Got my New D50

[valleyguy]

I have been playing D55s and D50s in the last few months and convinced myself I needed a D50, love its string definition, what a flat picker. Considered the D40, but liked the fuller bass of the D50.

I posted a week and a half ago asking to compare a 1973 D50 to the new ones. I went to play a '73 D50 selling on Craigslist. The top had been finished (nicely) and a portion around the sound hole had been repaired, which was noticeable. The action was perfect, with still a lot of saddle left. However, when I played it , though sounding nice, it wasn't the same as the Tacoma D50s with the red spruce top. Part of the problem may have been that the '73 was strung with Elixirs, of which I really don't like the sound. It had a thinner sound so I decided I wanted a new one, though for $1000 it is a good deal.

After much searching and playing around town, I ordered one online. I had wanted a sunburst with with the DTAR pickup, but was unable to find a sunburst. Got it last night. Changed the strings, and wow, played for 2 hours......

Tried the DTAR pickup briefly and it seemed the sixth string was too loud relative to the others. Any way to adjust this? Anyone else find that problem?

 

[chazmo]

Valley,

Glad you're happy with the acoustic sound of the Tacoma D50. I really enjoyed the one I played recently. Interesting that you had a chance to compare it to an early Westerly version. I think your positive response is good news for modern Guilds.

Sorry, don't know how to help you with the DTAR...

 

[valleyguy]

I'm not saying the '73 D50 wasn't good, it's just that I was looking for that flat picking bluegrass sound of the new ones. Otherwise, i would have been very happy with the '73. Just different sound.

 

[Metalman]

Valley Guy,

Congratulations on your acquisition of a new D-50! They are great guitars - I have had mine since '82 when it was new and it is sitting not 5 feet from me as I write this.

Your problem with the DTAR is that the pickup is an USP (under the saddle pickup, or transducer). I have had similar problems with that type of pickup - in one case, the low E was very low in volume, in another, the G, B, and D strings were louder. The problem here is that the pickup has to sit very flat into the cavity where the bridge saddle rests, otherwise your string to string balance is going to be off.

I found that to be the case with brand new Guilds, Takamines, Martins, and others, right in the store. Unfortunately, it is a hit and miss operation.

Take it back to the store you bought it from, tell them about the problem, and have them work on it. They either have to take the saddle out, and sand it smooth, or do something with the cavity itself. But usually it is the problem with the saddle.

It must sit flat, thereby making even contact all across the saddle, and down flat into that cavity.

Good luck, pal.

 

[valleyguy]

Thanks for the advice. Since I got the guitar through the mail, it'll be a little difficult returning it for work. I will keep this in mind. However, I have found new strings (d'Addarios PB light) to really have helped the situation. In addition, by turning down the bass on my DI, it helps. My next plan of action is to take the preamp out and adjust down the bass setting. It apparently comes with the bass & treble set at +2 db. I don't play it plugged in enough that I'm in a hurry to do this, as I'm too busy playing the darn thing.

 

[john_kidder]

Part of the problem may have been that the '73 was strung with Elixirs, of which I really don't like the sound. It had a thinner sound so I decided I wanted a new one

Admission of bias: I love the early D-50s.

Reason for admission of bias: anything strung with Elixirs will lose a head-to-head with a similar guitar with better strings.

But: everything we've heard about the Tacoma guitars suggests that they're as good as Guilds get.

Congratulations, and welcome aboard.

 

[Metalman]

Thanks for the advice. Since I got the guitar through the mail, it'll be a little difficult returning it for work. I will keep this in mind. However, I have found new strings (d'Addarios PB light) to really have helped the situation. In addition, by turning down the bass on my DI, it helps. My next plan of action is to take the preamp out and adjust down the bass setting. It apparently comes with the bass & treble set at +2 db. I don't play it plugged in enough that I'm in a hurry to do this, as I'm too busy playing the darn thing.

Yeah, that'll do it, too. Sometimes it is a simple adjustment of the E.Q. in the preamp. Forgot that you had a pre-amp in there. Start with the most easy fixes first.

 

[valleyguy]

Congratulations, and welcome aboard.

Thanks for the welcome (though I've been lurking here for awhile).

I've wanted a D50 since the 70s, so I'm a happy camper now. That DTAR sounds fantastic plugged in. Their advertising is correct, no quack. I spent some more time with it yesterday and was able to dial in a sound I really liked.

I may have to sell my Martin, I can't imagine I'll ever want to play it again.

 

[dreadnut]

Congrats, and welcome. Isn't it great to find "that" sound?

 

[valleyguy]

Congrats, and welcome. Isn't it great to find "that" sound?

Absolutely....

Have I found a cure for GAS? We'll see how long before it comes back. Of course the more time I spend here, the quicker it will come back.

 

[Metalman]

Congratulations, and welcome aboard.

I may have to sell my Martin, I can't imagine I'll ever want to play it again.

Sell your Martin? Seems I keep hearing more and more of that these days; especially after someone buys a Guild.

