Guild's Westerly, Rhode Island Factory Is Closing
Ted Banks
gig) and glanced at the front page of the local newspaper before going to
bed. I was sad to read that Guild is closing its Westerly, Rhode Island
facility and and moving its regular manufacturing operations to California.
I used to live in Westerly and still live nearby in Connecticut. Westerly
never did much to promote Guild or capitalize on its famous resident
("Welcome to Westerly, Rhode Island, Home of Guild Guitars" would have been
nice), but over the years some wonderful guitars came out of that factory.
I don't know how much of an impact it will have on the area, but I feel
badly for the 100+ people who will be left without jobs. I've also enjoyed
listening to the stories of Guild employees -- past and present. I've also
chuckled at some of the guitars I've seen that escaped the factory that
probably shouldn't have. Funny thins happen in guitar factories.
The move comes as no surprise -- I'm only surprised that Fender didn't make
the move sooner. I'm sure it will save them money, but I don't think it
will contribute to making better guitars. Too bad. I suggest anyone buying
a new Guild guitar look for one made prior to August 31, 2001. That's when
the Westerly factory closes.
Ted Banks
Dan'l Nestlerode
<TedandNa...@home.com> wrote:
> I'm sure it will save them money, but I don't think it [the move to Califonia]
> will contribute to making better guitars.
I'm just wondering how moving Guild to CA can save Fender money. There's
something else to the story, I'm sure. Perhaps a reliance on overseas
production/assembly?
Daniel
--
Daniel Nestlerode
dnestler "at" mac "dot" com
Home Page:
http://home.mindspring.com/~dnestler
Links to Luthiers, Acoustic Guitar and Mandolin Sites:
http://home.mindspring.com/~dnestler/links.htm
cjpark1
Living here in tiny RI is quite nice, having a big time guitar
manufacturer was also great.
I love my Guild all mahogany dred, and always will, but the writing
was on the wall when Fender took over Guild and we will lose a member of
the family.
Like you Ted, I always wondered why Westerly never took advantage
of Guild, they certainly were a good neighbor. They are a bit strange
in Westerly. <g> I guess good neighbors move away and life goes on, but
I have my D-17m hanging on the wall to be played for years to come.
cep
Allan Flippin
Allan
Hojo2x
factory, Charles Park wrote:
> Like you Ted, I always wondered why Westerly never took advantage>of Guild,
they certainly were a good neighbor.
I suspect it has to do with the number of jobs and overall economic impact.
Having a Ford or Toyota plant in your town is a much bigger deal to most civic
leaders than a guitar factory.
As guitarists, we treat these long-established firms as icons, almost like
they're a branch of the Smithsonian or something. I'm certainly guilty of
this: my starry-eyed Martin worship is well-known.
But when I've visited the actual factories where the work is done, what always
strikes me is how relatively small-time everything is, even with the famous
companies. I've been to cardboard box manufacturing firms that take up a lot
more space and employ more people than any guitar factory I've ever visited.
Obviously, those sort of factories don't have the sort of artistic allure or
emotional significance as a guitar factory, but to civic leaders looking at tax
revenues and employment figures, it's just a matter of dollars and cents.
As for matters of dollars and cents with Guild guitars, I'm really surprised
that the Westerly factory has stayed open as long as it has. It must have made
economic sense to keep production there for the first few years of Fender
ownership, but it clearly doesn't any longer.
It's too bad.
One possible bright spot: just as Gibson closing its Kalamazoo plant inspired
employees who didn't want to move to Nashville to start the Heritage Guitar
Company in the old Gibson plant, and a similar move bringing Gibson mandolin
production to Nashville convinced Bruce Weber and a hardy band of Montana
mandolin builders to start Weber mandolins in the Bozeman area, this move by
corporate headquarters shuttering Guild's Westerly plant might very well
inspire a new company to start up.
In both Heritage and especially Weber's case, the creativity of the laid-off
craftsmen operating without oppressive corporate oversight has resulted in some
impressive results. So maybe the guitar builders left behind in Rhode Island
will start making some great guitars in response to this move, guitars they way
they really want to make them.
One can only hope.
Wade Hampton Miller
cjpark1
and RI in several different ways. Suffice to say, I'm sorry but I will
not elaborate, as I have given my word not to and will hold to that
oath.
One thing we can hope for is that someone, maybe the workers at Guild
can take over the factory and continue to build guitars.
Hello out there, it's a perfect place and it's near the ocean. Westerly
is a beautiful town as is the state on the whole. Come on down!!
Charles (Promoting RI) Park
PS: The first paragraph will let most of you know how close knit a
community the state of Rhode Island is. I love it. Last census we hit
the million mark.
Ted Banks
> Living here in tiny RI is quite nice, having a big time guitar
> manufacturer was also great.
When my guitar playing buddies have visited me, I've always enjoyed bragging
about the Guild factory being next door.
