D55 or F55 Quest

[Boneman]

How about a sunburst D50? From a self proclaimed Guild aficionado:

Guild D-50 1974 - 1986 | Reverb

reverb.com

 

[fronobulax]

From a self proclaimed Guild aficionado:

Blake Barnett

Member here. Less active lately.

 

[Guild McSeven]

Blake Barnett

Member here. Less active lately.

Guys,
Just a quick update to the dilema?

I just got through talking to a Guild dealer here in Tennessee.
We had a very candid conversation so please don’t ask who the retailer was.

Of course, he has no American made D55’s in stock. No surprise there!
His reasons are very valid for not ordering the American made models.
Guild wants (9) guitars per order. (American made)
His market simply cannot support tying up his money for the time it would take to sell those guitars.
He has good turnover with the Chinese models and they move quick enough.
Not so with the American made guitars. He mentioned Guild has a back order problem as well.

BTW, he talked highly of the Fender quality…..not so much Cordoba!

So……….I guess trying one out only leaves one option, Guitar Center.
Order one online and return it if it’s not to my liking.
I’m getting spooked now, Guitar Center is not my go to store!

Anyway, that’s the lates in my Guild saga.

 

[chazmo]

Well, I'd go ahead and work with Guitar Center. For a new guitar, all you're really asking them to do is place an order for you, and if they can build it, Guild will drop ship it to you or to them. It's when you start talking about the care and feeding of used guitars that sit in their stores that you have a problem.

 

[Norrissey]

There are a couple of used D55s on the GC site now that you could order in to your local store and return if you don't like them. One looks pretty nice, the other looks a little beat up. A link to the cleaner one is below. Not sure where this one was made, you could call the store that has it and ask them.

Guild 55D Acoustic Guitar

For greater savings check out our Used Guild 55D Acoustic Guitar and get a great deal today!

www.guitarcenter.com

 

[Boneman]

There are a couple of used D55s on the GC site now that you could order in to your local store and return if you don't like them. One looks pretty nice, the other looks a little beat up. A link to the cleaner one is below. Not sure where this one was made, you could call the store that has it and ask them.

Guild 55D Acoustic Guitar

For greater savings check out our Used Guild 55D Acoustic Guitar and get a great deal today!

www.guitarcenter.com

Yea that looks pretty and seems a fair price if it’s all together.

 

[fronobulax]

He mentioned Guild has a back order problem as well.

Well, I'd go ahead and work with Guitar Center.

Perhaps I am missing something but isn't the logical conclusion is that GC will not be able to get a new one either unless they happen to already have one hiding somewhere?

Given the oft discussed problem Oxnard is having with meeting demand and getting instruments into the hands of dealers there seems to me only a couple of ways to get a new instrument.

• Find a dealer who actually has one in stock and do whatever you have to do to try it, i.e. asking them to hold it while you travel across country.
• Find a dealer who will order you one or bump you to the front of their already ordered line for one, pay a deposit, wait and hope the deposit is refundable if you don't like it after playing.
• Wait until they are shipping and track down a dealer who has received one and will hold it. Travel may be involved.

Plan B, of course, would be to go used.

Your budget is certainly going to contribute to your success or lack thereof. I'm sure, for example, that if you offered a dealer MSRP plus a premium they might find strings they could pull on your behalf.

 

[chazmo]

Fro, if I understood McSeven, his go-to place doesn't want to order US-built Guilds. That's why I thought GC would be the way to go... if they'll take his order for a new D-55, that is.

 

[fronobulax]

Fro, if I understood McSeven, his go-to place doesn't want to order US-built Guilds. That's why I thought GC would be the way to go... if they'll take his order for a new D-55, that is.

OK. I read it as his go to place couldn't order any, whether they wanted to or not.

 

[Guild McSeven]

Fro, if I understood McSeven, his go-to place doesn't want to order US-built Guilds. That's why I thought GC would be the way to go... if they'll take his order for a new D-55, that is.

Chazmo,
You are correct.
Although I have only talked with 1 Guild dealer in my area so far, I think I am correct to assume that ALL Guild dealers are forced to order nine high end US build guitars Even if they only want one.
Dealer I spoke with is certainly NOT going to do that.
Therefore Guitar Center may be my only alternative providing Guitar Center can order the US D55.

Norrissee,
If I read you right….you say Guitar Center will ship a used guitar to my closest Guitar Center with the same deal return policy?
If this is so, and I am NOT on the hook for the shipping charges. I may give that a try!

