Guild
82Also known as: Guild Guitar Company, Guild Guitars
UnclaimedGuild Guitar Company was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a professional guitarist and music store owner, and George Mann, a former executive at Epiphone. The company started in Manhattan, New York, drawing heavily on former Epiphone craftsmen, and initially focused on hollowbody electric archtop guitars rooted in Dronge's jazz background. Through the 1950s, Guild expanded into flat-top acoust...
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Guild Guitar Company was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a professional guitarist and music store owner, and George Mann, a former executive at Epiphone. The company started in Manhattan, New York, drawing heavily on former Epiphone craftsmen, and initially focused on hollowbody electric archtop guitars rooted in Dronge's jazz background. Through the 1950s, Guild expanded into flat-top acoustic guitars and built a roster of artist endorsees through Dronge's deep connections in the New York jazz world.
Guild is best known for two distinct product lines: its acoustic dreadnought and jumbo guitars — particularly the D-series (D-40, D-50, D-55) and the large-body F-series — which earned a reputation as serious competitors to Martin and Gibson acoustics, and its electric guitars, especially the Starfire semi-hollow and the S-100 solidbody. The Starfire line found a devoted following among blues and rock players, while the S-100 became closely associated with Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, who credited the guitar with shaping the sound of Seattle grunge. Richie Havens famously opened the 1969 Woodstock festival playing a Guild D-40, one of the most iconic performances in the instrument's history.
Over its history Guild has changed ownership several times, with production moving from New York to Westerly, Rhode Island under the Avnet Corporation in the 1960s, and later passing through Fender and Córdoba Music Group before landing under Yamaha Guitar Group. The brand maintains a USA-made line alongside imported models, and continues to produce acoustic and electric guitars, basses, and amplifiers.
Guild has 531 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Steel-string Acoustic Guitars, Acoustic-Electric Guitars, and Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 507 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include Eric Clapton, Slash, and Kim Thayil. Guild's catalog spans the full price spectrum — from entry-level options to high-end flagships.
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