Guild

Made to be Played, Since 1953

Life for Guild guitars began in New York when Alfred Dronge, an accomplished Banjo player and guitarist, opened a successful music store in the mid 1930’s. Alfred sold the store in 1948 and started another successful business importing and distributing accordions. In 1952 Alfred Dronge’s friend George Mann (Epiphone’s ex-vice president) suggested the two of them should start their own guitar manufacturing company. The first Guild workshop was located in Manhatten, New York and focused on building archtop jazz guitars due to the increasing demand for such instruments. With the advent of folk and blues music in the sixties Guild also turned its attention to developing their flat top range introducing models like the Guild D-40, a significant turning point in the companies history. In 1972 Alfred Dronge sadly died in an air crash but his vision still lives on. Today, Guild still continues to adapt and grow with the music scene carrying on the legacy left behind by Alfred Dronge.

ARTIST TIMELINE

• 1956 – Guild collaborates with Jazz guitarist Johnny Smith which results in the first Guild signature model.
• 1967 – Buddy Guy who starts using a Guild Starfire.
• 1969 – Richie Havens opens at the legendary Woodstock Festival playing a Guild D-40.
• 1970 – Little known fact: Jimi Hendrix purchases a left handed Guild F-212 12-string from Manny’s in New York.
• 1983 – Talking Heads frontman, David Byrne plays a Guild solidbody during the ground breaking “Stop Making Sense” concert.
• 1990 – Stevie Ray Vaughan plays a Guild JF65-12 on his legendary MTV Unplugged performance.
• 1993 – Guild collaborates with Slash and builds him a double neck electric/acoustic guitar called the Crossroads.
• 1994 – Infuential pioneers of the “Seattle Sound” Sound Garden guitarist Kim Thayil plays a Guild S-100 which he found when he was 19 years old.
• 1996 – Jerry Cantrell uses Guild acoustics for Alice In Chains’ legendary MTV Unplugged concert.
• 1998 – Goo Goo Dolls release “Iris”. Lead singer and guitarist Johnny Rzeznik plays several Guild guitars including an S7CE Peregrine.
• 2002 – Tom Petty plays a Guild 12-string during the Grammy Award winning “Concert For George”.
• 2011 – Black Keys guitarist, Dan Auberbach plays his 1964 Guild Thunderbird playing on the Late Show.
• 2012 – Guild introduces the Doyle Dykes signature model.

GUILD FACTORY TOUR: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC MADE NEW IN CALIFORNIA

The Line Up

• Guild USA – Led by legendary guitar builder Ren Ferguson, Guild USA acoustics are handbuilt at the Oxnard, California facility using original moulds and construction techniques. Features include solid tonewood tops, solid or arched laminate backs, LR Baggs pickup on electro models, deluxe humidified hard case, bone nut, and vintage style open-back tuners. Popular models include the Guild D-20, and Guild M-20.
• Guild Westerly Collection – Inspired by Guild’s ‘Golden Era’ of guitar building this acoustic series allows the player to experience Guilds prestige heritage without breaking the bank. Features include solid tonewood tops, solid or arched laminate backs, Guild’s AP-1 pickup on electro models, deluxe gigbag, bone nut, vintage style open-back tuners. Models include the ever popular all-mahogany Guild M-120, and impressive sounding Guild F-1512E.
• Guild Newark St. Collection – Celebrating the classic electric Guild guitars from the ’50s and ’60s, these Korean hand crafted replicas are a true representation of the originals. The range of solid and semi/archtop electrics include the Guild S-100 Polara, Guild Starfire, Guild T-Bird, and Guild T-50 Slim.

Our Guild guitar range:

Guitar Village are proud to be a UK dealer for Guild Guitars with a great range of electric solidbodies, archtops, and acoustics in stock.