Interested in a guild acoustic

[legato72]

So I need a basic crash course on guild acoustic guitars.

you see, I have a couple electrics, but my acoustic guitar is still one I got when I was just getting into playing the guitar. My starter guitar - pretty cheap. I have yet to upgrade to a new one, and I was thinking if I do I would like a guild. However, my price range is somewhere between $500 and $800. what am I lookin at? If at all possible American made.. (I have some inexplainable prejudice against asian built guitars unless its Japan..) The guitar would probably have to be used to get an american made one in that price range, ya?

So anyways, on top of an answer to my core question Id like to know a bit more about guild acoustic guitars. I see all these D-(number) and other model names that mean nothing to me. I would just like to learn the meaning behind the model numbers. much appreciated!

 

[Brad Little]

A good starting place is http://westerlyguildguitars.com/guitars.html . There are pictures and specs on many of the models from that era of Guild guitars.

Brad Little

 

[dayuhan]

I'll say it quick before somebody else does: Westerly-made D25. Used of course, but there are plenty around in good condition in your price range. Very durable workhorse guitars and they sound way better than the price.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Acoustic guitars are normally seperated into 2 categories.
Mahogany or Rosewood.
Rosewood guitars will cost a little more than Mahogany in many cases.
These woods are used for the back and sides of guitars, with the exception that some guitars are all Mahogany.

Play some acoustics and see which you like best.
After that, you will be able to tell which won you want.

In your price range, a Mahogany guitar will be the easiest to find.
As already mentioned, a D-25 will be a great choice for you.

 

[cuthbert]

Acoustic guitars are normally seperated into 2 categories.
Mahogany or Rosewood.
Rosewood guitars will cost a little more than Mahogany in many cases.
These woods are used for the back and sides of guitars, with the exception that some guitars are all Mahogany.

Play some acoustics and see which you like best.
After that, you will be able to tell which won you want.

In your price range, a Mahogany guitar will be the easiest to find.
As already mentioned, a D-25 will be a great choice for you.

There also are maple guitars...

 

[stclrob]

Acoustic guitars are normally seperated into 2 categories.
Mahogany or Rosewood.
Rosewood guitars will cost a little more than Mahogany in many cases.
These woods are used for the back and sides of guitars, with the exception that some guitars are all Mahogany.

Play some acoustics and see which you like best.
After that, you will be able to tell which won you want.

In your price range, a Mahogany guitar will be the easiest to find.
As already mentioned, a D-25 will be a great choice for you.

There also are maple guitars...

Ash too!

 

[fronobulax]

I'll say it quick before somebody else does: Westerly-made D25. Used of course, but there are plenty around in good condition in your price range. Very durable workhorse guitars and they sound way better than the price.

+1 and I will add that getting comments from people at LTG on a particular example before you buy will probably pay big dividends. I don't always agree with advice on cosmetics but when someone asks if the picture shows a bridge lifting you may have saved yourself a trip to the luthier or gotten leverage to redcue the price. Also note that "price" and "what it's worth to you" are two different things and don't be afraid to pay more than folks here suggest is reasonable if the guitar appears to be The One and you are more likely to be buried with it than flip it on eBay.

 

[Graham]

I think you also may need to figure out what model best suits you.

D = Dreadnaught

F = "Folk Style" we still haven't definitively decided on that

 

[fungusyoung]

If you are in an area with shops that might have some used Guilds, I'd suggest going out & trying to find a few to play. The Westerly site that was posted is a great place to get general info on body styles, specs. & an idea of what each model looks like. But, being able to play and feel the guitar you're going to buy is always preferred... especially with an acoustic. It's not always possible, and I've certainly bought my fair share site unseen & never had an issue with any of the Guilds I've purchased this way.

As mentioned, the D25 is a great choice and well within your price range... even for one in awesome shape.

Good luck!

 

[TonyT]

I'll say it quick before somebody else does: Westerly-made D25. Used of course, but there are plenty around in good condition in your price range. Very durable workhorse guitars and they sound way better than the price.

And I have one that is available. I'm gonna post it tonight.

 

[Tunes]

+2 on any Westerly made Dread. I have a D6 that is mahogany (or "hog" for short) and it has a wonderful balanced tone with lots of volume. It compares very favorably to my Martin at a fraction of the cost. Westerleys were manufactured from about 1966 to 1996 or a bit later.

The Guild website has a nice condensed history that you should read.

