old Guild D-40 vs old Gibson Country Western

[MrBoZiffer]

I could use a dread for flat pickin' and country stuff and am considering a few different guitars. I really like the old Gibson Country Western with the thin neck and balanced sound. I haven't played a D-40, but am considering one. How do they compare to the Country Western? I only picked the D-40 because of the obvious similiarities... dreadnaught, mahogany back & sides, etc. Plus, the D-40 would be a lot cheaper!

 

[adorshki]

Hi Mr. Ziffer, you mentioned thin, how thin is thin? My D40 has a little deeper profile than my D25 (It's a little fatter) and I think someone else around here mentioned the same thing about theirs. Other than that it's turning into a real cannon. Or are you talking nut width?

 

[MrBoZiffer]

Sorry, I meant profile, as in flat profile. Recently, I played an old Country Western and Southern Jumbo. Both had the typical 1-11/16" nut width, but the profile was very flat. I'm perfectly comfortable with that nut width, but if the profile is too chunky or has a V then the neck is usually too cumbersome for me. As long the D-40 isn't overly chunky or a V, I'd probably be fine with it.

Also, Willie's has one for sale... http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm ... nventory/2. It's obviously had some work done. I emailed them about it and besides the cracks being repaired they said the bridge has been shaved and reglued. On Gbase they have it listed for $895. I'm a little skeptical about buying from Gbase dealers, but I wonder if it be a good buy if I could get the price down a little bit more. Any thoughts?

 

[Frosty]

The "old" Gibson Country Western is, at it's heart, a J-50 with sloped shoulders and short scale. Those two factors, IMO, contribute to the sound (of which I am a big fan). The D-40, with it's longer scale, is likely to have more snap and may likely be a better choice for flatpicking. Meaning bluegrass-type tunes.

But I could be wrong.

:wink:

 

[MrBoZiffer]

The one I played recently was a '60, I think. It did have the round shoulders, which I think they stopped making in '60... I can't remember exactly. I didn't realize it was a shorter scale. What is the scale on those CW's?

 

[MrBoZiffer]

I just looked it up... 24.75" on the CW. Does that sound right? I didn't even think about that when I played it... I was so focused on the neck profile. That's probably part of the reason I thought it was so comfortable. I once had a 70's Martin with a thick V neck and a 25.5" scale. I thought it sounded pretty good but I hated playing it because it was so uncomfortable for me. I can probably deal with the long scale length, however the neck profile will be the deal braker for me.

 

[eastcoastbuzz]

My '73 D40 has the neck profile you are looking for. I had a '75 D40 and it had the neck profile you are not looking for. Same goes with my '79 D25 and an '80's D35 I had. I don't know if it is individual guitars or if design changed in the mid 70's. If you go with Gibson you will need to stick with a 60's Gibson. My '54 Southern Jumbo has a fat neck. Ditto what Frosty said about the sound.

 

[MrBoZiffer]

Cool. Thanks! I wonder if Guild started making thicker profiles in the mid 70's. I've got a '58 F-20 and it has the best neck I've ever played on an acoustic. I love that guitar, but it's obviously not very loud... although surprisingly it's a bit louder than you'd think! :wink:

 

[JimbowF212]

I could use a dread for flat pickin' and country stuff and am considering a few different guitars. I really like the old Gibson Country Western with the thin neck and balanced sound. I haven't played a D-40, but am considering one. How do they compare to the Country Western? I only picked the D-40 because of the obvious similiarities... dreadnaught, mahogany back & sides, etc. Plus, the D-40 would be a lot cheaper!

I have stated my opinions on this before but, since you asked I'll chime in. If you are looking for a Dreadnaught for Bluegrass music then I would recommend a Rosewood Martin HD-35 if price is no object. I would also consider the Rosewood Guilds in the D 50 or 55 or one of the Jumbo Guilds also in Rosewood, the JF-55 or F-50R. check out the Guitar Center Website as they have used ones of each. Now between the two you have mentioned I would take the Guild D-40 due to the fact that they are well appointed and nice looking and they have, IMHO, a superior tone to the Gibsons but, I only fool with Martins and Guilds so I am as I said very Picky and hard to please. I have played a few Gibsons and have played with people who prefer them but, I have never owned one myself but, my dad did and after the experience he had with their customer service I wouldn't have one. JMHO FWIW!

