Guild D-40 $1700 vs Guild D-40 Traditional $2700 (+/-) - what is the driving the price difference?

[WC_Guitarist]

I've listened to the YT videos of both flavors of new D-40. They both sound great to my ears.
What is the extra $1,000 getting you on the D-40 Traditional?

For those who have played both, what differences have you noted? Thanks!

PS I should add if one has an edge over the other for finger style, that would also be good to know as I am sort of teaching myself and I like it a lot! And to be fair, if the Martin D-18 has an edge for finger style over the Guild D-40 or D-40T if someone could mention that, it'd be good to know, too. THANK YOU!

 

[GGJaguar]

I think the main difference is M&T bolt-on neck joint for the D-40 vs dove tail on the Traditional. Also, the Traditional has red spruce bracing, gloss finish and the Chesterfield inlay.

 

[wileypickett]

Any of those options will be great for finger-style playing.

 

[beecee]

I have the NH Standard, mine is gloss save for the back of the neck.

It's incredible, I cannot help much more than that as I've played a few Westerly's but no NH Traditionals or a Corona model.

 

[davismanLV]

In case it's too cryptic, M&T = mortise and tenon neck joint vs. dovetail joint. You can look both of those up in Google and see the difference. I doubt you'll get much variation in sound between the two, beyond the normal differences in every guitar made. I'd say it's mostly aesthetics.

A dovetail neck joint would be much more difficult to reset as it's glued. The bolt on M&T joint will be easier to reset. In a brand new, or newish guitar, I doubt this will be an issue for many, many years.

 

[Norrissey]

I've played a D40 Traditional in a store and it was one of the nicest acoustics I've ever played.

 

[WC_Guitarist]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I'm looking forward to trying all of these out in person. I've only played 3 Guilds in person - an 1970s era Westerly D-50 that belongs to a neighbor, the D-60 maple guitar at MFGs, and a new Bob Marley Guild when I was started guitar last year. Of the three, my favorite is the D-50 belonging to my neighbor. He's the original owner. That guitar has got *a lot* of miles on it, but the tone is incredible. He doesn't play it much now because it does not have a pickup, which I think is a crying shame. It's may be in need of a neck reset at this point, too, I don't know. Even so, the tone! The tone! That's the guitar that started my Guild madness. It is just so solid and well made. Even as old as it is, you can tell it's a real quality instrument.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I'm looking forward to trying all of these out in person. I've only played 3 Guilds in person - an 1970s era Westerly D-50 that belongs to a neighbor, the D-60 maple guitar at MFGs, and a new Bob Marley Guild when I was started guitar last year. Of the three, my favorite is the D-50 belonging to my neighbor. He's the original owner. That guitar has got *a lot* of miles on it, but the tone is incredible. He doesn't play it much now because it does not have a pickup, which I think is a crying shame. It's may be in need of a neck reset at this point, too, I don't know. Even so, the tone! The tone! That's the guitar that started my Guild madness. It is just so solid and well made. Even as old as it is, you can tell it's a real quality instrument.

Sandy is your neighbor?

 

[adorshki]

Not sure if it was mentioned above but I believe the D40 Traditional has scalloped bracing and the D40 does not.
I've played a D40 Traditional in a store and it was one of the nicest acoustics I've ever played.

Regular D40 also shows scalloped, but not adi braces. Also Traditional has 3-pc neck, standard doesn't.

I think the main difference is M&T bolt-on neck joint for the D-40 vs dove tail on the Traditional. Also, the Traditional has red spruce bracing, gloss finish and the Chesterfield inlay.

Right. Also just noted the standard D40 is showing good old uncoated EJ-16s and standard strings again, instead of the EXP16 coateds.
@WC_Guitarist : Taken together, all these little details and the associated extra labor easily justify the extra $1000.00 (Particularly applying gloss vs. satin lacquer, lot of between-coat sanding required. Also consider how much labor goes in to constructing a 3pc vs 1-pc neck.)

The first generation D40's had 3-pc necks. As far as I can tell, this is for stability, it reduces the tendency to twist and bow.
Since then 'hog has been found to be an extremely dimensionally stable wood and they even started using 1-pc 'hog necks on 12-ers in the late '90's.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Right. Also just noted the standard D40 is showing good old uncoated EJ-16s and standard strings again, instead of the EXP16 coateds.

