New to Forum-question about D25s made in Westerly R.I.

DSUS2

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Location
Oregon
Hi everyone,

I'm happy to have found this forum-Does anyone know if the D25s that were made in Westerly in the 70's and 80's are all mahagony back and sides or is the back laminated? I have a high opinion of the USA made Guilds-my dad always spoke well of them and put them right in there with Martin and Gibson and that has carried over to my impressions as well. As an aside, I own a 1997 Guild Starfire III, had a 1974 Guild F50 in the past and would like to find a good value in a nice made in USA mahagony Guild dreadnought with a spruce top. Thank you.

DSUS2
 

Default

Super Moderator
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
13,596
Reaction score
3,008
Location
Philly, or thereabouts
Guild Total
11
The laminated back D-25 is the classic Guild dread. The arched back gives it volume and punch. I like the snakehead Guilds, they are a little lighter, but any D-25 is going to be good!
 

GardMan

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
5,359
Reaction score
959
Location
Utah
Guild Total
5
From it's introduction in 1968 thru ~1972, the D-25 was all solid mahogany (top, back, and sides), with a braced flat back. After ~1974, most D-25s had a spruce top and an arched, laminated back. The outer plies of the back were mahogany, and the inside ply was poplar or soft maple. During the transition (~1973), there were a smaller number of mahogany-topped D-25s with arched mahogany backs. The D-25 was phased out at some point... but then re-appeared in it's all mahogany flat-backed morph when Guild production moved to Corona CA.
 

Christopher Cozad

Senior Member
Platinum Supporting
Gold Supporting
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
2,415
Reaction score
1,426
Location
near Charlotte, NC
Welcome, Dsus2.

Your dad was a wise man!

As Steve and Dave have already indicated, the archback D-25's were laminated.

I want to add that it is important to understand the difference between a hardwood, 3-ply laminated back guitar and a plywood guitar. The latter could include any number of softwoods and glue combinations and be a total tone killer.

The former are highly sought after.
 

killdeer43

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
21,848
Reaction score
111
Location
Northwest Washington on the Salish Sea
WELCOME TO LTG!
Yes indeed, the arched back D25s are super. I've had two D25Ms and I really like the lighter weight. I'm currently looking at an '81 D25 NT, so stay tuned. And enjoy this forum.
:apple:

Joe
 

Neal

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
4,857
Reaction score
1,627
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Joe, my local guitar shop has a '79 D-25CH listed in good shape at an honest price, if you would like for me to go play it and give you an opinion.

Neal
 

70man

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
931
Reaction score
1
Location
North Island ,NZ
Hi everyone,

I'm happy to have found this forum-Does anyone know if the D25s that were made in Westerly in the 70's and 80's are all mahagony back and sides or is the back laminated? I have a high opinion of the USA made Guilds-my dad always spoke well of them and put them right in there with Martin and Gibson and that has carried over to my impressions as well. As an aside, I own a 1997 Guild Starfire III, had a 1974 Guild F50 in the past and would like to find a good value in a nice made in USA mahagony Guild dreadnought with a spruce top. Thank you.

DSUS2
Welcome to LTG ,we too have high opinion of American made Guilds:fat:
Stu
 

DSUS2

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Location
Oregon
Thanks everyone-very helpful information. I'd like to find a nice Guild dreadnought with a spruce top and mahagony back and sides that was made in the USA. It sounds like a D25 from 68-72 would be a good option for me. If anyone has other suggestions for Guild model dreadnoughts made in USA please let me know and I will put them on my radar. If I could find one with a cutaway that would be even better although not essential. I am going to enjoy this forum and will check in regularly. Happy Thanksgiving and warm regards, DSUS2 :)
 

Guitarfish

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
Where are you located? I thought I saw one local here. W/ cutaway. $1100 range though.
 

hansmoust

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
9,201
Reaction score
3,504
Location
Netherlands
DSUS2 said:
I'd like to find a nice Guild dreadnought with a spruce top and mahagony back and sides that was made in the USA. It sounds like a D25 from 68-72 would be a good option for me.

Hello DSUS2,

Welcome! If you want a spruce top and mahogany back & sides, it will be impossible to find a D-25 from the 1968-1972 period.
Guild simply didn't make D-25s with a spruce top during that particular period. You should be able to find a D-35 or a D-40 though.
Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Neal

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
4,857
Reaction score
1,627
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Yep. I have a '71 D-25 flat-back, all mahogany D-25, and its half-sister, a '73 D-35, which to my eye is exactly the same guitar, only with a spruce top.

Both came into the Guild line-up at the same time in 1968.

Great values can be found in a used D-35. The ones from the early '70's are very light and responsive. I have had mine since 1975.

Neal
 

DSUS2

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Location
Oregon
Hi Guitarfish-sorry I thought I replied to your question-I must not have submitted correctly. I am in Portland, Oregon.
 

Guitarfish

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
Dsus2, you did fine, I was out of state for a nephews graduation from University.

I saw the guitar in the Concord, Ca. Guitar Center. If you go online you can see their used inventory.
 

tarheelguild

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2014
Messages
138
Reaction score
4
Thanks, Neal, but I'm not interested in a CH....a little too RED for me. The Ms and the NTs are more to my liking. :apple:

Joe
Joe, I recently bought a '96 D25 CH (that I spoke about on this forum back in August). I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first (I bought it sight unseen on Ebay, a risky endeavor), but I've come to really love it. I love the cherry finish (smells great too!) and it has a nice, full, pleasing sound.
Recent "snag" on Ebay; a Guild catalog from the early 80's (mint condition) which is both beautiful to look at and is chock full of interesting material. All the model numbers were different then!
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,457
Reaction score
7,111
Location
Central Massachusetts
Not much to add here that hasn't already been said. The arch-back D-25s are, in a word, iconic. Everybody had one or knew someone who did back in the day when I was coming up. They're not hard to find, and they are bullet-proof.

If you're set on solid woods (don't be until you've tried an archie Guild), as Hans indicated, go with a D-35 (like Curlington's) or a D-40. If you're at all interested in a new guitar, the Guild D125 is MIC but it's a really nice guitar and impossible to beat in its price range (IMO). They are solid wood.
 
Top