 

[bluesypicky]

I have stated my opinions on this before but, since you asked I'll chime in. If you are looking for a Dreadnaught for Bluegrass music then I would recommend a Rosewood Martin HD-35 if price is no object. I would also consider the Rosewood Guilds in the D 50 or 55 or one of the Jumbo Guilds also in Rosewood, the JF-55 or F-50R. check out the Guitar Center Website as they have used ones of each. Now between the two you have mentioned I would take the Guild D-40 due to the fact that they are well appointed and nice looking and they have, IMHO, a superior tone to the Gibsons but, I only fool with Martins and Guilds so I am as I said very Picky and hard to please. I have played a few Gibsons and have played with people who prefer them but, I have never owned one myself but, my dad did and after the experience he had with their customer service I wouldn't have one. JMHO FWIW![/quote]

I agree with that Jim, even though I do own a couple of them, I reckon from experience, their customer service is pitiful, and if I ever need help again with one of their guitars, no doubt I will get it somewhere else.
At some point though, they did make some mean guitars......

 

[MrBoZiffer]

I have stated my opinions on this before but, since you asked I'll chime in. If you are looking for a Dreadnaught for Bluegrass music then I would recommend a Rosewood Martin HD-35 if price is no object. I would also consider the Rosewood Guilds in the D 50 or 55 or one of the Jumbo Guilds also in Rosewood, the JF-55 or F-50R. check out the Guitar Center Website as they have used ones of each. Now between the two you have mentioned I would take the Guild D-40 due to the fact that they are well appointed and nice looking and they have, IMHO, a superior tone to the Gibsons but, I only fool with Martins and Guilds so I am as I said very Picky and hard to please. I have played a few Gibsons and have played with people who prefer them but, I have never owned one myself but, my dad did and after the experience he had with their customer service I wouldn't have one. JMHO FWIW!

Thanks Jim! I'm actually considering the D-50 as well because of the rosewood construction. For the sake of comparison, I only picked the D-40 vs the Gibsons because of the mahogany construction. You've made a bunch of good suggestions, but I'll probably stick with a Guild. At this point my main choices are the D-40 and D-50. I really like the F-40 and F-47 too, but that's just my love of all things Guild... :mrgreen: They're really not what I need. But if I see one for a great deal, then I might give it try.

I like Martins but I really don't like to buy new guitars and I can't afford the pre-70's dreads. Not that I'm a anti-70's snob, because I'm not! :lol: Most of the ones I've played from that period sounded great, but I couldn't get comfortable playing them. Guild is obviously a safe bet for me, because I own several and I have yet to find fault in any one that I've played.

 

[Ian]

I have stated my opinions on this before but, since you asked I'll chime in. If you are looking for a Dreadnaught for Bluegrass music then I would recommend a Rosewood Martin HD-35 if price is no object. I would also consider the Rosewood Guilds in the D 50 or 55 or one of the Jumbo Guilds also in Rosewood, the JF-55 or F-50R. check out the Guitar Center Website as they have used ones of each. Now between the two you have mentioned I would take the Guild D-40 due to the fact that they are well appointed and nice looking and they have, IMHO, a superior tone to the Gibsons but, I only fool with Martins and Guilds so I am as I said very Picky and hard to please. I have played a few Gibsons and have played with people who prefer them but, I have never owned one myself but, my dad did and after the experience he had with their customer service I wouldn't have one. JMHO FWIW!

Thanks Jim! I'm actually considering the D-50 as well because of the rosewood construction. For the sake of comparison, I only picked the D-40 vs the Gibsons because of the mahogany construction. You've made a bunch of good suggestions, but I'll probably stick with a Guild. At this point my main choices are the D-40 and D-50. I really like the F-40 and F-47 too, but that's just my love of all things Guild... :mrgreen: They're really not what I need. But if I see one for a great deal, then I might give it try.

