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Guild Guitars: Craftsmanship since 1952

Known for excellent craftsmanship and high-quality materials, the Guild brand has established itself as a mainstay in the music world. Guild guitars have been the first choice for many musicians and have delighted players since the company was founded in 1952.

Read the full story here

Our selection

All instruments currently available for immediate delivery are listed here. If you can’t find the right one for you, feel free to get in touch with your questions and wishes. We’ll find out whether your ideas for your Guild guitar can be realised and will do everything we can to get you the instrument of your dreams!

Norbert Fudalla  Oliver Lohmann  Simon Keller  Marco Ramazzotto-Joppe

We'd be happy to tell you more!
+49 6227 603 0
custom-reserve@session.de

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The complete history of Guild

The Guild brand is known for its commitment to quality and innovation and is one of the most popular guitar brands on the market. Guild guitars are distinguished by a warm, full tone that makes them popular with musicians around the world. Guild offers a curated selection of acoustic, electric and semi-acoustic guitars.

How it all began

In 1952 Alfred Dronge, the owner of a small music shop in New York, teamed up with George Mann, the former vice-president of Epiphone, to found the Guild Guitar Company. Dronge's passion for jazz shaped the company's direction, which initially specialised in the production of hollow-body electric guitars. These instruments, perfectly tailored to the needs of jazz musicians, laid the foundation for Guild's reputation as a maker of instruments with outstanding tone and quality.

In the years that followed, Guild expanded its product range to include acoustic guitars. This step represented a significant market expansion and established Guild as a versatile provider of electric and acoustic guitars. After relocating, the company entered a new era in the 1960s with the introduction of the first models in the Starfire and Polara series. These electric guitars, noted for their distinctive tonal variety and excellent playability, quickly achieved cult status and remain among Guild's most popular models to this day.

By combining artisanal excellence, innovation and a deep understanding of musicians' needs, Guild has played a significant role in the history of guitar music since its founding.

Guild has experienced several ownership changes over the years, including companies such as Fender. Since 2014 Guild has been part of the Cordoba Music Group, which places great value on the brand's tradition and heritage.

Famous Guild fans

Many Guild models, such as the popular Starfire and Polara, the D-40, D-35 and the imposing jumbo model F-40, are firmly rooted in modern music. Numerous renowned artists turn to the unmistakable Guild guitars. These include greats like Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, Brian May, Sheryl Crow and Tom Petty, who trust in Guild's tonal variety and quality. The young, up-and-coming artist beabadoobee is an enthusiastic fan of her Guild M-20 guitar, on which she composed most of her songs.

Even Slash, the guitar legend, is an avowed Guild fan. On stage he impresses with a Guild Double-Neck – a fascinating combination of a solidbody electric guitar and a semi-acoustic 12-string that gives his unmistakable sound a unique dimension.

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A special member of the Guild family was Richie Havens, who is regarded as one of Guild Guitars' most loyal and consistent ambassadors. With his deep connection to the brand and his distinctive style, he shaped Guild's image like few other musicians. Richie Havens appreciated the robustness, fullness of tone and projection of Guild guitars, which suited his intense playing style.

He became particularly well known for his Guild D-40 guitar, which he played at his legendary performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. The use of the Guild D-40 brought greater recognition not only to him but also to the Guild brand, as the Woodstock performance was a milestone in music history. This connection between musician and instrument made Guild guitars even more popular in the folk and rock scenes.

Our special Custom Reserve selection

We are pleased to present a particularly curated selection of Guild acoustic guitars in our Custom Reserve shop. The guitars stand out for exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful, well-thought-out details. In addition, they impress with the unmistakable warm Guild tone. Each of these Guild guitars is a true work of art and has earned its honoured place in our special Custom Reserve shop. If you have any questions about other models, contact us, and we will do our best to meet your requests.