Definitely different beasties. While comparing new ones, back-to-back, at my local store there was a very different character to the sound of the D-55 compared to the D-50. This could be attributed (as already indicated) to different soundboard material in the last decade (the D-50 has red (Adirondack) spuce while the D-55 uses Sitka).
You'd really do yourself a favor if you could find a couple to play. And indeed, different eras are likely to sound different even in the same model. I don't know if the dimensions changed all that much, but thicknesses, bracing, etc. all varied over time. I do think both were always made from solid, flat-backed rosewood bodies, but I'm not positive.
You'd really do yourself a favor if you could find a couple to play. And indeed, different eras are likely to sound different even in the same model. I don't know if the dimensions changed all that much, but thicknesses, bracing, etc. all varied over time. I do think both were always made from solid, flat-backed rosewood bodies, but I'm not positive.