NGD--'78 D40NT, and some questions

zeboma

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Greetings Guildheads~~I've been out of this pool for several years after I parted ways with my D55 and fell in love with my Froggy (H12). And as much as I love the Froggy, I've been missing a dread at times, and longing for some mahogany. I lucked out as a local store had a '78 D40NT, beat up as heck cosmetically but pretty sound structurally, and a tone that knocked my socks off and had me run home to get a uke and classical guitar I never use--which did an even trade for (store said they would've been asking $750)

Here's the long shot, where you can see someone musta been doing a Richie Havens imitation and beat up around the pickguard like crazy, and then did a fairly sloppy job of putting a new pickguard on

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I'm absolutely loving this guitar and feel like I really scored. I detest the tuning keys, and think I may go for Grover 18:1 Sta-Tite replacements.

So here's the question: as seen in the pics below, the saddle still has maybe one shave left in it. The neck angle dismally fails the straightedge test, coming well below the top of the bridge, but the action at the 12th is fine right now. What I wonder is how long I have til a neck reset may be called for. I know that can't really be answered hypothetically, but I do have the money right now, and a fantastic luthier, and I kind of feel like "why not just get it done now," and perhaps will I see some improvement in tone or other benefits now (the break angle currently looks fairly decent, yes?). Or do you think "hold your horses and wait til you need it"?

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Thanks, nice to be back, and feel like a very lucky man to have found this very special guitar!
 
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Rayk

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Cool, congrats and welcome back 😊
 

wileypickett

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Why do you think the pickguard was replaced? Looks right to me.

Looks like your bridge was repositioned at some point.

My 1978 D50 had this problem -- the bridge had crept forward over time and the intonation was WAY off. You could also see the original footprint on the bridge-pin side of the bridge, about 1/16" in back of where the bridge actually was.

I took it to my luthier, who removed and repositioned the bridge. It now looks like yours does: a line of exposed wood 1/16" (+ or -) in front of the bridge -- the point it had crept to -- and now no footprint line in back. And the intonation is fine again.

Anyway, congrats!
 

wileypickett

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If I really love the sound of a guitar, I'm shy about doing anything major to it for fear it could affect the sound. This is why I'd leave the neck reset for another day if the guitar were mine. That's major surgery and it could be fine, as is, for years.

Another option: checking side to side on the lower bout with a straight-edge, how flat is the top? I've seen guitars with so much bellying behind the bridge that it skewed the fingerboard straight-edge test. In my experience such guitars respond positively to Bridge Doctors. They flatten the top and lower the bridge. It's a cheap fix and can be very effective.
 

bobouz

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Yes, your pickguard looks original, and perfectly positioned.

Your saddle height & break angle on the strings also look fine. Given that the guitar has settled into this position after 41 years, it's a reasonable bet that it will structurally retain the current alignment for quite some time. If you like the way it sounds & plays now, I too would recommend leaving it alone. Any alterations could possibly lead to a change in tone - even a neck reset.
 

Cougar

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...I lucked out as a local store had a '78 D40NT, beat up as heck cosmetically but pretty sound structurally, and a tone that knocked my socks off....

Congrats! The tone is the main thing!

...the break angle currently looks fairly decent, yes?...

Yes, that looks like plenty of break angle. As others have suggested, I wouldn't get the reset at this point. If the action is OK, it's made to be played!
 

Grassdog

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Hey nice score on the D-40 and reiterating what others are saying, I don't think you're needing a neck reset based on what I see. That break angle looks real good. Looks like maybe the bridge pin holes have been slotted a little to improve the break (possibly when the bridge was re-glued), but that's not a bad thing. If the action is decent and it intonates well, I'd say you're fine and you can turn your attention to the tuners. I'd still take it to a luthier and see what they say.
 

adorshki

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Yes, your pickguard looks original, and perfectly positioned.
I agree.
Suspect it just polished up really nice because they finished over the 'guards in Westerly.
You should be able to tell at the edges where the NCL's not completely worn away.
Also, they literally glued the 'guards to the tops with NCL which melted the 'guard into the top, so they were very difficult to remove in the first place.
Your saddle height & break angle on the strings also look fine. Given that the guitar has settled into this position after 41 years, it's a reasonable bet that it will structurally retain the current alignment for quite some time. If you like the way it sounds & plays now, I too would recommend leaving it alone. Any alterations could possibly lead to a change in tone - even a neck reset.