> Like you Ted, I always wondered why Westerly never took advantage
> of Guild, they certainly were a good neighbor. They are a bit strange
> in Westerly. <g>
I'm an Atlanta native, but I've lived in New England for 25 years -- mostly
in Connecticut and briefly in Westerly. I find everybody from Rhode Island
in general a bit strange :-)
Ted BanksCharles Park wrote:
> Living here in tiny RI is quite nice, having a big time guitar
> manufacturer was also great.
When my guitar playing buddies have visited me, I've always enjoyed bragging
about the Guild factory being next door.
> Like you Ted, I always wondered why Westerly never took advantage
> of Guild, they certainly were a good neighbor. They are a bit strange
> in Westerly. <g>
I'm an Atlanta native, but I've lived in New England for 25 years -- mostly
in Connecticut and briefly in Westerly. I find everybody from Rhode Island
in general a bit strange :-)
Ted Banks
cjpark1
"Touché". :-)
cp
Gorblimey
"Hojo2x" <hoj...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010630181555...@ng-cb1.aol.com...
That's a great sentiment. I've never played a Weber but the Heritage guitars
I've come across have been tasty. Let's hope someone can pick up the ball
and run with it - there's going to be some cheap jigs going, that's for
sure.
P
Ted Banks
Wade Hampton Miller wrote:
> I suspect it has to do with the number of jobs and overall economic
impact.
> Having a Ford or Toyota plant in your town is a much bigger deal to most
civic
> leaders than a guitar factory.
Obviously an automotive plant that has thousands of employees compared to a
factory that has less than 200 will have a greater impact on a community.
Guitar building is a small, but labor-intensive industry and most of the raw
materials used come from outside the immediate region.
> As guitarists, we treat these long-established firms as icons, almost like
> they're a branch of the Smithsonian or something. I'm certainly guilty of
> this: my starry-eyed Martin worship is well-known.
I never had the feeling for Westerly, RI that I do for Nazareth, PA or even
Kalamazoo, MI. As a matter of fact, I've never owned a Guild although I
think they have made some good guitars. It was just cool to have the
factory nearby and know a few folks who worked there.
> But when I've visited the actual factories where the work is done, what
always
> strikes me is how relatively small-time everything is, even with the
famous
> companies. I've been to cardboard box manufacturing firms that take up a
lot
> more space and employ more people than any guitar factory I've ever
visited.
When I first visited the Guild factory over 20 years ago, I was struck by
what a small-time operation it was. Somewhat like a cottage industry. It
surprised me. I haven't been there for years, but I'm told it hasn't
changed much.
> Obviously, those sort of factories don't have the sort of artistic allure
or
> emotional significance as a guitar factory, but to civic leaders looking
at tax
> revenues and employment figures, it's just a matter of dollars and cents.
True. I should add that I never felt that Guild developed a strong presence
in the community or cultivated a relationship with the area. There didn't
seem to be a lot of high visibility corporate sponsorship of community
activities. This could be due in part to the fact that Guild's financial
record has had its ups and downs just like the quality of their guitars. We
guitar players tend to think of Guild as "big" and having a lot of brand
recognition, when in fact it's just a small company. But, Westerly is a
small town (*everything* is small in Rhode Island) and I've always been
puzzled by Guild's lack of local recognition. I'm sure there are many folks
in the Westerly area that don't know the factory is there and have never
heard of Guild guitars.
> As for matters of dollars and cents with Guild guitars, I'm really
surprised
> that the Westerly factory has stayed open as long as it has. It must have
made
> economic sense to keep production there for the first few years of Fender
> ownership, but it clearly doesn't any longer.
Maybe. I suspect that when the corporate bean counters came in and saw what
production levels were, they immediately set higher quotas for the plant
management to meet and started looking at alternatives. The plant didn't
meet their expectations and it just took a while to work out the move. I
don't know what the exact expectations were but if you're tasked with
making, say, 100 guitars a day and you're only making 50, then the writing
is on the wall. Something is going to happen.
> It's too bad.
Yes, it is.
> One possible bright spot: just as Gibson closing its Kalamazoo plant
inspired
> employees who didn't want to move to Nashville to start the Heritage
Guitar
> Company in the old Gibson plant, and a similar move bringing Gibson
mandolin
> production to Nashville convinced Bruce Weber and a hardy band of Montana
> mandolin builders to start Weber mandolins in the Bozeman area, this move
by
> corporate headquarters shuttering Guild's Westerly plant might very well
> inspire a new company to start up.
Possibly. When plants close, most factory workers aren't given the option
of moving across the country to the new location. When Guild relocated to
Rhode Island from New Jersey in the mid 60's, few of the workers made the
move. After Guild bought the old furniture factory in Westerly they had a
pool of local Old World craftsman skilled in woodworking and cabinet making
to draw from. Today I believe the plant employs a small group of very
skilled and talented luthiers and a lot of lesser skilled factory workers.
