D50 without sticker vs. with

[tarheelguild]

Hey guys,
I'm looking around for an older D50 and one just sold on Ebay for $878. It was a '79 and in very nice condition, but it did NOT have the sound hole Guild sticker inside (I contacted the owner, who bought it new in '80, and he said it never had a sticker; I"m skeptical of that). I've contrasted this one with others on Ebay or Reverb from the same era that have the sticker but are almost $1000 more. Does the sticker add that much more value to an older Guild? I would've bid on the one that just sold, but the fact that it didn't have a sticker inside was sort of a deal- breaker for me. I'm probably being silly about this, but I know me, and it would've bugged me to no end, so I passed. Thoughts.....??
Tony


'98 D225 NT 12 (same as a D25 12 I'm told!)
'96 D4 NT
'96 D25 CH
'84 D40 NT
'00 Taylor 414 CE

 

[amnicon]

I bought my '75 D40 without a label inside. It sounds the same, has the model designation on the neck block, and the serial number on the headstock. The purist/Guild brand snob wanted it pristine, but it's a 40 year old guitar, and all the information on the sticker was still there. I've gotten over the lack of the sticker.

 

[bobouz]

It's pretty easy to confirm originality, so I don't think it would keep me from making what otherwise would be a good purchase.

A partially torn off label would bug me more!

 

[killdeer43]

I had a D25M at one time (it's now residing in Ohio with bikerdoc) which sounded fantastic even though it had no label. I'll bet that Doc will confirm if he sees this.

BTW and veering slightly, that particular D25 is on my short list of guitars I'd love to get my hands on again. eaceful:

Joe

 

[Cougar]

....I've contrasted this one with others on Ebay or Reverb from the same era that have the sticker but are almost $1000 more. Does the sticker add that much more value to an older Guild?

It's hard to imagine that's all because the sticker is missing.

I think I noticed that guitar, and noticed it had no sticker. I guess I'm a snob because that's a pretty big deal to me. If the seller said "I'm selling this for $1000 less because the sticker is missing," I might get over it. :smile:

 

[gilded]

I think the lack of a label would slow some percentage of potential buyers down. It might be a $50-100 issue for some people, a deal-breaker for a few and a non-issue for a whole lot of potential buyers.

That guitar in the auction had decent photos, but not great photos. The auction title should have mentioned the year of manufacture. There were no shots of the sides of the guitar, or a side view of the bridge. The case was a little different from the usual Guild dread case, The D-50 ink-stamp on the neck block was something I'd never seen before, though I don't spend a lot of time looking inside D-50s from that era. I don't think the guitar was a fake.

I think the low price is a sign of the economy. The opening bid was $750 and the remaining 7 bids only brought the guitar up to a little under $850. Somebody got a good deal.

 

[AcornHouse]

My Mark IV's sticker is missing. But with the serial # stamped in the headstock, and Hans, of course, it's easy to know the year and model without fear.
If it was missing the sticker AND the serial # was scratched out, then I'd avoid it like the plague. Not because it could be counterfeit, but because it was probably stolen.

 

[richardp69]

I'm with Chris and the others here. Sure, it might be nice to have the sticker but it won't make the guitar sound any better and there are other ways to verify the is legit. The knowledge on this forum is one of the main ways. I personally am far from being considered an expert but the vast amount of knowledge available on this forum continues to amaze me.

 

[walrus]

A partially torn off label would bug me more!

+1.

walrus

 

[fronobulax]

FWIW I am the original owner of my '71 JS II and it was delivered from the factory without a sticker. Hans has confirmed that my bass was not the only one from that time without a factory installed label.

If you are looking at the label as a cosmetic thing then it is a personal judgement. Some folks will pay more for appearance related characteristics and others don't even notice. If you think the absence of a label suggests something sketchy in the chain of ownership then you probably need to rethink that, as there are many circumstances that could cause a label to be absent that have nothing to do with theft.

 

[Neal]

I bought my '81 D-212 with no sticker, but you can see the shadow where it used to be. Didn't bother me much, although I did find a Westerly sticker on eBay to replace it.

As long as the headstock is stamped with the serial number, no big deal. I wish they had continued that tradition at Tacoma and New Hartford, about which I would be more leery of one without a sticker, because there is no way to date the guitar or confirm authenticity when buying sight unseen.

Having said that, I recently bought a ~'53 "X-150" that never had a label, so I can neither confirm year or model. Having it in hand, though, it is totally legit.

 

[tarheelguild]

FWIW I am the original owner of my '71 JS II and it was delivered from the factory without a sticker. Hans has confirmed that my bass was not the only one from that time without a factory installed label.

If you are looking at the label as a cosmetic thing then it is a personal judgement. Some folks will pay more for appearance related characteristics and others don't even notice. If you think the absence of a label suggests something sketchy in the chain of ownership then you probably need to rethink that, as there are many circumstances that could cause a label to be absent that have nothing to do with theft.

I had no issue with the guitar being phony. I just knew that, for me, it would bug me not being able to see that large "G" Guild label inside. It's just one of my peculiarities. There's another D50 on Reverb, an '84, I'm considering that does not have the original case. That doesn't bother me as much as the sticker issue and would not be a deal breaker for me, as long as the guitar is in nice shape. I already have an '84 D40, so I'm looking for something a little older. But I am considering it.

 

[wileypickett]

Two of my Guilds came without labels. Since I liked the sound and playability of the guitars, that missing detail was a non-issue for me.

One of them, a Westerly DV6, is an especially nice guitar. Glad I didn't let the missing sticker stand between me and my enjoyment of a great instrument.

If period-correct labels turn up, I'll replace 'em.

In the meantime, better a guitar with no label than a label with no guitar!

 

[killdeer43]

Can you see the label when you're playing? Unless the answer is YES, play on and fugged about it! eaceful:

Joe

 

[tarheelguild]

Can you see the label when you're playing? Unless the answer is YES, play on and fugged about it! eaceful:

Joe

A good point, Joe! However, for me, it's like the sticker is like a scroll that is part of the guitar's history. Plus, damnit, they're nice to look at, especially the large G stickers. It is pretty amazing that the stickerless one sold for almost $1000 less than others presently for sale from the same year/era!

Tony

 

[Westerly Wood]

My D25Br sticker fell out decades ago, but I can still see its footprint. It was there at one time.

 

[bluesypicky]

My D25Br sticker fell out decades ago, but I can still see its footprint. It was there at one time.

Is the guitar still playable?

 

[Westerly Wood]

Is the guitar still playable?

LOL. without the sticker? barely.

 

[txbumper57]

LOL. without the sticker? barely.

I put a Unicorn Sticker on mine and it made it sound even more Awesome-er-er-est than before.:single_eye:

TX

 

[adorshki]

Hey guys,
I'm looking around for an older D50 and one just sold on Ebay for $878. It was a '79 and in very nice condition, but it did NOT have the sound hole Guild sticker inside (I contacted the owner, who bought it new in '80, and he said it never had a sticker; I"m skeptical of that).

AS you can see from feedback..there was a period in which the sticker glue just seemed to be weak and they fell off.
I suspect that's what really happened and the owner just forgot, although there is that slight possibility it really never did get one, but I thought that was limited to the solid body electrics as in Frono's case.
Who knows what that does for the "purist" collector but as others mentioned the s/n on headstock should be all that's needed for proper ID.