DV-52 LTG Member Review

Scratch

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How long have you owned the DV-52:
Year & specific model:
Purchased new or used:
Price paid:

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality
Looks
Projection
Bass
Mids
Highs
Sustain
Playability/comfort
Dependability
Fingerstyle
Flatpick
Strum

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor):

Favorite Strings (one selection only):

Would you buy another if lost/sold:

Overall Assessment:

Most Appreciated Characteristic:
Least Appreciated:
Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment:

Other observations/comments:
 

bluesypicky

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Re: Guild DV-52 LTG Member Review

How long have you owned the DV-52: 1 year
Year & specific model: 1998 DV-52 NT HG
Purchased new or used: Used
Price paid: $800.00

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality:10
Looks:9
Projection:10
Bass:10
Mids:10
Highs:10
Sustain:10
Playability/comfort:10
Dependability:10
Fingerstyle:10
Flatpick:10
Strum:10

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor):Excellent

Favorite Strings (one selection only):Final verdict not out yet

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes

Overall Assessment:Superb guitar made of the finest materials assembled in the finest manner rewarding it's owner with the finest tones and balance.

Most Appreciated Characteristic:The tones
Least Appreciated:None
Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment:Hearing it for the first time after recording a Youtube clip (Driftin'blues). I already knew it was sounding good hearing it from behind, as I was playing it, but when you hear it facing the sound hole, it's even more impressive....

Other observations/comments:For those interested in recording acoustic guitars, the DV-52 will amaze you in the way it shines in front of a microphone.
The only reason I didn't grade "looks" with a ten, is because a guitar of that class would have deserved a little more "fancy bling" than the plain dot markers on the fingerboard.... but I guess Guild kept all the fancy aback, to give prospective fancy buyers a reason to shell out the extra dough on a DV-72.... :roll:
 

dreadnut

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Re: Guild DV-52 LTG Member Review

How long have you owned the DV-52: 8 yrs.

Year & specific model: '98 DV-52ABHG (Antique Burst High Gloss)

Purchased new or used: Used

Price paid: $779.00

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality: 8, only because the bridge was lifting and the back braces were loose when I bought it. Anyway, my luthier at Elderly took care of both issues, good as new. Otherwise pretty much flawless quality - fit of parts, finish, all outstanding.

Looks: 10 but I'm a sucker for a pretty 'burst. And this one was customized by someone before I bought it, abalone blocks where the MOP dots were, they did a really nice job.
Picture003.jpg


Projection 10 projects better than most rosewood dreads I've played.
Bass 8
Mids 8
Highs 8 I didn't rank any tone at "10" as they all seem perfectly balanced and none overshadows the others.

Sustain 10 all the way into next week.

Playability/comfort 10 Nice low profile neck, thinner than my D-25.

Dependability 10 it's my main gigging guitar.

Fingerstyle 10 I use brass Pro-piks and Zookie Thumbpicks

Flatpick 10 Stands up to the banjos!

Strum 10 Nice even sound across all six strings with great projection and sustain.

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Excellent, with a few battle scars

Favorite Strings (one selection only): D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Mediums

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Absolutely, I want to buy another one anyway.

Overall Assessment: 10 truly a great guitar.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: Ebony fretboard

Least Appreciated: Micarta saddle and nut, since changed to bone

Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment: I just got it, my buddy wanted to try it out, he took the strap off the strap button and turned it around the wrong way, stood up with it, the strap popped off the strap button and the guitar fell to the deck, he broke its fall with his foot, not a scratch on the guitar :roll:

Other observations/comments: Best value in American made rosewood dreads, lots of deluxe appointments, get one soon!
 

Geo

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Aug 26, 2011
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Location
Texas
How long have you owned the DV-52: 2 years

Year & specific model: 1998 DV-52 NT HG

Purchased new or used: Used

Price paid: $1,100

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 10

Looks 10

Projection 10

Bass10

Mids 10

Highs 10

Sustain 10+

Playability/comfort 10

Dependability 10

Fingerstyle 10

Flatpick 10

Strum 10

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Mint

Favorite Strings (one selection only): Has D'Addario PB's on right now But,,,,,

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes

Overall Assessment: Magnificent, Superb, Fantastic, Marvelous!!! :mrgreen:

Most Appreciated Characteristic: More than one. :mrgreen:

Least Appreciated: Can't think of any. :mrgreen:

Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment: When I first laid eyes on it. :shock: I had actually gone to a guitar collector's house to look at a different guitar but he had the DV-52 sitting on a stand over by the fireplace. He opened the case of the other guitar but my eyes kept diverting towards the fireplace. I finally told him, "It would have been easy to buy this guitar if you hadn't had the DV-52 sitting in view". The subject swithched to it and I ended up taking it home. Lucky me!!!

