1972 Guild Acoustic - Model #?

[3C4S]

GoatMan8,

Like you I am new to this forum...However, while the others unquestionably have more knowledge than I do, thought I would chime in...First, I am also in Detroit. If you want a second opinion, send me a private message and I will give you the name of a local luthier. However, I agree with wileypickett that it may behoove you to send to Tom Jacobs in FLA. I do not know how to reach him, but it seems like everyone else on the forum does...Second, a few have indicated the "for sale" price on Reverb. However, the sold price from Reverb may be a better barometer. When I checked, looks like 5 have sold in the last few years, with an average price of around $750. This seems light to me, but, again, others on this forum would know better. If it were my guitar, I certainly would spend the money (within reason), to have the necessary work done, as it looks to be in good shape...Good Luck...

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I would ask myself one question. What could I buy with $1500? It is not like you are paying $800-1000 then spending another $1000 on fixing it. To me the answer is a no brainer.

I had bought my D 35 ten years before I got it fixed, then I spent $1100 on it nine years ago. When faced with the decision, I knew at the time I could buy a playable guitar under a thousand. Of course nine years later it would be neck reset time. So when I got my guitar back having spent $1100 on a new bridge, saddle, nut, frets and the neck sprayed (it had been bare wood) I was at least three hundred underwater. I played a lot of brand new $1200 guitars, none that I liked better.

I have never regretted it, and would not take less than $1500 for it today. I also would not do a reset without fretwork and anything else the guitar needed. Hopefully no one shaved the bridge.

Yup. I've had my '76 D-35 for about fifteen years. Lots of upgrades. In '24, I'm going to ask my guit whisperer for an estimate on improving its already-pretty-good action. When a guitar rocks, don't let go.

(I can stand having it out of the house for a few weeks because I just got a D-50 to keep me company.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Post pics of the front and back, and back of the headstock (to show the tuners). Do you play it? Do you want to continue playing it for the next 10 years? Right now it may be worth $500 (not knowing what it is, and in need of a reset). A reset and getting it back to being a great guitar will make it worth $1250-$2,500 depending on what it is. If so, then even $500-$1,000 in work on it will be a bargain, even if you end up losing $200-$300 on it.

Yes. When I sell a guitar, I factor how much fun I've had with it into the selling price. So if I "lose" money on the sale, the fun factor puts me right back in the black.

 

[Boomstick]

Here is my '75. My dad gave me this as a "beater". It's way too nice to use as a beater.

Once I took it home and got the DR dragonskin strings which have super thick coating and sound pretty dead off of it, I found that I really like this guitar, like it probably makes my all-time top 10 best sounding acoustics good.

For what it's worth, try some DR Veritas strings on it (I use the standard stainless steel B and E but they give brass strings which are louder). The rich overtones of the strings compliment the full sound of the guitar very nicely and have been the best I've found so far.

If you live anywhere near Western MA, I can give you some luthiers who will do the neck reset for a lot less than $1000. It's definitely worth getting it done and should play amazing if done right.

 

[Br1ck]

Yup. I've had my '76 D-35 for about fifteen years. Lots of upgrades. In '24, I'm going to ask my guit whisperer for an estimate on improving its already-pretty-good action. When a guitar rocks, don't let go.

(I can stand having it out of the house for a few weeks because I just got a D-50 to keep me company.)

If you haven't done fretwork in 15 years, I can tell you a fret level and crown will make all the difference. You may need frets too. It depends on condition. Since I got my first level and crown twenty years ago, I've had it done on multiple guitars, some multiple times. After I got my D 35 all fixed up I noticed the tone wasn't up to snuff, this some eight years later. My tech said there was nothing wrong and asked me what I was hearing. I can tell you my 73 year old ears are none too good, but to me the clarity had diminished. He told me about the only thing that might help was a level and crown, and he was reluctant to do it. I had him go ahead and I immediately heard the difference when I got it back. Yes it is easily $200, but is the best money I've spent every time I have one done. Level and crown is the same thing as getting a plek job. A good tech can do as well. Emphasis on good.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

If you haven't done fretwork in 15 years, I can tell you a fret level and crown will make all the difference. You may need frets too. It depends on condition. Since I got my first level and crown twenty years ago, I've had it done on multiple guitars, some multiple times. After I got my D 35 all fixed up I noticed the tone wasn't up to snuff, this some eight years later. My tech said there was nothing wrong and asked me what I was hearing. I can tell you my 73 year old ears are none too good, but to me the clarity had diminished. He told me about the only thing that might help was a level and crown, and he was reluctant to do it. I had him go ahead and I immediately heard the difference when I got it back. Yes it is easily $200, but is the best money I've spent every time I have one done. Level and crown is the same thing as getting a plek job. A good tech can do as well. Emphasis on good.

Good to know. We'll see what my guit whisperer recommends. If I have the scratch, it's happening. It's my all-time favorite and most-played guitar.

 

[chazmo]

A set up with a trusted tech is a wonderful thing.

