62burst Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Back in Jan 2013, OWF started a thread soliciting suggestions for a special run of Gibson Acoustic Guitar Forum guitars. This was before Gibson stopped taking custom orders, but a surprising number of those responding to the Old Wily Fool's thread(and the thread was a big hit, going to 10 pages) were interested in a custom 12-fret J-45. I was in that group wanting to buy a J-45 from Gibson Montana. Closest thing came soon afterwards, in the form of the 12 fret Jackson Browne model, roughly based on his beloved 1930's Roy Smecks, but with English Walnut back/sides. 'Owned one for a while, but the 1.805 in. nut width didn't work well with the shallow profile of the neck. For me. Also, the walnut sounded almost too pretty for this fool for mahogany, so back to the search. Time moved on. Ren Ferguson moves on, as well. To Guild, New Hartford, Connecticut, where he would find a new home for his skills and product ideas. One of the guitars that came from this was the Guild Orpheum series 12 fret. Very hard to find, and with production halted at New Hartford, unsure where, or when these would be seen again. It took a trip to Brooklyn, NYC to what is billed as the "World's Largest Guild Dealer" so that I could try not one, but two of the Orpheum 12 frets. For a reference guitar, I took the jumbo slope with the most clarity I have- the 1945 Rescued-from-the-evil-Luthier-from-Hell maple J-45. In comparison with that guitar, the clarity of the deep-bodied Guild 12-frets (also modeled after the specs of the mahogany R. Smeck Stage DeLuxe) was immediately noticeable. Impressive. As Acoustic Guitar's Teja Gerken observed in his , the factory set up is a bit low, leaving one curious as to how the response/tone might change with a slightly higher set up. While still within the purchase grace period, I just had to know: I took the one I selected out of the two to compare it to the real deal- a 1937 Stage DeLuxe at one of the more highly regarded East Coast's vintage shops. While the '37 had that deep time-developed 1930's tone, it didn't seem to make itself known until a bit over halfway into the playing intensity meter. Since I'm already covered in the country blues/rag guitar dept, the Guild's fingerstyle-friendly clarity at low to medium sound levels was the perfect fit. This was a good day (below). Comparing the Guild Orpheum with slot-head 1968 Martin D-28S (Braz), '37 Smeck, 1927 000-18 (on wall, background, amongst good company): Slightly deeper than the Smeck: more obvious with a Banner: Orpheum to Banner neck profile compare: Adirondack top: Gratuitous glam shot: Really wished this guitar was an offering from Gibson, but it's nice knowing it was brought to life with a little help from Ren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 I really wanted to try out an Orpheum but I could not find one of the things to play. Those Guild Orpheums seemed poised to really take on the guitar world. They became almost legendary immediately because they looked so good but were so hard to find to take for a test drive. Guild has had a lot of lives and with Ren apparently making the move with the name some really great stuff could be coming down the pike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Congrats on your new Guild! Happened to be reading a review last night in Vintage Guitar Magazine of a Guild Orpheum. At the time of it's writing, the closure of the shop was apparently an unknown factor. Hopefully these fine instruments can be carried over into future production as the folks at Guild transition into their new game plan. Would love to take one for a spin at some point down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Back in Jan 2013, OWF started a thread soliciting suggestions for a special run of Gibson Acoustic Guitar Forum guitars. This was before Gibson stopped taking custom orders, but a surprising number of those responding to the Old Wily Fool's thread(and the thread was a big hit, going to 10 pages) were interested in a custom 12-fret J-45. I was in that group wanting to buy a J-45 from Gibson Montana. Closest thing came soon afterwards, in the form of the 12 fret Jackson Browne model, roughly based on his beloved 1930's Roy Smecks, but with English Walnut back/sides. 'Owned one for a while, but the 1.805 in. nut width didn't work well with the shallow profile of the neck. For me. Also, the walnut sounded almost too pretty for this fool for mahogany, so back to the search. Time moved on. Ren Ferguson moves on, as well. To Guild, New Hartford, Connecticut, where he would find a new home for his skills and product ideas. One of the guitars that came from this was the Guild Orpheum series 12 fret. Very hard to find, and with production halted at New Hartford, unsure where, or when these would be seen again. It took a trip to Brooklyn, NYC to what is billed as the "World's Largest Guild Dealer" so that I could try not one, but two of the Orpheum 12 frets. For a reference guitar, I took the jumbo slope with the most clarity I have- the 1945 Rescued-from-the-evil-Luthier-from-Hell maple J-45. In comparison with that guitar, the clarity of the deep-bodied Guild 12-frets (also modeled after the specs of the mahogany R. Smeck Stage DeLuxe) was immediately noticeable. Impressive. As Acoustic Guitar's Teja Gerken observed in his , the factory set up is a bit low, leaving one curious as to how the response/tone might change with a slightly higher set up. While still within the purchase grace period, I just had to know: I took the one I selected out of the two to compare it to the real deal- a 1937 Stage DeLuxe at one of the more highly regarded East Coast's vintage shops. While the '37 had that deep time-developed 1930's tone, it didn't seem to make itself known until a bit over halfway into the playing intensity meter. Since I'm already covered in the country blues/rag guitar dept, the Guild's fingerstyle-friendly clarity at low to medium sound levels was the perfect fit. This was a good day (below). Comparing the Guild Orpheum with slot-head 1968 Martin D-28S (Braz), '37 Smeck, 1927 000-18 (on wall, background, amongst good company): Slightly deeper than the Smeck: more obvious with a Banner: Orpheum to Banner neck profile compare: Adirondack top: Gratuitous glam shot: If anyone is interested, the remaining Orpheum 12 fret at StreetSounds, NYC, has the most outrageous mids of any slope-shouldered guitar I've ever played. Really wished this guitar was an offering from Gibson, but it's nice knowing it was brought to life with a little help from Ren. While enamoured with the comparisons. I cannot wrap my vibes around the Guild that you picture......A Ren Guild is not a Ren Gibson. The looks are not the same. I prefer the looks of the original Guild guitars. I can not say to the tone and playability....I have not! ....however, on first listen to the sound bite.....I DO like the sound.....and could get used to the look....??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Yep, got me one too. It sounds great now and I expect it to really develop some more character with some playing and some age. One of the things I really like about this guitar is that it has everything one would want right out of the case so there was no need to get bone pins or saddle as it came as stock. Great comparison pictures and I learned a few things about my guitar I didn't know. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I played this same offering at our local guitar shop…It is a VERY good sounding guitar!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Yep, got me one too. It sounds great now and I expect it to really develop some more character with some playing and some age. One of the things I really like about this guitar is that it has everything one would want right out of the case so there was no need to get bone pins or saddle as it came as stock. Great comparison pictures and I learned a few things about my guitar I didn't know. Thanks for posting. Now we really have to get together this summer and swap some 12 fretters back and forth. I really like the depth of that Orpheum.Couple of congrats on the new guitars gentlemen ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 duluthdan-Since you are close you can understand that I live in the reverse universe here in a resort town. Summers for me, anymore, are nose-to-the-grindstone (glad I got to live here in the '70's and '80's when no one came in the summers) and I don't have much spare time. But after Labor Day things lighten up a bit and we could do some playing if you're ever over this way. I'd REALLY like to play your J200! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 We'll make it a date, sort of, before McClure pass closes and hems you in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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