That's true, and the frugal side of me would say sure, wait as long as you can, but I have to admit I'm sympathetic to he issue of getting it done now while you can, too.
Who knows what'll happen that makes the task problematic if you wait too long, like, will your "guy" still be available?
I'm reminded of the problem I have with my F65ce:.
It's got a minor bridge lift issue which was confirmed as a warranty-eligible repair by the authorized Guild repair shop close to me back in about 2010 IIRC but the shop suggested I take a "wait and monitor" posture.
In the meantime Guild changed hands and the shop stopped doing warranty work.

Ya just never know.
And the consensus is that in general a reset "should" improve tone by restoring the correct geometry for optimum top vibration.
Couldn't hurt to get your guy's opinion.
 
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Br1ck

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Put your cash in a zip lock bag, put that in a cookie tin, and bury it in the backyard. When you need the reset, dig it up. Has to be deep enough so you don't raid it for pizza money.
 

zeboma

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Thanks for all the input. I think I'll await my trusty luthier's input (and am guessing he'll say "wait")

--that's good info about the pickguard: it just looked trashy, and all the area around, so I just assumed it was a hack replacement job. Now I can understand why the surface of it looks like a topo map. Previous owners must've strummed the NCL right off of it
--no bellying of the lower bout (wish the same were true of me : )
--no one commented on Grover 18:1s, so I'm assuming they're a fit for this guitar
--thanks for reminding me what a great group this is

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adorshki

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Thanks for all the input. I think I'll await my trusty luthier's input (and am guessing he'll say "wait")

--that's good info about the pickguard: it just looked trashy, and all the area around, so I just assumed it was a hack replacement job. Now I can understand why the surface of it looks like a topo map. Previous owners must've strummed the NCL right off of it

Ahhha! Couldn't see that in the first photos.
:friendly_wink:
Oh yeah, just in case you weren't aware of it, NCL is very repairable, although possibly hard to find someone who can do it right these days.
It's kind of nasty stuff to work with and the process is time consuming, but if you were wondering, yes, it can be done.
--no one commented on Grover 18:1s, so I'm assuming they're a fit for this guitar

Not sure if you meant "drop-in" fit, don't know, even though Guild did use Grovers extensively over their history.
I know I've seen comments about using 'em from folks who like the ratio, but can't recall if they dropped in.
Folks may have assumed you already knew if there were complications to installing 'em.
Otherwise, Grovers on a D40?
Sure.
My D25 and My D40 both came with 'em.
 
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SFIV1967

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no one commented on Grover 18:1s, so I'm assuming they're a fit for this guitar
It depends what you call a fit. I assume your guitar came with the orginal Gotoh tuners? So it depends if your new tuners need new holes for the screws and if the main axle (capstan) fits to the existing hole.

Random example picture from the internet of the original Gotoh tuners:

sto2alipbmdsk73n8ryq.jpg


Ralf
 

Cougar

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....no bellying of the lower bout (wish the same were true of me : )...

Hahaha! :laughing: But that's good news (and maybe not so good parenthetically, but hey, you're not starving, so that's good news, too). :tiger:
 

zeboma

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It depends what you call a fit. I assume your guitar came with the orginal Gotoh tuners? So it depends if your new tuners need new holes for the screws and if the main axle (capstan) fits to the existing hole

Yup, looks like I’ve got those stock tuners—not only look ugly as can be, but also aren’t at all comfortable to the hand when turning, and some being very hard to turn

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wileypickett

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