Anything negative Oxnard D-40s?

[chazmo]

Does anyone have anything less than good/great to say about Oxnard's D-40s? I've been duly impressed by all the positive feedback I keep hearing about these guitars from our members! And, it seems to me, that's the model that a vast majority of our Oxnard owners have bought.

Personally, I would love to have one in Pacific sunburst, but those are not in my price range. I was also thinking that I'd like to have one of the F-40s in that, but I may change my tune from what I've been hearing here.

Thoughts?

 

[twocorgis]

You certainly won't hear anything negative from me! If your budget allows, I would spring for the Traditional model. Before you buy an F40, you might want to consult @jeffcoop about his Traditional. It's nothing awful, just not what I expected. I had made a couple of offers on one from Tundra Music (where I bought my D40T), and never got a response, but I have heard that's fairly normal for them.

 

[Tonebone88]

My first Guild and I love mine. It's is a traditional. I bought it used sight unseen on leap based upon no negative reviews. It's just excellent. I have real nice D18 from 2021 that doesn't come out of the case as much.

 

[davenumber2]

Not a negative, actually a positive in my book, but the nut width on mine is 1.72''. Listed spec is 1.69''. I've seen other accounts of this too.

 

[Norrissey]

Hi Charlie,
I have tried two Oxnard D40 Traditional guitars. One I owned for about a year, another I had for just under a month. I thought they were very nice, beautifully made guitars. They had super nice necks and played very cleanly and clearly but they didn't win me over. For me they lacked deep rich resonance - I love a resonant guitar. My other three 6 string acoustics, a '71 Guild D25, a '71 Guild D35 (my favorite guitar) and a 2018 Martin D-18 all - in my opinion - crushed the D40 Traditionals in the resonance department which is why I ultimately let the D40 Traditionals go. At some point last summer I mentioned this resonance issue on LTG and people suggested I be patient, the guitars would improve with playing time and I'm sure they are right but life is too short - especially when I have other guitars that do the job. I know I'm a bit of an outlier here with this observation but it's an honest description of my experience with the guitars.

 

[twocorgis]

Hi Charlie,
I have tried two Oxnard D40 Traditional guitars. One I owned for about a year, another I had for just under a month. I thought they were very nice, beautifully made guitars. They had super nice necks and played very cleanly and clearly but they didn't win me over. For me they lacked deep rich resonance - I love a resonant guitar. My other three 6 string acoustics, a '71 Guild D25, a '71 Guild D35 (my favorite guitar) and a 2018 Martin D-18 all - in my opinion - crushed the D40 Traditionals in the resonance department which is why I ultimately let the D40 Traditionals go. At some point last summer I mentioned this resonance issue on LTG and people suggested I be patient, the guitars would improve with playing time and I'm sure they are right but life is too short - especially when I have other guitars that do the job. I know I'm a bit of an outlier here with this observation but it's an honest description of my experience with the guitars.

That's surprising. All four Traditionals that I have played or owned have been remarkably resonant guitars. So much so that mine is as resonant as any of my guitars, including some far more expensive ones, and the ex @Heath and @wileypickett '66 D40 that's now living with @jeffcoop.

 

[davenumber2]

I’ll chime in again to say that the D40T I own used to belong to @Norrissey. I bought it through GC but he recognized the serial # when I posted about it and let me know he was the previous owner. I think it’s the one he had for a year. My opinion is that it’s a great sounding and playing guitar. I put some Martin Retros on it and find it plenty resonant, loud and punchy. All the things I want in a mahogany dread. Maybe it finally got broken in, I don’t know. I just know I like it.
Everyone hears things differently. He didn’t bond with it but I did and that’s all that matters to me.

 

[chazmo]

Absolutely. To each his own. We appreciate all the pts. of view here.

Product-wise, what we do know, objectively, is that the bracing in Oxnard on the D-40 (and others) is a bit different than earlier models and I've been really interested to hear whether Oxnard's changes have made a positive difference to the sound of these instruments.

Also, of course, there have been appointment changes on (especially) the various D-40 models from Oxnard.

 

[Norrissey]

I think it’s the one he had for a year.

Yes. That's right Dave. As I think I mentioned when I communicated with you about it earlier, maybe I broke it in for you : ) - it definitely sounds great in your demo videos.
It may be I never found the right strings for it - I don't think I ever tried Martin Retros. Perhaps there are certain frequencies each one of us connects with who knows. I also think I prefer the sound of traditional X braced guitars. That's why I prefer my '71 Guilds to my 2018 Martin D-18 which has the scalloped forward shifted bracing. I'll probably trade the Martin in for a traditional X-braced Martin or Guild at some point in the future.

