Three acoustic Guilds I really want

CosmicArkie said:

So, here's my dilemma: I've got the GAD D-125M and love it. I've got $325 in it.

Will one of the American D15's on Reverb _really_ be twice as nice??

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Maybe not but it'll have an arched back.
I've seen enough reviews from owners of both types that I'm satisfied that initial quality of the GAD's was very good for their price but still not quite as good as Westerly.
There're lots of little things like tuner quality (an F30 lover chucked his GAD's tuners), and poly vs nitro finish, reports of loose frets with GAD's.
Then add in reports of the intangible something in the tone of the US builts that caused guys who started with GADS to "upgrade" , and now you've got the info you need to make an informed decision according to your own scale of "value".

Looks like a D80-12 would fit the bill as a "more than" D55-12. Problem with that is any normal person would need a bib to keep from drooling all over it as that is one very fine assemblage of wood and details. If it sounds and plays even half as good as it looks it would still be a winner. Then again it is a Guild 12 string so there is nothing finer.......

Hi Steve; well I used to own an '81 F-512 but the neck was so wide it hurt my left (fretting) hand to play it for a short time, so I sold it. I think the F-312 has a less wide neck.

dreadnut said:

Hi Steve; well I used to own an '81 F-512 but the neck was so wide it hurt my left (fretting) hand to play it for a short time, so I sold it. I think the F-312 has a less wide neck.

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Aren't they all spec'd at 1-13/16 nut? That's the only spec I ever saw for a Guild 12-string.
But I guess there's still the possibility maybe you'd get one that came out "skinny" on that particular day.

Hey Richard, if you're still reading... had not seen a dark brown stained D15 like that - very cool!
Almost all the D15s I've seen thus far were either dark Cherry or the noticeably lighter medium (natural?) Mahogany finish.
Maybe I just need one of each - I sure do like seeing the color variations on these :joyous:

And man I love those D17s! Seems to be very, very few out there compared to the D15s and the D25s.
I know it's really just a D15, but the white binding looks generous to my eyes, and gives it
some visual pop! I will have a D17... very interested in hearing what an all-hog guitar
sounds like!

steve488 said:

Looks like a D80-12 would fit the bill as a "more than" D55-12.

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As far as I remember there is only one existing D-80-12, which was owned previously by Jerre Haskew, one of the former CEOs of Guild. He had it aquired in 2002 only but sold it around 2013/2014 I think.
It's now owned by one of our members: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?188721-Ngd-d80-12

The sound is exceptional in that previous videos when Jerre had her for sale:



Ralf