> In both Heritage and especially Weber's case, the creativity of the
laid-off
> craftsmen operating without oppressive corporate oversight has resulted in
some
> impressive results. So maybe the guitar builders left behind in Rhode
Island
> will start making some great guitars in response to this move, guitars
they way
> they really want to make them.
>
> One can only hope.
I hope so. A large segment of Guild's labor force has traditionally been
first generation immigrants. Ethnicity isn't an issue here, but new
arrivals to this country can be ambitious and very hard working, so maybe
there is hope for the laid-off workers. I wish Guild the best of luck, too.
Ted Banks
Ted Banks
After being teased about being a Rhode Islander Charles Park wrote:
> I received this in email a while ago and answered Ted with a simple
> "Touché". :-)
Lier. I won't repeat what you *really* threatened to do to me, but just
remember crossing the state line from Rhode Island to Connecticut would make
it a federal offense :-).
Ted ("I gonna sleep with one eye open from now on") Banks
cjpark1
Folks,
The above is a prime example how urban myths get started, also I
might add that the Guild factory has been updated since the 60's. Ted
from CT is out of touch with RI reality which is out of touch with just
about everything, but it's fun. <G>
So when are we going to get together at Chuck's and pick a little.
I haven't seen those spotted bugs or green men in weeks.
Charles (pure and gentle as the driven snow after row hoeing) Park :-)
Jeb
inspired
> employees who didn't want to move to Nashville to start the Heritage
Guitar
> Company in the old Gibson plant, and a similar move bringing Gibson
mandolin
> production to Nashville convinced Bruce Weber and a hardy band of Montana
> mandolin builders to start Weber mandolins in the Bozeman area, this move
by
> corporate headquarters shuttering Guild's Westerly plant might very well
> inspire a new company to start up.
It's funny how things work out...Guild came into existence as a result of
disgruntled Epiphone workers being unwilling to leave when their company
left New York around 1950. When I had the neck of My Guild F40 re-set I had
the opportunity to speak with one of the 'old-timers' who was originally
with Epiphone in the 40's...Guild has quite a history in New England...wish
we could get'em to set up shop in my neck of the woods instead of
'Californy'...
jeb
Hojo2x wrote...
Bill Chandler
factory in Westerly...*sigh*...
I can only hope that the operation in California continues to build
the kind of Guilds I've come to love. Not that I'm terribly likely to
be buying another one any time in the near future, or anything...
*sigh* It's gonna be a long week.
...bc...
On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 17:38:57 GMT, "Ted Banks"
<TedandNa...@home.com> brewed up the following, and served it to
the group:
-----
"The truth knocks on the door, and you say, 'Go away, I'm
looking for the truth,' and so it goes away. Puzzling."
--Robert M. Pirsig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"
the above e-mail address remains totally fictional.
the real one is bc9424@spamTHIS!.concentric.net (if you remove spamTHIS!.)
...please check out http://www.mp3.com/BillChandler some time...
Bill Chandler
...bc...
Ted Banks
factory in Westerly, RI:
From the Westerly Sun:
<http://www.thewesterlysun.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2001/June/
28-1385-news1.txt>
From The Day (New London, CT):
<http://www.theday.com/news/ts-re.asp?NewsUID=2DDE2914-4C1E-4B37-8136->B9325
1BCE863>
If you read the articles, you'll notice the Connecticut newpaper gave the
story more coverage than the hometown paper did!
Ted Banks
Ted Banks
> When I had the neck of My Guild F40 re-set I had
> the opportunity to speak with one of the 'old-timers' who was originally
> with Epiphone in the 40's...
The 'old-timer' name wasn't Gil Diaz was it? Gil joined Guild in the
Hoboken days in New Jersey and was one of the few luthiers to make the move
to Rhode Island. Previously he worked for at least one of the other old New
York guitar manufacturers. He retired quite a few years ago, but still
practices luthiere from his home in Westerly. He's a very nice man and a
local legend in these parts. He's also an accomplished fingerstyle player,
but he plays left-handed on guitar strung for a right-handed player!
Ted Banks
Jeb
I cannot recall if it was Gil Diaz...we spoke briefly of New York, Hoboken
and Westerly, he said he had looked my F40 over and paid the ultimate
compliment from a luthier "nice old guitar you have there" I was impressed
with the old guy's friendliness...
jeb
Ted Banks wrote...
Kevin & Debbie Hall
me smile.
On my first trip to the Holy Land ( Nazareth PA), I expected some similar
reference to the Martin plant at the town line, but no, the sign there in
the early 70s read " Welcome to Nazareth, the home of Mario Andretti".
KH
Bill Chandler <dr...@yourown.risk.com> wrote in message
news:sq81kt4423lls3if2...@4ax.com...
