recommendation - used yamaha vs new guild

[robj144]

Originally Posted by JERZEY

What miss information? Guild today has literally nothing in common with the Guild of old. The quality is piss. The customer service is piss. The dealer support is piss. Guild is long gone from the factory to the people who made it great. They are little more then a stamp on the headstock now. If this was not the case then they would be selling a lot more guitars then they are. In 10 years or less that brand will be gone forever. Wait and see.

This is honestly nonsense. Go play any Guild made in the last 10 years and then comment.

Guilds are still amazing.

[Stokely]

Well I just got the Eastman E1D, shipped from California by Pitbull Audio. I was a bit concerned with all the bumps and humidity changes this surely endured...but it's in perfect shape as far as I can tell.

The soft case it came in is really, really nice. It's almost an inch thick around the sides and it retains it's shape (ie, not a shapeless thin bag). I'd reckon it would be 100 bucks on its own (?) Just a wild guess. As it turns out I already have a hard case that I bought with my old Yamaha fg200s. (I think that is the model, my niece has it right now). It was 180 new years ago, solid spruce top, laminated sides.

Anyway, first impressions: Wow! Very light and has a great feel to the wood on the neck an sides. It's not glossy at all but not quite satin either. You can feel the wood. Immediately I noticed how resonant the thing was just tapping it. Looks somewhat understated but I don't mind that. There are little touches here and there though and I really like the Ebony on it.

How does it play? Bearing in mind this is the first time I've touched a guitar in a year (I'm a keys player!)--fantastic. Action is quite low. It was mostly in tune which boggles my mind, I need to get a tuner for my phone as my snark is apparently dead. Sound is booming. It's altogether a different feel than my Yamaha. That guitar is heavier and doesn't "thrum" like this one--this one feels alive! The action is way more to my liking here, despite my rust I'm easily doing bar chords with little effort.

I've only had it 30 minutes and I feel like I have a winner. Considering I got this AND the very nice padded case/bag for 413 bucks brand new is simply absurd. It's absurd I tell you!

Just threw a few pics up on google drive, hopefully this works: (Edit: I guess the google photo links do not work, using their "create link" at least). Anyway you can google pics of it!

I may try a recording with it after work--but I can feel the "tingle" after just a few minutes of playing, I have no calluses now and these greenhorn fingers are going to get sore quickly! Not to mention my playing is quite feeble right now. I probably won't do this guitar justice by a long shot. My mic(s) are dynamic vocal mics, not idea but they'll do the job.

[baw3]

Alright, glad to hear you are liking your Eastman. As you can see by the guitars that I own, I like them a lot too. Enjoy your new Eastman.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Stokely

...I'm looking at guitars in the 5-800 dollar range...

Why not a used USA-made Guild? I got this for the figure at the upper end of your range. (Admittedly, a fantastic deal. Probably worth $1,200-1,500.)


2002 Guild JF30-12

Forget those little 6-string models. You need a jumbo 12-string! Nothing like 'em!

[Greenstar]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Why not a used USA-made Guild? I got this for the figure at the upper end of your range. (Admittedly, a fantastic deal. Probably worth $1,200-1,500.)


2002 Guild JF30-12

Forget those little 6-string models. You need a jumbo 12-string! Nothing like 'em!

I have the same guitar although mine is a 97 made in Westerly, RI. The most stunning looking, and sounding, 12 string I have ever heard. Simply an amazing instrument.

I also own a 96 , made in Tacoma, WA F50R which is another amazing sounding instrument. The craftsmanship is impeccable and the burst is among the nicest I have ever seen. Guild consistently puts out very high quality, American made instruments wherever their factories happen to be located. The new Oxnard models are wonderful instruments.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Greenstar

...Guild consistently puts out very high quality, American made instruments wherever their factories happen to be located. The new Oxnard models are wonderful instruments.

Right you are! I was fortunate to get a great deal on an Oxnard-built F512. Spectacular! Still, my JF30-12 ain't going nowhere.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by Greenstar

I have the same guitar although mine is a 97 made in Westerly, RI. The most stunning looking, and sounding, 12 string I have ever heard. Simply an amazing instrument.

I also own a 96 , made in Tacoma, WA F50R which is another amazing sounding instrument. The craftsmanship is impeccable and the burst is among the nicest I have ever seen. Guild consistently puts out very high quality, American made instruments wherever their factories happen to be located. The new Oxnard models are wonderful instruments.

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Why not a used USA-made Guild? I got this for the figure at the upper end of your range. (Admittedly, a fantastic deal. Probably worth $1,200-1,500.)


2002 Guild JF30-12

Forget those little 6-string models. You need a jumbo 12-string! Nothing like 'em!

Ditto... I also have a 1999 JF30-12, but I got it new. I think I paid just over $1k new on sale. Seldom buy guitars new, but that was really before ecommerce was taking off and when I played the first chord on that guitar, my jaw dropped and I had to have it. It was an impulse buy but I don't regret it.

[Stokely]

All good info, thank you everyone for helping me out. I'm actually very glad to come in *under* my range while still getting a nice guitar, because I have some other gear I need to replace (and old weighted-key midi controller from 1995 finally stopped working for one.) The Eastman is everything I hoped for so far and I've got the sore fingers to show just how rusty I am

Not sure what kind of strings came on it. A lot of volume, I notice. I'm very happy that the action is low and comfortable.