D-40 LTG Member Review

[Scratch]

How long have you owned the D-40: Four years
Year & specific model: 2005 Richie Havens with Fishman preamp
Purchased new or used: New Old Stock (NOS) eBay
Price paid: $750.00

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality: 10
Looks: 9.5
Projection: 9.5
Bass: 9.5
Mids: 9.5
Highs: 9.5
Sustain: 9.5
Playability/comfort: 10
Dependability: 10
Fingerstyle: 9.5
Flatpick: 10
Strum

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): EC+

Favorite Strings (one selection only): DR Rare PB lights

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes; definitely

Overall Assessment: My favorite six string guitar. Reliable. Go-to six string at home or gigging out.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: Warmth. Love the 'hog' sound
Least Appreciated: NA
Favorite D40 Story/Moment: I had previously priced them $1250.00 and was very surprised when I won the no-reserve auction with my sole bid of 750.00. The seller (eBay store) had not mentioned that it had electronics, so I was surprised to discover the Fishman when I opened the box. I didn't play it that often at first, then noticed it starting to open up after several months. The sound continued to get better with each play and it soon became my favorite six-string guitar. Perhaps my best Guild purchase of all...

Other observations/comments: My first Tacoma-crafted Guild; eventually won me over to the warm mahogany sound. Great guitar; I love it.

Gigging out with 'Woodstock':

 

[adorshki]

Re: D-40 LTG Owner Review

Hi Scratch:
A couple of detail questions on your D40:
1) How thick is the saddle? My Corona D40's is fully 5/32" thick compared to the 3/32" on the two Westerlys. I'm wondering if it might be due to the thickness of the Dtar UST.
2) How would you describe the neck profile? My D40's neck is noticably thicker than the D25 even though they share the 1-11/16" nut spec. That brings playability rating down to "8" on mine.
I'd agree with the rest of your ratings as applied to my Corona except for "sustain" in which I'm a little dissappointed, I'd only give it a "7", but I'm probably spoiled by the archbacks of the other two. The D40 DOES beat them out on note definition though.

 

[Scratch]

Re: D-40 LTG Owner Review

Hi Al,

Interesting comparison: Tacoma to Corona... 'Woodstock's' saddle is 3/32". The neck is significantly smaller (less thick) than the Westerly D25 I had. Similar; however, to my old Corona D-25 neck. In fact, I'd say the comfort of the neck is perhaps what draws me to this guitar.

As odd as this may seem, if given the choice to reclaim one of the the Westerly or Corona D25s I owned, I'd wish to have the Corona D-25 back... I'll probably look for another one of these days.

 

[adorshki]

Re: D-40 LTG Owner Review

Hi Al,
Interesting comparison: Tacoma to Corona... 'Woodstock's' saddle is 3/32". The neck is significantly smaller (less thick) than the Westerly D25 I had. Similar; however, to my old Corona D-25 neck. In fact, I'd say the comfort of the neck is perhaps what draws me to this guitar.

Thanks. In my informal ongoing neck survey, Mojotooth said that the neck of his ('97)WESTERLY D25 was thicker than the neck of his CORONA D25. And my two are just the opposite for guitars of basically identical vintage from each factory. How's that for sheer random consistency? :lol:
I'm still trying to figure out what's up with the saddle in the '40. I haven't found anybody else with that spec yet. The whole bridge is beefier too, 7/16" at the height of the crown on the sound hole side compared to 5/16" on the D25. Never really noticed it for a couple of years until one day when I had it out of the case at the same time as the '25. Had to pull out a ruler and make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Love to see if anybody else'll post those specs on theirs.

 

[6L6]

Re: D-40 LTG Owner Review

How long have you owned the D-50: 36 yrs
Year & specific model: 1974 D-40NT
Purchased new or used: New
Price paid: $350? Can't really remember. Bought it at a music store in Taunton, MA.