Nice, I am glad they have returned to the ranch dressing of acoustic guitar strings...

 

[Norrissey]

Regular D40 also shows scalloped, but not adi braces. Also Traditional has 3-pc neck, standard doesn't.

Sorry! My mistake!

 

[adorshki]

The Guild website doesn't mention scalloped braces for the D40, it does for the D40 Traditional. Perhaps this is an oversight or perhaps it's listed somewhere else?

Y'gotta go down to the bottom of the D40 page for "Show Full Specs":
https://guildguitars.com/g/d-40-in-natural/

Under "BODY":

Top Bracing Pattern

Scalloped X

That assumes the catalog's correct, and we have seen errors before from Oxnard.
I actually thought the standard's braces weren't scalloped and just now checked. (In fact I don't think they were scalloped when it was introduced, they also didn't have NCL for the first couple of years).

Another thing I forgot to mention is that the standard was spec'd with "African Mahogany", which, "no matter how you cut it", is not a true Swietenia (New world) mahogany, but aterm applied to numerous African species which bear resemblance to mahogany in appearance at least. Not sure about any of the other attributes but don't recall anybody ever mentioning it doesn't really sound as good.

Traditional D40 shows "Mahogany".

 

[Norrissey]

I actually thought the standard's braces weren't scalloped and just now checked

Me too. Now that I know the D40 braces are scalloped I want to try one!

 

[Br1ck]

I think that apart from the light build on the 70 D 50, you are hearing age. Nothing compares. New Guilds appear to be well made. You have to accept that old guitars are going to need work, it's just something that goes with the deal.

 

[WC_Guitarist]

I think that apart from the light build on the 70 D 50, you are hearing age. Nothing compares. New Guilds appear to be well made. You have to accept that old guitars are going to need work, it's just something that goes with the deal.

If only they could build a new guitar to sound old, wouldn't that be grand? As I get older, I realize I don't want to spend the time fiddling around with the repairs, waiting waiting waiting forever while it's in the shop, etc. It's too stressful, and it takes too long and at the end of the day, wouldn't I rather just be playing the guitar? (Answer: Yes) You lose the cachet, and the aged wood tone, but you gain playing time and lack of worry. I guess at some point, if I ever do buy an old guitar, I'll just have to think of it like adopting a senior pet. Our time together will be limited, so enjoy every moment while you can. A new guitar is like a puppy; you have to train it right and then enjoy the process as it grows up.

 

[twocorgis]

If only they could build a new guitar to sound old, wouldn't that be grand?

Well, they do, sorta. Guild tried it long ago with the DV series, but to my ears at least, that didn't really work out. More recently, many makers have gone the "torrefied" route, where the tops (and sometimes the braces) are baked in an oven to simulate aging.

Torrefication (Torrefaction)

How C.F. Martin and other guitar makers are using the age-old technique of torrefaction to artificially age guitar tops. The torrefaction of wood is an ancient process that was further developed by…

onemanz.com

 

[WC_Guitarist]

Does the torrefiying (sp?) process weaken the wood? It seems like aging wood, like aging wine, is not a process that can be rushed.

I guess when it comes to buying guitars, I'm not adventurous, because misadventures cost a lot of $$$. I want to know what I'm getting. If I go new (non-torrefied top), then the guitar and I can age together. I feel like I might be aging faster than the wood, though.

 

[fronobulax]

Does the torrefiying (sp?) process weaken the wood? It seems like aging wood, like aging wine, is not a process that can be rushed.

I guess when it comes to buying guitars, I'm not adventurous, because misadventures cost a lot of $$$. I want to know what I'm getting. If I go new (non-torrefied top), then the guitar and I can age together. I feel like I might be aging faster than the wood, though.

The claim today is that the torrification process does not weaken the wood. But do we know whether that will be the belief in 50 years?

 

[WC_Guitarist]

I can't stop thinking about the old Paul Masson wine commercials... We will sell no wine before its time.


This still makes me laugh!

 

[adorshki]

If only they could build a new guitar to sound old, wouldn't that be grand?

Enter Guild's "DV" series: