While the guitar may be just another musical instrument for people who are not really into music, however, the guitar is to guitarists what a microscope is to the scientist.
However, we all know that not all acoustic guitars are the same, as there’re certain differences between each of them on the basis of their features, terms of build, functions, etc.
Some guitars brands are iconic, with impressions that are too hard to get over. Two such brands being Gibson and Guild.
Both of these guitar brands have outshined other guitar brands on the market on the basis of their performance, style, and much more. It certainly wouldn’t be wrong to say that both Gibson and Guild make some of the most sought-after acoustic guitars of the modern era.
People are usually confused when making a choice between the two brands. Therefore, it’s better to have a thorough knowledge of the basic differences to help make a better decision.
Gibson
Gibson is one of those names that many guitarists and non-guitarists will recognize instantly. It’s one of the most legendary brands in the music universe, as they’ve been responsible for creating some of the most played instruments in the world.
Gibson was founded 120 years ago by Orville Gibson, and it started with manufacturing instruments in the mandolin family. They later went on to invent the archtop guitar and eventually started producing flat-top acoustic guitars, as well as the first hollow-body electric instruments.
Their most famous guitars are made in the USA and they’re generally not cheap, especially when you start getting into the Custom Shop territory, although those are formidable instruments.
Guild
Guild was founded in New York in 1952 and originally focused on making jazz guitars. Soon after, the desire to play folk music led to their production of acoustic guitars, which began to compete with the likes of Gibson and Martin. Their 12-string acoustic was notable at this time. Guild’s D40 became a well-known guitar when Richie Havens played with one at Woodstock in 1969.
In the 90s, Guild was bought by Fender and the company was descaled and moved frequently. They then went on to produce various lines of guitars, including the Standard Series, Guild Special Run and Traditional Series. Guild had their Traditional Series models fitted with a new DTAR pickup system.
More recently, in 2014, Fender had sold Guild to Cordoba. Since then, they increased the production of the brand and released models like the M-20 and D-20 in early 2016.
Gibson Vs Guild: Sound
Gibson
You wouldn’t see so many world-renowned guitar players endorsing Gibson’s and playing them on stages all over the world if they were not a reliable source of the quality tone.
Gibson’s guitars feature a combination of exotic woods that are carefully tested and matched to ensure that each guitar can perform perfectly in your hands, whether you’re at home, in the studio or in a small venue.
Not to say that you can’t get an amazing tone out of guitars made by other renowned brands, but when you play Gibson guitars, you’re essentially using the same tool as many of your guitar idols have been using for many decades.
Guild
If you want to know about the tone of Guild guitars without actually playing a Guild guitar, you can have an idea from the fact that their tone sounds somewhat like a Martin or a Taylor.
While this is true, it’s difficult to make any straight generalizations as the tone is largely impacted by the wood, shape, and size of the guitars.
Many well-known Guild players have revealed that the tonal niche of Guild is different from the other brands. It has its own touch and vibe.
Gibson Vs Guild: Build
Gibson
If you’ve ever been browsing a guitar store looking for acoustic guitars made by Gibson, then you’ve probably noticed that they tend to carry a hefty price tag.
One reason for this is due to them being made in the USA, which directly implies a higher cost. While doing this, Gibson has to pay for some of the best luthiers in the world who work in the USA, which is much more expensive than having the guitars built overseas in countries such as China or Indonesia.
Quality Woods
Having the best luthiers building guitars doesn’t have a very big impact if the woods that they’re working with do not do the job properly. That’s why Gibson is known for using some of the best tonewoods available and selecting those that resonate best with a guitar.
In Gibson acoustic guitars, you can find all kinds of wood, such as mahogany, Sitka spruce, maple, koa, and ebony, among others. The more exclusive the wood is, the higher the price will be as well.
Original Designs
Gibson is responsible for bringing some of the most recognizable guitar designs to the music scene, and they’ve had a very rich history surrounding the various guitars they’ve manufactured throughout the decades.
There have been other successful brands that have inspired themselves on some of the best Gibson designs to come up with their own models. It’s undeniable that they have made a huge impact on the guitar world.
For example, Gibson’s Super Jumbo 200 (SJ-200) which was released in 1937, had a body like no other acoustic guitar had back in the day. Its big, curvy shape caught the attention of the music industry back then, and half a century later it still turns heads!
Guild Quality
The unique factor with Guild’s acoustic guitars is their supreme quality. When compared with renowned brands like Gibson, Taylor, and Martin, Guild has been ahead with their great quality of guitars.
The Body
Having a large size body, Guild guitars always promise to have a rich and warm tone.
X-bracing
A good wood cannot go through the completion of its design features unless the bracing is perfect. As far as the bracing systems of Guild’s acoustic guitars go, it’s typically a scalloped X brace system.
With this technique, wood is shaved from the center of the brace, which assures good resonance, bringing more strength to the soundboard.
The plain and satin varnish finish of the woods used allows for vibration. Overall, it leaves the build and looks very impressive.
Price
For intermediate and advanced guitarists, there’s a large range of Guild guitars ranging from $1000 and going far beyond. If you’re getting your first guitar, you won’t have to spend that much money, as you can still get your hands on an affordable Guild for $400. Guild guitars come at all prices.
Conclusion
Guild is up there with the other top three American guitar brands when it comes to sound and build.
Guild guitars have their own sound, which leans more toward that of Martin and Taylor rather than a Gibson. Gibson, however, has many great models that are built and sound very well.