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 9
Looks 9
Projection 9
Bass 9
Mids 9
Highs 9
Sustain 10
Playability/comfort 10
Dependability 10
Fingerstyle 10
Flatpick 10
Strum 10

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Well worn. Just about time for a neck reset and new frets.

Favorite Strings (one selection only): Light Gauge Phosphor Bronze

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes

Overall Assessment: This guitar has literally followed me around the world for 36 years and been 100% dependable. And, it always traveled in just it's factory case and checked with airline baggage. I even played it in Cape McMurdo, Antarctica! Never had a problem. Bulletproof instrument that is my favorite Guild model.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: Everything about it.
Least Appreciated: I have nothing negative to say about this super instrument.
Favorite D-40 Story/Moment: Busking with it many times in the London Underground. Actually made some decent change in tips!

Other observations/comments: Just a superlative instrument. Soon I'll have her refretted with stainless steel frets and get her a neck reset. That will carry me to the finish line with this wonderful instrument.

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

1964 Guild D40 44301

This is my review of my time capsule 1964 D40. As stated before, I have owned many a great guitar
( Bourgeois,Collings,Martin,Greven,Merrill,Roy Noble,Gibson) and this for my use out shines them all!
To think that a Gibson Hummingbird from 1964 is worth three times more in blue book is insane.I had a near mint and it did not come close! It was under the bed in the desert for 45 years ( at the time I had it) and it way cool but could never be a utility guitar like the D40. I flatpick,play bluegrass rhythm,and old time ,blues and rags finger style and this D40 can do it all with ease.It also had the best neck I have ever owned. The 1/34 flat nice C neck plays like butter and it is a joy to play. I use two pick a Blue Chip TD40, and have some real 100m Torts from the "Pic Guy" for those in the know! For finger style I mostly play skin and this is really a outstanding guitar for that. I love to switch from Miss. John Hurt to Clarence White and Doc Watson. I have been using EJ16 to great success and have used them and 17's for about ten years.I know I could go medium but lights sound fine. This guitar is very woody, well balanced and a long time needed to be broken in. The tone is pure ,simple and NOT CIC cookie cutter, it has it's own mojo! It still look very new and fresh as also does the case.

All I can say is this guitar outshines many guitars that are more expensive and try to get it this good.

This is the tone my ears heard in the 60's and 70's and why so many have played to a level of abuse!

 

[chazmo]

Rick, that warms my heart. Of course, what you're saying is why many of us love our Guild guitars. Be careful, or GAS will draw you in to other Guilds. For example, I was a dread guy and all I'd owned was mahogany... until I played my F-512.

Stick with lights on that old beauty, Rick. No reason to put the old lady under a lot of tension.

 

[Tom O]

D-40 Saddle

Hi Scratch:
A couple of detail questions on your D40:
1) How thick is the saddle? My Corona D40's is fully 5/32" thick compared to the 3/32" on the two Westerlys. I'm wondering if it might be due to the thickness of the Dtar UST.
2) How would you describe the neck profile? My D40's neck is noticably thicker than the D25 even though they share the 1-11/16" nut spec. That brings playability rating down to "8" on mine.
I'd agree with the rest of your ratings as applied to my Corona except for "sustain" in which I'm a little dissappointed, I'd only give it a "7", but I'm probably spoiled by the archbacks of the other two. The D40 DOES beat them out on note definition though.

"My Corona D40 CVH000275 has a 3/32 in saddle. bought it "new" in 2006." must be the Dtar since I don't have one.

 

[adorshki]

"My Corona D40 CVH000275 has a 3/32 in saddle. bought it "new" in 2006." must be the Dtar since I don't have one.

When I wrote that so many years ago, I didn't realize I'd made a measuring error and also mis-identified the UST (they never gave me the supplement for the UST); which was discovered a few years later.

It's actually a Fishman AG1-125 1/8" wide, and the saddle had to be wide enough to accommodate it, obviously.
Since then it's also opened up considerably and my hands have also aged to a point where I actually prefer the D40's neck for a lot of stuff now..
Mine's CVM000894, bought new in '04.