Guild Guitar Company
Encyclopedia
The Guild Guitar Company is a USA-based guitar
manufacturer founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a guitarist and music-store owner, and George Mann, a former executive with the Epiphone
Guitar Company. The brand name survives as a brand of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
, New York
, where Dronge (who soon took over full ownership) focused on archtop jazz guitars, both electric and acoustic. Rapid expansion forced the company to move to much larger quarters, on Newark St. in Hoboken, New Jersey
, in what is now known as the R. Neumann Leathers building. The advent of the folk music craze in the early '60s had shifted the company into production of an important line of acoustic folk and blues guitars, including a dreadnought series (D-40, D-50 and, later, D-55) that competed successfully with Martin's
D-18 and D-28 models, and jumbo and Grand Concert "F" models that were particularly popular with blues guitarists like Mississippi John Hurt
and Dave Van Ronk
. Notable also was the Guild 12-string guitar, which used a Jumbo "F" body and dual truss rods in the neck to produce a workhorse instrument with a deep, rich tone distinctive from the chimier twelve-strings put out by Martin.
The company continued to expand, and was sold to the Avnet Corporation, which moved production to Westerly, Rhode Island, in 1966.
As the folk scene quieted, a new generation of folk-rockers took Guild guitars on stage; the most notable Guild performance of that era was the D-40 upon which Richie Havens opened the Woodstock
Festival in 1969.
During the 1960s, Guild also moved aggressively into the electric guitar market, successfully promoting the "Starfire" line of semi-acoustic (Starfire I, II & III) and semi-solid (Starfire IV, V & VI) guitars and basses. A number of early West-Coast psychedelic bands used these instruments, notably the Grateful Dead's
guitarist Jerry Garcia
and Jefferson Airplane's
bassist Jack Casady
. The rare S-200 Thunderbird solid body electric was used by Muddy Waters
and The Lovin' Spoonful
's Zal Yanovsky
.
The decline of the folk and acoustic market in the later '70s and early '80s put severe economic pressure on the company, and while instrument specialists generally concede that quality suffered at other American competitors, Guild models from the '70s and '80s are still considered to be made to the high-quality standards that the Westerly plant was known for.
In the 1980s, Guild introduced a series of superstrat-style solid bodies including models such as the Flyer, Aviator, Liberator and Detonator, the Tele-style T-200 and T-250 (endorsed by Roy Buchanan
) and the Pilot Bass, available in fretted, fretless, and 4- and 5-string versions. These guitars were the first Guild instruments to bear slim pointed headstocks, sometimes called "pointy droopy", "duck foot" and "cake knife" for their distinctive shape.
. In order to ease the Corona facility (which had only made electric guitars up to this point) into making archtop and acoustic guitars, the Westerly factory artisans and workers prepared guitar 'kits' that were shipped to Corona. These kits were near-complete production guitars that only needed to be finished and sent through to final assembly before being sent to retailers.
Production in Corona turned out to be short-lived, however, as Fender acquired the assets of Washington-based Tacoma Guitar Company
in 2004 and all American Guild acoustic production was again moved to Tacoma, Washington
, while production of US-made Guild electric guitars was completely discontinued.
, and hand production of all USA-made Guilds resumed in a manner that is consistent with other high-end, boutique guitar builders. The New Hartford Guild facility began production in early 2009, with the D-55 and F-50 models being produced first. Production has since been ramped up to include most of the popular Traditional Series acoustic guitar models.
Acoustic-Electric versions of these models are also available.
All USA-built Guild Guitars are available in right-handed configurations only.
2011 Traditional models' improvements include a new DTAR pickup system, which now allows blending between an internal microphone element and an under-saddle transducer. Previous DTAR configurations only included an under-saddle transducer. Also, hard shell case material has been upgraded to a high-end, faux alligator skin material.
In late 2010, Guild released its Standard Series acoustic guitars, which are USA-built guitars (still manufactured in the New Hartford, Connecticut facility) that are based on models from their top-end Traditional Series. While these guitars still contain high-end features, they have slight differences in ornamentation and instrument finish options that make these guitars more affordable.
