D50 vs. D55?

[roadbiker]

Okay I know this may sound a bit amateurish, but what REALLY is the difference between a D50 and D55? Just by looking at them they look like nearly the identical guitar, with the D55 benefitting by some additional adornments on the headstock and neck. Even if you compare the spec's they are nearly identical. All the wood is the same except the top: the D50 uses SOlid Red Sprice and the D55 uses AAA Solid Red Spruce. Otherwise, at least by mys reckoning, they are virtually the same.

Am I missing something?

Jim

 

[RussB]

Correct, the D55 has the bling. It's a pimped-out D-50

The D50 Bluegrass Special has an Adirondack spruce top, and the one in my favorite local music store sounds KILLER!

 

[tjmangum]

Not to veer too far off topic, then what was the difference between D-50 & D-55 and the DV-52?

 

[GardMan]

I've never played the newer D-50s and D-55s (Tacoma and New Hartford), so can't comment on those. But my Westerly D-50 (from 1976) and D-55 (from 1992) have VERY different tonal qualities.

Both have the strong bass and overtones characteristic of their rosewood bodies. To my ear, my D-55 has deep rich bass and sparkling trebles, but less emphasis on the mid-range (is this what is referred to as "scooped" mids?). It has a smooth "majestic" tone when fingerpicked. Imagine a grand piano...

My D-50 also has strong bass and sparling trebles, but has more presence in the mid-range tones. It is louder (to my ears) and has a more "in-your-face" character to its tone. It is also great fingerpicked, but I prefer it over the 55 when strumming cowboy tunes. I should say that a previous owner shaved the braces on my 50 after it left the factory... so it isn't "stock." How much effect this had on its tone, I couldn't say.

The necks on my two are also different... the 55 neck feels quite a bit slimmer (fingerboard to back), while the 50s neck has a chunkier profile. I don't know if this is just variation from the time when necks were shaped by hand, or by design. The Westerly 55s also have wider, but lower, frets. Altho' the neck/fret differences are noticeable, it's not so much that it makes it hard going back and forth... they both feel like Guild necks to me, and I have no trouble going back and forth between them (or any of my Guilds, for that matter).

 

[davismanLV]

Dave, I would wager a guess that shaving the braces on the D50 probably has quite a bit to do with the difference in volume and possibly the midrange tones. More vibration of the soundboard = more volume, right? Of course, it depends on how much shaving was done. Not exactly a stock D50/D55 comparison.....

 

[taabru45]

Dave, I would wager a guess that shaving the braces on the D50 probably has quite a bit to do with the difference in volume and possibly the midrange tones. More vibration of the soundboard = more volume, right? Of course, it depends on how much shaving was done. Not exactly a stock D50/D55 comparison.....

Make sure its not Brazillian..... :shock: :shock: :lol:

 

[RussB]

I was commenting in regards to brand new, New Hartford made Guilds.


Once you start waxing poetic about individual (and modified) vintage guitars, differences can and often are significant

 

[Ravon]

Okay I know this may sound a bit amateurish, but what REALLY is the difference between a D50 and D55? Just by looking at them they look like nearly the identical guitar, with the D55 benefitting by some additional adornments on the headstock and neck. Even if you compare the spec's they are nearly identical. All the wood is the same except the top: the D50 uses SOlid Red Sprice and the D55 uses AAA Solid Red Spruce. Otherwise, at least by mys reckoning, they are virtually the same.

Am I missing something?

Jim

Theres two in a local music store hanging side by side that I'm gonna try ,hopefully, early this week. I'll let you know

 

[chazmo]

Jim,

Just to be clear, the modern D-55 has a Sitka spruce top, and I think it always has. It's the modern D-50 that has a red (Adirondack) spruce top. I don't think that was always true, though and might have started in the Corona or Tacoma timeframe..

Both are getting red spruce braces, I think, but I don't know if there are differences in them these days. In NH, the modern factory, the braces are cut by CNC machinery and are thus remarkably consistent guitar-to-guitar. But, again, they may use a different shape for the two.

I hear significant differences between the two modern versions. Despite the differences in era and materials, I think Dave's comparison is still valid. YMMV.

