me; the older Guilds are great.  There is some skepticism and hesitation with Guild now that it's been swallowed by Fender, the Giant, and moved it's production to the Ovation facility in CT. 

        DAVE

[ncognito]

I apologize if my last post is a bit off track.  Does anyone know if Larrivee deserves credit for the shape, or was it (C Model) introduced earlier by a different builder?

     DAVE

[strawintogold]

It only matters to someone who is interested more in aesthetics than in acoustics. Flash photographs can make the difference much more noticible in a picture than it is in person as well. Quite frankly, most people are way more concerned with how their guitar looks than how well they are learning to play the instruent.

I know this may seem shocking, but some people care about both. I know, amazing, you can care about looks AND want to play. Who woulda thunk it?

But then again, I don't know 'most people' so I won't speak for them. Just for myself and yeah it matters. So what? I have the capacity to care about both aspects.  I've been fortunate and determined enough to have guitars that please both eye and ear and yet, my desire to play and improve my playing hasn't decreased.  It's astounding, I know.

holly

[Danny]

I apologize if my last post is a bit off track.  Does anyone know if Larrivee deserves credit for the shape, or was it (C Model) introduced earlier by a different builder?

     DAVE

It had been introduced much earlier. Just wasn't well known.

[KenHolden]

looks more like an OM body than the L or C shape to me. just with the Florentine cutaway.   maybe its just me.

[Danny]

looks more like an OM body than the L or C shape to me. just with the Florentine cutaway.   maybe its just me.

I think the reference to C is due to the C having the florentine cutaway.

[JohnM2001]

I don't understand why they would use a top with run out on a guitar that expensive...

IMO, Guild guitars have more examples with runout than most other quality brands.  I've owned a couple,
and seen plenty of others.  It does not affect the sound, but I'd prefer a guitar without it.  Rarely
if ever seen on a Larrivee.

[dragon1952]

I just do not care for the looks of the Florentine cutaway. It looks like someone took a bite out of the guitar. Here...want some coffee with that guitar?   

[Zohn]

That Guild's shape looks like a good old Grand Auditorium made famous by Taylor to me - except for the Florentine cut-away of course  

[limnephilidae]

Wow, lots of wild guesses about the body type here. It is a F30 body type from Guild's line though it matches a 000 pretty closely. If you had to compare to a Larrivee then I would it would definitely be similar to an OM (my Larrivee OM case fit my CO-1)

The model in the ebay link was marked as "CV-1C"

The "C" is for Contemporary and the "V" is for Venetian cutaway. The Guild Contemporary series was probably unfairly colored by Fender's desire to push Guild downmarket. The Contemporary series was an attempt to make some forward progress in guitar design for the company and sported a terrific (IMHO) graphite neck block that was light and promoted great sustain. I have a Guild CO-1 (Cedar Mahogany with Madagascar Rosewood fretboard and saddle) and I think it's supremely playable and warm; the finish is great. This thing LOVES the blues and it has put a smile on every single person who's picked it up. I have had NONE of the neck problems or any of the quality problems that the crabby Guild Forum members gripe about incessantly. I may be proven wrong in time if the thing implodes but until then I have a guitar with terrific tone and everyone else has their ignorance.

Actually I have a Guild GAD-50E and while these guitars are not in the same class as the Contemporary Series, mine (one of the earlier ones in the line) can bury most of the DV series. It still has too much finish on it to let its true character shine, but it sounds great regardless. Also, I'm really glad that some people on the forum have warmed up to the D-50, some of the gits I've played in this line had terrific trebles and presence.

It really pisses me off to see the Guild Contemporary Series right off the list of current models since every one I've ever tried sounds as good or better than their Traditional Series F bodies. I think most people buy guitars with their egos rather than their ears and entire lines of excellent production guitars get completely overlooked. I'm not sure if I should be frustrated by Fender's narrow-mindedness or the vast ignorance of the guitar-buying market. Present forum excluded from my rant. 

[Mr_LV19E]

It really pisses me off to see the Guild Contemporary Series right off the list of current models since every one I've ever tried sounds as good or better than their Traditional Series F bodies. I think most people buy guitars with their egos rather than their ears and entire lines of excellent production guitars get completely overlooked. I'm not sure if I should be frustrated by Fender's narrow-mindedness or the vast ignorance of the guitar-buying market. Present forum excluded from my rant. 

I always wanted a CO-1, haven't ever seen one in a store though. Maybe yours will be worth more down the line when people want them because they are a discontinued model that had a limited run (in comparative terms).

[ncognito]

The few Guild contemporary series I've heard and tried were exceptional.  I'm I hearing correctly that Fender is discontinuing this line?  If so, what a big mistake that is IMHO. 

        DAVE

[strawintogold]

I wonder if they are discontinuing the series because of the graphite neck issues and plan and re introducing it when those are addressed? While some owners have had no problems, more than a few have and I know a couple dealers who returned what they had and basically said you need to fix this before we order another.

