D25 versus D40, D50, D55

[livemusic]

Does anyone prefer a D25 over D40, D50, D55 (or other dreads)? Or, at least, like the D25 as much?

 

[Graham]

There are many folks that love the D-25. Putting them up against others is too subjective, me thinx.

What are your thoughts?

 

[GardMan]

Mine's in my top 7 favorite dreads! :wink:

Seriously, I love all seven of my dreads, and my D-25 is no exception. It's my favorite in DADGAD (yes, I have tried them all in that tuning). Rings forever...

 

[livemusic]

There are many folks that love the D-25. Putting them up against others is too subjective, me thinx.

What are your thoughts?

I haven't played one, just curious how it stacks up against the other dreads.

 

[dapmdave]

The D-25 is kind of unique, and hard to compare to other guitars. Of the ones you've mentioned, it's probably closest to the D-40, being a mahogany dred. The others aren't even close. But even the D-40 is very different in it's construction and how it plays and sounds.

Having said that, my D-25 is probably my favorite acoustic. It's fun to play and it sounds great.

They're usually easy to find in the sub $600 range, which is also a big plus.

Dave

 

[killdeer43]

Well, here it is: when I had a D25, I played it more than my D50.
I'm just sayin'. :wink:

Joe

 

[Scratch]

Guess I'm the odd man out. I sold my Westerly D-25 to Tony T and kept the Tacoma D-40. Although I enjoyed the D-25, I found it a bit too heavy and somewhat bulky for my liking. Just couldn't get comfortable with it.

Also had a Corona D-25 (my first Guild) which, although a totally different animal altogether, I wish I had back...

 

[killdeer43]

As far as weight goes, the D25M was an arched-back beauty (are you hearin' me Doc? :wink: ) and was noticeably lighter than the D50.
If wishes count for anything, I wish I had it back. But knowing that Doc is enjoying it means a lot to me. :wink:

Joe

 

[taabru45]

Took a lot of strength to turn that into a lens Joe....I remember it well....couldn't believe you put it up....but then again....Ian's enjoying my old F50R :shock: :shock: Steffan

 

[killdeer43]

Took a lot of strength to turn that into a lens Joe....I remember it well....couldn't believe you put it up....but then again....Ian's enjoying my old F50R :shock: :shock: Steffan

We're just sharing the joy, aren't we? :wink:

Joe

 

[taabru45]

Kind of .....with a wry smile....like remembering an old lover..... :wink: Steffan

 

[dapmdave]

Kind of .....with a wry smile....like remembering an old lover..... :wink: Steffan

OK, guys. Break it up. We're not doing a group hug, are we?

Dave :lol:

 

[taabru45]

I think we'll have to recruit a few more ladies and their Guilds before that happens.... :lol: Steffan

 

[learnintoplay62]

So as of now I still don't know which is more pleasing, easier to play, deeper sounding, brighter sounding, lower action, higher action, deeper body, shorter scale length and how all these affected your playing. Not only that, no one around my parts has any of these models to try out anyway :x
Why don't we put a sound clips page together of just our Guilds. I would offer but it probably wouldn't get done do to lack of knowledge and lack of knowledge

 

[taabru45]

I gets pretty personal when you find the guitar that you really want to live with...action, type of strings, etc...I just finished getting my 79 D50 just where I want it....and love it....Steffan

 

[killdeer43]

I gets pretty personal when you find the guitar that you really want to live with...action, type of strings, etc...I just finished getting my 79 D50 just where I want it....and love it....Steffan

Cindy's still working to get me right where she wants me....but she says I'm getting there! 8)

Joe

 

[adorshki]

:lol:

The D-25 is kind of unique, and hard to compare to other guitars. Of the ones you've mentioned, it's probably closest to the D-40, being a mahogany dred. The others aren't even close. But even the D-40 is very different in it's construction and how it plays and sounds.
Having said that, my D-25 is probably my favorite acoustic. It's fun to play and it sounds great.
They're usually easy to find in the sub $600 range, which is also a big plus.
Dave

Gonna have to agree with Dave, and I've got one of each. Between the '25 and the '40 th real difference seems to be due to the back. Flat backs tend to give more "articulate" definition of each string. They just sound "cleaner". Arched backs (typical of the majority of D25s) yield a LOT of sustain which keeps the soundbox humming, but all that humming tends to make individual notes blend together more.
My '25 is definitely louder than the '40, but it's also got about 6 times as much playing time on it.
Now if you compared D40 to D50 it would probably boil down to which type of bodywood you preferred, tonally.
I think of 'em like sisters: each one's got her own special points. But since they're guitars I don't have to pick just one. I can marry 'em all. :lol:

 

[valleyguy]

As has been said, the sustain on the D25 is real nice. It makes for some great sounds, though it doesn't fit for every style.

I just had my '81 D25 set up, frets dressed, and I can't put it down.

 

[learnintoplay62]

Well I guess I was trying to ask about physical size and there differences, as well as neck sizes, etc. My Dv6 is a full size dread and has ( for me ) a baseball size bat neck which I can't seem to get used to, but man is she loud. I just LOVE the 80s burst that they were putting on them and am a mahogany fan, but if it is as big as my dread, I'm afraid I just wont ever get one. The way you guys keep going on and on about the 25s keeps me gassen though :wink:
Also, is it fair to say that the 25 and the 40 are basically the same only the 40 has less sustain so then it has more note articulation and that physically they are the same size.?

 

[adorshki]

Well I guess I was trying to ask about physical size and there differences, as well as neck sizes, etc. My Dv6 is a full size dread and has ( for me ) a baseball size bat neck which I can't seem to get used to, but man is she loud. I just LOVE the 80s burst that they were putting on them and am a mahogany fan, but if it is as big as my dread, I'm afraid I just wont ever get one. The way you guys keep going on and on about the 25s keeps me gassen though :wink:
Also, is it fair to say that the 25 and the 40 are basically the same only the 40 has less sustain so then it has more note articulation and that physically they are the same size.?

AHHHHH! Yes, any "D" model was built to a standard length and width outline. What's interesting is that not all the "body bucks" for the sides were the same depth in Westerly. It's possible for two supposedly identical guitars to have close to 1/2" variation in depth.
Necks are even more fun: EVERY ONE was finished by hand on a belt sander for final profile. So ther's potentially infinite variation although I'm sure they used a profile template to get some kind of consistency.
And of course, one man's "baseball bat" may be another man's "tooth pick".
My Westerly D25 has what I consider to be an ideal slender neck, like a shallow "D", and the Corona D40 has the "clublike" feel, more like "C" profile. Mojotooth reported exactly the opposite when he owned a Corona and a Westerly D25 at the same time. Go figure. :lol:
Bottom line though, it sounds like you might want to start looking at the smaller-bodied guitars, like the F30.
The D25 and the D40 are definitely NOT the same, the biggest difference is the D40 has solid flat back, and MOST D25's have an arched laminated back. But that difference seems to be responsible for the difference in tonal characteristics. There ARE flatbacked D25's from the very early years, '68 to ca '74, and from Corona.
The D40 has a little bit more "bling" than the D25, but their wood compositions are the same. That's why they make a good comparison set for the difference between a flatback and an archback.
By all accounts if you have a DV6 from Tacoma or earlier, you probably already have everything a D40 could give you, soundwise.