Re: Guild GAD acoustic guitars...any experiences?
GAD = Guild Acoustic Design.
Re. 'Made in China'......
I have owned a Chinese Blueridge, which i have just sold for only 1 reason....i need the wider fretboard and string-spacing. I have played a couple of Trinity College acoustics, also from China (commissioned by Saga Music, as are the Blueridges) and have read great things about the MIC Guilds. The Chinese acoustic guitars i have played have all been exceptional.
In the process, i have played Taylors and Martins, and have been incredibly underwhelmed with them. Like Fender and Gibson, they are overpriced and lack the quality they may once have had. If some of those USA manufacturers didn't have the heritage they have, i doubt they'd be competitive in today's marketplace. I bought a USA Hamer because i am simply not prepared to pay such a huge sum of money to buy a Gibson under the directive of 'be sure to try a whole bunch to find a good one....'.
Before i bought the Blueridge 4 years ago, i would never have believed that i would own a guitar made in China. I would never have believed that they would make guitars that cost $1000 -2000 either. I do feel that the current guitars from there are built under the eyes of US 'overseers'. I used to be a snob about Japanese 'copies' back in the 70's, and now, looking back, it is clear that the Japanese made many replica models that were superior to what the US companies were making at the time. (my Tokai Strat [70's replica] is better than the 4 USA 70's Fender 70's Strat's that i owned back then).
I am not a wealthy person....the MIC option allows me to own a great acoustic guitar, but i simply would not have the funds to buy Taylor, Martin etc. Even if i could afford to, i would buy 2 MIC's instead or 1 absolutely top-line MIC guitar. They are more consistent by many a mile.
All i can say to anyone who still derides MIC instruments is this....your derision may be based on old experience. Go check out what they can produce now at the upper end of the ranges. Sure, no doubt at the lower end, they may still make rubbish. No doubt the same thing goes for the USA and all the other manufacturing countries too. The big and traditional names in guitar making have moved from making quality instruments to focussing on marketing and making more $$$$ at the expense of quality and consistency. Those who have branched out to incorporate Chinese manufactured models alongside their US-made models may see a marked shift in the mentality of their buyers in years to come.
As someone from a non-US country, i don't care where my guitars are made, when i am able to afford something, i simply want quality, and i don't care where it comes from. If the big players haven't kept up the quality, they should either lower their prices or expect more people to shop elsewhere.
