Left: The Guild G-1000—a 2-channel “acoustic” amp with a built-in
seat cushion. Right: The G-1000 boasts a 90-watt tri-amped power
section with stereo tweeters and an integrated subwoofer.
Here’s a weird one for you, but I know you like them that
way! I bought this Guild amplifier at a guitar show in the late
1990s. Not only does it look cool, but the padded seat allows
me to keep it in my living room and use it as an extra chair—talk about versatile. I believe it’s from the late 1980s or early
1990s, and I think it might be one of the first acoustic amps
ever. What do you think? —Ethan in Dayton, Ohio
Hey Ethan,
Cool amp, man. You rarely see
these amps around, and to find
one in working order (solid-state
technology was far from perfect
in the early 1990s) and in this
condition is especially unusual.
Guild produced a variety
of tube amplifiers during the
1960s and 1970s that have much
vintage-collector appeal. After
Guild’s founder and president
Alfred Dronge was tragically killed
in a self-piloted airplane crash in
1972, Guild found itself bought
and sold several times over the
next two decades. Through the
1970s and most of the 1980s,
Guild offered a line of solid-state
electric guitar amps that seemed
to exist simply for the sake of having
amps in their catalog. And by
the late 1980s, Guild’s focus was
mainly on acoustic production.
In the early 1990s, Guild
introduced a line of amplifiers
designed specifically for use with
acoustic-electric guitars. The first
was the G-1000, and it featured
a unique hexagonal cabinet with
a cushion-seat top. According
to a 1993 brochure, these new
amplifiers “accurately reproduce
that unique natural acoustic
sound—without alteration.”
The G-1000 has four 6" speakers
and a 10" subwoofer, all driven
by a tri-amp power section with
a total RMS output of 90 watts.
The four 6" speakers are split
into two groups and configured
in stereo, with a pair of speakers
on each side of the cabinet. Each
side is driven by a 30-watt amp
and the remaining 30-watt amp
is dedicated to the 10" subwoofer.
Other features include a preamp
that users can switch to match
either active or passive pickups,
reverb, a 5-band graphic EQ, an
isolated effects loop, instrument
and balanced XLR mic inputs
with separate level controls for
each, and an unbalanced 1/4" output
jack. A fiber travel case with
footswitch and removable casters
was also included. Lastly, the
G-1000 was available in ebony or
mahogany with a mother-of-pearl
Guild logo, and, of course, the
padded seat cushion!
As acoustic guitars with piezo
saddle pickups became increasingly
popular in the 1980s, many
guitarists complained that their
instruments sounded unnatural
when heard through a standard
guitar amplifier. Specifically,
most acoustic guitarists sought
clarity—not distortion—in their
amplified sound. To meet this
demand, manufacturers began
building “acoustic” amplifiers
with multiple speakers, clean
power sections, and even stereo
output. These devices typically
offered anti-feedback capabilities
and multiple inputs for both guitars
and microphones—features
you often don’t find in regular
guitar amps.
Believe it or not, Marshall is
probably the first manufacturer
to offer an acoustic style of
amp. Their Club and Country
series were tube amps designed
for country musicians and were
produced during the late 1970s.
They even had a brown covering
and a straw grille! While
not specifically considered an
acoustic amp, they were wired
to sound clean and clear. The
first official acoustic amplifiers
appeared in the late 1980s and
early 1990s. Peavey introduced
the Reno 400, Trace Elliot
launched the TA Series line of
acoustic amps, and Guild presented
the G-1000. All three
thrived early on, and Peavey
and Trace Elliot continue to
offer acoustic amplifiers. Guild
introduced a full line of acoustic
amplifiers called the Timberline
series, which were produced
until circa 1994. When Fender
purchased Guild in 1995, they
ceased amplifier production.
Just about every other major
manufacturer jumped on the
acoustic amplifier bandwagon
in the mid to late 1990s. Fender
introduced their Acoustasonic
series in 1998. A newer company,
Ashdown Engineering, launched
their Acoustic Radiator series in
1999. Genz Benz produces their
popular Shenandoah series and
Rivera offers their tube-driven
Sedona line. Today, guitar amplifier
companies exist that focus
solely on acoustic amplification
including Ultrasound, Acoustic
Image, and AER. You’ll also find
that most of the large manufacturers
offer at least one acoustic
amplifier in their lineup.
While I can’t say that your
Guild G-1000 was the first
acoustic guitar amplifier out
there, it was certainly on the forefront
of acoustic amplification in
the early 1990s. This amp is too
cool not to be a treasure!
Zachary R. Fjestad
is author of
Blue Book of
Acoustic Guitars,
Blue Book
of Electric Guitars, and
Blue
Book of Guitar Amplifiers.
For more information, visit
bluebookinc.com or email
Zach at
guitars@bluebookinc.com.