Brought New GAD 25 Verse 78 D-25

[doc]

I brought a GAD 25 from a guy on EBay who got it as a gift and decide to sell it. I went through some trials and tribulations getting it and now its here. Graham asked for a review.

Here is my first impression after a few hours of on and off playing. The GAD 25 has old strings on it so I will have to replace them to get the real picture. Initially, just first impressions is that the 78 D-25 has that aged sound to it and a slight edge. The GAD surprisingly has more resonance and sustain, less bright but sweet sounding especially in the treble strings. Bass response is different for each. The GAD bass response is more "Martin" like for lack of better words. The 78 D-25 has a more balance sound across the strings. The GAD doesn't have quite the balance sound of the 78. However, I wouldn't say it was inferior, just different. The necks are different in at least two ways. The 78 D-25 tress adjustment is in the headstock and the GAD is at the bottom of the neck in the body, looks like a quart inch nut. The other difference is that the 78 D-25 neck is thicker then the GAD . Both feel fine to me, perhaps more of a electric neck feel to the GAD. The GAD is lighter in weight then my 78 D-25. The overall workmanship of the GAD is very good, there are a few small finish flaw spots where they can't be seen. Inside the guitar completely clean and well put together. What I paid for it, actually it was as if I stole it. Hey a guy deserves a break once in awhile. I will change the strings and probably have the action lower just a "wee-bit", hopefully maintaining its sweet and resonant sound. Overall I am very please with it. More to come. 8)

 

[doc]

This is a follow up so far on the GAD 25 I have left the strings on it. They are old age wise, but not played wise. This guitar is definitely more harmonic in nature. It throws harmonics with little effort. Overall, its not as bright sounding. It has a different compression when strummed hard and probably accounts for that "Martin" bass like sound. The treble is absolutely amazing, over tones, harmonics, sustain longer, and very sweet sounding. I am going to have to A/B this against a Clapton 00028. This is a great finger style guitar and strums great. I am starting to get the feel for it and now the sound is coming out. The scalloped bracing really makes it resonant more then the 78 D-25. You can feel the single notes resonant on your finger tips when you play them on the treble strings. It has a bone nut and bone compensated bridge. The mid range is sweet sounding and can be smoky sounding. So far overall, they both are great guitars with somewhat different sounds in their own right. Hell, what do I know just the ranting of a man in love........ :lol:

 

[Graham]

Thanks doc. Sounds like a definate winner for the price.

 

[doc]

I would say if push came to shove that the GAD 25 has a more "organic" sound to it with more bass definition and sweet harmonic rich treble and mellow smoky sweet mids verses that the D-25 has a more pure sound to it, the treble sweet with less variety of overtones and harmonic content, with less bass character being more flat in response across the bass strings, and mids clear, not having as much sweetness to them. Overall the D-25 has more balance across the strings giving chords a more tight sounding character to them and the GAD 25 having less balance tone across the strings, giving it a character feel to it (something a finger stylist such as me desires for creativity) and the chords not as tight sounding. I would probably play more jazz on the D-25, accompany guitar as would fit in better, verses the GAD-25 using it more solos, lead, folk, blues as it has more variety of character areas on the fretboard. It might not blend in as well if playing with other guitars and mess with the mix, if not in the lead.

The finial question and an important one is which guitar would I reach for when I have pounded a few brewskys and want to raise some H.......? What do you think? :twisted:

 

[doc]

The price was under $300 and if I had to let it go, it certainly wouldn't be that disrespectful price I paid for it, as I know how to treat a lady :!:

 

[doc]

As I reach for another tall cold one, do I hear some sucking of wind out there or is that the sound of laughter :?: The drinks are on me! :lol:

 

[capnjuan]

In my case,

It's first curiosity: did you find the case key in the packing or wait for the seller's spare copy?

and then something on the order of GAS envy; yes, you stole it fair and square...well done!



regards, J

 

[doc]

Thanks J........I couldn't find the key on the guitar or the packing bubble wrap. The case was shipped with only bubble wrap taped around it! The case caught some damage as a result. If he only had a brain....geeee, didn't he watch the Wizard of OZ, for goodness shake...eveyone has! Called a friend at Guitar Center and took it over to him and used the key from an identical new case to open it. Then a number of people there were curious and gave it whirl, and like it, including myself. Always looking for converts to Guild!