Other observations/comments: Under Valued. Lucky Me!!! :mrgreen:
 
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jcwu

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Location
San Jose, CA
How long have you owned the DV-52: 16 years
Year & specific model: 1995 DV52 HR
Purchased new or used: New
Price paid: $700-800ish? Honestly can't remember.

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality: 9
Looks: 8
Projection: 9
Bass: 8
Mids: 8
Highs: 8
Sustain: 8
Playability/comfort: 9
Dependability: 10
Fingerstyle: N/A
Flatpick: 9
Strum: 9.9

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Was mint 16 years ago; now good/fair
soundhole.jpg

Notice how the naked wood is exposed where I've worn away the finish...

Favorite Strings (one selection only): EXP17 - this guitar really rings with 13-56 strings on it.

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes (assuming I have the $$$)

Overall Assessment: My first nice guitar (played a Takamine before that). It's stood through thick and thin with me, through college and marriage. Used to treat it pretty badly (leaving it in the trunk of the car, taking it out in the freezing cold at night for college-buddy midnight jams on campus), strummed pretty hard too (wore away most of the finish around the soundhole), but it's held on through all these years and still serves me well. College buddies of mine had their Martins and Taylors, and I always felt like their guitars were better when it came to brand name, but the minute we played together, the Guild would stand out.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: I absolutely love the HR (hand-rubbed) finish. I used to mistake it for satin, until I bought a satin-finished guitar. Others may feel the HR finish is cheap, but I love that I can see and feel the pores of the wood. Talk about letting a guitar breathe! Doesn't get that shiny rubbed-in spot from the right arm on the lower bout, either. And the sound... but we all know how the DV52 sounds. :)

Least Appreciated: None that I can think of.

Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment: This was my first Guild, bought long before I had any idea what Guilds were. Three years ago, I decided I wanted to find out more about this guitar that's been with me for so long, and that's how I found LTG.

Other observations/comments: I have the jumbo sibling, the JV52, and the two make quite a nice pair. The jumbo has more shimmer; the DV52 has authority and punch.
 
Joined
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How long have you owned the DV-52:
Year & specific model: 1998 NT HG model. The Rim completion was dated Jan 27, 1998. Most likely left the factory 2-3 months later.
Purchased new or used: Purchased new in May 1998
Price paid: $1299 (I think - it was a while ago)

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 10
Looks 9
Projection 11 (it is what it is!)
Bass 10
Mids 10
Highs 10
Sustain 10
Playability/comfort 9
Dependability 10
Fingerstyle 10
Flatpick 10
Strum 10

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Excellent

Favorite Strings (one selection only): D'Adarrio Phosphor Bronze Light

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Absolutely!

Overall Assessment: A one of kind. Incredible tone, sustain and explosive projection! Once this guitar is set up on it's sweet spot - it is one amazing instrument. You can play every style on it and it sounds mint. Many, many players have commented on the amazing tone and sounds that come from this guitar. Built like a tank - yet very playable. You punch this guitar - it punches back. This is a guitar for lifetime. Simply love it.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: The tone, and balance throughout the fret board.
Least Appreciated: It could be a tad more playable in regards to bar chords, etc…..(it's not a Taylor in this regard) but everything else blows other guitars away in my opinion.
Favorite DV-52 Story/Moment: I walked into a Charlottesville, VA music store, saw this sharp looking beast of a dreadnought and sat down. I remember strumming an Em and I was forever changed! The chord rang out like a symphony. I knew at that moment I needed it. Started saving some coin and bought it a short time later.

Other observations/comments:

I feel very fortunate to have chosen this particular Guild. Since then , I have slowly appreciated more and more the stunning sound of this model Guild. As other musicians have commented on it and as I have had a chance to play so many other guitars (many priced over this one) and NONE has yet to beat the DV 52 for tone and overall sound.
 
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