D-55 Brazilian? Do they exist other than from 2003?

richt54

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Post title says it all. I went back to about page 7 of 10 in the archives and could not get a definitive answer. I know that in 2003 the Oxnard plant made a limited run of 50 that had Engelmann spruce tops and Brazilian RW back and sides. I think awagner has one. But since D-55 were made starting in 1968, has anyone seen or owned one from that time period that had BRW. I know that they were special order until the early to mid 70's. If there is a link to an archived discussion I would like to read it. Thanks
 

chazmo

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That wasn't Oxnard, richt... It was Corona (Fender).

And, I don't know the answer to your question. Perhaps some of the earliest D-55s had Brazilian rosewood back and sides. I suspect some of them had Indian backs and Brazilian sides (we've seen that combination a number of times from the early '70s).
 

richt54

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Cordoba and Corona being close always throws me off since they are California type names. Corona = Fender = 2003 Brazilian D-55's. Got it. And no definite proof of anybody (at least here) owning a D-55brw from back in the day. Ok. Thanks for the feedback Chaz.
 

twocorgis

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It's quite possible that some of the earliest examples were Brazilian, back when they were known as the "TV Special". @hansmoust might know.
 

awagner

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My ‘70 is Brazilian (at least the back is)


I have seen other early examples with Brazilian sides only, and a sunburst with Brazilian from that era. So they exist.
 

twocorgis

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My ‘70 is Brazilian (at least the back is)


I have seen other early examples with Brazilian sides only, and a sunburst with Brazilian from that era. So they exist.
My '70 D50 definitely has Brazilian sides, but just as definitely has an East Indian back.

51894471734_85d1635720_h.jpg

51893174862_836b1cb587_h.jpg

It's even more noticeable in the flesh. Looks like two completely different strains of wood. This guitar is rapidly turning into my favorite. It feels just like the '73 I've owned since I was a teenager, but sounds so much better.
 

wileypickett

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The D55 was first offered by special order in 1968, and only became part of the regular Guild line-up in 1974, half a decade after guitar makers had pretty much stopped using Brazilian. For that reason finding BRW D55s is going to be a challenge-and-a-half.

D50s on the other hand. . . .

My old D50 had a Brazilian RW back, but even Kim Keller and a couple other experts at Guild in New Hartford weren't sure whether the sides were also BRW.
 

richt54

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My ‘70 is Brazilian (at least the back is)


I have seen other early examples with Brazilian sides only, and a sunburst with Brazilian from that era. So they exist.
Looking at your list of guitars I can see you're no stranger to Brazilian RW. Your F-50r Brazilian must be a monster sounding instrument. Thanks for the link of your NGD D-55.
 

chazmo

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My '70 D50 definitely has Brazilian sides, but just as definitely has an East Indian back.

51894471734_85d1635720_h.jpg

51893174862_836b1cb587_h.jpg

It's even more noticeable in the flesh. Looks like two completely different strains of wood. This guitar is rapidly turning into my favorite. It feels just like the '73 I've owned since I was a teenager, but sounds so much better.
Yup, this is the combination we've seen the most of in the very early '70s models.

Lookin' good, Sandy. Have a close look at those back cracks down by the tail block along the grain. Hopefully they're not spreading.
 

twocorgis

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Yup, this is the combination we've seen the most of in the very early '70s models.

Lookin' good, Sandy. Have a close look at those back cracks down by the tail block along the grain. Hopefully they're not spreading.
Those have all been properly cleated. This is the guitar that was re-topped by Wayne Henderson. The top has Wayne's prewar style bracing on the nicest Adirondack top I've ever seen. Sounds closer to a prewar Martin than a Guild, but plays just like my '73. Win win!
 

richt54

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Those have all been properly cleated. This is the guitar that was re-topped by Wayne Henderson. The top has Wayne's prewar style bracing on the nicest Adirondack top I've ever seen. Sounds closer to a prewar Martin than a Guild, but plays just like my '73. Win win!
Wow, Wayne Henderson! Do you know him or live in close proximity to his shop? A picture of that adi top would be nice. I had a friend (now departed) that was a player and made a cd which Wayne played on a few tracks with him. He had 2 of his guitars. I could get a truck load of Guilds for the cost of two his guitars.
 

twocorgis

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Definitely. I recall. Great!!!!!!! Love to play that one sometime!
Man, we're way overdue for another LTG get together! If we can work one out, I'll definitely bring it along.
Wow, Wayne Henderson! Do you know him or live in close proximity to his shop? A picture of that adi top would be nice. I had a friend (now departed) that was a player and made a cd which Wayne played on a few tracks with him. He had 2 of his guitars. I could get a truck load of Guilds for the cost of two his guitars.
I don't live anywhere near Wayne (not many people do!), and honestly don't deserve any of the credit for this guitar. All of that goes to @70man, who bought this guitar as a basket case, and somehow got Wayne to agree to work on it. It took Wayne almost five years to finish it, and in the interim time, Stu decided that he would be unable to get the guitar into New Zealand because of the Brazilian rosewood content. The bridge is even BRW, and was in bad condition. Wayne decided to fix that because it was BRW.

As for the top? It's amazing, and Wayne likely has a wood stash that is second to none. He says it comes "from his backyard", and that may not be too far from the truth. Here's a face shot and a grain detail. The tight grain and silking are just off the hook

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Wayne is near impossible to get a hold of. He has no cell phone, no internet, and only recently got an answering machine at his daughter's insistence. Most to the time you just get a busy signal, but when you do finally talk to him, he's the nicest guy you could ever imagine. He calls this one a "good sounding guitar", and that's not faint praise coming from him! He even signed the top.

51893174577_cd7f50c014_h.jpg


I don't think I could ever compensate Stu adequately for letting me have this guitar. Wayne's guitars are rare as hen's teeth out in the wild, and this one is way closer to one of his builds than a D50.
 

GGJaguar

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That's got to be the nicest Henderson-in-Guild-clothing I've ever seen! It's also the only one I've ever seen. Cool!!
 

twocorgis

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That's got to be the nicest Henderson-in-Guild-clothing I've ever seen! It's also the only one I've ever seen. Cool!!
The only one Wayne's ever done, to the best of my knowledge.
 
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I have a 1968 D-55 TV Spec with BrazilIan Rosewood back and sides. I also have a 1970 F-512 Spec with solid Brazilian Rosewood (not arched plywood) back and sides. However, my 1968 F-50R has Brazilian Rosewood sides with Indian rosewood back. My 1973 D-55 and my 1973 F-512 are Indian rosewood back and sides.

If anyone knows Guild’s progression from the mid 60s through the 70s on the size and material for bridge plates and bridges, the thickness of the tops, the neck woods (my 1970 F-512 is all mahogany with a stacked heel), and the thickness and shape of the braces that might help explain differences in tone and volume I perceive from the late 60s and very early 70s from the 1973 and later guitars.
 

HeyMikey

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I have a 1968 D-55 TV Spec with BrazilIan Rosewood back and sides. I also have a 1970 F-512 Spec with solid Brazilian Rosewood (not arched plywood) back and sides. However, my 1968 F-50R has Brazilian Rosewood sides with Indian rosewood back. My 1973 D-55 and my 1973 F-512 are Indian rosewood back and sides.

If anyone knows Guild’s progression from the mid 60s through the 70s on the size and material for bridge plates and bridges, the thickness of the tops, the neck woods (my 1970 F-512 is all mahogany with a stacked heel), and the thickness and shape of the braces that might help explain differences in tone and volume I perceive from the late 60s and very early 70s from the 1973 and later guitars.
I’d love to see a few pictures of those
 
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