Standard Series models include the F-30, F-30R, F-50, D-40, D-50, and the return of the F-212XL 12-string model.
All Standard Series models feature red spruce bracing, satin mahogany necks, and bone saddles, nuts, and bridge pins, but have lower-grade wood and ornamentation than their Traditional Series counterparts.
In 2011, cutaway acoustic-electric versions of all Standard Series models were released. These guitars feature venetian cutaways
and a DTAR 18V under-saddle pickup system. These models can be identified by the 'CE' suffix at the end of the guitar's model number. All Guild guitars come with hard shell cases.
The New Hartford facility has also created a new line of specialty, limited edition guitars, referred to as the GSR Series. The GSR designation stands for "Guild Special Run." This series was first revealed to Guild dealers at Guild's dealer-only factory tour in mid-2009. These models feature unique takes on classic Guild Traditional Series models.
GSR models include the F-40 (figured Cocobolo), F-30R (master-grade Rosewood), F-50 (figured Koa), and D-50 (figured Cocobolo). Each of these instruments feature unique designs, wood selection, ornamentation, and have extremely limited production numbers.
In the mid '80s, Guild formed import brands for its acoustic and electric guitars that were made outside the United States.
Madeira Acoustic Guitars were import guitars that were based on existing Guild designs, but manufactured in Asia. They are characterized by their substantially unique pickguard shape and differing headstock.
Similarly to Madeira, Burnside Electric Guitars were Guild electric guitar designs (typically of super-Strat delineation) that were manufactured outside the United States. The headstocks on these guitars read "Burnside by Guild." Both brands were discontinued in the early '90s.
After Guild was purchased by Fender in the mid '90s, reissues of some Guild electric guitars were manufactured in Korea
under the DeArmond brand name, which Fender also owned the rights to. Import reissue models included the Starfire, Bluesbird and Pilot Bass Series. On the headstock, these instruments display the DeArmond logo (above the Guild Chesterfield inlay), while the truss rod cover may be stenciled with the word 'Guild' and the DeArmond reissue model number. The DeArmond brand was discontinued in the early 2000s.
Also in the early 2000s, FMIC created a new line of Guild acoustic guitars called the GAD-series, which stands for "Guild Acoustic Design." As with the other import lines, these guitars are based on past and present Guild acoustic guitar designs, but are built in China. All of these models are designated with a 'GAD' as a model prefix. These guitars feature poly finishes (as opposed to traditional nitrocellulose lacquer on USA models) and nondescript wood grading. Interestingly, FMIC did not choose to create this line under a different brand name, but left it as a new series of guitars from Guild. This choice has caused confusion, as it marks the first time that an import has actually donned the Guild brand name, which had previously only been used to describe USA-made guitars. Because of this, it is no longer immediately clear if a Guild-branded guitar is a US-made model or an import, although the GAD models usually have unique ornamentation.
The current product portfolio of GAD-series guitars is larger than Guild's US-built Traditional Series.
The 2011 GAD models have been updated with new features, looks, and model numbers.
These new GAD-series Guild guitars can now also be identified with a number 1 as the first number in the model number.
For example, a US-built F-50R's GAD-level copy would be called an F-150R. Similarly, a US-built F-512 would be an F-1512 as a GAD copy.
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
manufacturer founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a guitarist and music-store owner, and George Mann, a former executive with the Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
Guitar Company. The brand name survives as a brand of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
Pre-Fender Era
The first Guild workshop was located in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where Dronge (who soon took over full ownership) focused on archtop jazz guitars, both electric and acoustic. Rapid expansion forced the company to move to much larger quarters, on Newark St. in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, in what is now known as the R. Neumann Leathers building. The advent of the folk music craze in the early '60s had shifted the company into production of an important line of acoustic folk and blues guitars, including a dreadnought series (D-40, D-50 and, later, D-55) that competed successfully with Martin's
C. F. Martin & Company
C.F. Martin & Company is a US guitar manufacturer established in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin. Martin is highly regarded for its steel-string guitars, and is a leading mass manufacturer of flattop acoustics with models that retail for thousands of dollars and vintage instruments that often...
