Why doesn't Guild offer the D25 any more?

GGJaguar

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Because in their mind, the D-20 they currently make is close enough and probably sells well.
 

jeffcoop

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I guess the broader question, then, is: why hasn't Guild offered the arch-back D25 since the Westerly days? My D25 served not only as my introduction to USA-made acoustic guitars (my previous guitar was a Yamaha) but also as the gateway drug to the world of Guild.

I guess the D20 is meant to be today's gateway drug.
 

Boneman

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I’d guess they don’t want to cut into their sales of their overseas arch backs:
 

chazmo

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I’d guess they don’t want to cut into their sales of their overseas arch backs:
This is a little sideways because prior to the takeover of Guild by Cordoba the GAD (i.e., MIC) versions of the D-25 were all solid mahogany -- tops and not arch-backs, that is. Indeed, now the Westerly Series "200" guitars are arch-backs, and I guess a D-240 is the closest thing to the older D-25 in the line-up.

Having said all that, don't dismiss the all-solid GADs/100-series D-25 versions... Those were really excellent guitars and sounded great. Don't get me wrong, the arch-back D-25s of yore are wonderful too, but I really liked those MIC solid-backed versions. I haven't played a Westerly Series D-240 for comparison...
 

chazmo

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Yes, but couldn't that be said of any model?
Not necessarily, Marc. We can't really know this without hearing from Cordoba on the reasons behind it.

My take on what was happening in New Hartford is that they mostly limited themselves to making premium models that they could justify higher-than-import prices for. The one major exception to that rule was the Standard Series where you were able to get all the goodies of a body style with reduced cost.

CMG seems to be on a different path. I think Cordoba has been quite creative about what they've built in Oxnard vs. imported from Asia... They've experimented with some reduced-cost production techniques, some of which have been OK, maybe not so much others. But, they brought in "lower" models (I don't feel that way about them, just saying...) and invented some new model names to cut their teeth. I mean New Hartford started with the D-55! CMG went a different way.

Anyway, it's fascinating stuff. I wish we had some solid answers to these questions, but really all we're doing is guessing.
 

HeyMikey

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I thought there was a limited run D25 listed recently on Reverb at about $2700. For that price I’d just stick to finding a good vintage one.
 
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jeffcoop

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I thought there was a limited run D25 listed recently on Reverb at about $2700. For that price I’d just stick to finding a good vintage one.
That GSR D25E looks typical of Cordoba's GSR guitars: a fairly standard guitar (in this case a D20) with a special California burst and a couple of other changes to appointments (and in this case to model name), at a higher price. The promotional materials state that it is based on the first iteration of the D25, so all mahogany and flat back.
 

Br1ck

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I suspect that most of the market for a domestically produced and priced, arch back D25, are members of Let's Talk Guild.

And I'd guess that Cordoba market research has concluded something similar.

I'm in agreement with you. We are a cult, for lack of a better term. The arch back is one of guitar's most misunderstood concepts.
 

plaidseason

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I'm in agreement with you. We are a cult, for lack of a better term. The arch back is one of guitar's most misunderstood concepts.
And my take is that aside from Taylor, a good portion of the mid-to-high end acoustic market these days is centered around things that are at least familiarly Martin or Gibson like. Light builds. Aged tops. And the prevalence of ivoroid and butterbean tuning machines and stuff like that on import guitars, etc. I love all that stuff (and even replaced the heavy "Grover" tuners on my inexpensive Simon & Patrick, to improve the mojo, and drastically reduce the weight.

But I do appreciate the unique tone of an arch back dreadnought!
 
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