Trippin' on a Tennesse Orange sunshine Guild DCE-3

Bonneville88

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There I was, in one of those late night zones, sleepily cruising the craigslist national highway...
stopped off in Nashville TN, poked around... and suddenly there it was... a Tennessee Orange DCE-3,
apparently in good overall condition, had been listed for over a week - wow!
Jolted me awake, to say the least...

Emailed the seller a note, figuring it was probably long gone, too cool not
to be - but he emailed back next day. Not only did he still have it, but
he was willing to ship it. He mentioned the guitar had
some connection to Brad Paisley. His asking price was more than right,
and two days later it arrived. I haven't put it down much -
it's getting all the love right now, I'm hoping the rest of the collection won't start misbehaving.

Needs a setup, new strings, possibly some saddle work. Fair amount
of nitro checking all over, no cracks or breaks though, a few dings... but has probably aged
more gracefully in its decades than I have.

It seems very similar to my D30 but with a cutaway and onboard electronics.
Surprisingly, gives up nothing in sound or volume to the D30. Feels heavier. It does
sound somewhat different, if anything it's seems little deeper, with new strings
I'm expecting it may displace the D30. The sliders are a little scratchy plugged
in - dust? - but everything works.

Then, perhaps the most unexpected thing of all...
on a whim, before putting in a new 9v battery, tried playing with the electronics
control board in the open position - essentially creating a side-soundhole -
and found I can hear the guitar better than I've ever been able to hear an
acoustic guitar! I knew side-soundholes were out there, have seen plenty of photos,
but had never played a guitar with one - and I'm amazed at the sonic details!
Best way to describe it is like having a little monitor aimed right at you. Too bad
it looks so damned fugly with the electronics board open!

A few pics posted below, the rest of today's photo shoot is here
https://goo.gl/photos/YssGNay58s1xmS2k7

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F312

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You could direct traffic and pick up trash with that guitar. Nice

Ralph
 

Bonneville88

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Thanks gentlemen...

LOL... I would happily pick up trash with this guitar

... as long as she was at least semi-attractive and her hair was the right color
:glee:

94a9057d0ccbd48dfdc36623ecefb92e--pulp-art-bizarre.jpg
 

davismanLV

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Wow!! That's a beauty, Bonneville!! I'm not a fan of cutaways on dreads for some reason, but I'd suspend my quirkiness in that area for this one!! Congrats!!
 

richardp69

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Some might not care for the color but I love the heck out of it. I've got the same color on a D 30. On the rare occasion I have a visitor it nearly always catches their attention.

Congrats Bonneville, it's looker for sure.
 

Cougar

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Wow, that color is something! What a guitar! Beauteous!
 

Bonneville88

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Thanks guys... appreciate the comments... making my heart swell with
Tennessee Orange pride!

Richard, can't remember why but I associated this color on a D30 with you!

davisman... I really never was either!
Just goes to show you... people CAN change... boy, can they!
 

tarheelguild

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Now, that's a beauty indeed? Do you know what year it is? Congrats on your new "baby"!
Tony

'84 D40
'96 D4
'96 D25 CH
'98 225
'98 D30 AB
'00 Taylor 414ce
 

txbumper57

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Nice Find Bonneville! My X160 Rockabilly is the same color and I love it. To me the transparent Tennessee Orange looks great on that spruce top of yours. Enjoy it my friend and congrats on adding another Guild to the stable. Be careful though, I can tell you from experience that you are headed down a slippery slope. If you leave it alone in the music room at night with the other Guilds they may start producing offspring resulting in a never ending onslaught of new Guilds to the collection, LOL!

TX
 
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Bonneville88

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+1 on that... already slip-sliding away.

But when some sexy redhead walks by, looks you in the eye, and takes you by surprise -
you can't really be expected to say no :wink-new:
 

adorshki

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It seems very similar to my D30 but with a cutaway and onboard electronics.
Yes I'm sure that's basically what it is.
****EDIT:
Just noticed that, assuming it's correct, 2001 price list shows D30 with rosewood fretboard and DCE-3 with ebony.
But on my tube it looks like rosewood in your photos.

http://westerlyguildguitars.com/files/Guild2001.pdf
Surprisingly, gives up nothing in sound or volume to the D30.
Shouldn't be a surprise, by far most o the sound of an acoustic is produced on the lower bout below the bridge.

Feels heavier. It does sound somewhat different, if anything it's seems little deeper, with new strings
Yeah my F65ce's surprisingly heavy for such a small guitar, too.
Besides the weight of the preamp with battery, I suspect maybe heel-block's a little beefier, maybe due to cutaway?
Maybe also more kerfing inside (to stabilize cutaway curve) and and different bracing pattern due to cutaway adding weight as well ?

I'm expecting it may displace the D30. The sliders are a little scratchy plugged
in - dust? - but everything works.
Suspect more likely oxidation.
Then, perhaps the most unexpected thing of all...
on a whim, before putting in a new 9v battery, tried playing with the electronics
control board in the open position - essentially creating a side-soundhole -
and found I can hear the guitar better than I've ever been able to hear an
acoustic guitar! I knew side-soundholes were out there, have seen plenty of photos,
but had never played a guitar with one - and I'm amazed at the sonic details!
Best way to describe it is like having a little monitor aimed right at you. Too bad
it looks so damned fugly with the electronics board open!
Might have to try that on my F65ce, but I have a tendency to almost lay my cheek right on the bout as it is....

A few pics posted below, the rest of today's photo shoot is here
I don't think anybody's ever made me jealous of 2 different guitars before, let alone on the same day!
:glee:
 
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adorshki

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What year is the guitar? Looks like a late 90's...
Tony

Yes, DCE-3 doesn't even show up on s/n records which only go to '97 even though they imply '99.
Not in early '98 (#1) Guild Gallery/catalog, either.
So has to be between late '97 and '01, as they weren't made in Corona.
Only Hans will be able to answer that one precisely.
 
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