 

[RussB]

Chaz,

The New Hartford D-50 standard has a sitka top. The Bluegrass Special has the adirondack top. D-55 has sitka

 

[chazmo]

Thanks for clarifying that Russ. You're referring to the Standard model... I forgot about that one. The Traditional series D-50 is the one I was referring to, and I think their use of Adirondack on that may have changed since Westerly. Not sure.

Do you remember if they're using the same bracing between the D-55 and D-50, or for that matter between the different D-50 models? (I presume not, but I think all the braces are from red spruce)...

 

[Bill Ashton]

I can note that the New Hartford D-55 has a somewhat slimmer neck than my Tacoma...I think its a good thing...there are also some build differences that are said to lighten the guitar over previous builds. The New Hartford model also has an ebony face on the headstock as opposed to plastic...

The New Hartford D-40 and D-50 Standards really cut through, I think better than the D-55, as evidenced by my playing both LMG I and II...a hard event to hear yourself at :wink:

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I have a Tacoma D-55.
I have commented about it here before.
It has a great tone and is very balanced. Where it lacks is in loudness.
That's where I think that a D-50 with Adirondack top would shine.

If you don't need a canon to keep up with the Bluegrass sound, I think that a D-55 is best.
If you want loud, go with a D-50.

 

[count savage]

The newer D 55 and D 50 (Tacoma and New Hartford built) are very different guitars and should not be confused as essentially the same. The D 55 has a AAA sitka top. The D 50 has an Adirondack spruce top and red spruce bracing. This is alone makes a big difference in sound. Whereas the D 55, which is Guild's flagship, is said to be more balanced across the sound spectrum, the D 50 is said to be louder and project better. Since I only have the D 50, I can't say if it's any more or less balanced but I will say that balance is not a problem for me, at least, and the guitar really puts out the sound and is suitably rich sounding. I will say this: Collings charges $ 1,000 more if you want a red spruce top as opposed to sitka. And Martin's high end versions of such classic models as the D-18 and the D-28 have red spruce tops, whereas their standards are sitka. Not that one is better than the other, just different. I did have a brand new D -18 for a short time, a new one, and I will attest that it did not have volume and projection I wanted. Martin's highest end standard models such as the D 41, 42 and 45 have sitka tops. More touring/performing musicians, however, play the D 18 and D 28 versions and more often than not (at least in the modern era) with Adirondack/red spruce tops.

 

[adorshki]

Not to veer too far off topic, then what was the difference between D-50 & D-55 and the DV-52?

In the '60's, the D55 was special ordered by Dickie Smothers and was originally known as the "TV D55". As a "blinged up" D50, there may have been other subtle and invisible upgrades like topwood and shaved and/or scalloped bracing, compared to a basic D50.
I can cite that in the '97 catalog contained in the first issue of the "Guild Gallery", there is no D50, but there is the DV-52 citing specially sanded tops and sides and scalloped bracing to create a "vintage tone" from new. I'm guessing that the Dv52 was the replacement for the D50 at the time since the basic formula is the same.

 

[Ian]

MY 2000 D55 also had scalloped braces, which I think were first introduced during the Gruhn Walker years, and re introduced mid '90's to the D55. Dont know the difference between a DV52 and a D55: ask West ?

 

[adorshki]

MY 2000 D55 also had scalloped braces, which I think were first introduced during the Gruhn Walker years, and re introduced mid '90's to the D55. Dont know the difference between a DV52 and a D55: ask West ?

D55 was always more "blinged up" than a '50 or '52: Wide headstock with G shield, gold tuners, 3 pc neck with inserts, binding, and "railroad tracks".
All the DV's I've seen had "narrow headstocks" and one piece dot marker necks.
"Not that there's anything wrong with that"
:lol:

 

[gmcdeadhead]

ok, so , if you only could buy one of them , which one would it be? and why?

 

[RussB]

ok, so , if you only could buy one of them , which one would it be? and why?

The one that sounded better.

 

[valleyguy]

ok, so , if you only could buy one of them , which one would it be? and why?

Here's how I answer that. Three years ago I was in the market to buy a D55, played some around town, happened to pick up a D50. Chose that one instead. However, I must say that 5 years before that I would have gone with the D55. My playing style has gone to mostly flat picking today and the D50 sounded better for that. As a strumming guitar, the D55 can't be beat. AND, it just looks so good, especially sitting next to the plain jane D50. Even the older D50s, I think, look better than todays.