The Guild Guitar company was started in 1952 by Alfred Dronge. They are most known for building fine acoustic and electric guitars. For a full history on acoustic guitars, refer to the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars and for a full history on electric guitars, refer to the Blue Book of Electric Guitars. As electric guitars became popular in the early to mid-1950s, Guild started to build guitar amplifiers with the Masteramp Series. The company moved to Hoboken, New Jersey in late 1956 to expand the rapidly growing company. Guild enjoyed their best amplifier production between the late 1950s and mid-1960s when they built several tube amplifiers and other electronic accessories. In 1966, Avnet bought the Guild company, and around this time they introduced the "Thunder" line of guitar amplifiers. In 1969, Avnet moved the entire Guild corporation to Westerly, RI. By the end of the 1960s, most standard amplifier production had stopped, with the exception of a few new models trickling into the 1970s. Alfred Dronge, president of the company since the 1960s, was killed in a plane crash in 1973. The vice president, Leon Tell, took over the company until 1983. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Guild produced mainly solid-state amplifiers in limited runs. In 1986, Avnet sold Guild to a management/investment group. This ownership lasted until 1988 when the Faas company of New Berlin, WI bought them out. This ownership eventually evolved into U.S. Music Corporation during the early 1990s. At one point, Guild was distributed along with Randall and Matchless amplifiers!
During the early 1990s, Guild gave one more run at amplifiers and this time they focused on acoustic models only. These amps were built by Randall amps located in Anaheim, CA because Guild was a partner of U.S. Music Corporation that also owned Randall. These amps lasted just before the company was sold again, and Guild has not produced another guitar amplifier since. In 1995, Guild finally found a real home with the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC). Fender continued to produce instruments in the Westerly, RI factory until the late 1990s and early 2000s, when all production was moved to other Fender locations. Eventually, acoustic guitars moved to the Tacoma plant that Fender also bought in 2005, and electric guitar production was discontinued altogether. Information courtesy Hans Moust, The Guild Guitar Book, and early factory catalogs.
Amplifiers previously produced in New York City from 1952 to 56; production moved to Hoboken, New Jersey from late 1956-1968, and from Westerly, Rhode Island in 1969-current.