D-18 and D-28 models, and jumbo and Grand Concert "F" models that were particularly popular with blues guitarists like Mississippi John Hurt
Mississippi John Hurt
John Smith Hurt, better known as Mississippi John Hurt was an American country blues singer and guitarist.Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself how to play the guitar around age nine...
and Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk was an American folk singer, born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York, and was eventually nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street" ....
. Notable also was the Guild 12-string guitar, which used a Jumbo "F" body and dual truss rods in the neck to produce a workhorse instrument with a deep, rich tone distinctive from the chimier twelve-strings put out by Martin.
The company continued to expand, and was sold to the Avnet Corporation, which moved production to Westerly, Rhode Island, in 1966.
As the folk scene quieted, a new generation of folk-rockers took Guild guitars on stage; the most notable Guild performance of that era was the D-40 upon which Richie Havens opened the Woodstock
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
Festival in 1969.
During the 1960s, Guild also moved aggressively into the electric guitar market, successfully promoting the "Starfire" line of semi-acoustic (Starfire I, II & III) and semi-solid (Starfire IV, V & VI) guitars and basses. A number of early West-Coast psychedelic bands used these instruments, notably the Grateful Dead's
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
guitarist Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
and Jefferson Airplane's
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
bassist Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
. The rare S-200 Thunderbird solid body electric was used by Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
and The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
's Zal Yanovsky
Zal Yanovsky
Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky was a Canadian rock musician. Born in Toronto, he was the son of political cartoonist Avrom Yanovsky. He played lead guitar and sang for the Lovin' Spoonful, a rock band which he founded with John Sebastian in 1964...
.
The decline of the folk and acoustic market in the later '70s and early '80s put severe economic pressure on the company, and while instrument specialists generally concede that quality suffered at other American competitors, Guild models from the '70s and '80s are still considered to be made to the high-quality standards that the Westerly plant was known for.
In the 1980s, Guild introduced a series of superstrat-style solid bodies including models such as the Flyer, Aviator, Liberator and Detonator, the Tele-style T-200 and T-250 (endorsed by Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
) and the Pilot Bass, available in fretted, fretless, and 4- and 5-string versions. These guitars were the first Guild instruments to bear slim pointed headstocks, sometimes called "pointy droopy", "duck foot" and "cake knife" for their distinctive shape.
Fender Era
After several changes in management and ownership, Guild was eventually purchased by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in 1995. In late 2001, it was decided that Fender would move all Guild production to its factory in Corona, CaliforniaCorona, California
Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 152,374, up from 124,966 at the 2000 census...
. In order to ease the Corona facility (which had only made electric guitars up to this point) into making archtop and acoustic guitars, the Westerly factory artisans and workers prepared guitar 'kits' that were shipped to Corona. These kits were near-complete production guitars that only needed to be finished and sent through to final assembly before being sent to retailers.
Production in Corona turned out to be short-lived, however, as Fender acquired the assets of Washington-based Tacoma Guitar Company
Tacoma Guitars
Tacoma Guitars is a line of musical instruments from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Tacoma brand guitars were originally manufactured in Tacoma, Washington.-History:...
in 2004 and all American Guild acoustic production was again moved to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, while production of US-made Guild electric guitars was completely discontinued.
Current Production
In 2008, Guild was once again uprooted from Tacoma upon Fender's acquisition of Kaman Music Corporation and its small production facility in New Hartford, ConnecticutNew Hartford, Connecticut
New Hartford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,088 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . The town is mainly a rural community consisting of farms, homes, and parks...
, and hand production of all USA-made Guilds resumed in a manner that is consistent with other high-end, boutique guitar builders. The New Hartford Guild facility began production in early 2009, with the D-55 and F-50 models being produced first. Production has since been ramped up to include most of the popular Traditional Series acoustic guitar models.
