NGD 1973 D35 update, video proof

Westerly Wood

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I was not going to do a separate thread from the other, but since it is a slow news day for me, and I just got it like 90 mins ago, figure I would give you idea of this dread:

https://youtu.be/ok1d00i0uNA

It is in a lot better shape than I thought. Probably need to bring string action down a tad but no hurry a reset at all. the pickup is dead.

really nice sounding dread! deeper and warmer than the Br, which is interesting, most likely due to spruce top and perhaps this one aged differently.
 

Westerly Wood

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Great video and the "old fella" sounds great in your hands.

thanks Stu! fingerpicking the D35 now and it is really resonant. i really missed having a spruce topped dread lying around.
 

Guildedagain

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It's really awesome, an award for the best cheap guitar, no doubt.

Are those open back Grovers, can you post a pic? A little oil on the rusty tuner should work wonders, takaway the rusty excess with Q tips. To change them would be a crime.

Was that with a case?

Gotta get this one into the D35 Registry/Hall of Fame, serial number should be in the shoot I don't remember what range but mine is 85024, weighs 4lb 5oz, sounds pretty dang good at the crazy local Bluegrass/Neil Young/The Band/drunken originals jam.
 

Westerly Wood

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It's really awesome, an award for the best cheap guitar, no doubt.

Are those open back Grovers, can you post a pic? A little oil on the rusty tuner should work wonders, takaway the rusty excess with Q tips. To change them would be a crime.

Was that with a case?

Gotta get this one into the D35 Registry/Hall of Fame, serial number should be in the shoot I don't remember what range but mine is 85024, weighs 4lb 5oz, sounds pretty dang good at the crazy local Bluegrass/Neil Young/The Band/drunken originals jam.

i dont think it is an open back grover, it looks more like a tuner one would find on a classical guitar, but metal. so maybe?
thanks for advise re oil on qtip.
the tuner functions well so gonna leave it as is.
serial number starts with a 9 and i remember going onto the guild serial no site and it does fall in the 1973 year. i have owned several 1973 year acoustics over the years.

it does feel light too, and the neck is fatter than the Br. that was interesting to me. I had a '72 D35 at one point but the neck was more like my '71 D25, so that was an interesting find. either I am crazy or Hans might be able to tell about some subtle change the D35s went under re neck shape in '73???

it came in a beat up old classical guitar case, and barely fit this dread. i just found a large tuning key, also like tarnished under the guitar. i am amazed that tuning key did not blow a hole in the body during shipping.

it could use a setup for sure, but knowing me, if it is even the least bit playable, and this one is more than that even, i doubt i till even bother for a while yet. very resonant when finger picked too. this D35 sounds most akin to a D40, while my D25 Br (flatback) sounds most akin to an all hog dread, which it is. quieter, shorter on the note sustain, not as resonant due to hog top, dark. not that there is anything wrong with that :)

thanks G!
 

Guildedagain

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I think every single guitar is unique, even two '73 D35's wouldn't sound the same, different pieces of wood in each guitar. Then you take all the aging/playing factors into consideration, there's no way any two would have the same voice.

The tuners on these '71-75 D35 are of interest to me.

Some are big, heavy, sealed, with fancy tulip buttons, they look heavy.

Mine has open back Grovers with squared oval tuners, haven't seen another.

The buttons on yours are actually prettier, haven't seen those a lot I don't think.

Even the "cheapie" looking tuners on the vintage Guilds like on my F30 resurrection, those three inline Japan tuners with oval buttons seen on a LOT of vintage Guilds including nearly all the twelve strings, those are really quality tuners, and I'm really enjoying them on the F30. They're old have have a funny spot here and there changing strings, but they go into tune super smooth, and stay in tune, really stable. Or maybe that's the Christine effect on the F30, it also nearly tunes itself...
 
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Westerly Wood

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the tuners work well, really, considering they have not been fully turned in probably 20 years. 80/20 bronze strings were put on this D35 and were so old, they looked like Martin retros. she sounds nice with d'Addario EJ16s on there now. i took my time taking off the b/e strings as they were really rusty and did not want to get poked.

i should have included a picture of the bridge pins. they look like fossils. i think that dot on bridge is a barcus berry pup part or something. the pup is dead. it would appear that this D35 was played a lot over 20 years, then stowed either up on a wall or in its cheap case for another 20 years.
 

F312

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Looks like a lot of honest playing time on your new guitar, is it tuned up to standard?
Enjoy.

Ralph
 

Westerly Wood

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Well this should be amusing. The dot on bridge? It’s got to be a nail. Like it had a bridge pull issue in its past and this was the way to fix it on the cheap. LOL.

This poor old Guild dread. Sure sounds awesome. Very resonant.
 

Guildedagain

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Sounds about right.

The pins on my F30 are like that, and super curved. They were so stuck in, I pushed em out from the inside, didn't want to break one. I already have a spare set just in case, but just plastic. Wouldn't mind some old ivory or bone pins though, if they fit right...
 

Guildedagain

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I put John Pearce .12's on it (just to be a snob ;-) this last summer when I got it, and they've sounded killer this whole time.

Special guitars deserve special strings ;-)
 
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Westerly Wood

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I put John Pearce .12's on it (just to be a snob ;-) this summer, and they've sounded killer this whole time.

Special guitars deserve special strings ;-)

JP 12s the 600L string is super popular. Great string, just stiffer a bit than the D’Addario of the same. Think the JPs last longer too. Some say they are edgier too like have a nice attack and bite. I like Martin SP lights too. All PB alloy, the martins go dead fastest but their big E string is .54 and G is .25. Some prefer that. Your F30 sounds like a champ.
 

Guildedagain

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This is on my '73 D35 I put the John Pierces on.

Now I'm actually wanting to try a set of EJ16's on it, the extra flexibility might be nice.
 

Rayk

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Nice ,good to see you got another guitar added to the herd . The nail , it's not a nail at all it's a sustain rod . It was the in thing back in the day . It's placed near or at the selected area of interest. Also stops bears from pawing around the inside . 😁
 

SFIV1967

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Are those open back Grovers, can you post a pic?
No, they are German made Kolb tuners. At least the 5 of them.

guild16.jpg

Picture: Ken Nash www.theguitarmechanic.com

Ralf
 
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