I was recently at the ohio guitar show in columbus, ohio and saw a "de armond" guitar (looked like a gibson es-335). I tried looking them up online but couldn't find much. Does Fender own/produce these instruments? Are they of good quality? The reason being I am in the market for a semi-hollow.
Thanks

The DeArmond line of guitars were pretty cool. They were Guild designs with DeArmond pickups in the 60's. I remember Fender buying them out and there was a DeArmond line in the mid 90's that were nice. If you can find one in good shape at a decent price, I'd snatch it up.
If you want a semi hollow or hollow body guitar check out the Ibanez Artcore line. I have an AS73 semi hollow body and really like it. I picked it up used for around 200 bucks and the original owner ha put SD Phat Cat pups in it. The stock Artcore guitars sound and play great. Some people upgrade the turners, but I've never had a problem with them.

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The DeArmond guitars are very solid and good quality. Preferably you want to get one that was made in Korea while DeArmond was still under the sole ownership of Guild. The ones made by Fender in Indonesia are not as high quality but still good guitars. The korean LP style guitars with the US made Goldtone humbuckers are great guitars and so are the Starfire series (335) with the Goldtones or the DeArmond dynasonic style pickups. These Starfires are a super deal so far as fit and feel, quality and with the US made pups they put out some serious tone. They are also really good looking guitars as well. I think for the money they are as good as any guitar in the price range, especially the Korean made ones seeing as they were built to Guild specs.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

So Fender owns Guild? Sorry if thats a dumb question, I never really paid attention to guitar brands until recently so I'm kind of new to this stuff

yes fender bought guild in late 1995. Guild guitars were still being built in Westerly up until 2001 at which point Westerly closed down and the remaining Guild acoustics and the reissue electrics they were making at the time moved to Corona and were produced there. I actually have a Corona made Guild D25M acoustic and it is a fine instrument.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I used to have a DeArmond Starfire Special III. It was a Korean copy of a Guild Starfire but the build quality was bad and even after some mods, I never bonded with it and
let it go.

I was playing a Harmony H44 Stratotone RI the other night at a jam and it had the same feel (without Bigsby), but a much better bluesy tone with a P-90 added to the bridge
and a phase switch for T-Bone tones. Very versatile blues guitar and very comfortable to play.

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I think Guilds are being built here in New Hartford Ct. at the same factory American made Ovation guitars are built.

yep, the acoustic Guilds are being made there now. They are building some top notch acoustics that in time will be thought to rival the vintage Westerly's. Hopefully soon we will see a run of reissue electrics as well.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

Check back issues of Vintage Guitar and Premier Guitar...year 2010....for articles on Guild Guitars and DeArmond Pickups.

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"Another day in paradise!"