Acoustic-Electric versions of these models are also available.
All USA-built Guild Guitars are available in right-handed configurations only.
2011 Traditional models' improvements include a new DTAR pickup system, which now allows blending between an internal microphone element and an under-saddle transducer. Previous DTAR configurations only included an under-saddle transducer. Also, hard shell case material has been upgraded to a high-end, faux alligator skin material.
In late 2010, Guild released its Standard Series acoustic guitars, which are USA-built guitars (still manufactured in the New Hartford, Connecticut facility) that are based on models from their top-end Traditional Series. While these guitars still contain high-end features, they have slight differences in ornamentation and instrument finish options that make these guitars more affordable.
Standard Series models include the F-30, F-30R, F-50, D-40, D-50, and the return of the F-212XL 12-string model.
All Standard Series models feature red spruce bracing, satin mahogany necks, and bone saddles, nuts, and bridge pins, but have lower-grade wood and ornamentation than their Traditional Series counterparts.
In 2011, cutaway acoustic-electric versions of all Standard Series models were released. These guitars feature venetian cutaways
Cutaway (guitar)
In guitar construction, a cutaway is an indentation in the body of the instrument adjacent to the neck of the instrument, designed to allow easier access to the upper frets....
and a DTAR 18V under-saddle pickup system. These models can be identified by the 'CE' suffix at the end of the guitar's model number. All Guild guitars come with hard shell cases.
The New Hartford facility has also created a new line of specialty, limited edition guitars, referred to as the GSR Series. The GSR designation stands for "Guild Special Run." This series was first revealed to Guild dealers at Guild's dealer-only factory tour in mid-2009. These models feature unique takes on classic Guild Traditional Series models.
GSR models include the F-40 (figured Cocobolo), F-30R (master-grade Rosewood), F-50 (figured Koa), and D-50 (figured Cocobolo). Each of these instruments feature unique designs, wood selection, ornamentation, and have extremely limited production numbers.
Guild Import Brands
Guild has had 4 primary import guitars lines, which are defined as those which are not made in the USA.In the mid '80s, Guild formed import brands for its acoustic and electric guitars that were made outside the United States.
Madeira Acoustic Guitars were import guitars that were based on existing Guild designs, but manufactured in Asia. They are characterized by their substantially unique pickguard shape and differing headstock.
Similarly to Madeira, Burnside Electric Guitars were Guild electric guitar designs (typically of super-Strat delineation) that were manufactured outside the United States. The headstocks on these guitars read "Burnside by Guild." Both brands were discontinued in the early '90s.
After Guild was purchased by Fender in the mid '90s, reissues of some Guild electric guitars were manufactured in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
under the DeArmond brand name, which Fender also owned the rights to. Import reissue models included the Starfire, Bluesbird and Pilot Bass Series. On the headstock, these instruments display the DeArmond logo (above the Guild Chesterfield inlay), while the truss rod cover may be stenciled with the word 'Guild' and the DeArmond reissue model number. The DeArmond brand was discontinued in the early 2000s.
Also in the early 2000s, FMIC created a new line of Guild acoustic guitars called the GAD-series, which stands for "Guild Acoustic Design." As with the other import lines, these guitars are based on past and present Guild acoustic guitar designs, but are built in China. All of these models are designated with a 'GAD' as a model prefix. These guitars feature poly finishes (as opposed to traditional nitrocellulose lacquer on USA models) and nondescript wood grading. Interestingly, FMIC did not choose to create this line under a different brand name, but left it as a new series of guitars from Guild. This choice has caused confusion, as it marks the first time that an import has actually donned the Guild brand name, which had previously only been used to describe USA-made guitars. Because of this, it is no longer immediately clear if a Guild-branded guitar is a US-made model or an import, although the GAD models usually have unique ornamentation.
The current product portfolio of GAD-series guitars is larger than Guild's US-built Traditional Series.
