Hello all Iam a newbie here. I currently own a few accustics,Martin gibson Taylor yamaha. Ive never owned a Guild. Iam very interested in Guild D55..Been reading alot of reviews, doing my homework,Videos etc ..Everyone who owns one seems to love there D55.. No local shops have one to try out.. My questions are if I may...Are Guild accustics consistent ? Are the D55s As good as the hype .I may have to order online ! So Your Help and comments much appreciated !!! Thank you and stay safe !!
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- Thread starter Kevmoe
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I purchased a very nice Westerly made D55 from '99, and I've been very pleased with it. Older ones in great condition are out there, and I have heard nothing but praise for the new ones coming out of Oxnard.
Ordering a new guitar online can sometimes be a crapshoot, but a reputable dealer would probably have a solid return policy in the event you weren't satisfied.
Ordering a new guitar online can sometimes be a crapshoot, but a reputable dealer would probably have a solid return policy in the event you weren't satisfied.
Thank you MLBob..And i hear you re online purchaces I have done so in the past, only if good return policy..And nice guitar ya got there..Tks againI purchased a very nice Westerly made D55 from '99, and I've been very pleased with it. Older ones in great condition are out there, and I have heard nothing but praise for the new ones coming out of Oxnard.
Ordering a new guitar online can sometimes be a crapshoot, but a reputable dealer would probably have a solid return policy in the event you weren't satisfied.
ezstrummer
Member
I have done a couple on line guitar purchases and have been pleased with them.
Cougar
Enlightened Member
Totally. Somehow through all the years and the changes in ownership and different plant locations Guilds have stayed remarkably consistently excellent. Some subjectively prefer Guilds out of Westerly, and others think the New Hartford Guilds are the best, but they're all great guitars and consistency is a Guild hallmark.
Online ordering really opens up a lot more possibilities than you'd have otherwise. Most of my guitars were bought online, and they've turned out to be great. Have fun in your search and welcome to the boards!
davismanLV
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Hey Kevmoe, welcome to LTG! The venerable D55 has probably converted more Martin, Gibson, and Taylor players than any other model. It's Guild's top of the line acoustic and it's been around for quite a long time. There have been some changes over the years and others would know specifically what those are more than I. But if you're looking for a high-end, rosewood dreadnaught that model is right up your alley. The new one's from Oxnard get high marks and buying new you'll spend more money but have the peace of mind of a factory warranty for the original owner. Used ones do come up for sale fairly often. Online sales are a little scary but dealing with Reverb (I have no personal experience with eBay) they seem fair and protect you if the guitar is not as represented in the ad. Make sure you ask all your questions up front and request additional photos if you have concerns. An uncooperative seller is best avoided. I've purchased two guitars online, one from Sweetwater and another from Springfield Music and both had very nice return policies which I didn't have to use as they were both stellar guitars. Also, if you check in here quite often we have a section for ebay/reverb/craigslist sales that people note and post here as a service to those who may be looking. They come up now and again. Hope this helps! Enjoy your time here!! 
Thank you brother
Thank you Mikey !!
Thank you Brother !!! Ps. How are the D55Es pick up systems again tks for the warm welcome much appreciatedHey Kevmoe, welcome to LTG! The venerable D55 has probably converted more Martin, Gibson, and Taylor players than any other model. It's Guild's top of the line acoustic and it's been around for quite a long time. There have been some changes over the years and others would know specifically what those are more than I. But if you're looking for a high-end, rosewood dreadnaught that model is right up your alley. The new one's from Oxnard get high marks and buying new you'll spend more money but have the peace of mind of a factory warranty for the original owner. Used ones do come up for sale fairly often. Online sales are a little scary but dealing with Reverb (I have no personal experience with eBay) they seem fair and protect you if the guitar is not as represented in the ad. Make sure you ask all your questions up front and request additional photos if you have concerns. An uncooperative seller is best avoided. I've purchased two guitars online, one from Sweetwater and another from Springfield Music and both had very nice return policies which I didn't have to use as they were both stellar guitars. Also, if you check in here quite often we have a section for ebay/reverb/craigslist sales that people note and post here as a service to those who may be looking. They come up now and again. Hope this helps! Enjoy your time here!!
I have a mid-70s D-55 and it is one of the better sounding guitars I've ever played or owned. I've seen and heard a few of the Oxnard models, never got to play one, but the workmanship looked good and the sound was great (although I wasn't impressed with the two players playing them). I agree on their consistency, I've owned or do own Guilds from Hoboken,Westerly, New Hartford and Tacoma and never a dud among them. Not something I can say about the Martins I've owned.
Br1ck
Senior Member
A D 55 is a great guitar, provided you aren't expecting it to sound different than what it is. Not a guitar I'd want to play Bluegrass on. But if you want a supremely balanced rosewood dread, with a bunch of, but not terribly over the top bling, it may be just the ticket. When you can find one to play, it will often outshine a room full of Martins. And I like Martins.
midnightright
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The one that I had for a very brief period about five years ago, was from 1996. It was an incredibly awesome specimen in every sense of the word. Robust; & definitely next-level when it came to sound and projection, as well as build quality. Both it & the case were resembling what you might think of as being “ready to go to war,” with (or for, for that matter!). Very, very sturdy... it had a massive center seam crack that was not at all pictured and though repaired with glue & cleat - which was apparently not put in the best plac s according to the shop I sold it to, made it affordable for me. I’d say it looked hideous though: even as far as these things go. I’d have to venture a guess that the photos used by the shop that sold it were from before that incident /or/ damage occurred. It looked like their was still a half inch separation and zig zag zipper like appearance or look with white epoxy used to hold it together. It was sure stable, but priced more like a D-25! played and sounded fantastic... if it wasn’t so heavy & I wasn’t so weakened with wear & tear (along with being small to begin with), I’d wish I still had it. See, I’ve never really been in the market for one since, becaus of the the typical cost associated with them. But they are very, very nice (or at least mine was)... & again, id have never been able to get my hand s on it if not for the special circumstance. I’d be looking 90’s Westerly — but I say that about nearly all models( of interest) & this is the only one I’ve gotten to seriously know.
played and sounded fantastic... if it wasn’t so heavy & I wasn’t so weakened with wear & tear (along with being small to begin with), I’d wish I still had it. See, I’ve never really been in the market for one since, becaus of the the typical cost associated with them. But they are very, very nice (or at least mine was)... & again, id have never been able to get my hand s on it if not for the special circumstance. I’d be looking 90’s Westerly — but I say that about nearly all models( of interest) & this is the only one I’ve gotten to seriously know. 
SFIV1967
Venerated Member
And you got a CMG HumiCase with it like the Oxnard made Guilds have!
Ralf
Nope, came in another hard case, and I ordered the new Guild case from Sweetwater. It deserved it!
blakeb2193
Member
Hey Kevmoe. The D55 is probably the best overall guitar, guild ever built. They are consistently good in any guild era. I have sold 7 or so D55s in the last year. Feel free to shoot me a message if you want me to help you find a D55. I have lots of pictures and links to some great guild guitars you may want to check out.
https://guildacoustics.com/
https://guildacoustics.com/
geoguy
Senior Member
I've played both Tacoma & New Hartford D-55 examples that were fine (and relatively similar). The Tacoma instruments may be undervalued, relative to their build quality, IMO.
Greenstar
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Thank you for that information. I am looking at an Oxnard, New Hartford and a Tacoma now and value your feedback.