I am going to email saying upon my receiving the spare key and his ebay evaluation of me will determined his ebay evaluation by me. Seems he has a problem with accountability. He didn't send the guitar until two weeks after I brought it and I paid him about 2 minutes after the auction. The whole time I honesty thought I had been scammed. We emailed a couple of times with him saying as soon as he got his money, well paypal paid him two minutes or afterwards. Then he said that it was going soon, the five days later, the first of the week, then he stopped answering my emails. Then I started getting concern thinking thoughts, "would it be stretch for my brother who works for the DEA command in DC to ask a field agent to make a visit to him?" Now I am not sure my brother would do that, but my fantasty was working on it! :lol: Anyway, there is a good ending to the story and if I get the key or not would stop me from.........grabbing another tall one and celebrating!!! :lol:

Say anyone know where I can find out what year this was made in as the regular serial number places peter out in the mid to late 90's? The serial number is: GAD 16174

 

[capnjuan]

Pay / no ship: I pay, they drag their feet, starts my 'fear' engine too. Apparently we buyers are but loathsome creatures to be tolerated by the sellers in their quest for a buck or two; stupid pesky questions...and those annoying followups...let 'em eat cake. When I grow up, I want to be an ebay seller so I can be rude too.

I'd like to think that there are enough different Guild case locks out there; otherwise if all the Guilders get together down Texas way, with their axes, cases, and keys.........Maybe I'll go, where a hat, raincoat, and sunglasses indoors so I won't stand out...

Where in MD are you? I grew up in Arlington VA, know the Baltimore / Washington corridor very well, and spent some lovely evenings with a delightful woman out in Oakland (way too many years ago).

Congrats on the guitar; all's well that ends well.

JH

 

[doc]

Well, I know Arlington and Fairfax well. I travel frequently to VA as in just a few minutes to Alex. As you well know it is a large Metro area consisting primarily of N.VA, DC and MD, Bethesda, Takoma Park, SS, Wheaton, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and finally Germantown, is where I live. It is about 30 miles from DC up off 270, a mess of a road. I have lived in Fairfax, SS, Gaithersburg, and a number of local places around the Metro area, including in my car for a about a year and half, homeless in Takom Park at age 20. The only good thing about being homeless was women thought it was romantic, go figure. I don't know when you were up here last, in the last 10 years there have been big changes in pop, roads, housing etc. they say over 3+ million people in that metro area now. Did my undergraduate work at University of Maryland College Park and I know you have traveled over there to party in the day!

BTW, I have lived on and off in my early 20's in Florida, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and traveled to most places in Florida. I haven't been there in years, about due for a trip soon.

 

[capnjuan]

Yes; I know where G-town is, on the way to Frederick past Gaithersburg; isn't the Montgomery County fairgrounds out there? Rt 270 has been a mess since they built it; too small to begin with although roads everywhere seem to have an attraction to cars; "if you build it, they will come".

In the mid-60s, my at-the-time girlfriend went to U of M; she had relatives who lived in Takoma Park - went there a few times but mostly rode by it on whatever the big, main, east-west drag was that led to the old Byrd Stadium (or am I confusing TP with Adelphia MD?) The last time I was at the stadium was in the early 80s, I got illegally shnockered but got off with a bad hangover only. Strong party school, big - approaching 'factory' proportions.

Glad to see you survived your time in the car. I can understand living here in FL out of a car, harder (less comfortable) to imagine doing so up there - where it actually snows. You probably already know that Takoma Park is the ancestral home of John Fahey; he who is said to have been the first person to record Leo Kottke on Fahey's 'Takoma Records' label.

http://www.johnfahey.com/

If you don't know who he is and you're the mostly R&R man that your choice of instruments suggests you are, John Fahey will be sort of like anchovies for you...an acquired taste...but no harm for no interest.

If you make it back down this way, gimme a shout. I live along Route 1 about 4 miles south of Jupiter; we'll fire up on my back porch!

Best wishes,
John

 

[doc]

John, I have listen to John Fahey and know of him. There is some controversy to him. Thanks for the link, that pretty interesting. Takoma Park was cool before California even thought about it. It was the Haight Ashbury of the East Coast. There were plenty of famous musicians that lived and stayed in Takoma Park, Meat Loaf, Joan Biaze, Charley Byrd, Elizabeth Cotton and Happy Traum, stayed there when in DC, and other musicians. There was more drugs going down there then just about any place else and a center for antiwar protest, Abbie Hoffmann stayed or hid out in Takoma Park and others such as Coleman McCarthy-national syndicated columnist, Eugene McCarthy's son, George McCarthy, and others that I can't remember at this time. Amazing, I haven't thought of this stuff for awhile.

Well anyway, if I am down your well I would be glad to give you a call.

 

[capnjuan]

10-4 Doc,

best wishes,

JH