The 2011 GAD models have been updated with new features, looks, and model numbers.
These new GAD-series Guild guitars can now also be identified with a number 1 as the first number in the model number.
For example, a US-built F-50R's GAD-level copy would be called an F-150R. Similarly, a US-built F-512 would be an F-1512 as a GAD copy.
Users of Guild guitars
- Bryan AdamsBryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
- F-50R - Ryan AdamsRyan AdamsDavid Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
- D-25M - Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
- D-55 - Joan BaezJoan BaezJoan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
- F30R - Richard BaroneRichard BaroneRichard Barone is a rock musician born in Tampa, Florida who gained attention as frontman for The Bongos. He works as a songwriter, arranger, author, director, and producer, releases albums as a solo artist, tours, and has created major concert events at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl and New York's...
- X-500 (Cool Blue Halo album) - Brendan BensonBrendan BensonBrendan Benson is an American musician and songwriter. He sings and plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs....
- 1959 Aristocrat - George BensonGeorge BensonGeorge Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
- - A.A. Bondy
- Paul BoninPaul BoninPaul Bonin is a singer and musician and a songwriter/composer. His body of published recorded work spans from 1980 to the present day.Bonin was born in Hammersmith, London and grew up in north London...
- F65CE - Matt Donovan - D40,D4, Starfire II
- Creed BrattonCreed BrattonCreed Bratton is an American actor and musician, a former member of The Grass Roots...
- Bluesbird - Roy BuchananRoy BuchananRoy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
- T-200 and T-250 - Tim BuckleyTim BuckleyTimothy Charles Buckley III was an American vocalist, and musician. His music and style changed considerably through the years; his first album was mostly folk oriented, but over time his music incorporated jazz, psychedelia, funk, soul, avant-garde and an evolving "voice as instrument," sound...
- Stephen CarpenterStephen CarpenterStephen Carpenter is an American musician known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the alternative metal band Deftones. His guitar technique makes use of both ringing open strings and dissonant chord voicings, as well as stock power chords in polyrhythms...
- Jack CasadyJack CasadyJack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
- Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
- D-60SB - Jerry CantrellJerry CantrellJerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
- JF55 - MTV Unplugged - Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
F-30, GF-60, S4CE/Songbird - Sheryl CrowSheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
- M-85 bass, B-301 bass - Rick DankoRick DankoRichard Clare "Rick" Danko was a Canadian musician and singer, best known as a member of The Band.-Early years :...
- F-50 - Dave DaviesDave DaviesDavid Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
- Starfire III - Nick DrakeNick DrakeNicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
- M20 - John DenverJohn DenverHenry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
- F-50R - David James ElliottDavid James ElliottDavid James Elliott is a Canadian-born actor who was the star of the series JAG, playing lead character Harmon Rabb Jr. from 1995 to 2005. In the Fall of 2010, Elliott was cast on CSI: NY.-Biography:...
as Cmdr. Harmon Rabb Jr. - D-50CE (special edition sunburst) - Duke EriksonDuke EriksonDouglas Elwin Erickson , better known as Duke Erikson, is a founding member of the band Garbage. At 16 years old he formed his first band, The British. Erickson studied art history, and financed his studies with numerous jobs such as carpenter or truck driver...
- Starfire III - Leslie FeistLeslie FeistLeslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene....
- 1965 Starfire IV - The Felice BrothersThe Felice BrothersThe Felice Brothers are a folk rock/country rock band from Upstate New York founded in 2006.-History:The Felice Brothers got their start as a band playing in the New York City subway,. The sons of a carpenter, they would play together on Sundays at their father's afternoon barbecues...
- Tom FogertyTom FogertyThomas Richard "Tom" Fogerty was an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist in Creedence Clearwater Revival and the elder brother of John Fogerty, lead singer and lead guitarist in that band....