 

[Br1ck]

Hi Charlie,
I have tried two Oxnard D40 Traditional guitars. One I owned for about a year, another I had for just under a month. I thought they were very nice, beautifully made guitars. They had super nice necks and played very cleanly and clearly but they didn't win me over. For me they lacked deep rich resonance - I love a resonant guitar. My other three 6 string acoustics, a '71 Guild D25, a '71 Guild D35 (my favorite guitar) and a 2018 Martin D-18 all - in my opinion - crushed the D40 Traditionals in the resonance department which is why I ultimately let the D40 Traditionals go. At some point last summer I mentioned this resonance issue on LTG and people suggested I be patient, the guitars would improve with playing time and I'm sure they are right but life is too short - especially when I have other guitars that do the job. I know I'm a bit of an outlier here with this observation but it's an honest description of my experience with the guitars.

I have no experience with new Guilds. I'd need to play one, or any other guitar really, before buying. I'll say two things, both comments on the subjectivity of the topic. Firstly a Guild generally won't give you that Martin hyped bass dread tone a D 18 will give you. It will generally give you enough but be balanced instead. My Santa Cruz doesn't either. It's designed to be balanced too. Then, I'll agree with your comment regarding your 71 and my 70 D 35. No substitute for the light build and the 50 years. A new one can give you the former but not the latter.

Martin has, like it or not, been the definition of dreadnaught tone. I personally think they have taken it a step or two too far, but I'm in the minority. As a comment on that, my Guild D 35's tone has grown on me unlike any other guitar I've ever owned. I like it better than I did ten years ago. I put this down to my improvement as a player. As my accuracy with cross picking improves, I prefer hearing each note instead of the more smeared sound of a typical modern resonant guitar. This is just personal preference. This is a double edged sword that rewards that all too illusive perfection. It's the reason folks don't like a telecaster. Too unforgiving.

We can only judge what we can play. I have formed my opinions based in part on my area and it's wonderland of guitar shops. Even then, I know of no dealers in my area carrying Guilds. They have their quotas to make Taylor and Martin happy. I think this is the primary reason a store like Gryphon has Eastman mandolins and even arch tops. Nary a flattop in sight. They need to sell a bunch of MIM Taylors and Martins, and now they need to keep Fender happy as well. I have come to an understanding with myself that everything will not be available to me. Plus I'm pretty much done and totally used from now on anyway.

The big plus in the current trending of guitar sales is the overall quality of the products in general. It is hard to buy a bad guitar. But it is still easy to buy one that doesn't fit your unique needs. I was listening to a clip of the Decemberists, and while that J 200 tone was perfect for the job, I'm not sure I'd want one.

 

[bobouz]

My only comment is that the binding should be white!

Oh, and an F-40 should be a real 16” F-40!

And they need to make the F-30, too!

Will now go back to crying in my beer.

 

[RBpicker]

I’ve had (and sadly sold) a D40T, and missed it so I got a new D40 Standard, which is excellent. Richard bought my D40T and I believe he likes it a lot. Both GREAT GUITARS. My problem is that as i age, I need smaller “girthed” guitars. But still have the D40 Standard and it never fails to impress me.

Roger

 

[James Hart]

I was hunting for a forever acoustic... found it in my D40T.

 

[Br1ck]

The older I've gotten, the more guitars I've played, and the better I play them, the fewer guitars I really like. They tend toward being the unaffordable. For me, buying my Santa Cruz was a huge step in money spent, and I'd been playing some fine guitars I could put down in five minutes, then I played my SCGC for five minutes and knew it was coming home. So I'm going to just be happy with it and my 70 Guild D 35. Martin D 35, and 65 Texan. Just typing that, I'd have to slap myself for even thinking about another guitar. But here I am thinking about the guitar I'll be able to play when I'm 80. I should hunt for a twenties 00 18 while there is still hope of affording one. There are some small SCGC guitars I could console myself with.

I was at an open mic this week, and a friend well versed in the $5,000-10,000 market played my Cruz and said to call him if I wanted to ever sell. This was after two minutes. There will always be something else to buy, you just have to shut those thoughts down.

 

[James Hart]

There will always be something else to buy, you just have to shut those thoughts down.

Truer words have rarely been spoken!

 

[Bill Ashton]

And there is always the "one you didn't buy." For me, it was New Hartford-built D40 Standard at Union Music in Wrocester...Chas, you must have played it!...what stood out is that the mahogany or whatever they made the body and sides out of was stained a grey, unlike anything I had seen before. But just having gotten my D55 not long before, not something I wanted to propose to SWMBO!

 

[chazmo]

And there is always the "one you didn't buy." For me, it was New Hartford-built D40 Standard at Union Music in Wrocester...Chas, you must have played it!...what stood out is that the mahogany or whatever they made the body and sides out of was stained a grey, unlike anything I had seen before. But just having gotten my D55 not long before, not something I wanted to propose to SWMBO!

Ooooh, I don't remember that one, Bill! Looks like we both let it get away.