WTB 1972 D-25M Red finish

Wanted to Buy

Longnose Gar

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
199
Reaction score
252
Location
Boulder, CO
Guild Total
5
My GAS and everyone’s love of the D-25 has led me to want one from my birth year. Does this guitar exist in red? My concern is the nut width and neck. I’ve read that they all have 1 11/16” nut (good!). Anyone know how this D-25 neck compares to Oxnard D-55/F-55 necks? I hope the same or even a bit bigger. I had a 1987 D-30. I don’t know the neck spec, but it was too narrow. So if the 1972 D-25 is like the 1987 D-30, that won’t work. Thanks!
 

donnylang

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Messages
671
Reaction score
812
Location
Oakland, CA
This would be called a D25-Ch. The early ones seem to be designated "BR" (brown) or "CH" (cherry). The '68-'72 D25s will all have the narrow, small feeling neck as far as I am aware. This is my personal favorite guitar neck style/size. I have no experience with Guilds later than the 1970s, so cannot compare ... but I thought the necks got bigger as the years went on? Others will chime in to clarify I'm sure.
 
Last edited:

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,129
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
I own a 1972 solid/flat back mahogany top D-25. it just says "D-25" with no color designation. the top would be consistent with "BR" (brown) or "mahogany" during this period.

a red one from 1972 would say the entire word "cherry," most of the time.

D-25M and D-25CH are laminated/arch back with spruce top. those are a little younger than 1972 (maybe starting around 1974).

would possibly sell mine. also have a "cherry" red one from 1970 id sell
 

Longnose Gar

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
199
Reaction score
252
Location
Boulder, CO
Guild Total
5
This would be called a D25-Ch. The early ones seem to be designated "BR" (brown) or "CH" (cherry). The '68-'72 D25s will all have the narrow, small feeling neck as far as I am aware. This is my personal favorite guitar neck style/size. I have no experience with Guilds later than the 1970s, so cannot compare ... but I thought the necks got bigger as the years went on? Others will chime in to clarify I'm sure.
Thanks, very helpful. I might have to let the D-25 dream go because of the skinny neck.
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Thanks, very helpful. I might have to let the D-25 dream go because of the skinny neck.
Welcome, Longnose! Never heard of a D25 of any vintage with anything other than 1-11/16 nut although anything's possible, in fact if anything I'd expect any variation in the early '70's to be on the side of wider not narrower.

That '87 D30 you mentioned may well have had a 1-5/8 nut, there were a few documented here a while back, with a couple having s/n's so close to each other it suggests Guild specifically built at least one batch (6 guitars) with that narrow nut on purpose, when the spec for it was actually 1-11/16 like the vast majority of their dreads and jumbos.

We've also seen discussed over the years the fact that neck profile (depth and shape) can be an important factor in neck feel. Both my Dreads are 1-11/16 nut but the D40's neck is decidedly fatter than the D25's, almost makes it feel like it's got a wider nut.

It's a mistake to assume all Guild necks will be very consistent and similar even during a given "period", although there have been periods when the necks tended to run "fatter" or "skinnier"". The late '80's was a period of necks tending towards "skinnier" profiles.

But in Westerly all necks were given final shaping by hand, so small variations are inevitable. Our "guru" Hans Moust has said it actually surprised him to see how consistent they actually were given that most of that final shaping was done purely by "eyeball".

SO don't give up on early '70's D25's yet. ;)
 

donnylang

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Messages
671
Reaction score
812
Location
Oakland, CA
^ I should clarify that I am referring to 1 11/16” as the skinny/small neck. Not sure if that's what you consider too narrow. I've had a '67 D44, '68 D40, '69 D35, and '72 D25- and they all had more or less the same neck in terms of feel. As adorshki points out above, there is minor variance from guitar to guitar ... they were hand-made. Never played an '80s Guild so cannot comment. I've played some later '70s Guilds, and the necks did seem to get "bigger" but I was not paying attention to those kinds of details to be honest.
 

Longnose Gar

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
199
Reaction score
252
Location
Boulder, CO
Guild Total
5
We've also seen discussed over the years the fact that neck profile (depth and shape) can be an important factor in neck feel. Both my Dreads are 1-11/16 nut but the D40's neck is decidedly fatter than the D25's, almost makes it feel like it's got a wider nut.
SO don't give up on early '70's D25's yet.
Thanks Al! My guess is that my D-30 had a 1 11/16 nut but a skinnier neck profile than an Oxnard or certainly a Gibson with the same nut spec. Not ready to let go of the early 70's D25 dream yet and will keep investigating.
 

donnylang

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Messages
671
Reaction score
812
Location
Oakland, CA
I own a 1972 solid/flat back mahogany top D-25. it just says "D-25" with no color designation. the top would be consistent with "BR" (brown) or "mahogany" during this period.

a red one from 1972 would say the entire word "cherry," most of the time.

D-25M and D-25CH are laminated/arch back with spruce top. those are a little younger than 1972 (maybe starting around 1974).

would possibly sell mine. also have a "cherry" red one from 1970 id sell

my ‘72 must have been the exception then?:
 

Attachments

  • F9CDE50F-B314-4941-9225-3D88970449BA.jpeg
    F9CDE50F-B314-4941-9225-3D88970449BA.jpeg
    165.2 KB · Views: 125
Top