- Starfire - Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
- Starfire II - Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
- Songbird BG (stands for Barry Gibb) - David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
- F-512 12-stringH - Colin GreenwoodColin GreenwoodColin Charles Greenwood , is an English musician and composer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Radiohead. Apart from bass, Colin plays keyboards, synthesizers and works on sampling on the electronic side of Radiohead...
- Buddy GuyBuddy GuyGeorge "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
- Starfire IV - Richie HavensRichie HavensRichard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
- Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
- JF-65 - Hank HillHank HillHenry Rutherford "Hank" Hill Age 50 animated series King of the Hill. Hank lives in Arlen, Texas and works at the fictional Strickland Propane selling propane and propane accessories. Hank's voice is provided by series creator Mike Judge. The Economist named Hank Hill as one of the wisest people...
- 1963 Solid Top - Chris HillmanChris HillmanChristopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
- Starfire Bass - Roger HodgsonRoger HodgsonCharles Roger Pomfret Hodgson is a British musician and songwriter, best known as the former co-frontman, and founding member, of progressive rock band Supertramp....
- F-412 and F-512 - Lightnin' HopkinsLightnin' HopkinsSam John Hopkins better known as Lightnin’ Hopkins, was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist, from Houston, Texas...
- Starfire IV - Mississippi John HurtMississippi John HurtJohn Smith Hurt, better known as Mississippi John Hurt was an American country blues singer and guitarist.Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself how to play the guitar around age nine...
- F-30 - Michael JohnstonMichael JohnstonMichael Johnston may refer to:* Michael Johnston , Colorado State Senator* Michael Johnston , Welsh footballer who used to play for Tranmere Rovers* Mike Johnston baseball player...
Guild CE-100D - Barney KesselBarney KesselBarney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
- Mike KinsellaMike KinsellaMike Kinsella is one of three musicians in his family involved in many Illinois-based bands . He was first recognized in the music scene in Cap'n Jazz formed by his brother Tim in 1989 while at the age of 12...
- Modified Guild S-100Guild s-100The Guild S-100 electric guitar was a lightweight solid-body guitar made by the Guild Guitar Company. It features two humbucking pickups and its body is styled similarly to a Gibson SG, but is slightly offset... - Tim KinsellaTim KinsellaTim Kinsella is a musician from Chicago, Illinois. He has been a part of many bands including Cap'n Jazz, The Sky Corvair, Joan of Arc, Owls, Friend/Enemy, Everyoned, and Make Believe...
- - Phil LeshPhil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
- Gary LightbodyGary LightbodyGary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
- Scott MatthewsScott MatthewsScott Matthews , is a singer/songwriter from Wolverhampton, England.His first album Passing Stranger was released on 13 March 2006 on San Remo Records before being re-released on Island Records later in the year. Janice Long was the first of the BBC DJs to play his music...
- Bruno MarsBruno MarsPeter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
- Kristian Matsson
- Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
- Brian May (Signature) Electric - John MayerJohn MayerJohn Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
Where The Light Is- Trio Set - Barry McGuireBarry McGuireBarry McGuire is an American singer-songwriter best known for the hit song "Eve of Destruction", and later as a pioneering singer and songwriter of Contemporary Christian Music.-Early life:...
- F-212 12-string - Ellen McIlwaineEllen McIlwaineEllen McIlwaine is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a slide guitarist.-Biography:...
- S-250, S-500-D - Pat MethenyPat MethenyPatrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
- D40-C, F-50 - Matt "Guitar" Murphy
- Keith MurrayKeith MurrayKeith Murray may refer to:* Keith Murray , rapper* Keith Murray , lead vocalist for We Are Scientists* Keith Murray, Baron Murray of Newhaven , British academic...
- Michael NesmithMichael NesmithRobert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
- JF-30 - Pelle OsslerPelle OsslerPelle Ossler is a Swedish rock musician and singer, most known for his collaboration with Joakim Thåström, both on Thåström's solo releases and their industrial project Sällskapet.- Recording career :...