 

[GoatMan08]

Following up on this thread, I had the neck reset done, and new frets, etc. I noticed today that the heel of the neck is cracked. I called the tech and he said that he knew he did this, but it was normal when working on a Guild neck reset. He said it wouldn't impact the value of the guitar. Seems strange to me. Is this correct? I am attaching a couple of images. Also, does it seem strange that he didn't mention it when I picked it up, but now admits it? Thanks for any help/advice.

 

[wileypickett]

I don't know about "normal" on a Guild guitar, though I know heels do occasionally crack during the neck reset process and Guilds have a reputation for being difficult.

I do think such a crack might very well impact the resale value of the guitar however -- people are wary of damage and imperfections.

But properly repaired, as this seems to be, that crack shouldn't have any impact on the structural integrity of the guitar or its playability or sound.

Maybe this is what your repair person meant?

 

[GoatMan08]

I don't know about "normal" on a Guild guitar, though I know heels do occasionally crack during the neck reset process and Guilds have a reputation for being difficult.

I do think such a crack might very well impact the resale value of the guitar however -- people are wary of damage and imperfections.

But properly repaired, as this seems to be, that crack shouldn't have any impact on the structural integrity of the guitar or its playability or sound. Maybe this is what your repair person meant?

Thanks, but he did clearly say it would have no impact on the resale value. If this is incorrect, which you seem to be saying, then (1) he should have said it was a possibility before accepting the work, and (2) I now need to go in to the store and argue for some sort of compensation. I had no idea these types of repairs were normal. It gives me pause on future guitar purchases as I just don't have the funds to pay for ongoing, expensive repairs.

 

[Boomstick]

@GoatMan08 well for what it's worth, I don't think that's going anywhere, although I don't think this is normal. If I had to guess, the tech got impatient and didn't let it sit long enough with the steam machine.

The best advice I can give you is enjoy the guitar. If it's like mine, it's a great guitar.

 

[12 string]

That was my thought also, Booms. Too much muscle, not enough steam.

' Strang

 

[wileypickett]

Thanks, but he did clearly say it would have no impact on the resale value. If this is incorrect, which you seem to be saying. . . .

That's my opinion, yes. Here on LTG, we've seen numerous links to Guilds with repaired tops, bridges, necks, etc. Someone is almost certain to respond that such repairs are "deal breakers" for them, so far as a sale is concerned, no matter how expertly the repairs were done.

Of course, people have lots of objections to lots of things -- some of which seem positively goofy to me!

I agree with those who said "enjoy the guitar," especially if you're not planning to sell it. Some of the best sounding / playing guitars I've owned are ones that came with the odd repair.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hm. If you love the guitar, a neck reset shouldn't be out of the question.

But $1,000 is highly out of the question! I'd shop around.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I said $1,000 in case it also needed frets, bridge/saddle work, etc.

I dunno. That still sounds way out of bounds.

 

[adorshki]

Thanks, but he did clearly say it would have no impact on the resale value. If this is incorrect, which you seem to be saying, then (1) he should have said it was a possibility before accepting the work, and (2) I now need to go in to the store and argue for some sort of compensation. I had no idea these types of repairs were normal. It gives me pause on future guitar purchases as I just don't have the funds to pay for ongoing, expensive repairs.

I think that may simply be a lacquer crack cause by the flexing when the neck is removed. It has to be gradually worked back and forth up out of the dovetail. And I've never seen an example of a heel break like that shape. Normally it would follow a grain fault.

Look at it very closely under a magnifying glass, try to see if really is in the wood.
Even if it is a genuine crack, it's well glued and still structurally sound which may be what he meant.
Maybe ask him if he might consider a courtesy or discounted touch-up for the cosmetic issue, given your inexperience and the lack of disclosure? (Yeah, I do feel there's some duty to disclose that potential issue during consultation).

Hope that helps.

 

[chazmo]

That's a shame, GoatMan08. Too bad there is damage caused by your tech. As others mentioned, it's not all that unusual to see this happen. I hope the guitar plays properly now.

 

[GoatMan08]

That's a shame, GoatMan08. Too bad there is damage caused by your tech. As others mentioned, it's not all that unusual to see this happen. I hope the guitar plays properly now.

Sadly you are probably right that it isn't unusual, but to me that just speaks to the lack of skilled technicians. This shouldn't happen. And he should have for sure at least mentioned it when I picked up the guitar. I guess I am also guilty of not properly inspecting it when I picked it up. But either way, he specifically acknowledged when I called him yesterday that he cracked it (so it isn't a superficial crack). He said that I said not to worry about cosmetic clean up, which I did say, but I wasn't referrring to it being OK to crack the heel. I have no interest or need to sell it, but he still should be responsible for compensating me for rendering the guitar worth much less than it would have otherwise been had he not cracked it. I guess that is what I get for finding a less expensive alternative. Other local luthiers wanted to charge $1K to start. Again, he said he has done lots of these, but I think that is not true. He probably was in over his head. I just can't imagine why he didn't come clean on delivery. Did he think I would never notice?
Anyway, thanks to you and the others for your help. I am also going to ask the luthier at the Taylor Authorized Service Center here his opinion. Sadly my 1998 Taylor 810 needed a neck reset also. It is in the shop now. But as the original owner, Taylor is covering the neck reset. I just have to pay for the fret levelling, and strings. When I mentioned my Guild he said he would charge at least $1k.

