1964 D40's

What can be told?

I may buy 33401

I never was all that sharp. What does this post mean?

WELCOME TO LTG!
A little bit cryptic on your first post...tell us more about what's going on here. Tell us more about Rick while you're at it. :rugby:

Joe

It means he's looking at D40 with a serial number of 33401 and would like to be educated about the ones from that era.

gilded said:

It means he's looking at D40 with a serial number of 33401 and would like to be educated about the ones from that era.

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I picked up on that but I thought it would be really great if he said it up front. :emmersed:

Joe

I think he did say it.

Hi Rick and welcome to the Forum.

1964 would be a year where the guitar was made in Guild's Hoboken facility. Guild started making D40 guitars in '63.

As a rule, it would be fair to say that Hoboken-built Guild guitars were more lightly built than the later Westerly, Rhode Island-built instruments.

Rick, I have seen your name associated with Martin guitars, so you should know that Guild guitars are more heavily braced than a lot of Martin-type dreads, but 52 years later, a D40 will probably have developed it's full voice and be a mighty nice guitar.

Specs: spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood board & bridge, 3 piece neck (mahogany/maple/mahogany),
Body dimensions 15 3/4" x 20" x 5", 25 1/2" scale. Dot inlays on the neck, Grover StaTites.

Good luck with your hunt!

Rick Schmidlin said:

What can be told?

I may buy 33401

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Hello Rick,

Welcome!

That particular Guild D-40 with serial # 33401 was completed on Wednesday July 22, 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey.

These D-40s typically have flat fingerboards that are fairly wide; usually 1-3/4" / 1-7/8".

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Thanks, that I understand.

gilded said:

It means he's looking at D40 with a serial number of 33401 and would like to be educated about the ones from that era.

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Welcome to LTG Rick! I think you're talking about this guitar. It looks nice, but $3000 is quite a bit more than I would want to pay for it!

I agree with Twocorgis on the price. It looks to be in nice shape but there is a repaired crack between the soundhole and the bridge at the edge of the pickguard. If this guitar were in Excellent condition the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars lists it as worth $1650-$2000 and that is the highest rating it gives. Next rating down is Average condition and that is listed at $1100-$1300. I see 60s D40's sell in Great shape regularly for between $1100-$1500.

They are pricing this D40 like a 60's Brazilian RW D50 would be priced. Excellent for a Brazilian 60's Guild D50 is between $3250-$3750 with average being between $2300-$2700.

The 60's Guild D40's are awesome extremely resonant Spruce and Mahogany guitars but they don't carry value like a comparable Martin D18 from the same time period or the Brazilian Rosewood Guild D50 models from the same period. This seller is asking between $1000-$1500 over what they actually sell for so that is something to consider. By all means I am not telling you what to buy or how to spend your money, Just what the book says it is valued at and what I have personally seen them sell for in the last year. Have a good one and I hope this helps!

TX

Great summary, TX. Well laid out and totally understandable regarding the asking price for this one. :eagerness:

Joe

Wow. THAT guitar was made in Hoboken in 1964??? Very clean and well cared for!
And look at that label, and even the handwritten model and serial #s...it looks like it was minted yesterday, not 52 years ago!
A case queen?
And I agree with twocorgis & TX, it seems a bit of a steep price...even though it's been well cared for.

But what matters the most is, what is it worth to you?

Yum. Just added an early D-40 or D-50 to my wish list, now that I know that they had a wider fretboard.

Not that I would pay three grand for one...

killdeer43 said:

I picked up on that but I thought it would be really great if he said it up front. :emmersed:

Joe

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I've never played a '64 D40, but I have a '64 F20 and a '64 F30, and they're both lightly built and highly resonant. And I have the privilege of hearing a '64 D50 on a semi-regular basis; it is the best sounding acoustic I've ever heard (though, to be fair, the exceptional skill of the player has something to do with that).

I have 33232.....she told me in confidence, that 33401 was a little standoffish, when they were on the line, but once she found out they came from the same tree, everything was fine.

Hello -

I own 40909, which I believe makes it a 1965 D-40.
While my guitar has had a VERY rough life, after getting the cracks cleated and the bridge properly positioned, is a fantastic guitar. Very nicely balanced tone without overemphasis of either the bass or the treble. The old gal is very light for a full-size dreadnought and has a relatively slim and, at least in my hands, comfortable neck.
I've owned quite a few acoustic guitars over the years, this Guild is easily one of the best.
With its very high degree of mojo (repaired cracks, pick wear on the top, lots of the finish wear and tear) I would think its probably worth about $1000. It'll contend with any D-18 of the same era, but Guilds just don't demand the price of similar Martins. I don't think I'd pay three grand for one even if it was pristine.
Hopefully your seller will come to realize he's asking way above market value for the guitar you're looking at and you two can come to an agreement on a reasonable price.
Enjoy the hunt!
Dan

:highly_amused::highly_amused::highly_amused:

JimmyD said:

I have 33232.....she told me in confidence, that 33401 was a little standoffish, when they were on the line, but once she found out they came from the same tree, everything was fine.

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That's a steep price for even a very, very clean D-40 of that period--though to be sure, it ought to be a very, very good sounding instrument, if it has aged as gracefully as my '65 has. (Mine, like Phinegan's, has had enough surgery to knock its market value down quite a bit. Not that it's going on the block in my lifetime.)

I was a bit surprised to read Hans' description of the neck geometry, as every Hoboken Guild I can recall playing had the same 1-11/16" radiused fingerboard. (And at various times I've owned an F-20, M-20, M-30, and F-40 from '56-65.)

I agree with Russell...my fingerboard is nowhere near 1-3/4". I'm also pretty sure the neck on mine is one piece.
Regards
Dan

gilded said:

It means he's looking at D40 with a serial number of 33401 and would like to be educated about the ones from that era.

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LOL, I knew that is what he meant right away...funny.