Searching for siblings...

[GardMan]

One of my mindless internet pursuits is searching for long lost "sisters" to my Guilds... whenever I find the same model/year as one of my Guilds, I check the SN to see if it is close to mine. I have never been really close, until recently...

This '72 D-35 is just ONE number away from mine. So, maybe they hung side-by-side on a rack waiting to ship from the factory. Interestingly, the neck/headstock finish is as faded as on mine... to a more golden mahogany, as opposed to the more deeply stained color I have seen on other D-35s from the era. This one's not a museum piece, but with some TLC could be a real player!

And this '71 pearwood D-44 is just THREE numbers from mine... mine is in better shape, tho'! That split bridge looks pretty bad... and I would be concerned that the bridge plate inside is split, as well. I also think the back seam is separating. It's going to take some TLC to make this one good again... but there's a great player inside, waiting to be be taken care of!
Dave

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

That D35 isn't out of reason, considering it's a dealer....... maybe you need to have a pair of them

I was eye-balling that D44, might be an interesting project. Seems like the 'fixer-uppers' sometimes bring a disproportionally high price...................

~nw

 

[fronobulax]

I was tracking serial numbers for a project (which really needs updating, but I digress) and it is pretty special to find serial numbers within 10 of mine. All of the "neighbors" have been cherry SF I's and I wonder if the siblings were all in the same "batch" that Hans talks about when patiently explaining that the Guild factory was not "first in, first out" in strict serial number order.

 

[killdeer43]

One of my mindless internet pursuits is searching for long lost "sisters" to my Guilds... whenever I find the same model/year as one of my Guilds, I check the SN to see if it is close to mine. I have never been really close, until recently...
Dave

Gee, Dave. I can't think of a better reason to succumb to the all-powerful GAS than getting a couple of 'rack siblings' together for a reunion! Not that you haven't thought of that already....have you? :wink:

But then there would be the possibility of sibling rivalry! :lol:

Take it slow,
Joe

 

[learnintoplay62]

Hey Gaurdman, do you know what the tone of pearwood sounds like? What kind of expenses are the repairs? I looked on the Westerly site and couldn't find that model.I'm less than an hour away so I was thinking of asking to take a look at it, but it doesn't sound like he would be willing to go for that. It doesn't have a case so I would be concerned about shipping. I am looking for something different to start my collection, but since you were first to notice I will back off until you gave it a decision. Really what I am looking for is a sunburst more narrow body but for the price of course I could " suffer " with this one.

 

[GardMan]

Hey Learnin'
I am not chasing either of these guitars... I just was excited by finally finding sibs for my D-35 and D-44.

I do have a D-44 in pearwood... to me, it has the "bright and open" tone of my mahogany D-35, but a little "richer" sounding and with more bass. Mine's not a LOUD dread... but I don't use it for strumming, so have never really pushed it that way. I like it for folksy fingerpicked tunes when I really want clarity in the trebles, but good bass. I've recorded it a couple times, and there are a couple D-44 tunes are on my soundclick page: Slim and Jenny, Four strong winds, and Field behind the plow (be aware that these are all just "basement" recordings... definitely not professional quality! and the Field... was TOO FAST!). I'll also say that mine (and probably this one) is very lightly built, for a Guild. I think mine weighs in at ~4.5 lbs... 1.5 lbs lighter than my D-50. Only my D-35 is lighter, at 4.25 lbs.

From what I see with the one on eBay, the obvious big expense will be working on the bridge (and bridge plate, if needed). Hans Moust might have a period rosewood bridge for a dread, which could save you a little, or they occasionally come up on eBay (I had a couple, but found I didn't need them so let them go). My worry would be the bridge plate inside might be split... don't know what this would cost to replace (mine actually has a replacement bridge plate, but done before I bought her). Replacing the bridge by itself, if you can find a replacement, might only be ~$100... but the bridge plate, if needed, might add another ~$200 (and is a risky job).

Cleating and gluing cracks, by comparison, is cheap. I wouldn't expect fixing the back seam (structurally, not worrying about cosmetics) would be ~$100, more or less. Still, that gets you to ~$400. Now... if she also needs a neck reset, that would add another $400 or more.

To give you a ball park idea of prices... I have seen maybe half a dozen pearwood D-44s in four years. The lowest previous selling price I remember (2 nasty top cracks and tons of rash, but otherwise OK) was ~$650... and one in exc condition from New Hope was listed for a while (and apparently sold at Arlington a couple years back) for ~$1400. I paid New Hope $825 for mine, and another ~$125 to repair a top crack, split tailblock, and dress a couple high frets. Mine's approachng neck reset time, but is quite playable for a couple more years.

Anyway... hope this helps you out.
Dave

 

[learnintoplay62]

Thanks Guardman. So basically, if it goes for over 100.00 I probably won't bid. I don't know enough yet about repairs to bid with a sense of authority. Besides that , I have not played one yet to really know if it's worth pursuing.

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

Mine's not a LOUD dread

Mine's approachng neck reset time, but is quite playable for a couple more years.

Gardman, these two things may be related. According to Dan Erlewine's 'Guitar Player Repair Guide', a lack of volume can be directly related to the need for a neck reset. I've not experienced this personally, but your D44 may get a fair bit louder when/if you get that neck reset.

~nw

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

Price on D44s is going up. This one went for $515, broken bridge and all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120540455548&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

~nw

 

[GardMan]

Gardman, these two things may be related. According to Dan Erlewine's 'Guitar Player Repair Guide', a lack of volume can be directly related to the need for a neck reset. I've not experienced this personally, but your D44 may get a fair bit louder when/if you get that neck reset.
~nw

Yes... that probably is one factor. The saddle is getting low on my 44... but the break angle of the strings isn't horrid. Since I don't use/need the D-44 for volume, I am happy to let it go a little longer before shelling for a neck reset. It's probably third in line for a reset, after my D-35 (which also probably needs a new bridge plate) and D-25 (she's pretty loud now... I can't imagine how she'll sound with a full height saddle!). If resetting the neck was a risk-free operation, I'd probably have one of them done this summer. But still waiting to see how the $$$ bounces. Also have to find someone to send it to... none of the local repair folks handle jobs of that size.

$515 was more than I expected for that, considering... If the bridge is the only issue to be dealt with, that could work out OK. But with the severity of that bridge split, I'd suspect the bridge plate inside is also split and will need replacing. I am sure she'll be a great player when she's fixed up. Hope the new buyer finds us here on LTG... I'd like to know how she turns out.