- Starfire - Bonnie RaittBonnie RaittBonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
- F-50R - Steven PageSteven PageSteven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
- Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
D25-12 - Randy RhoadsRandy RhoadsRandall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
- Josh RitterJosh RitterJosh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
- Duke RobillardDuke RobillardMichael John "Duke" Robillard is an American blues musician.After playing in various bands and working for the Guild Guitar Company, he co-founded the band Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley in 1967. He has also been a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds which included Kim Wilson, replacing...
- Daniel RossenDaniel RossenDaniel Rossen is a singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. He is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles.-Biography:...
- T-50 - John Rzeznik - D-55, F65CE, F47M Valencia, S7CE Custom, S4CE, and more.
- Brian SetzerBrian SetzerBrian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
- Bluesbird - Chris SeefriedChris SeefriedChris Seefried is an American record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of bands Gods Child, Joe 90, Low Stars and producer co-writer for the neo soul band Fitz and the Tantrums....
- Guild Starfire, Guild D 212 - Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
- F-30 and F-212 12-string - SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
- Johnny SmithJohnny SmithJohnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
- Tommy Smothers - D-55 (TV model)
- Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
- D-40SB - Bob StanderBob StanderBob Stander is a New York City-area producer/engineer/musician. His resume includes producer, engineer, songwriter, arranger, guitarist, and bass player credits on over 350 recordings....
- D-50 and D-50 12-string - Stephen StillsStephen StillsStephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
- X-500 - George StraitGeorge StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
- Custom Shop D-100 - Kim ThayilKim ThayilKim Thayil is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based grunge band Soundgarden, which he cofounded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984...
- Guild S-100Guild s-100The Guild S-100 electric guitar was a lightweight solid-body guitar made by the Guild Guitar Company. It features two humbucking pickups and its body is styled similarly to a Gibson SG, but is slightly offset... - Peter TorkPeter TorkPeter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
- Jetstar Bass - Ralph TownerRalph TownerRalph Towner is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion and trumpet.-Biography:...
F-312 12-string (custom) - Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
- F-512 NT 12-string - Dave Van RonkDave Van RonkDave Van Ronk was an American folk singer, born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York, and was eventually nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street" ....
- F-50R - Steve Van Zandt - X-79 (zebra pattern)
- Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray VaughanStephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
- S-300 - Tom WaitsTom WaitsThomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
- Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
- S-200 Thunderbird - Gillian WelchGillian WelchGillian Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, Bluegrass, and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely...
- D-25M - Bert WeedonBert WeedonHerbert Maurice William 'Bert' Weedon OBE is an English guitarist and composer whose style of guitar playing was popular and influential during the 1950s and 1960s. He was born in Burges Road, East Ham, Essex, now Greater London....
- Starfire (signature model - early sixties) - Aidan KnightAidan KnightAidan Knight is a Victoria-based songwriter and namesake for Canadian experimental folk band, Aidan Knight. Knight has also performed and recorded with The Zolas, Hannah Georgas, Dan Mangan, and We Are the City.- Musical beginnings :...
- M-65 Freshman - Paul WesterbergPaul WesterbergPaul Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of The Replacements, one of the seminal alternative rock bands of the 1980s. He launched a solo career after the dissolution of that band...
- Hank Williams IIIHank Williams IIIShelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
- Zal YanovskyZal YanovskyZalman "Zal" Yanovsky was a Canadian rock musician. Born in Toronto, he was the son of political cartoonist Avrom Yanovsky. He played lead guitar and sang for the Lovin' Spoonful, a rock band which he founded with John Sebastian in 1964...
- S-200 Thunderbird - Fred ColeFred ColeFred Cole is the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Pierced Arrows and formerly Dead Moon.-The Lords:In 1964, Cole began his recording career in Las Vegas with his band, The Lords, at the Teenbeat Club, releasing a single called "Ain't Got No Self-Respect." His next single, from 1965,...
- S-200 Thunderbird - Bobby G. - 1973 Starfire IV, Left handed
External links
- Guild Guitars, official website
- Westerly Guild Guitars, information on Westerly RI manufactured Guild models