D55 rosette question

[Boneman]

That lefty D55 from the lefty thread caught my eye as it looks like the rosette is a plain ole decal, and I’ve noticed other D55s that seem to look that way too. I thought they all had the abalone rosette, how is it some just have the plain rosette? Something’s not right about that.

Left Handed Guild D-55 Natural 1978 | Reverb

Left Handed Guild D-55 1978 Natural. Single owner who bought it back in 1978. Even has original warranty/registration card with serial number on it. Comes with original hardshell case. The guitar is in amazing shape for a 45 year old guitar. A couple of light dings pictured in close up. It’s in e...

reverb.com

 

[GGJaguar]

Yeah, the rosette changed over the years. From about 1971 to maybe 1995, the 7+13+7 w/b rosette was used like the '78 in the Reverb ad.


Then it changed to 4+9+4 (bwbw + wbwb/abalone/bwbw + wbwb) from the mid-1990s to about 2008 when production was shifted to the NH factory.


NH and Oxnard D-55s have a 3+7+3 wbw + b/w/b/abalone/b/w/b + bwb rosette.


Yeah, I'm obsessed with rosettes and multi-ply binding.

 

[Uke]

My 2000 D55 has the 4+9+4 rosette. Until I ran into this post I'd not paid much attention to it (kind of like not really paying attention to one's belly button). Amazing facts every day on LTG!

 

[GGJaguar]

Amazing facts every day on LTG!

Well, I'm not sure if they are totally accurate, but we'll find out soon enough if I get Ralf'd or Hans'd.

 

[Boneman]

Ahh ha! Wow that’s amazing GG, thanks! Even if you get Hans’d or Ralf’d on particular years or what not, that was a great summation and side by side comparison in fairly short order, kudos! Now I know.

 

[davismanLV]

The abalone rosettes started when Fender took over, so sometime in 1995.

 

[Boneman]

The abalone rosettes started when Fender took over, so sometime in 1995.

Is that right? Well then good on Fender classy-ing it up some then! Man I really noticed it when I was looking at a Tacoma D55 and it looks so divine, then that lefty had no bling and I was like huh?

 

[SFIV1967]

The abalone rosettes started when Fender took over, so sometime in 1995.

The Jan 15, 1995 pricelist already showed "abalone rosette".



The Jan 15, 1994 pricelist didn't show an abalone rosette yet.

Ralf

 

[Boneman]

My 2000 D55 has the 4+9+4 rosette. Until I ran into this post I'd not paid much attention to it (kind of like not really paying attention to one's belly button). Amazing facts every day on LTG!

Like when your a kid and you see your friends belly button sticking out and you scream you have an outie ! Lmao

 

[davismanLV]

So Ralf, is that when Fender took over, at the beginning of 1995?

 

[SFIV1967]

So Ralf, is that when Fender took over, at the beginning of 1995?

No, the press release in "The New York Times" was from Nov 20, 1995.



Ralf

 

[Coop47]

Yeah, the rosette changed over the years. From about 1971 to maybe 1995, the 7+13+7 w/b rosette was used like the '78 in the Reverb ad.

This post was fantastic. Thanks GG.

 

[GardMan]

In my list of dreads blog, I listed the abalone rosette appearing ~'93. Don't recall where I came up with that... perhaps something Hans said. My '92 definitely had the older (non-ab) rosette.

BTW, those "old-style" D-55 rosettes were NOT decals, but inlaid wood. I always thought the rosette on my '72 D-35 was a decal, but was assured (years ago) by members here that even it was actual inlay.

 

[mavuser]

this comes up occasionally. 94 and earlier is no abalone rosette on D-55, F-50R, etc.

 

[chazmo]

. . . the rosette is a plain ole decal,

Boneman, FYI, not decal; layered strips of plastic. That's how bindings are done too. Thin strips of black or white plastic are glued together to create the pattern you see and then inlayed into the routed rosette slots. At least if I'm remembering right! Last time I saw this done was about 10 years ago, so don't be surprised if I'm wrong.

 

[davismanLV]

No, the press release in "The New York Times" was from Nov 20, 1995.



Ralf

So from this we gather that the abalone rosette came to pass prior to Fender? By almost a year, correct?

 

[beecee]

My 96 has the Abalone, with black pickguard.......lovely combo. Interesting to note the squared off fretboard trim on NH and Oxnard in the pix above.

 

[Guildypleasure]

The rosette on my Oxnard D40t has a tortise shell inlay. Is that unique to this model in the Guild universe?

 

[GGJaguar]

The rosette on the Corona and Tacoma F-412 has a tortoise center stripe (it looks black in this pic, but it's tort).

 

[Guildypleasure]

The rosette on the Corona and Tacoma F-412 has a tortoise center stripe (it looks black in this pic, but it's tort).

Much obliged GGJ, now I know.