Does anyone know what this is?

Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Can anyone help me figure out what this is?

I need help with this one.It has no serial # stamped on headstock. No sound hole sticker.Its obviously old ,looks like a D35 in construction & material. I have always thought it might be an employee custom build? I have several Westerly guilds& believe this to be a older Westerly creation. The only Identifying mark is on the Chesterfield inlay which says Prelude. Please help
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I have an older what I believe to be Westerly Guild but has no serial number stamp or sticker in the sound hole. In construction and materials it appears to be a d-35. It has a black headstock with the Chesterfield inlay and inside the Chesterfield it says Prelude. I have always thought that this might be an employee custom build. Does anyone have any thoughts ?please help thank you.
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Photos would be helpful. Does it say "Guild" anywhere?
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Yes says guild on the headstock and has a Chesterfield guild logo on headstock
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Yes thanks, I would like to know what model this is. Also maybe some help on how to post pics? Thanks
 

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
Photos posted on behalf of Squealy71... no, it ain't a Honda.
"Prelude" possibly a band reference?

IMG_20170621_093839.jpg

IMG_20170621_162700.jpg

IMG_20170621_160540.jpg

IMG_20170621_162402.jpg

IMG_20170621_162520.jpg

IMG_20170621_162615.jpg

IMG_20170621_162814.jpg

IMG_20170621_163330.jpg
 
Last edited:

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
V-e-e-e-r-r-r-y interesting.
Don't notice any of the usual "not a Guild" tells, and only a couple of "questionable" details that could simply be due photo distortions:
Side angle shot of heel has a funny dip above the button, like area closer to fretboard is thinner than area by heel cap.
Can't see where screws are for TRC.
Lack of a sticker's been reported often enough here especially on guitars from the era. Frequently the "shadow" of where it was is still visible, but can't see that here.
Pros:
Even the rosette looks comparable to others seen on Westerly Guildguitars.com.
The headstock shape and the "rooftop" look correct and logos are properly located...pickguard matches circumference of rosette perfectly as is normal for Guild...machine heads look correct...
I think your suspicion it's an employee build may be the best explanation for why there's no sticker or s/n embossed in headstock, Squealy.
Could also explain why heel looks "funny" and why that chesterfield looks like factory inlay.
I'd think that cutting of the "PRELUDE" into the chesterfield would be pretty difficult to do after it was already in the overlay, so think it was done either at time of original construction or else a whole new overlay with that chesterfield was installed at some point, which leads to a new thought:
Replacement neck, maybe?
Another thought:
During that era there could be a date noted on the inside of the top or one of its braces.
That'd tend to further corroborate authenticity but lack of it may only be another sign of an employee build.
Last but not least our member Hans Moust may have some ideas about other things to look for to verify its origins even if it was never an actual "warranty'd factory piece".
 

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
D35-ish...? Hog sides & back, black binding... but headstock is different and pickguard is larger on Squealy's.

guildy1.jpg

guildy9.jpg
 

hansmoust

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
9,202
Reaction score
3,506
Location
Netherlands
Last but not least our member Hans Moust may have some ideas about other things to look for to verify its origins even if it was never an actual "warranty'd factory piece".

At this point it doesn't really look like a Guild to me, but it's not really possible for me to figure out what it is, because most of the photos are out of focus.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
The back bracing does not look like Westerly work.

Westerly center braces typically had a wide & flat appearance.
Cross braces typically looked more peaked & a touch wider.

There of course were a number of Japanese companies making Guild copies back in the day, and they would often look nice on the outside - but internal construction was usually a very different matter.

This instrument does leave one with concerns & questions re it's authenticity.
 
Last edited:

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
A couple of odd things which point to "not a Guild". Most obvious is the missing truss rod access on the headstock as it looks. I can see a missing Gibson bell shap TRC and underneath it looks like brown stained wood? So it had a faux TRC?

No truss rod means it is not a vintage Guild neck at all. There might be a truss rod access from inside the soundhole, again, not a feature of any vintage Guild.
EDIT: See later pictures, there is actually a truss rod cavity here, it's just this picture which is not very good at all.

No%20TRC.jpg~original



In a limited number of other Guild guitar pictures I looked at I was not able to identify a Guild rosette made exactly like this one. I am sure Hans knows all rosettes.

Also the back bracing looks somehow not correct.

Rosette.jpg~original



The "Schaller type" tuners are hard to see and I am not sure what is written on them.
In any case they seen to be replacement tuners as there seem to be filled holes from the original tuner mountig screw holes visible.
Since the picture is very out of focus also it is not possible to see a possible serial number there.
Another odd thing is the missing left side glued on wing? Only one wing on the right?

headstock%20tuners.jpg~original


Ralf
 
Last edited:

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
A couple of odd things which point to "not a Guild". Most obvious is the missing truss rod access on the headstock as it looks. I can see a missing Gibson bell shap TRC and underneath it looks like brown stained wood? So it had a faux TRC?
I couldn't see that at all, looked like a TRC in place but that light spot threw me off, why I asked about the location of the screw.
I agree that detail alone would disqualify it even if Hans hadn't spoken up.
I'll tell ya that flat heel really had me goin', though.
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Any possibility of this being a D35 with a modified D40 neck and headstock?
I'm notorious for flip-floppin' but I was also thinking to myself yesterday that "Something just doesn't look right" but was still willing to give it benefit of doubt.
The comments others made about bracing occurred to me but I'm not familiar enough to be sure, besides the possibility of distortion in the pics.
Also somehow the body dimensions just don't seem right, it somehow looks just a little too long and wide in the waist, but again, could just be picture angles/lens distortion.
Also I think that particular peaked logo didn't come around until the late '80's (but could be wrong,) but it was one of those details that made me wonder if it was a replacement neck, myself.
When Hans expresses doubt though, I'm sure he sees something I don't even know to look for, even with blurry photos.
Final note, why does that nut look too damn wide for the fretboard?
 

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
Nut does not look like Guild original, agreed.

Pickguard looks similar to Westerly-era Guild Jumbo...
 
Top