 

[Norrissey]

If this is so, and I am NOT on the hook for the shipping charges. I may give that a try!

Guild McSeven PLEASE NOTE: you will be on the hook for shipping charges BUT Guitar Center shipping charges are remarkably low. Usually about $25-30 to ship a guitar within the lower 48. So, you could have a guitar shipped to your local store and try it. If you don't like it you could return it and they would refund you the cost of the guitar and sales tax. You would have to cover the shipping. I've done this a couple of times. Also note that vintage used guitars have a pretty short return period, I think about 3-4 days. With newer used guitars you have more time, I can't remember exactly how long but it might even be 30 days.

 

[chazmo]

. . .
Although I have only talked with 1 Guild dealer in my area so far, I think I am correct to assume that ALL Guild dealers are forced to order nine high end US build guitars Even if they only want one.
. . .

If there are other Guild dealers in your area, I'd give 'em a call, McSeven... Minimum stocking numbers might not actually be the same for all dealers. I don't know at all what Guild's owner, Córdoba Music Group, has for these policies.

 

[fronobulax]

If there are other Guild dealers in your area

Dealer Locator | Guild Guitars

guildguitars.com

There are a bunch of dealers in Kentucky, which for some reason I thought was relevant. Many of them are Guitar Centers or Music & Arts which are owned by the same parent but there are some independents. Sam Ash also has a couple locations and people on LTG generally say more nice things about buying new from Sam Ash than they do about buying new from GC.

There are a lot of factors including wait time, new vs. used, shipping or driving, try before buy, price and so on, but a day on the phone might help prioritize possibilities and clarify what actually is feasible.

 

[D30Man]

Well I am late to the party as usual, but I will say I have bought a few online and been blown away. Maybe lucky is a better word. My F-55, DCE3 and F130 were all bought before played and I love all three. However, there really is nothing better than going into a guitar store, picking up a beauty and knowing "this is the one" from that first strum.. Good luck!! Nashville will be a prime spot for your search!!

 

[D30Man]

I will add that you can't go wrong with either D55 or F55. They are superb instruments and the reviews for the Oxnard models are favorable. I love my 2018 F-55. It really comes down to what you are looking for - Dread or Jumbo? Something to remember is the F-55 comes in both Rosewood braced back or Maple arched back. Whereas the D-55 only comes in Rosewood.

 

[Cougar]

...I have bought a few online and been blown away.

Me too. Totally. I like somewhat newer ones (New Hartford, Oxnard...) so they haven't had time to get beat up or need a neck reset. I got lucky with the 2002 Corona-built -- still mint! Best of luck with your search, McSeven!

 

[Cougar]

It really comes down to what you are looking for - Dread or Jumbo?

There's nothing like a Guild jumbo!

 

[D30Man]

There's nothing like a Guild jumbo!

Amen to that!!

 

[RGSmith265]

Chazmo,
You are correct.
Although I have only talked with 1 Guild dealer in my area so far, I think I am correct to assume that ALL Guild dealers are forced to order nine high end US build guitars Even if they only want one.
Dealer I spoke with is certainly NOT going to do that.
Therefore Guitar Center may be my only alternative providing Guitar Center can order the US D55.

Norrissee,
If I read you right….you say Guitar Center will ship a used guitar to my closest Guitar Center with the same deal return policy?
If this is so, and I am NOT on the hook for the shipping charges. I may give that a try!

Hello McSeven,
For what it’s worth, I have 11 Guilds… 9 acoustics and 2 electrics… and I only bought 2 new. One of them is a 1964 F-212 I bought in Lincoln, IL while in college, the other is a Starfire XII I bought a couple of years later. All of the guitars I bought used… F-112, F312, G-312, F-412, F512, D-25M, D-35 and D-50NT all play beautifully and sound great! And I never played any of the used ones before I bought them. I’m just saying that there’s nothing wrong with buying a used Guild. Just make sure the seller is trustworthy and if on Reverb, make sure to carefully check their rating and ask for all the additional photos you need to feel comfortable.

 

[Rayk]

OMG . I just checked Reverb about pooped myself . I can’t sell a guitar have or get an offer and it’s fair price but it a bit unknown in this parts so I kind of understand.
The D55’s has some seriously crazy prices even the ones good condition . Makes me wonder how people think or who’s advising them .

If Cordoba/Guild is putting limits on buying certain models or whatever and things keep going at these prices I foresee another sale or closing. Of course I don’t know head from my butt . It just seems like Guild USA is not moving at all .