Guild Serial numbers

[paulj504]

I recently visited a local guitar shop and was shown an instrument advertised as a D55. It sounded and played great, so I put a deposit on it to hold it. However, when I've googled Guild serial numbers, I haven't found anything that corresponded. The serial number in both the body and headstock is CV000672. Is this some sort of a look-alike? It had impressive inlay including the Guild logo. It is a D55 sized dreadnought with rosewood sides and back. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul, London, UK

 

[GardMan]

Welcome to LTG!
I think that's an SN from the Corona, CA Guild factory (from the early 2000s)... from your description it sounds like it likely is a D-55.

I don't know of a Guild SN list that includes the Corona years (there not even on Guild's website). Perhaps Han Moust (author of the Guild Guitar Book) or another LTGer with more info on Guild SNs from Corona era will pipe in...

Dave

 

[jazzmang]

I recently visited a local guitar shop and was shown an instrument advertised as a D55. It sounded and played great, so I put a deposit on it to hold it. However, when I've googled Guild serial numbers, I haven't found anything that corresponded. The serial number in both the body and headstock is CV000672. Is this some sort of a look-alike? It had impressive inlay including the Guild logo. It is a D55 sized dreadnought with rosewood sides and back. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul, London, UK

Sounds like its a Corona, California made Guild. Hans would have more on the specific serial number, as I've always been confused on the Corona serial number conventions.

 

[hansmoust]

I recently visited a local guitar shop and was shown an instrument advertised as a D55. It sounded and played great, so I put a deposit on it to hold it. However, when I've googled Guild serial numbers, I haven't found anything that corresponded. The serial number in both the body and headstock is CV000672. Is this some sort of a look-alike? It had impressive inlay including the Guild logo. It is a D55 sized dreadnought with rosewood sides and back. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul, London, UK

Hello Paul,

Welcome! Obviously I haven't seen the guitar you've put a deposit on but as far as the serial number is concerned, it all sounds legitimate to me. A D-55 with serial # CV000672 would have been made in Corona, CA during 2003.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[paulj504]

Wow. An overwhelming response! If I go ahead with the purchase, I'm glad to know there's such an enthusiastic Guild following.

I have to admit I was surprisingly impressed with the instrument. I've been looking for a good, larger Gibson for years, but I liked the sound and feel of the instrument. Any drawbacks on the Corona built instruments? I was surprised by the warmth of the sound for a Rosewood instrument. It does have the varnish peel ... is that difficult or worth the effort to repair.

Thanks much,
Paul

 

[adorshki]

Any drawbacks on the Corona built instruments? I was surprised by the warmth of the sound for a Rosewood instrument. It does have the varnish peel ... is that difficult or worth the effort to repair.
Paul

In about 2 yearr of extensive reading here the ONLY manufacturing defects I can remember are just what you've mentioned: finish blems. Is it worth repairing? Yes, if the the purchase price is right, or you like the guitar enough and are fortunate enough for "money to be no object".
My Corona D40 is every bit as well built as the Westerlys and a lot of other Corona owners here agree..
What I can't remember is whether it was clarified what finish(es) was (were) used in Corona. I do remember some discussion about Guild's normal traditional nitrocellulose lacquer becoming problematic for Fender to use in Coroana due to California air quality regs. I bring that up because "NCL" is more difficult to repair than the other possibility of polyester lacquer. A good luthier will be able to ascertain what it actually is, and depending on how extensive and where the "peel" is the repair cost might be surprisingly affordable.
A little searching using the term "Corona finish" should return some good threads for further background.
All this assumes you're aware of potential loss of value or change in tone that can follow a refinish, in case for example the whole guitar needs to be redone. I wouldn't worry too much about a tone change on a guitar that young. Aesthetically I'm with you about wanting it to look as nice as possible and if it's really bad a finish repair might actually enhance the value. Ironically since Coronas are kind of under-rated you probably can't really hurt the value too much anyway.

 

[paulj504]

Thanks for the details. I must admit fair ignorance regarding NCL vs. 'polyesther lacquer'. I assume the latter is akin to polyurethane. I'd guess that probably is the cause of the peel I'm seeing. So far, it's limited to the edges so I'd tend to shy away from a refinish as I do rather like the present tone of the instrument, and, it has a good bit of other cosmetic wear.

Any earthly idea of the value? It's on offer at $800. As I mentioned, it plays lovely, but has a good deal of cosmetic blemish.

-Paul

 

[Curlington]

I am no expert, but I have two Corona Guilds, a D40CE and a D50. When I was in the market for a rosewood Dread in the early 2000s, it was a no-brainer for me, as I have always appreciated the Guild mojo. I bought the D50 as a factory second off ebay, sight and sound unseen and unheard, for $700. It is a special one, and many have said so. No one has been able to find the reason it is a second. It even prompted a jamming buddy to buy a similar second, a few months later, off ebay. Unfortunately for my buddy, his does not play or sound as good as mine, especially unamplified. He still has it and gigs with it occasionally in a band. (He is a musician, I am not). The D55 has supposedly better wood grades and extra bling, top of the line. My D50 was so great, I bought the D40CE about a year later. It is nice but not special like that first D50 that I totally lucked into. As an aside, the bridge did lift on the D50, but I left it out of the case now and then so it probably dried out a bit at times (never again!), and it is a guitar for which a $200 repair cost for ten years of stellar service is nothing.

Most importantly, you said the D55 plays and sounds good, and you like the sound and feel. Seems like you stumbled onto one like my D50. I am not sure what “varnish peel” means, or if your D55 is in otherwise excellent condition, or New Old Stock. Regardless, if you are buying to play (Guilds are made to be played!), and you can live with the cosmetic issues, then I would say $800 is a real bargain, but again, I am no expert. Good luck with your decision. Dave

 

[adorshki]

Thanks for the details. I must admit fair ignorance regarding NCL vs. 'polyesther lacquer'.

NCL dries harder than Poly and there's a school of thought that it makes the guitar's tone age better because of that. Poly is more durable as it stays more pliable in a certain way, and is easier to patch, but some purists think it never gives the guitar its full potential tone development.

So far, it's limited to the edges so I'd tend to shy away from a refinish as I do rather like the present tone of the instrument, and, it has a good bit of other cosmetic wear.

Sounds like the problem of the lacquer not adhering well to the binding. I think this was actually thought to be the binding's "fault". It's got that white material around the edges of the fretboard, right? That's the binding. Is it happening there?. That's a pretty good indicator, and you're probably right, it's probably not worth repairing at $800.00
I'm thinking that's high for guitar with those known problems. I'm thinking more like $6-700 depending on how bad the cosmetics really are. I see you're in the UK so I realize scarcity may be a large element of that price.
The "For Sale/Trade" section here would be worth some perusal for an idea of US market pricing, and you may be fortunate enough to find a member willing to assist in international shipping if you find a better "deal". International shipping is itself something that should be researched carefully, there are a few pitfalls to avoid which have also been discussed here.
Either way good luck!
-Paul[/quote]