We should give that a name at some point, like GAS is Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

Any suggestions out there? Someone wants to unload their Martin after buying and falling in love with their Guild. What do you call it?

 

[valleyguy]

Geez, I always thought GAS stood for Guild Acquisiton Syndrome.

 

[Metalman]

Geez, I always thought GAS stood for Guild Acquisiton Syndrome.

Well, okay, if you want to stretch it a bit . . .

Gibson players would probably do the same, I betcha . . .

What about Gretch players, hmmmmm? No, I think that one Gretch is good enough for anybody, especially their acoustic guitars; yech . . .

Hmmmmm . . .Goyas, Guyatones, Grummond; oh, no, that's space craft out in Long Island. Never mind.

Let's just leave it at Guild Acquistion Syndrome. I can relate to that very easily!

 

[valleyguy]

I may have to sell my Martin, I can't imagine I'll ever want to play it again.

[quote:icibqqrx]Sell your Martin? Seems I keep hearing more and more of that these days; especially after someone buys a Guild.

We should give that a name at some point, like GAS is Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

Any suggestions out there? Someone wants to unload their Martin after buying and falling in love with their Guild. What do you call it?

[/quote:icibqqrx]

Hmm, how about MDS, Martin Disposal Syndrome

 

[Metalman]

I may have to sell my Martin, I can't imagine I'll ever want to play it again.

[quote:12b8b9s4]Sell your Martin? Seems I keep hearing more and more of that these days; especially after someone buys a Guild.

We should give that a name at some point, like GAS is Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

Any suggestions out there? Someone wants to unload their Martin after buying and falling in love with their Guild. What do you call it?

Hmm, how about MDS, Martin Disposal Syndrome[/quote:12b8b9s4]

Yes; that'll do . . .

 

[count savage]

Congratulations. I have to admit that I became an immediate D50 convert a few weeks ago while picking one up at the local music store while waiting for my daughter to finish a clarinet lesson and thinking how much I liked PLAYING the damn thing. Even with my great new Larrivee dreadnaught waiting at home, I was thinking hmmm. How much more is this one? Well, it's more, so I won't be able to make the switch any time soon, but I was really impressed by the warmth, and the sound and feel of it, though it definitely has its own sound. And yes, this was a Tacoma built. I'd search one of those out for sure. Guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for a used one coming through that I can trade for. I did get the factory installed D-Tar Wavelength on my new Tacoma F 512 and I think it's a pretty awesome system. Accurate, full sounding and really really easy to EQ and use, yet hidden away. I did try some other brand guitars with controls constructed in the guitar body and I thought that those definitely did affect the sound. However, I did a side by side F 512 comparison between one with a D-Tar and one without and heard no difference whatsoever. So, have fun and consider yourself lucky.

 

[valleyguy]

Congratulations.
So, have fun and consider yourself lucky.

Thanks, I do feel lucky, as this was a lot of money for me to spend right now in today's economy. Of course the sale of my D4 helped finance it 25% of it. I'm still seriously considering selling my Martin. I'm going to wait a month, till the D50 newness wears off, then play the Martin next to the D50 and see if I really need it.

 

[Metalman]

Congratulations.
So, have fun and consider yourself lucky.

Thanks, I do feel lucky, as this was a lot of money for me to spend right now in today's economy. Of course the sale of my D4 helped finance it 25% of it. I'm still seriously considering selling my Martin. I'm going to wait a month, till the D50 newness wears off, then play the Martin next to the D50 and see if I really need it.

Comparing a Martin D-16 to a Guild D50 is like comparing a water buffalo to an American buffalo. They're both buffaloes, but are different. Is one better than the other?

The American Indian would favor the American Buffalo, and the pygmies in Africa would go for the water buffalo.

Hah! Let's see how many wisecracks I get from THIS comparison . . . .

 

[valleyguy]

Comparing a Martin D-16 to a Guild D50 is like comparing a water buffalo to an American buffalo. They're both buffaloes, but are different. Is one better than the other?

The American Indian would favor the American Buffalo, and the pygmies in Africa would go for the water buffalo.

Hah! Let's see how many wisecracks I get from THIS comparison . . . .

Ok, so which is the American Buffalo? I'm still liking 'em both.

 

[Metalman]

Comparing a Martin D-16R to a Guild D50 is like comparing a water buffalo to an American buffalo. They're both buffaloes, but are different. Is one better than the other?

The American Indian would favor the American Buffalo, and the pygmies in Africa would go for the water buffalo.

Hah! Let's see how many wisecracks I get from THIS comparison . . . .

Ok, so which is the American Buffalo? I'm still liking 'em both.

actually, now that I've had time to think about it, there is very little comparison between a Martin D-16R (satin finish, rosewood back and sides, bolt-on neck, plastic pins, bridge saddle, plastic nut, AA spruce top, etc.) to a Guild D-50, which has far superior components. No need to go into them here, most of us know . . .Guild sunk top rate everything into that guitar.

We are talking new instruments here.

And for the sake of argument, I was thinkin' that the American Buffalo was the D-50 . . .

Oh, and, we don't really NEED these guitars, we just want them!