Author Archives: Chrissy Mauck

Guild Fan Spotlight: Michael Rapp

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Michael Rapp

Michael Rapp of San Diego is a retired chef with the highest degree of culinary expertise. As such he’s no stranger to the stressful life of the restaurant business—he ran bustling restaurants for more than 25 years, working long, strenuous shifts.

But once the kitchen lights were turned off, Rapp’s chops moved from the cutting board to the fretboard.

“I’ve always worked with musicians in the kitchen,” said Rapp. “After working for 12 straight hours, we’d want to play music. It was great camaraderie, and it was a good way to relax and unwind.”

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Why Players Know Guild: Ed Diaz

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Seattle’s Ed Diaz went a long way for his Guild D-44.

Diaz, who has played for nearly five decades and enjoys composing music, was living in upstate New York in the mid-’70s when he and a friend hitchhiked 70 miles to famed Manhattan retailer Manny’s Music. It was there that he purchased the richly resonant dreadnought model, which was introduced in 1965 with an unusual pearwood back and sides, with maple offered in 1971.

“As soon as I walked into the area displaying acoustic guitars, I saw the D-44 in a glass case,” recalled Diaz. “It did not take me long to make the decision to purchase it. It played and sounded fantastic!”

Diaz got exactly what he was looking for. The long trek had paid off.

“The maple body gave the guitar the brilliance and volume I wanted,” said Diaz. “The action was perfect and the Guild neck felt great.”

Almost 40 years later, Diaz said his Guild still plays like a charm.

“It’s got outstanding tone, playability, looks and craftsmanship,” said Diaz. “I especially like the neck.”

Further, Diaz – who calls his D-44 a “dear old friend” – has a few words of advice for those who don’t own a Guild yet.

“Do not hesitate to try a Guild when you are looking to purchase an acoustic guitar,” he said. “You hear so much about the ‘other’ big name brands, but if you don’t try a Guild, you’ll have no idea what you’re missing.”

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Dealer Spotlight: Ludlow Guitars, New York, N.Y.

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Ludlow Guitars in Manhattan’s Lower East Side is a class-act New York destination for connoisseurs of fine instruments.

“In a supermarket, you can get 18 different kinds of sliced white bread,” says owner Jan Howell. “And if you know what you want, then that’s a perfectly good place to go. We’re not the supermarket; we’re the corner store.”

But Ludlow Guitars doesn’t discriminate. Although the store attracts mostly discerning musicians, its doors are open to all. Besides, it’s hard for the average bystander not to be captivated by the bedazzling eye-candy mounted on the store’s walls.

“Our objective is to get customers inside our store, and show them what we’ve got,” says Howell. “Then we want to wrap their arms around something they like, rather than having them end up with an instrument that might not be for them.”

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Guild Introduces New ARCOS Series Acoustics

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Guild is very proud to introduce its new Arcos series models, which offer legendary Guild sound and playability at very accessible prices. All feature the signature arched-back body design first introduced in the 1950s on some of the company’s earliest acoustics, which enhances volume and projection while providing excellent structural stability. They also boast Guild’s slim satin-finish mahogany neck for smooth, comfortable feel and effortless playability.

Other premium Arcos features include solid Sitka spruce tops, rosewood fingerboards and bridges, bone nuts and saddles, koa rosettes and, in some instances, Fishman® electronics.

There are three new Guild Arcos models—the AD-3, AD-3CE dreadnoughts, and the AO-3CE orchestra-style model.

The AD-3 dreadnought covers a lot of sonic ground. The solid Sitka spruce top, laminated mahogany sides and arched back give it a full, balanced sound with excellent volume and projection. Its slim satin-finish mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard deliver smooth, comfortable feel for effortless playability. Its koa rosette, pearl inlays and rosewood headcap impart a touch of class and understated elegance. Other features such as a bone nut and saddle, hand-rubbed satin finish, dual-action truss rod and bolt-on neck construction round out an outstanding instrument that delivers exceptional value, and it comes with a lightweight Guild polyfoam case.

