My "new" 1997 Guild D25AB

[MojoTooth]

So to make a long story short, Wednesday as I was leaving the house to go run errands, UPS delivered a guitar box my house. I didn't take the time to check it since I was on my way out so I just put it in the house and let it sit. I was worried it might be the Stratocaster I shipped out a week ago being returned to sender.

When I came home there was a guitar case sitting on my kitchen table and I immediately saw that it said "Guild" on it. My dad was sitting in the living room trying to play it cool and not act interested when I asked him about it. So I opened the case and then saw this:

You guys may remember last week I made a topic about this guitar in the "Ebay" section of LTG saying how nice I thought it was and noting that it had ended in 2 hours. Well when I saw this guitar on ebay initially I called my girlfriend since she owed me money from when I sold my Blueridge BR-160A to help her with the cost of relocating. She said she didn't have the cash so then I petitioned my folks and they weren't going for it. Well apparently after that my gf and parents talked on the phone and collaborated and got this guitar for me as a surprise "gift", since well I am currently unemployed and sold my Stratocaster hoping to buy eastcoastbuzz's D25 acoustic, but ended up not making as much as I hoped after the ebay fees and paying a few bills. Now I know why the auction ended so quickly.

Pops said he offered the seller $700 and the seller accepted it. So I guess it was a pretty good deal on the price. I just got it back from the setup and it is super. I don't think I will ever get rid of this guitar. I had never played an arch back but i really dig it. Has the MOP inlay on the headstck although you cant really tell in the pics and got the TRC turned the proper way now. Now my 03 D25m has a companion!

 

[evenkeel]

Sweet :!: :!:

Great story. Congrats on the new addition to the herd :!: :!:

 

[Ridgemont]

Ahh! '97 is a pretty good year for them D25s. Congrats

 

[twocorgis]

Congrats Mojo. The free Guild is the best kind of Guild! :lol:

 

[MojoTooth]

Thanks guys, I have been playing it off and on for 3 hours now! I kinda like the arch back, it definitely has a much different sound than my 03 D25M

Haha, I am sure at some point I will be required to repay the family for it. I've already been told that I WILL be paying for it little by little until paid off! Good thing I didn't mention that I sold my M65c yet!

 

[adorshki]

I am SOOO happy for you! I remember posting my take on that axe, and it sounds like you'll now have the same joy I've experienced with mine! String it with D'Addario ej-16s but buy an extra .025 "G" to sub into the set, that's how they came from Westerly. You will be able to pretend it's a Flamenco guitar! I fingerpick bareback all the time. That thing'll cover the range from Jobim to Townshend.
Try picking right over the fretboard between the heel and the soundhole, there's a real sweet spot there. Then strum the h-ll out of it like Richie Havens at Woodstock and hear it ring!
Mine seemed to open up suddenly one day during the summer shortly after the first fret job at around 350 hours. I remember I could feel the neck vibrating and I could tell the vibrations were going back into the body, it was literally feedbacking itself acoustically!
I use Dunlop .046 picks with the texture on 'em, so they don't slip around while I'm playin. The thin gauge lets it flex over the strings while you're playin' really hard instead of trying to bounce out of your grip.
It probably has a date stamp on the heelblock inside, it can be a little hard to see...let us know! That's the closest thing I've seen to what mine was when it was new since I joined here.
Try doing the riff for "Oh Well" starting on the bass E... there is absolutely nothing like an archback D25 for LOUD WOODY BASS.....
All your buddies are going to ask you to play it all the time.... :lol:
BY the way I just saw your question from the original post about "vintage". I was using the term in the traditional sense of "year of manufacture". As you've probably noticed, there's several of us here who think late '90's Westerlys are among the best ever built. So to me, '97 is a great "vintage year". I have no doubt you will agree sometime in the next 24 hours. Then your attitude will change to rabid evangelism about the quality of late Westerly period D25's. :lol:

 

[cjd-player]

Congrats, Mojo.

Great story about a beautiful guitar!!

 

[MojoTooth]

I am SOOO happy for you! I remember posting my take on that axe, and it sounds like you'll now have the same joy I've experienced with mine! String it with D'Addario ej-16s but buy an extra .025 "G" to sub into the set, that's how they came from Westerly. You will be able to pretend it's a Flamenco guitar! I fingerpick bareback all the time. That thing'll cover the range from Jobim to Townshend.
Try picking right over the fretboard between the heel and the soundhole, there's a real sweet spot there. Then strum the h-ll out of it like Richie Havens at Woodstock and hear it ring!
Mine seemed to open up suddenly one day during the summer shortly after the first fret job at around 350 hours. I remember I could feel the neck vibrating and I could tell the vibrations were going back into the body, it was literally feedbacking itself acoustically!
I use Dunlop .046 picks with the texture on 'em, so they don't slip around while I'm playin. The thin gauge lets it flex over the strings while you're playin' really hard instead of trying to bounce out of your grip.
It probably has a date stamp on the heelblock inside, it can be a little hard to see...let us know! That's the closest thing I've seen to what mine was when it was new since I joined here.
Try doing the riff for "Oh Well" starting on the bass E... there is absolutely nothing like an archback D25 for LOUD WOODY BASS.....
All your buddies are going to ask you to play it all the time.... :lol:
BY the way I just saw your question from the original post about "vintage". I was using the term in the traditional sense of "year of manufacture". As you've probably noticed, there's several of us here who think late '90's Westerlys are among the best ever built. So to me, '97 is a great "vintage year". I have no doubt you will agree sometime in the next 24 hours. Then your attitude will change to rabid evangelism about the quality of late Westerly period D25's. :lol:

I think I agree already that 97 was a great year at Westerly. I love the guitar, the arch back really makes a difference and i can't get over the tone of this guitar. I actually strung it with Elixir nanoweb lights. I always liked these strings, but the d'addarios you mentioned are what I have on my other D25. I'll have it strung with those next time around. I had to put the guitar down after another 3 hour session, my fingers are beat. But going to try to get in another hour tonight while everyone is gone.

 

[MojoTooth]

Congrats, Mojo.

Great story about a beautiful guitar!!

Thank you sir, I appreciate it. I do believe this one is going to stay with me forever. I already feel a connection with it.