Gretsch vs Guild

Gretsch and Guild share 1 plant and 1 company on record.

Two names on two headstocks can come out of the same building. When they do, the difference between them is the badge, the spec and the price, not the factory. When they share an owner, one company decided what each name stood for. Here is everything Gretsch and Guild have in common, from the records.

Side by side

Plants that built both

Companies behind both

More comparisons

• Epiphone vs Gretsch
• Gretsch vs Ibanez
• Gretsch vs Ovation
• Guild vs Ovation

Sources

Every numbered marker on this page points here: the document, its grade and the passages relied on. An era is computed, so it cites the facts it was derived from. A fact marked “no source” has no claim attached yet.

1. 1
   gretschguitars: support/historygraded primary

   • "in 1883… Friedrich Gretsch… founded his shop in Brooklyn"Gretsch, founded
   • In late 2002 a deal was struck for Fender Musical Instruments Corp. to handle Gretsch Guitars manufacturing and distributionFender Musical Instruments Corporation, licenses, 2003–now
2. 2
   bluebookofguitarvalues: guitar amplifiers/manufacturers/guildgraded secondary

   • "started in 1952 by Alfred Dronge"Guild, founded
3. 3
   Guild (manufacturer history) - Blue Book of Guitar Valuesgraded secondary

   • Guild was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge (who did hire great guitar builders).Guild, founded
4. 4
   Fender Announces Free Public Visitor Center and Factory Toursgraded secondary

   • The Visitor Center is located at 301 Cessna Circle, Corona, Calif. 92880Fender Corona, location
5. 5
   gretschguitars: 2014/01/ten years of the gretsch custom shopgraded primary

   • "U.S. Gretsch Custom Shop is now located in… Corona, Calif."Gretsch Custom Shop at Fender Corona, 2004–now
   • "Fender acquired licensing for the manufacture, distribution and marketing… in 2002"Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, licenses, 2003–now
6. 6
   mmone: guild guitarsgraded secondary

   • "moved to Fender's headquarters in Corona… until 2004"Guild USA at Fender Corona, 2001–2004
7. 7
   reverb: news/the rebirth of gretsch guitarsgraded secondary

   • "starting officially on the first day of 2003"Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, licenses, 2003–now
8. 8
   The Story of Gretschgraded secondary

   • In 2002 Gretsch and Fender announced an alliance that granted Fender exclusive rights to develop, market, and distribute Gretsch guitars.Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, licenses, 2003–now
9. 9
   blogspot: 2025/11/the convoluted history of guild guitars.htmlgraded community

   • "FMIC bought Guild from U.S. Music Corporation in November 1995"Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, owns, 1995–2014
10. 10
    fender: newsroom/news/408graded primary

    • "(May 6, 2014)… letter of intent to sell the Guild guitar brand"Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, owns, 1995–2014
11. 11
    premierguitar: artists/cordoba music group acquires guildgraded secondary

    • "Upon finalization of the sale, Cordoba Music Group is expected to begin production in Oxnard, Calif."Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, owns, 1995–2014
12. 12
    Fender Musical Instruments Corporation announces intent to sell Guild brand to Cordoba Music Groupgraded primary

    • Guild joined the FMIC family in 1995Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, owns, 1995–2014
13. 13
    Guild in the Post-Fender Eragraded secondary

    • When Fender bought the company in late 1995, Guild was headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island.Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, owns, 1995–2014