 

[E-Type]

Sadly you are probably right that it isn't unusual, but to me that just speaks to the lack of skilled technicians. This shouldn't happen. And he should have for sure at least mentioned it when I picked up the guitar. I guess I am also guilty of not properly inspecting it when I picked it up. But either way, he specifically acknowledged when I called him yesterday that he cracked it (so it isn't a superficial crack). He said that I said not to worry about cosmetic clean up, which I did say, but I wasn't referrring to it being OK to crack the heel. I have no interest or need to sell it, but he still should be responsible for compensating me for rendering the guitar worth much less than it would have otherwise been had he not cracked it. I guess that is what I get for finding a less expensive alternative. Other local luthiers wanted to charge $1K to start. Again, he said he has done lots of these, but I think that is not true. He probably was in over his head. I just can't imagine why he didn't come clean on delivery. Did he think I would never notice?
Anyway, thanks to you and the others for your help. I am also going to ask the luthier at the Taylor Authorized Service Center here his opinion. Sadly my 1998 Taylor 810 needed a neck reset also. It is in the shop now. But as the original owner, Taylor is covering the neck reset. I just have to pay for the fret levelling, and strings. When I mentioned my Guild he said he would charge at least $1k.

If you posted what the charge was, I think I missed it. One reason I said it’d cost $1,000 is that I’d only use a guy that can get away with charging $1,000.

That being said, here is my perspective as a picky buyer/owner. Yes, the guy should have warned that with old wood, stuff can happen, even if they don’t do anything overtly wrong. Had you hired Dan Erlewine to do it, it might have still happened, but at least then you’d feel confident it was unavoidable. Yes, he should have fessed up when you picked it up. Yes, he should have touched it up so it would be less obvious and yes he prob should have knocked $100-$200 off the bill.
As a buyer, I avoid headstock repaired cracks and worse neck-break repairs, but this one wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, maybe lowering my willingness to pay by $200 at most. (So, I guess if he charged less than $800, you may have already been compensated for the $200 loss in value!)

My ‘70 D-25 sounds great with 5/64” action, but the bridge has been shaved and the strings are < 3/8” off the top. It’s been reset and I asked my guy about doing it again. The heel had enough taken off during the first reset that he does not recommend any further work (perhaps fearing a break like yours). I still had new frets put on and I’ll keep 10s on it. If the neck keeps moving, I’ll be the last owner and that will be it for the guitar. It sounds great and I’ll enjoy the time we have left together (hopefully a good 10-20 years!).

BTW, I hate to think the posts telling you that your a sucker if you pay $1,000 for quality work edged you towards a cheaper tech.

 

[GoatMan08]

If you posted what the charge was, I think I missed it. One reason I said it’d cost $1,000 is that I’d only use a guy that can get away with charging $1,000.

That being said, here is my perspective as a picky buyer/owner. Yes, the guy should have warned that with old wood, stuff can happen, even if they don’t do anything overtly wrong. Had you hired Dan Erlewine to do it, it might have still happened, but at least then you’d feel confident it was unavoidable. Yes, he should have fessed up when you picked it up. Yes, he should have touched it up so it would be less obvious and yes he prob should have knocked $100-$200 off the bill.
As a buyer, I avoid headstock repaired cracks and worse neck-break repairs, but this one wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, maybe lowering my willingness to pay by $200 at most. (So, I guess if he charged less than $800, you may have already been compensated for the $200 loss in value!)

My ‘70 D-25 sounds great with 5/64” action, but the bridge has been shaved and the strings are < 3/8” off the top. It’s been reset and I asked my guy about doing it again. The heel had enough taken off during the first reset that he does not recommend any further work (perhaps fearing a break like yours). I still had new frets put on and I’ll keep 10s on it. If the neck keeps moving, I’ll be the last owner and that will be it for the guitar. It sounds great and I’ll enjoy the time we have left together (hopefully a good 10-20 years!).

BTW, I hate to think the posts telling you that your a sucker if you pay $1,000 for quality work edged you towards a cheaper tech.

The cost was under $1K, but honestly I picked this tech because he was closer to home, and he seemed confident in his ability to do the work, not because anyone here advised different. Put another way, based on my knowledge at the time, he talked a good game. Having now had experience dealing with a "better" technician (at least I am assuming Taylor Authorized repair shops are better?) I feel like I know more. Had I known then what I know now, I would have either not done the work, or gone with the tech that is doing the neck reset on my Taylor.
And again, I can't imagine ever selling it, but I just feel like the tech didn't handle it properly, and he shouldn't have assumed anything regarding my knowledge of such repairs, and explained to me the risks.
I hope you continue to have good luck with your Guild, and thanks for your response.