NGD! Westerly D25 in tobacco burst

Boneman

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Not sure the exact year, seller claimed a 1980, but saw this up on CL last week, not too far from where I am. I really tried resisiting the GAS pull, but alas obviously I could not. In photos it looked so clean, but in person, man! Between the tight grain in the top, the subtle and alluring burst on it, open tuning machines, a freakin Westerly!, I had to at least check it out. Once I strummed it I said I’ll take it. Yay, my 2nd made in USA Guild! I also wanted to see what the archback sound was all about. So far it hasn’t blown me away, but it is a great playing guitar that sounds awesome in its own right. Didn’t hurt he dropped his price, and I was able to coordinate it with a Home Depot trip so the drive wasn’t just for the guitar ;). and came with OHSC, made to be played, love it. Without further ado:
 

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HeyMikey

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Looks like it may be a 1979. Has the same burst as my old F112 of the same era. I love the tobacco burst… so dark and mysteriously sexy. Someone referred to her as a brunet bombshell. I’d say the same applies to yours. Whoever was painting those bursts at the time knew what they were doing. Notice how there is no natural (light) ring around the pick guard. Perfectly blended in. Congrats she’s a beauty!
 
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Boneman

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Looks like it may be a 1979. Has the same burst as my old F112 of the same era. I love the tobacco burst… so dark and mysteriously sexy. Someone referred to her as a brunet bombshell. I’d say the same applies to yours. Whoever was painting those bursts at the time knew what they were doing. Notice how there is no natural (light) ring around the pick guard. Perfectly blended in. Congrats she’s a beauty!
You might be right, I just looked it up in the decoder, and 1980 D25s start with a 105, mine is 103, so mid to late 79 is my guess.
 

HeyMikey

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You know what Boneman, I take that back. I think the seller was correct. Looking at the online chart it does seem like a 1980 as the s/n shown is the last known date for that year. So 103xxx would have been after 1979.

305879FC-5A77-49A8-913C-2CFD79B0F33C.jpeg
 

chazmo

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Congrats on the new (old) D-25, boneman. It looks great.

I wouldn't trust the online charts, Mikey... @hansmoust, do you have a date for this D-25 (I think it's DA103818, if I'm reading the picture right).
 

fronobulax

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The chart shows the last number for a year. A D25 with DA103xxx would be after the last guitar made in 1979 and before the last guitar made in 1980 which would make this a 1980 serial.

My experience with the online serial number resources for this period is that they can be trusted. Most of the errors I hear about are operator error where someone isn't paying attention to whether the chart shows the first number in a year or the last number. Whatever Hans says is correct but this doesn't seem to fall into the area where only Hans is correct :)
 

Boneman

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The chart shows the last number for a year. A D25 with DA103xxx would be after the last guitar made in 1979 and before the last guitar made in 1980 which would make this a 1980 serial.
That makes total sense, thanks for clarifying. Therefore it’s my wife’s birth year guitar! (not that it would make any difference to her)
 

Boneman

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You know what Boneman, I take that back. I think the seller was correct. Looking at the online chart it does seem like a 1980 as the s/n shown is the last known date for that year. So 103xxx would have been after 1979.
Thanks Mikey, now I know how to read that properly as well (y)
 

Boneman

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I'm not sure that case is original to that guitar. I believe "Made to be played" was a FMIC thing.
Ahh, makes sense being the case looks pretty new, and in immaculate condition so no complaints there :)
 

sailingshoes72

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Beautiful guitar! Great Craigslist find. As others have said, the sunburst is very handsome. If you look inside the sound hole, there may be a date stamped on the neckblock on the treble side bevel. As Hans has pointed out, this is the date the body was assembled and not necessarily the date of the finished guitar.
 

PreacherBob

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Not sure the exact year, seller claimed a 1980, but saw this up on CL last week, not too far from where I am. I really tried resisiting the GAS pull, but alas obviously I could not. In photos it looked so clean, but in person, man! Between the tight grain in the top, the subtle and alluring burst on it, open tuning machines, a freakin Westerly!, I had to at least check it out. Once I strummed it I said I’ll take it. Yay, my 2nd made in USA Guild! I also wanted to see what the archback sound was all about. So far it hasn’t blown me away, but it is a great playing guitar that sounds awesome in its own right. Didn’t hurt he dropped his price, and I was able to coordinate it with a Home Depot trip so the drive wasn’t just for the guitar ;). and came with OHSC, made to be played, love it. Without further ado:
Wow Boneman you DID drink the arched back Kool Aid! Looks like the fruit blast flavor! HEY, KOOL AID! Oh, yeah..
8696E46D-7C2E-4D71-8D9F-4E188773C6EF.jpeg
 

Boneman

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Haha! Yes sir, no fooling in these parts, I meant it when I said I was sampling it, heh, and let me say, the more time I spend with it, I can definitively say the kool aid is Duh-licious!
 
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