Guild Creates Limited Edition Johnny Smith Award Model

Jazz guitar legend Johnny Smith joined Robert Benedetto, one of the world's premiere jazz guitar luthiers, at Guild's manufacturing facility on Monday, August 9th, to personalize a limited edition number of hand-crafted instruments. This collaboration features a total of 18 Guild Johnny Smith Award model guitars that were signed by Smith, and which will be made available to authorized Guild retailers on a first-come, first- served basis.

This historic limited run celebrates the recent return of the name Johnny Smith to this Guild guitar, which was first introduced in 1956, but which featured his name for only four years. Since 1960, the guitar has been known simply as the Guild Artist Award model.

When Guild teamed up with renown guitar builder Robert Benedetto in 1999, one of the goals was to utilize his expertise to refine some of the classic Guild designs, including the Artist Award model. Since that time, Benedetto has been working extensively with Guild's team of master luthiers to help hone their skills and to incorporate his own techniques, resulting in a series of instruments known as the Guild Benedetto Signature line. Robert Benedetto personally signs off on each and every Johnny Smith Award model guitar that is built.

With the names Benedetto and Guild working together, Smith has once again added his name and endorsement to the guitars.

This special edition run of Johnny Smith Award model guitars are available in two finishes: Antique Burst and Honey Blonde. Both the top of select European spruce and back of flamed European maple are carved and hand-graduated to Benedetto's exact specifications. The guitar also features a 5-piece American maple neck with ebony fretboard (including the Benedetto logo inlaid on the 19th fret), multiple binding package throughout, mother-of-pearl and abalone inlays, andthe distinct Johnny Smith signature headstock.

There are a total of 18 instruments in this limited run, each of which has been hand signed by Smith in gold paint on the back of the headstock. Each instrument also comes with a special certificate of authenticity signed by Robert Benedetto and Johnny Smith, as well as a copy of Mosaic Records' limited edition release of The Complete Roost Johnny Smith Small Group Sessions. This 8-CD box set release contains 178 tracks that cover 15 original LPs and 4 ten-inch sessions in a beautiful digital format.

The limited run of hand signed Guild Johnny Smith Award model guitars and signed CD box set are available to authorized Guild dealers only, and orders will be taken immediately. List price for the set $11,000.00. Authorized Guild retailers may contact their sales representative for more information..

For more information, visit their web site at www.guildguitars.com