GN-5NAT Opinions

wdboland

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Hi Everyone,

I saw a couple of GN-5NAT on eBay recently and they peeked my interest. There doesn't seem to be much information about them, even on this forum. What I could find is that some were concerned with the narrower than usual nut, 1 3/4". My take was string buzz.

I had been thinking about a F47-RCE, but I saw this a thought that the nylon strings with the rosewood body and cedar top would make a very sweet sounding guitar. If I were to buy one it would be primarily used for finger picking, not much of a strummer.

Does anyone here have any experience with these guitars. All opinions and concerns welcome.

Cheers,

Wayne

BTW, Happy Thanksgiving!!
 

JohnW63

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I didn't know anything about them. Certainly not like the Mark 1 - Mark V classicals. Very pretty back and sides, shown on the top one at eBay. The body is a bit thinner, so it may have been aimed at the flamenco player.
 

fronobulax

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The label at this Reverb listing indicates the instrument was a "GAD" so it is roughly 8 years old and was made in China. I suspect comparison to a Westerly made Mark series might approach apples and oranges if only because of age and original price point. Seems to me, though, that folks who have studied the MIC Guilds are starting to prefer the earliest ones, released as GAD.

The nut width suggests the target audience is not a traditional classical player. 1 3/4" is narrow for that style.
 

Cougar

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...The nut width suggests the target audience is not a traditional classical player. 1 3/4" is narrow for that style.

I wondered about that, but then realized that classicals apparently have wider necks. 1 3/4" is a step wider than the more typical 1 11/16" for steel 6-strings and often touted for fingerpickers.
 

fronobulax

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I wondered about that, but then realized that classicals apparently have wider necks. 1 3/4" is a step wider than the more typical 1 11/16" for steel 6-strings and often touted for fingerpickers.

I actually did some research before I posted and a traditional classical neck is a little over 2" at the nut. My generalizations are always suspect but a fingerpicker is often using traditional chord shapes and so they need a width that is narrow enough to play chords but wide enough to get fingers between strings. While there are chords in classical style a chord using all six strings is unusual so the wider spacing is preferred.
 

Tom O

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I have a 2007 GAD-N5 made in china. It has a cedar top and red Padauk sides and back with a cutaway. It sounds good and has good volume. The nut is 1 3/4 with a flat fingerboard (no radius). the body is 19x 14.5 x 3.75 in, It was a crossover design. They came with a Fishman undersaddle pickup. Mine was removed by previous owner. Remember the action is higher on a nylon as the strings vibrate more than steel. No problems with buzz, I bought it after watching Igor Presynakov fingerpick on Youtube.
 

SFIV1967

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I have a 2007 GAD-N5 made in china. It has a cedar top and red Padauk sides and back with a cutaway.
The GAD-5N was available until 2011 but the later 2011 introduced GAD series GN-5 has a solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides. The GN-5 was officially introduced in September 2011 as part of the renaming of the models in the GAD series to the 100 numbering system. The entire GAD series was discontinued in 2015. The GN-5 has an onboard Fishman® Sonitone™ pickup.
MSRP in the 2012 price list was $1,329.99.


Pictures:
http://www.guildguitargallery.com/page-gn5.html

"
Guild GN-5 Classical Acoustic-Electric

The Guild GN-5 nylon-string guitar is designed for live performance, with a satin-finish mahogany neck, smooth Venetian-style cutaway and narrower 1 3/4 nut. Its solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides produce warm and articulate tone, with an onboard Fishman Sonitone pickup system that provides a clear and natural amplified sound. Other premium features include rosewood binding, ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge and wood mosaic rosette.

General
- Model Name: GN-5
- Series: GAD Series

Body
- Body Shape: Classical
- Body Back: Solid Rosewood Back
- Body Sides: Solid Rosewood Sides
- Body Top: Solid Cedar
- Bracing: Special Guild Classical Spruce
- Rosette: Wood Mosaic
- Purfling: Maple/Rosewood/Maple/Rosewood/Maple
- Body Binding: Rosewood Binding

Neck
- Number Of Frets: 18
- Position Inlays: None
- Fretboard Radius: Flat
- Fretboard: Ebony
- Neck Material: Mahogany
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Nut Width: 1.75" (44.45 mm)
- Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)

Electronics
- Fishman® Sonitone™ Under-Saddle Pickup W/ End-Pin Mounted Active Preamp And Volume & Tone Controls

Hardware
- Hardware: Nickel
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Tuning Machines: Guild Special 3-In-Line Tuners With Black Buttons
- String Nut: Nu-Bone
- Saddle: Nu-Bone, Compensated

Miscellaneous
- Strings: D'addario Classic EJ30 Normal Tension Nylon Strings, (.028-.043 Gauges)
- Unique Features: Satin Finished Neck, Rosewood Binding, Wood Mosaic Rosette, Rosewood Headcap

Accessories
- Case/Gig Bag: Deluxe Hardshell Case"





Ralf
 
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Sal

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I had the GAD N4 with mahogany body and loved it, then upgraded to the GAD N5 with padauk body and I love it equally. I think this series is the best cross-over nylon guitar out there for the money. If it appeals to you, go for it!


I've posted this information here before but here it is again:
_________________________________________________


Guild made a few nylon string crossover models with a 1-3/4" nut. Look for one of these three discontinued models; all have ebony fretboard, a venetian-style cutaway and the narrower 1 3/4” nut, but were built with different woods:


GAD N4: solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides
GAD N5: solid cedar top, solid African padauk back and sides
GN-5: solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides


The early N4 and N5 models came with a Seymour Duncan Timber-line pickup installed and that's what mine has. I think it's kind of a cheapy that is inconsistent in volume across the strings when its plugged in. I mic it for recording anyways and don't plan to use it live but it would work fine in a pinch. They did later change to a Fishman pickup in the N4 & N5s and perhaps this was an upgrade but I can't say for sure and I haven't seen any reviews either way.


The GN-5 came with a Fishman Sonitone installed.


Other than its pickup I'm really impressed with my GAD N4. It's beautifully made and nicely finished. The neck has a comfortable satin finish. The action is just on the high side very similar to other classicals I've played. These Guilds have flat fretboards like other classicals too whereas some crossover guitars have radiused fretboards.


I used to see these come up for sale more often and they tended to sell cheaply, maybe in the $400 to $600 range but I haven't seen one for sale in a while now. They came with a pretty nice case too; an attractive grey tweed.
 
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beecee

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By I'm really starting to like the early GAD line up. That wood trim combined w/solid woods, bone nut etc.

I've said it before, I don't care for their take on the Chesterfield and the poly can be a bit bright, but something about them is attracting me lately
 

D30Man

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By I'm really starting to like the early GAD line up. That wood trim combined w/solid woods, bone nut etc.

I've said it before, I don't care for their take on the Chesterfield and the poly can be a bit bright, but something about them is attracting me lately

Early GADs both steel and nylon string guitars were made well and are really an exceptional example of Chinese builders doing it right as well as following the design specs properly.. Zoo music in Garland, TX has several early GADs for sale - one of which is a classical - and they are all well-built, well appointed and sound excellent..
 
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