Most if not all Westerly made guitars should say "Guild Music Corporation, Westerly, RI" on the inside sticker. If for some reason this is missing, you can also date a Guild at the Guild website ... http://www.guildguitars.com/ ... although this can sometimes be tricky as Guild was notorious for frequently changing / not keeping good track of serials on guitars. Luckily the formum has one of the world's leading experts on Guild guitars, Mr. Hans Moust, who has published a lovely book on Guild guitars (only such book to my knowledge that focuses solely on Guilds) - suggest you buy it from Amazon. Hans seems always here to help us out when a particularly sticky issue comes up on a "undocumented" serial or strange abberations of a Guild none of us has seen before.

The serials were always hand stamped on the back of the headstock.

Welcome to Guild and the LTG. If you make the plunge you will never look back.

 

[Tunes]

See about the 12th post in this thread for very basic specs. & 12 string options... all of those in that post were made in Westerly at one point or another: http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3915&hilit=

Hi Michael; thanks for the link to the details thread ... too easy for so much work to become [..........]

This may help too .... perhaps this post should be stickied somewhere. It seems we should have an easily accessable listing for reference.

 

[Scratch]

I'll say it quick before somebody else does: Westerly-made D25. Used of course, but there are plenty around in good condition in your price range. Very durable workhorse guitars and they sound way better than the price.

And I have one that is available. I'm gonna post it tonight.

Welcome to LTG, legato.

Suggest considering Tony's Westerly RI built D-25. I've played that one; huge sound; the D25 is considered legendary for many reasons by most acoustic members on this board...

 

[killdeer43]

IMHO, and if I had it all to do again, I'd search high and low for a good Westerly D-25. After all is said and done and your budget is considered, you'd be hard-pressed to beat a 70s-early 80s D-25. I'm always impressed with the sound/tone/feel and I'm usually on the lookout for the next one that fits into my own personal cosmos.

Enjoy,
Joe

 

[BluesDan]

D-25!
Can't go wrong for your first Guild acoustic. Upgrade and experiment from there.
Just my opinion..... :wink:

 

[cuthbert]

So I need a basic crash course on guild acoustic guitars.

you see, I have a couple electrics, but my acoustic guitar is still one I got when I was just getting into playing the guitar. My starter guitar - pretty cheap. I have yet to upgrade to a new one, and I was thinking if I do I would like a guild. However, my price range is somewhere between $500 and $800. what am I lookin at? If at all possible American made.. (I have some inexplainable prejudice against asian built guitars unless its Japan..) The guitar would probably have to be used to get an american made one in that price range, ya?

So anyways, on top of an answer to my core question Id like to know a bit more about guild acoustic guitars. I see all these D-(number) and other model names that mean nothing to me. I would just like to learn the meaning behind the model numbers. much appreciated!

As you've seen there's a lot of love for the D-25 of the late 70s/early 80s, and there's always some in our FS/FT area, I think that there's a good '77 now, not mine, of course!

 

[plaidseason]

I'm "out" of the running for this one . . .

http://www.daddys.com/detail.php?itemNumber=GUI8567

It's a DV25, which Guild only made for a short time in the late 90s. I have a DV4 which is essentially the same instrument minus the gloss finish. It's an excellent all solid wood dread. I'm constantly surprised by how good mine sounds.

The price is listed as $699, but since I've already done a little investigating for myself (as I was very interested in this same guitar), I can tell you that they'll definitely give it to you for $650.

-Chris

 

[jgmaute]

legato72, welcome to the Guild acoustic world...if we can't be satisfying our own GAS we love to help others find the perfect Guild. All I can add to what has already been said is, yeah, they're right...and yes, you're probably looking at a used Guild. Once you decide on the model, check out the FS/FT here as well as the Ebay/Craigslist/Gbaseofferings in the member's cove. I found my latest guitar in Ebay/Craigslist/Gbaseofferings then another member who lived near where the guitar was went and played it for me and sent a very detailed report before I closed the deal. I was able to get a great guitar with a lot more knowledge about it due to this super community. Happy Hunting, Joan

 

[legato72]

great thanks guys this will help me get started. I live in a small town with one local guitar shop. The variety of guitars around here are slim, so I don't have much opportunity to try it before I buy it. anyways, thanks for the responses

 

[chicagowineguy]

You've got to at least play a D-25! Like the other guys have said--just the best bang for the buck and you can find a gem for around 500 if you're just a little patient.