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  #31  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:23 AM
lennylux lennylux is offline
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Sad news. I'm glad I snatched a couple of the top Gibson acoustics while Ren was still there.

I wonder what can be done about the Guild line that hasn't already been done. They're already great guitars.
Yes, but this news probably helped sell a few more units of the higher-end stuff that will be over this and the coming years. I'd expect a few design tweaks here and there. Perhaps even a new series... Kerchiiiing!
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  #32  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:25 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
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Originally Posted by lennylux View Post
Yes, but this news probably helped sell a few more units of the higher-end stuff that will be over this and the coming years. I'd expect a few design tweaks here and there. Perhaps even a new series... Kerchiiiing!
I thought about that too -- but Guild was always a "blue collar" brand so it's going to be interesting if they start making re-editions and luxury editions etc.
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  #33  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:27 AM
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devellis devellis is offline
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Guild seems the logical choice and if he goes and revamps the guild line making them as good as the 3 Bozeman Gibson's I have then I'd likely add a Guild to my hoard too.
Owning a Gibson True Vintage and a New Hartford Guild, I'd say they're already pretty comparable. While only Gibson has the pure Gibson tone, Guilds are great guitars and their QC surpasses Gibson's in my judgment. What Guild needs is to expand its lines and increase output. Ren could help with that. I hope if that's the case, they can maintain quality as numbers go up. I won't speculate as to why Ren and Gibson might have parted ways. I'd like to know but just guessing without more information seems pretty pointless.
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  #34  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:28 AM
DrDavid DrDavid is offline
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I wonder what can be done about the Guild line that hasn't already been done. They're already great guitars.
This is my reaction, also.

Perhaps RF's mission at Fender will center on something other than the Guild line.

The present Guilds being built in New Hartford are already near the pinnacle of refinement, imho.

..
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  #35  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:33 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
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This is my reaction, also.

Perhaps RF's mission at Fender will center on something other than the Guild line.

The present Guilds being built in New Hartford are already near the pinnacle of refinement, imho.

..
Soon enough we'll see if Guild starts releasing a bunch of pseudo reissues at higher prices. Guilds are really nice but I don't think they sell that well and perhaps Fender wants to maximize its profit with Guild the same way Gibson did with their acoustic line, i.e. make sure the standard series is different enough from the vintage models, and introduce a bunch of reissues and charge the big bucks for "period correct" specs.
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  #36  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:35 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
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Guilds are great guitars and their QC surpasses Gibson's in my judgment.
+1000

And I'm a Gibson fan.
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  #37  
Old 01-10-2012, 09:35 AM
lennylux lennylux is offline
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Owning a Gibson True Vintage and a New Hartford Guild, I'd say they're already pretty comparable.
Nice guitars

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While only Gibson has the pure Gibson tone, Guilds are great guitars and their QC surpasses Gibson's in my judgment. What Guild needs is to expand its lines and increase output. Ren could help with that.
Exactly....

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I won't speculate as to why Ren and Gibson might have parted ways. I'd like to know but just guessing without more information seems pretty pointless.
Exactly...
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  #38  
Old 01-10-2012, 10:01 AM
dave251 dave251 is offline
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I've known Ren for a while and I have to say that I'm happy for him. A great guy and a fantastic inlay artist to boot. The list of fine people who have moved on from that company is pretty remarkable... maybe someday the owner will move on as well.
One can only hope....
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  #39  
Old 01-10-2012, 10:34 AM
actaylor actaylor is offline
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I think Fender is pushing a big rock uphill if they think they're ever going to be known as an acoustic guitar company. Great electrics, yes...but now that they own Guild, I think they should forget making acoustics under the Fender name altogether and focus any budget for acoustics toward the Guild brand. Ren Ferguson is a great addition to the Fender organization. This should be interesting to watch.
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  #40  
Old 01-10-2012, 10:53 AM
ataylor ataylor is offline
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I think Fender is pushing a big rock uphill if they think they're ever going to be known as an acoustic guitar company. Great electrics, yes...but now that they own Guild, I think they should forget making acoustics under the Fender name altogether and focus any budget for acoustics toward the Guild brand. Ren Ferguson is a great addition to the Fender organization. This should be interesting to watch.
I agree, although let's not forget that kids or parents looking for a lower-end guitar are going to recognize the Fender name as opposed to a Guild. There's probably enough money in that segment of the market that they stand to lose revenue if they were to take the Fender name out of acoustics completely.

On the flip side, I sure wouldn't mind if Fender started making the Guild archtops again. Some of those vintage Guild Starfire guitars are pretty rad.
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  #41  
Old 01-10-2012, 10:55 AM
drive-south drive-south is offline
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If Fender wants to elevate their Fender-branded acoustics, they will have to move production to the USA, or at least build a limited series in the USA.

They could expand the Guild line by adding baritone acoustics, as well as some other styles they've shied away from. AFAIK Guild has never offered a 12-fret acoustic with slotted head, or a true parlour guitar.

Guild had a very short affair with mandolins way back in the day. Perhaps they could build a series of mandolins, mandolas, octaves, etc.

A quasi Papoose with a small version of the Guild roof-top head design would be very cool. They could offer unique instruments like Joe Veillette is making but in a more affordable price range.

The sky is the limit, but time will tell what Fender will do with Ren's talents.
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  #42  
Old 01-10-2012, 11:19 AM
J185-4Me J185-4Me is offline
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From what I've heard, Ren may not be "joining" Fender so much as perhaps 'consulting' to them. Perhaps he may be assisting with the process side of things rather than design..?

I have heard him say that building guitars (and mandolins, and <shudder!> banjos) is only one of the things he enjoys doing. He also is a very skilled artisan of inlay and scrimshaw, and metal work, and he carves gun stocks, etc., etc. While his tenure and work at Gibson has firmly established and identified his expertise in guitar-building, of course, I suspect that he might turn his attention and energy to a variety of things. And I think he cherishes his independence too, which is a concept more aligned with consulting. Who knows?

He has to recover from the nasty injury he had late last year, which has significantly affected his mobility and what he can do. With the regime of physio and recovery he's facing, I have a feeling he may not be back up to a full head of steam for at least a few months.

In any event, it is big news, and I wish him well in whatever he does, but for the immediate future, for a speedy recovery.

Fred
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  #43  
Old 01-10-2012, 12:01 PM
AronW AronW is offline
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He has to recover from the nasty injury he had late last year, which has significantly affected his mobility and what he can do. With the regime of physio and recovery he's facing, I have a feeling he may not be back up to a full head of steam for at least a few months.

In any event, it is big news, and I wish him well in whatever he does, but for the immediate future, for a speedy recovery.

Fred
What happened to him?
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  #44  
Old 01-10-2012, 12:50 PM
talister106 talister106 is offline
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This is a surprise, Ren was so tied into Gibson and espically Montana that I find it hard to belive he would leave. I know he had other offers from different makers including Martin but choose to stay. There may be a internal shifting of power or something he wouldn`t do or put up with. We shall see with time if it was a harmonus departure. This would be a coup for Fender, and will be interesting to see what becomes of this association. Best wishes to Ren!
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  #45  
Old 01-10-2012, 01:06 PM
J185-4Me J185-4Me is offline
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What happened to him?
He took a bad tumble and tore some ligaments/tendons.

I hear they used hide glue to put him right....

Fred
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