Join The Guild - Snapshot of Guild Guitars

Tundra Music is Toronto's Largest Authorized Guild dealer.  Our U.S.A models are all hand picked at the factory in New Hartford and with our Vintage guitar background you can bet yourself we picked the best, click here to browse our Guild Guitars!  Please have a quick read below as we are proud to share some history and highlights of the brand.  Feel free to browse the product offerings and contact us with any questions in choosing the right model for you.

The Guild Guitar name is often overlooked in the history of the fiercely competitive American guitar market. In business since 1952, Guild has undergone several changes in ownership, and its production facilities have moved back and forth across the country. But whatever company or region to have branded its name, Guild has crafted quality American-made guitars for the better part of a century that have been the go-to instrument for generations of musicians.

Guild Guitars got their start in the Little Italy area of New York City by founder Al Dronge and his partner George Mann, who was a former manager with Epiphone guitars. After a yearlong partnership, Dronge took the reins of Guild and moved to New Jersey. It was here that he capitalized on the area's skilled craftsmen, previously employed by other music factories, while utilizing his contacts in the music industry to build up the company and get the Guild name out.

Given the popularity of jazz at the time, Guild targeted jazz musicians and made mostly acoustic and electric archtop guitars. The company set itself apart from much of the competition by offering customizations like different pickups, inlays and finishes, to meet the needs of individual artists. As years progressed and genres changed, Guild adjusted its production accordingly and began making flattop guitars and other models to meet the sound needs of blues, rock, and pop musicians.

In the 1960s, Guild released its Starfire series of semi-acoustic guitars, which to this day remain one of its most popular models. They then started producing solid-bodied electrics like the Jet Star and Thunderbird models and began making certain design changes standard to give Guild guitars a unique look over their competitors. In 1966, Guild was bought and incorporated into the Avnet corporation and again moved its facilities to Rhode Island. Throughout the rest of the decade, the company continued to release new acoustic and electric models, including the F-hole ST models, and electric bass guitars.

Whether using acoustic or electric varieties, the transitioning era between the 1960s and 70s is when musicians really started popularizing the Guild name. Richie Havens performed with a Guild acoustic at Woodstock in 1969 while defining bands like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Muddy Waters relied on Guild series in their guitar arsenal. Despite the death of Al Dronge in 1972, the Rhode Island factory continued to build upon the Guild legacy and produced unique and original models to keep up with the times throughout the 70s and 80s, like the Fender-modeled Superstrat series.

Guild changed hands twice more in the 80s, first when it was bought back by Al Dronge's son, Mark, and again in 1988 when it was auctioned to the FASS Corporation after a near merger with Gibson. The most defining change to the history of the Guild Guitar Company came in 1995 when it was purchased by Fender Musical Instruments. And though it was a defining moment well received by Guild craftsmen, Fender couldn’t seem to make up its mind about the fate of Guild. In 2001, Guild assembly moved to Fender's California location where pre-made kits were shipped in from the Rhode Island outlet.

Guild American Patriarch M-75 Aristocrat

In 2004, many musicians braced for the death of American made Guild electric guitars. Fender purchased the Tacoma Guitar Company where it moved the production of Guild acoustics, but discontinued their electric models. Now at its sixth location, Guild Guitars has made its home at the former site of the Karman Music Corporation in New Hartford, Connecticut. Here the Guild name continues to craft high-end and signature series acoustic guitars and its most recent (extremely) limited issue electric release as part of the "Guild Special Run" (GSR) line, the Starfire VI.

Recent times have been kind to Guild as many famous rockers swear by the look, sound and uniqueness of their Guild models. In 2012, Guild re-launched its website at www.guildguitars.com to promote their image and make information about their guitar lines more accessible. This marked the celebration of Guild's 60^th anniversary, which Guild used to release a new line of acoustic and electric instruments and their Guild Custom Shop. Included in the 60^th anniversary line is the American Patriarch series in 3 semi-hollow or solid-bodied electric varieties depicting the classic 1950s Guild design. There is also the Newark Street line, which revives eight of the favorite Guild models from the 50s and 60s including the Starfire and Aristocrat.

The future is bright for Guild Guitars as their classic style continues to garner appreciation from today's pop musicians. Featured artists include Dyole Dykes, Bruno Mars, OK Go, and Say Anything, not to mention the dozens of still-rocking names from decades past, all of whom still trust the Guild name. Still designed in a way that pays homage to the sounds and styles of the jazz, blues, and rock eras that the company followed through musical history, Guild knows how to make quality guitars that remain timeless through the years.

Please feel free to browse our selection of Guild guitars and contact us if you have any questions.

Tundra Team