Tuners felt a bit cheap. The fret edges weren't as smooth as I like.
Those are the 2 most common "faults" I hear cited about the MIC product in general, going all the back to a GAD F30 acquired by a member who had an original mid-60's F30 and loved 'em to death, name escapes me at the moment. He actually replaced the tuners "IIRC", but otherwise it gave it good reviews overall.
He did intend to use the GAD as a performing tool though, he liked the sound well enough for that, not wanting to risk his vintage F30.
This was a 1990-something Guild True American DC-1E HG. Used for $499. Anyone have any thought on that for a price? Looked in pretty good shape. There were some slight marks near the headboard. Almost like someone left a capo on it for a long time. More like indentations. Not very noticeable. Other than that it looked good.
Assuming good "mechanical" condition, I think that's a very good price for one of those.
It frets really easily. But its losing tone because of the strings. The OM-240 had a fuller sound and I think that's the strings. But not sure.
Anyway, I don't know much about the True American line. Its Made in America, but I guess it was a lower end line that was set to compete with Martin's road series. But that's about all I know. Anyone have one? Anyone know what the neck radius is? It felt the same as my D40C but I'm not sure. Action seemed a little high too... the poor thing could use a setup and a good set of strings I think. But it looked great, and the archback gives it some punch.
The "True American" series was introduced ca '94 and was really nothing more than a "Badge" (the Truss Rod Cover) and marketing campaign to bring attention to the existence of Guild's new
Dreadnought
Cutaway
Electrics when the high quality Japanese imports like Takamine were starting grab significant market share.
The "badge" was originally used on the first 2 "DCE" models (1 & 5), they were built to regular production specs, not a "lower end" line, and were basically cutaway electric versions of the D4 (the DCE-1/DC-1E, same thing), but the DCE-5 was unique in having a
rosewood arched back , a very very rare build formula for any Guild body.
So not really a ce version of a D50 as one might be tempted to assume.
The DCE-3 came along late in the game as a ce version of a D30.
Anyway, by '96 they were putting those
True American TRC's on D25s (mine has one) and D4s and I even recall one on an F-body, F4ce I think it was?
I think they had a whole bunch of 'em and juts wanted to start using 'em up. Don't recall ever seeing one on anything higher than the DCE3, though.
Neck radius was probably 12" but I've only seen that formally announced as the standard in the first Guild Gallery of winter (late) '97.
Tone? Only one I can remember hearing dissatisfaction with was the DCE5, less than satisfying acoustically but great plugged in, as we've heard about other early a/e models.
Kind of surprising, but for comparison I recall another owner reporting complete satisfaction, genuine love in fact.
The "5" also had laminated
sides, and suspect it might have had other build details (bracing?) designed to repress feedback when plugged in ( Definite risk with rosewood, compounded by the arch), which could easily be affecting unplugged sound.
Maybe that D4 had similar build details?
High action? If still 'as shipped', Guild's standard of the time, 6/64 on bass E, feels high to a lot of people, but of course, always easier to take it down than raise it, right?
Easy to play?
It
could be the strings, but it would have
shipped with L350 pb lights, not silk'n'steel.
"Made To Be Played" might be a big part of it too:
When I was shopping my D25, I actually had opportunity to compare it side by side with a DCE-1.
Even though I really,
really wanted that cutaway electric capacity, the neck on the D25 was better enough that it tipped the scales. Best neck I'd ever felt up to that time.
So it went home with me.
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