Its brother, the AD-3CE dreadnought, presents all those features in a cutaway-body model that delivers easy access to the upper frets and a Fishman® Presys Plus pickup system that includes performer-friendly features such as an onboard electronic tuner and anti-feedback control.

The AO-3CE is an orchestra-style cutaway model with a solid Sitka spruce top, laminated mahogany sides and arched back that give the small-body guitar a full, balanced sound with excellent volume and projection. In addition to appreciating its arched-back body design, slim satin-finish mahogany neck, fingerstyle players will like the extra string spacing provided by the 1 ¾” nut width. It also features a bone nut and saddle, koa rosette, pearl inlays, hand-rubbed satin finish, bolt-on neck with dual-action truss rod, Fishman® Presys Plus pickup system and lightweight Guild polyfoam case.

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Why Players Know Guild: Jonathan Zabin

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First Impressions Are Lasting

Jonathan Zabin from Woodridge, Conn., found his heartstrings being tugged the moment he strummed a beautifully resonant E chord on his Guild D-40SB.

“The guitar just spoke to me,” recalled Zabin, who purchased the guitar in 1975. “It sounded like what an acoustic guitar should sound like.”

Zabin had walked inside a local music shop intending to buy only guitar strings, but couldn’t resist the D-40’s undeniable appeal.

“It had a wonderful, balanced tone,” said Zabin, still enamored by his Guild 40 years later. “Its tone was unlike anything I’d ever heard, and it’s only gotten better as it’s aged.”

And it should be noted that Zabin has been exposed to a variety of guitars. A few years ago he worked at Daddy’s Junky Music, where he received a salesman of the year award for outstanding service and well-rounded knowledge on musical instruments.

Although Zabin now serves as a court clerk in New Haven, music will always be his vocation. He is an active member of The Milford Folk Music Society, and plays regularly at his synagogue.

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Dealer Spotlight: True Tone Music, Santa, Monica, Calif.

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TrueTone Music is a prime sanctuary for Guild aficionados.

Located in Santa Monica, Calif, just a few blocks from the beach, TrueTone boasts 18-foot-high walls elegantly bejeweled with an exquisite selection of fine guitars, all carefully selected by co-owner Ken Daniels.

“There aren’t any guitars that are going to make it on the wall of my store unless I like them,” said Daniels.

A veteran fingerstyle guitarist, Daniels knows exactly what he likes — trusted Guild guitars.

“I really like the venerable D-55 and the F-412,” said Daniels. “I also really like the newly redesigned and newly engineered D-125 and D-125-12.”

Daniels said his long career in the music business makes him a highly reputable source of information for players seeking acoustic excellence.

“We know Guild guitars; we have a long history with them,” Daniels said. “We’ve been selling new Guilds since the ’70s, and we’ve seen their evolution. That makes us qualified to a great extent to be able to evaluate the line.”

Despite the breadth of knowledge of its staff, outstanding reputation and high-profile clientele (Brad Paisley, John Mayer and Jakob Dylan, to name only a few), TrueTone remains humble.

“We don’t claim to be the best in anything,” said Daniels. “We work hard to be the best that we can be, and we get that validated by a lot of clients, so I always appreciate hearing that.”

Perhaps one of the reasons clients stay true to TrueTone Music is the vast selection of new, used and vintage Guild models on museum-like display in a 2,000-square-foot section of the store.

Or maybe it’s the shop’s renowned repair facility, uncompromising commitment to quality and best bargains on iconic U.S. brands.

Whatever it may be, you’re welcome to find out. But beware — it might be tough to find your way out.

“This place is like the guitar version of the roach motel,” said one of TrueTone’s most loyal clients. “It’s easy to get into, but hard to get out of.”

Visit TrueTone Music at:
714 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, Calif. 90401
(310) 393-8232
www.truetonemusic.com

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