Um, I guess that makes me a crabby Forum Member who gripes incessantly. Although this is the second time I've mentioned it and I've seen it discussed once before, so maybe I'm missing prior incessant grumpiness. I like Guild, doesn't mean I don't find fault with them. I like Larrivee, but it's not a sacred cow. I think it's great that you've had no issue with yours, but ignorant? Really?

It was my desire to own one that led to doing the research and relating with reputable owners and dealers whose opinion I trust. FCOL. my dealer IS a Guild guy and he said to hold off. I don't think he suggested that because he's a big grumpy meany who hates graphite. I would have loved one but decided to wait and see. Four out of seven were not odds I wanted to run with. Maybe it was a batch, who knows? I think all new tech hits a rocky patch and with guitars, the only way you can find out if there's a problem is when they've been played awhile.

I do think it will be making a comeback once they iron out whatever issues they were/are having. I'd love to own one when they do. It's the only shiny guitar I've seen, besides Classicals, that I really like. it doesn't look like it's been dipped in plastic.

holly

[BenF]

it doesn't look like it's been dipped in plastic.

Class

[limnephilidae]

I wonder if they are discontinuing the series because of the graphite neck issues and plan and re introducing it when those are addressed? While some owners have had no problems, more than a few have and I know a couple dealers who returned what they had and basically said you need to fix this before we order another.

Um, I guess that makes me a crabby Forum Member who gripes incessantly. Although this is the second time I've mentioned it and I've seen it discussed once before, so maybe I'm missing prior incessant grumpiness. I like Guild, doesn't mean I don't find fault with them. I like Larrivee, but it's not a sacred cow. I think it's great that you've had no issue with yours, but ignorant? Really?

It was my desire to own one that led to doing the research and relating with reputable owners and dealers whose opinion I trust. FCOL. my dealer IS a Guild guy and he said to hold off. I don't think he suggested that because he's a big grumpy meany who hates graphite. I would have loved one but decided to wait and see. Four out of seven were not odds I wanted to run with. Maybe it was a batch, who knows? I think all new tech hits a rocky patch and with guitars, the only way you can find out if there's a problem is when they've been played awhile.

I do think it will be making a comeback once they iron out whatever issues they were/are having. I'd love to own one when they do. It's the only shiny guitar I've seen, besides Classicals, that I really like. it doesn't look like it's been dipped in plastic.

holly

Holly,

As to the crabby forum members, I was referring to the general vibe on the Guild Forum. They complain about the GAD series, Fender, how Guild's will never be like the one they have in their parlor rooms. All of this may be correct but as a new and HAPPY (gasp) CO-1 owner, I thought I'd join and my expectations were set very high from the Larrivee Forum. My hopes were dashed quickly as it felt that post after post was riddled with disgruntled postal workers who just got laid off. Maybe they have every right to be pissed off, but for a community that kind of vibe is arsenic. I never went back after two visits. I find the Larrivee and UMGF forums to be vastly superior because of their communities, and the AGF is still very useful because of their critical mass.

As to the neck issues, I don't doubt that an entirely new design has some problems. I work as a Software Architect for a living and I know the first version ALWAYS has problems (though mostly the problems due to the simple fact that software is designed by fallible people for fallible people who expect that other fallible people can read their minds). I'm also not very shy of statistics and public perception, and I know that even a 5% failure rate is enough to create the impression of a 50% failure rate and lead people to conclude that there was a fundamental design flaw. It's possible that the design was good and that the manufacturing process failed to catch up to the requirements of the new design (there's those fallible people again). The truth is, we don't know what went wrong with that series, it may have been entirely a marketing and sales decision.

And yes, I find a lot of public perception with regards to product "failure" to be colored by single and isolated events, thus ignorant. Most people have little respect for the process of engineering and manufacturing anything on a larger scale. Maybe we all believe deep down that most of the guitars on the market should not be manufactured like cell phones, but they are. If I had your dealer friend's experience then I would no doubt think twice about ordering again, and if I were you I would think twice about buying until you KNEW there wasn't an outstanding design issue. I do not consider you ignorant for this at all (and I'm truly sorry if you felt that way). I get a little miffed that an entire group of people (who deserve a great guitar) will walk by some great engineering (in any field) because of their preconceived notions. In this sense, I am not using ignorant as a pejorative but rather as a descriptive to convey that people (including myself) will walk up to a Martin with a sense of joy and a totally ignore a custom build with no label. I think what upsets me is the indignity of having great work go completely unacknowledged by the market.

Finally, yes, the GAD-50E I have looks like it was dipped in plastic. If I ever needed to stop a bullet then I would reach for this guitar. I feel like I'm tapping on aquarium glass waiting for the sound to swim by. Thankfully what does manage to make it through the armor plating sounds pretty good.