late '90s D55 serial # & manufacture year?

[bunuel]

Have been looking at D55’s. Have now run into a couple that appear to be Westerly-made but with serial #s that are higher than the highest online serial #/year guides for the westerly-era D55 which terminate with AD550691 for 1999. For instance, this D55 Westerly(?) has a serial # of AD552026 (& recently sold for a LOT on feebay): http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-D-55-Acoustic ... 2c57e75a0c

Another that I recently ran across & played had a serial # of AD551385 w/ a westerly sticker & a date of Aug 1999 stamped on the neck block.

I realize that the online info on serial#-manufacture year ain’t comprehensive or perfect, but were these D55 made in Westerly?

Are there any general concerns about quality or quality drop-off in the guitars coming out of Westerly just before Fender closed it down?

I’ve also noticed that a couple of the ‘90s D55 that I’ve played seem pretty heavy, noticeably more so than my ‘80s D40. Is this peculiar to the model or the era of manufacture? (All of the Westerly F412 that I’ve ever played were extraordinary and extraordinarily heavy regardless of whether they were built in the ‘70s, ‘80s, or ‘90s).

Thanks for any info, folks.

 

[Qvart]

If you PM hansmoust with the serial numbers he can tell you when and where they were made. Westerly was operational until the end of August '01 so some of the numbers that are off the online SN charts are from there.

I've heard various opinions around here about post-Westerly guitars, but I couldn't tell you off hand what the general consensus is about the other factories (Corona, Tacoma). I can tell you, however, that I've played a couple D55's from New Hampshire and they're great.

As for the weight...seems most Guilds are pretty hefty. Don't know if a D55 is necessarily heavier than other models. You'll have to wait for another member to chime in on that one.

 

[hansmoust]

Have been looking at D55’s. Have now run into a couple that appear to be Westerly-made but with serial #s that are higher than the highest online serial #/year guides for the westerly-era D55 which terminate with AD550691 for 1999. For instance, this D55 Westerly(?) has a serial # of AD552026 (& recently sold for a LOT on feebay): http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-D-55-Acoustic ... 2c57e75a0c

Another that I recently ran across & played had a serial # of AD551385 w/ a westerly sticker & a date of Aug 1999 stamped on the neck block.

I realize that the online info on serial#-manufacture year ain’t comprehensive or perfect, but were these D55 made in Westerly?

Hello bunuel,

The Guild serial numbers that you will find on the internet are certainly not comprehensive or perfect. The tables are a little confusing but if you look closely you will notice that there are no numbers posted after 1997, so #AD550691 is the last number for a D-55 from 1997. They made several thousand D-55s in Westerly after that one.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Dadaist]

Regarding the weight of vintage Guilds in general and D55s in particular. They are heavy when compared to their contemporaries, and the guitars manufactured in Corona, Tacoma and New Hartford.

There's a thread from several months back where folks posted the weight of their guitars. (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20318&p=219424#p219424) My '81 D55SB was over six pounds. I'm always amazed at just how light the new guitars are, and somewhere in the recesses of my brain, though it's completely illogical, I've always subconsciously felt that weight equaled quality, whether it was how a door closed on a '54 Buick, or a '50 Omega, Cal. 266 on your wrist.

It's been written that not only are vintage Guilds excellent sounding guitars, but can be used to menace the occasional, drunken heckler during your set or chock the rear wheel on your truck in an emergency without any apparent damage. Like to see you do that with something made in Narzareth, PA.

David

 

[adorshki]

I realize that the online info on serial#-manufacture year ain’t comprehensive or perfect, but were these D55 made in Westerly?

If the sticker says Westerly it was made in Westerly. Corona stickers say Corona.

Are there any general concerns about quality or quality drop-off in the guitars coming out of Westerly just before Fender closed it down?

Not according to anything I've ever read anywhere. There's at least a few people here who believe the Fender Westerly period (95-2001) was the best, quality-wise, and West R. Lee for example cites statements from former mill workers supporting the opinion.

 

[bunuel]

Thanks folks, for all of the helpful info. Greatly appreciated!

 

[Ian]

My d55 is 551800, july 2000 according to Hans. I was under the impression that the late westerly's were quite sought after as they have scalloped bracing and the abalone around the sound hole ?

 

[adorshki]

My d55 is 551800, july 2000 according to Hans. I was under the impression that the late westerly's were quite sought after as they have scalloped bracing and the abalone around the sound hole ?

There you go. Date of manufacture is VERY relevant when it comes to specs on Westerlys.