When did the rosette on the D-55 change?

[kokotele]

I'm seeing that newer D-55's have an abalone ring in the rosette (which is frankly, a little too much for me) while older ones simply have w/b/w binding rings inlaid. When was the changeover?

Did I just happen to start looking for a D-55 when a bunch of them came up on CL and ebay, or are there usually a few old ones around for sale? I just decided in the last couple of weeks that I want an older one (early 80s or earlier) and have seen at least a half dozen for sale since then.

 

[West R Lee]

'95.

West

 

[fronobulax]

'95.

West

West knows bling :wink:

 

[West R Lee]

'95.

West

West knows bling :wink:

:lol: Ahh, that was an easy one. Same year Fender got 'em.

West

 

[jazzmang]

[quote="West R Lee":21am29bs]'95.

West

West knows bling :wink:

:lol: Ahh, that was an easy one. Same year Fender got 'em.

West[/quote:21am29bs]

The New Hartford Guilds have a 1/2 width abalone rosette

 

[GardMan]

Did I just happen to start looking for a D-55 when a bunch of them came up on CL and ebay, or are there usually a few old ones around for sale?

I think they (mid-70s-80s D-55s) show up on eBay fairly often... I watch them, and am often tempted to turn my '92 D-55 around for a mid-70s-80s. This 1980 at Elderly's looks nice, at a good price (for a shop, I'd expect $200-300 less from eBay). Hard to tell how much saddle is left from the pics...

 

[kokotele]

Did I just happen to start looking for a D-55 when a bunch of them came up on CL and ebay, or are there usually a few old ones around for sale?

I think they (mid-70s-80s D-55s) show up on eBay fairly often... I watch them, and am often tempted to turn my '92 D-55 around for a mid-70s-80s. This 1980 at Elderly's looks nice, at a good price (for a shop, I'd expect $200-300 less from eBay). Hard to tell how much saddle is left from the pics...

Any idea how long that '80 has been at Elderly? Based on the prices that some more beat up guitars have been going for in the last week, I'm not sure they'll go for too much less on ebay. I was hoping to find one in the $1200-1300 range, but that seems like it might be a hard thing to find.

 

[GardMan]

Any idea how long that '80 has been at Elderly? Based on the prices that some more beat up guitars have been going for in the last week, I'm not sure they'll go for too much less on ebay. I was hoping to find one in the $1200-1300 range, but that seems like it might be a hard thing to find.

Don't know for sure, but I think it only appeared on GBase (that's where I saw it first) in the last couple of weeks.

Just my opinion, but I think the "sweet spot" for pricing of 55s would be from ~mid-'80s thru ~95, and perhaps also the Corona years... I think the '70s D-55s are going to fetch a higher price, because they're more "vintage" and its the early years of 55 production. I'd expect the later Westerleys (95+), Tacoma years, and later will also be higher priced, because they are newer and have a bit more bling. But the '80-'95 guitars have nothing (but tone) going for them... not old enough to be vintage, but old enough to have depreciated more. My '92 set me back <$1200 (even before the seller and I re-negotiated after it suffered pretty substantial finish checking in transit thru a winter ice storm). The market seems really variable right now... but if you watch, you may be able to find one in your price range. Happy hunting!
Dave

 

[Ian]

Did I just happen to start looking for a D-55 when a bunch of them came up on CL and ebay, or are there usually a few old ones around for sale?

I think they (mid-70s-80s D-55s) show up on eBay fairly often... I watch them, and am often tempted to turn my '92 D-55 around for a mid-70s-80s. This 1980 at Elderly's looks nice, at a good price (for a shop, I'd expect $200-300 less from eBay). Hard to tell how much saddle is left from the pics...

Any idea how long that '80 has been at Elderly? Based on the prices that some more beat up guitars have been going for in the last week, I'm not sure they'll go for too much less on ebay. I was hoping to find one in the $1200-1300 range, but that seems like it might be a hard thing to find.

West had a nice '96 for sale: $1050.00 if I remember correctly. Abalone soundhole ring (which I really like), and scalloped braces I think ? Not sure when the scalloped braces came in (my 00 has them), but I think they were a leftover from the Gruhn/Walker years ?

Happy Hunting...

Cheers, Ian

 

[kokotele]

West had a nice '96 for sale: $1050.00 if I remember correctly. Abalone soundhole ring (which I really like), and scalloped braces I think ? Not sure when the scalloped braces came in (my 00 has them), but I think they were a leftover from the Gruhn/Walker years ?

Happy Hunting...

Cheers, Ian

Yeah, definitely looking for an older one, mid 80s or earlier. Would love bodger's '75 (my birth year), but the opening bid is beyond what I can justify spending right now. Keeping my eyes peeled...

 

[GardMan]

...Not sure when the scalloped braces came in (my 00 has them), but I think they were a leftover from the Gruhn/Walker years ?...
Cheers, Ian

I think the 55 got scalloped bracing around '90 or '91. Top bracing on my '92 is scalloped.
D

 

[Ian]

1975 is your birth year ? How did you get in here ? :lol:

 

[kokotele]

Most people less than half a century old don't like cool stuff ;-)

 

[jcwu]

1975 is your birth year ? How did you get in here ? :lol:

Hey that's mine too! Just two days ago, in fact.

 

[kokotele]

Well happy birthday to you then! Did you get a D-55?

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

My birthday was on the 6th and have a D-55.
Can I join the club?

 

[Ian]

Were you born in 1975 too ? :lol:

 

[adorshki]

Most people less than half a century old don't like cool stuff ;-)

Just to cut 'em a little slack, most of 'em never got any exposure. 8)

 

[jcwu]

Most people less than half a century old don't like cool stuff ;-)

Just to cut 'em a little slack, most of 'em never got any exposure. 8)

I was one of the lucky ones - never heard of Guild, went into Guitar Center back in 1995, and the sales clerk recommended the DV52.

See? Guitar Center CAN be good for something...

 

[adorshki]

Most people less than half a century old don't like cool stuff ;-)

Just to cut 'em a little slack, most of 'em never got any exposure. 8)

I was one of the lucky ones - never heard of Guild, went into Guitar Center back in 1995, and the sales clerk recommended the DV52.
See? Guitar Center CAN be good for something...

Wonder if that could have possibly been the same guy who gave me a screaming deal on my D25? He said Larrivee's were good too, but I was already locked up on the '25 .Then he offered to bring me a new one in the box from the back, but I knew better, I said: "NO thanks. Want this one." It was one of 2 on display and had the most amazing action I'd ever felt in my life. And still does.