Serial number

Hello, I have a D40 NT with the serial number AJ3382. Can anyone tell me where and when this was produced? Thanks

Welcome.

I'm using one of the online charts, which are know to be wrong.

A D40 with an AJ prefix is listed for 1965-1969. According to the chart, your serial number is after the last one made in 1969. That is not unusual. Guild changed the numbering scheme circa 1970 but they did not do so retroactively. So I would be comfortable in saying it was finished in 1970.

As to where, it was probably made in Westerly, Rhode Island. Operations were being moved from Hoboken, NJ circa 1965-1970 but almost everything was being built in Westerly by 1970. Note, however, that Guild put "made in Hoboken' labels on instruments made in Westerly, at least until they used up the stock of the former.

This is mostly from memory so expect corrections, but at least the discussion got started

I believe you are spot-on, Frono.

And welcome, Matt. The early D-40's are very well respected for their lightness of build and their responsiveness. Plus, Richie Havens played one!

Neal said:

Plus, Richie Havens played one!

Click to expand...

"At a time", anyway.
:biggrin-new:
"IIRC", one of the Westerly workers told a story about the regular repair work done on his guitars, which were usually "dead" within a year.

You may be able to further narrow it down by presence or lack of Chesterfield.
First album, released late '66, so guitar obviously can't be any younger than that:


Then there was that time a D40 opened Woodstock in '69.
Note by then the chesterfield had appeared (about 1968):



Welcome aboard Matt, there's a lot of D-40 love around here.
We also have a member who literally wrote a book about Guild's first 25 years and I think he could nail down the exact year if you really want to know.
He likes to be contacted here:
http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/