I like Martins but I really don't like to buy new guitars and I can't afford the pre-70's dreads. Not that I'm a anti-70's snob, because I'm not! :lol: Most of the ones I've played from that period sounded great, but I couldn't get comfortable playing them. Guild is obviously a safe bet for me, because I own several and I have yet to find fault in any one that I've played.

Good on ya mate !!

 

[killdeer43]

I could use a dread for flat pickin' and country stuff and am considering a few different guitars. I really like the old Gibson Country Western with the thin neck and balanced sound. I haven't played a D-40, but am considering one. How do they compare to the Country Western? I only picked the D-40 because of the obvious similiarities... dreadnaught, mahogany back & sides, etc. Plus, the D-40 would be a lot cheaper!

OK, I'll get right to the point....D50. Nuff said! :wink:

Joe

 

[Frosty]

This reminds me. On impulse a few years ago I bought a brand new Tacoma D-55. It was just that good for my style. But the shop also had a D-40 and D-50. The shopkeeper played bluegrass with a flatpick, something I do not do. He played some licks on one of those boxes (D-40 or D-50, I forget!) and said something like "this guitar smokes most everything else in the shop right now. Only reason it hasn't sold... " and pointed to the headstock where it didn't say "Martin".

 

[MrBoZiffer]

That's the same reason why all Guilds from the 50's and 60's are affordable and everything else is in a dream world. I took my '58 F-20 to my local luthier who is a bluegrass player. He complimented it and thought it sounded just as good if not better than most of the small bodied Martins he plays and works on.

 

[earbleedz]

Hey Guys. I have a '62 Country Western. It's kind of different for a '62 because it has sloped shoulders,they must have made a few into '62. I don't play it much because although it sounds awesome, it's more fragile feeling than my Guilds or D18. I'm afraid to put medium strings on it, and I'm a flat pick type of player. I go to the Guild almost always, because I feel more comfortable playing it more aggressively. Plus I love the neck. The Gibson's is too flat, and the D18GE is too wide at the nut. That's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

 

[MrBoZiffer]

Great insight. Thanks!

 

[6L6]

A D-40 Bluegrass Jubilee will blow the doors off of ANY Gibson.

6

 

[MrBoZiffer]

Nobody really commented on this D-40 at Willie's... http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm ... nventory/2. They told me the bridge had been shaved and reglued. On closer look, that bridge looks kind of like a Guild bridge, but nothing I've ever seen before. And nothing I saw in Hans' book. The center indention is throwing me off. I don't really care as long as it's stable. What do ya'll think of it? I'm going to call them later and ask them some more questions. But if I get comfortable with it, I might offer them around $750 and go from there.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

This reminds me. On impulse a few years ago I bought a brand new Tacoma D-55. It was just that good for my style. But the shop also had a D-40 and D-50. The shopkeeper played bluegrass with a flatpick, something I do not do. He played some licks on one of those boxes (D-40 or D-50, I forget!) and said something like "this guitar smokes most everything else in the shop right now. Only reason it hasn't sold... " and pointed to the headstock where it didn't say "Martin".

Yeah, to an extraordinary amount of Bluegrassers, if it isn't a D-28, it's not an acceptable Bluegrass guitar...if it's not an F-5, it's not a acceptable Bluegrass mandolin...if it's not an RB-250, it's not a acceptable Bluegrass banjo...ad nauseum :roll:

Had a guy play my JF-4 at a Glen Rose, TX bg get-together and he loved the neck and tone, and raved to another picker about how he could finally be heard against a banjo...the other picker just said, "Yeah, that's a great guitar, but it don't say "Martin" on the headstock"!

The 1st guy still bought himself a D-40 about a week later...and just ignores the static.:lol:

Nobody really commented on this D-40 at Willie's... http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm ... nventory/2. They told me the bridge had been shaved and reglued. On closer look, that bridge looks kind of like a Guild bridge, but nothing I've ever seen before. And nothing I saw in Hans' book. The center indention is throwing me off. I don't really care as long as it's stable. What do ya'll think of it? I'm going to call them later and ask them some more questions. But if I get comfortable with it, I might offer them around $750 and go from there.

I've seen that bridge style on older Guilds, so it may well be original...no doubt Hans can verify, one way or the other.

Not a dreadnaught fan, myself, but that looks like it might be perfect for your needs!