On the acoustic side of the business, Guild partners with George Gruhn (famed American guitar historian and owner of Gruhn's Guitars in Nashville) to create a new range of flattop guitars, including the D62, D64, D66, F42, F44, and F46.

Popular models from this time include the X-82 Starfighter, S-80 Flyer, X-79 Skyhawk, SB-66E Bladerunner, and the SB Pilot basses.

With the popularity of the heavy metal and hard rock scenes, Guild introduces many solid-body guitars and basses with body shapes and design features aimed to suit the style of these players.

Little known fact: at the beginning of 1970, Jimi Hendrix purchases a left-handed F-212 12-string model from the infamous Manny's Music in New York City.

During this time period, the 'G' designation for a dreadnought guitar crops up, although why it is introduced remains a mystery.

Guild also designs and produces the first dreadnought guitar featuring a cutaway (the D-40C), and makes the first dreadnought-shaped 12-string guitars (G-212, G-312).

These models include the M-85 bass, JS Bass I & II, S-100, S-300, and new solid-body versions of the recently re-issued M-75 Bluesbird, called the M-75GS and M-75CS.

Guild's 12-string and jumbo-sized guitars pick up steam on the other hand, Guild overhauls their entire range of solid-body electrics, including the basses.

In 1972, Al Dronge dies in a plane crash, marking the end of an era for the Guild Guitar Company.

The D-40 and D-50 go on to become mainstays in the Guild line.

In 1969, Richie Havens wows the world when he opens the Woodstock Festival in 1969 with his Guild D-40.

The first guitar to come out of this factory is an M-20 in 1967.

In 1966, the company is sold to the Avnet Corporation, and production moves from Hoboken to Westerly, RI.After Guild parts ways with Johnny Smith, they developed signature models with George Barnes (George Barnes AcoustiLectric, 'Guitar in F'), Duane Eddy (DE-400), and Bert Weedon (Bert Weedon model).Guild also begins making their first classical guitars, inspired by Carlo Greco and named after Al Dronge's son Mark.This is the decade in which Buddy Guy becomes synonymous with the Starfire IV, Muddy Waters champions the Thunderbird, and Bonnie Raitt picks up her first Navarre F-50, which is a new version of the F-50 with rosewood back and sides. Some very popular models came out of this decade, namely the Starfire models, the Thunderbird, S-100 Polara, and Guild's first 12-string and bass guitars.Guild's first collaboration with an artist (Johnny Smith) results in the Johnny Smith Award model, which was made from 1956-1960. Due to Dronge's ties with the New York jazz scene, Guild's list of endorsees include Johnny Smith, Don Arnone, Carl Kress, and Barry Galbraith, among others.It was during this time period that Guild hires most of the people who are responsible for the tremendous growth of the company during the 1960s, such as Bob Bromberg (general/plant manager), Gilbert Diaz (final assembly), and Carlo Greco (luthier). In 1956, production moves from New York City to Hoboken, NJ.Models such as the X-175 Manhattan, M-75 Aristocrat, F-30, F-40, and F-50 are introduced.In the next few years, Guild makes their first flattops, followed by acoustic archtops.

Guild classical guitar mark 2 gitbox