Guild Jumbo Junior Flamed Maple Guitar

This guitar is comfortable to play and sounds pretty good. Pickup sounds good through a full PA without a lot of feedback hassles. The real issue is stability. When I changed strings the nut just fell off. There was no evidence that it had ever been glued. In live situations it doesn’t hold tune very well. Probably the worst acoustic I have ever gigged on regarding tuning. I would probably buy a different model if I could do it over. It is pretty tho!

The playability of Guild is what I expected. I’ve owned a bigger, better Guild for years, and love and trust it. For the price, this foreign cousin is very adequate. It’s a very good starter-learner/take-camping-where-there-is-a-lot-of-beer junior guitar. However, upon inspection right out of the box, I found a fairly deep 2-inch gouge in the finish on the fine spruce top There was no damage to the shipping container or packaging, so it must have been there when it was packaged – which reminds me, I assumed it came with a gig bag as they usually do, but that’s what I get for assuming. I thought about sending it back, but since it’s not a crack and I mostly like little junior – I think I’ll just keep it. We have become friends; Caveat emptor. Correction. we did find some damage to he box, it was not immediately apparent.

GREAT careful, responsible/accountable set up – they filled out the certification card and included the initials of the guy who did the great set up, dressed the fingerboard, filed the fret ends down so they didn’t “bite,” gave it the once over with a grooming cloth, put decent strings on it, and made certain that it was beautifully playable, right out of the BOX! In fact, they included a point-by-point list of aspects they include in set up, and I can tell you that they DID all of them. Everything was in order: the included gig bag, the great packing job and the set up. decent strings. I was SO IMPRESSED that I got on the phone and called them (after playing it for a few hours because I couldn’t put it down!), and I THANKED THEM and promised them future business.

The guitar is small, but the fact that it has an arched back makes up for the size because it really projects, I can’t wait to try Martin Custom silk & Steels. The C-shaped neck is a great solution for small hands like mine as it’s really comfortable and bar chords are tidy and clean on this neck. It is so compact, like me and my hands – I’m 5’3″ and female – it so utterly playable! Yay! I WISH this had been available when I was learning cuz I wouldn’t have developed bleeding fingertips and blisters while learning. Also, it’s quite pretty. I don’t usually prefer the blonde look or hard sound it gives, but this is another reason this junior projects so well. I have a vintage Guild F47 NT with mahogany sides and back, sitka top, from 1971 which I worship – I know this is a different “guitar-animal,” and I got it for travel. It will do well for that. Its lightweight and compact and the gig bag DOES have shoulder straps. Considering how much my vintage guitar is worth and how afraid I am to travel with it, this guitar is a fantastic value. It shows how industry technology has changed for the better over the last 50 years. You simply can’t go wrong with a Guild, even the budget Westerly collection. The vendor, CME, was so diligent that they even included a second bag with care info and a few of their picks and stickers. Good marketing. Setting up and shipping a ready-to-go yummy guitar is the BEST marketing, and they did.

I highly recommend this guitar for small people, kids, and also for teens who are progressing in their technique and need an intermediate quality junior-size guitar. I’ve never gone wrong with a Guild. The electronics are good quality and shipped ready-to-go. Sounds great!

Let me contrast this wonderful experience detailed above with the experience I am having with another vendor in re: the Guild OM240E I ordered and was supposed to also receive today from a different vendor. It arrived (well-packed enough, but…) with three MAJOR problems: 1) The OTHER vendor sent the wrong guitar – a cutaway, which I didn’t choose; 2) The poor little beast wasn’t set up whatsoever – unloved – frets not filed and cut my hands, high E string not even playable in fist position, let alone up the neck because the frets were so screwed up; it was dusty and filthy; and, 3) it was supposed to include a gig bag and it didn’t. Somebody at that other vendor had a baaaaaad day and go tit all over this customer! I’m going to return it and go back to Chicago Music Exchange for the replacement, if I can swing it.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR: DO BUSINESS WITH CHICAGO MUSIC EXCHANGE. Buying a guitar sight-unseen is very risky, but I CAN PROMISE YOU: THEY CARE, AND IT SHOWS!!! They DID EVERYTHING RIGHT and in a GOOD SPIRIT !! If you want more info or proof of the contrast, leave a comment and I’ll response with contrasting pictures of the good vendor experience vs. the bad one. I’m just a regular customer, and I want my experience to count for something for you. Best Wishes, Chicago Music Exchange. I’ll be back.

IMPORTANT FOLLOW-UP: 1-1/2 years later, I discovered that the BRIDGE was pulling up!! I did a little research online. Some people are speculating/”using the excuse” (placing too much faith in Guild on this one) that the bridge was set in and left with “daylight” around the edges on purpose. This is nonsense, and it shows that many other people have gotten ripped off by this, too. Varnish does NOT belong under a bridge!!! I could slide a credit card under the bridge at the bottom and up both sides.!!!!! This lack of solid contact with the guitar top means that you will absolutely have bridge pull up – it’s a matter of physics. Cheap Chinese “work” – the only work I see in that is the sad work of cutting corners. BOOOOHISSS!!!!! It cost me $200 to get this fixed, and I am going to send the bill to the CEO along with some photos and “tasty” words. I still love this guitar – it’s so “almost” – but I wish I had noticed this problem while is was under warranty. It was JUST out of warranty wen I saw it. I brought it in to et the burr on a fret fixed. I suspect it was there while under warranty, but I was busy playing it. Note: This guitar was babied, not abused, and humidity was carefully controlled. I hope this information helps you. I wish manufacturers would realize that we are not stupid.

UPDATE: about SEPTEMBER 2021:

BRIDGE WAS PULLING UP !!!! $192 + tax to REPAIR in a guitar that was BABIED- keep inside with humidifier in winter!!! Never abused!! Just outside of warranty!!!!! Frets still are sharp and I’ll need to pay extra to file & smooth them.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR: DO NOT BUY a MADE in CHINA GUITAR!!!! You think it’s a cheap price, and you end up paying probably more than if you were to buy a nice American made guitar for twice as much money. Don’t bother with this. I am ashamed of Guild! I can’t believe they put out this crap that needs hundreds of dollars to bring up to any playable standard.

Sounds good ‘ plays well after $200+, but that’s because of my Luthier, not Guild.

Product very misleading. It is a child size guitar. When asked for refund, they didn’t give but only a portion of my money back. They charged me over a third amount. Not pleased. I gave you a photo. Guitar on left is my washburn.