Guild D-40

Roland

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I ventured into the world of Guild with a D-240e. I bought it because it has a bit of a country twang to it that I liked the first time I played it in the store. I think it is a pretty nice guitar but when you get right down to it though it isn't a very prestigious guitar. I mean, it is a $475 Chinese laminate guitar with a spruce top. So I look at D-40s every once in a while. I have one in a couple of wish lists but I've not yet been able to get my hands on one. Comparatively, am I going to get a similar sound out of the D-40 that I like so much in the D-240?? Anyone with experience playing both, could you compare and contrast?? Thanks.

Just an added note, I kind of like the arched back on the D-240, which I know I'm not going to get on a solid wood guitar.
 

chazmo

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Roland,

The model naming that Guild has been using recently really obscures the differences between the Westerly series models and US-built, traditional models.

There's very little comparison between a D-240E and a US-built D-40. The US-built D-40 was Guild's high-end solid mahogany dread. Thing of beauty really.

Your D-240 is much closer to an arched-back US-built D-25. If you're going to compare it to anything, that's the one to be looking at.

Having said that, the D-25 was perhaps the most popular Guild ever, and I'm certainly not knocking it in any way at all (quite the opposite).
 

Roland

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Thank you for the reply. It is very helpful and I did a bit more research on the D-25 after I read it. I can see where the D-25 is more in line with the D-240. So when Guild went to the arched back on the D-25, is that a laminate back? There seems to be plenty of them out there for sale.
 

Westerly Wood

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Thank you for the reply. It is very helpful and I did a bit more research on the D-25 after I read it. I can see where the D-25 is more in line with the D-240. So when Guild went to the arched back on the D-25, is that a laminate back? There seems to be plenty of them out there for sale.
Top solid, Sides were solid, Back is laminate. But this arched back Guild thing was really inventive, and NEVER killed the tone. If anything, these dreads are tone monsters. Still, if you can find a Hoboken Guild D40, you should probably go for that :)
 

Br1ck

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This is quite a broad subject, and you have to access your needs and tolerances. The D 25 was flat back and all mahogany at one time. Then, in 73 or 74, Guild went with the pressed back, spruce top we now commonly think of as the D 25. It lasted for a long time as the entry point Guild, and has garnered a load of fans over the years. The D 35 and D 40 were all solid guitars, and which you prefer is a matter of subjectivity.

Now you need to decide if you want an older guitar of either model. Given that a guitar of any kind made in the seventies might need work exceeding the value of the guitar is a very real consideration. An example is my D 35, which I bought probably 20 years ago for $250 knowing it needed a lot of work. $1100 worth to be exact. That might be $800-900 in some parts of the country. Do you want to buy the same sort of guitar for $600 and end up with $1600 in it? I can't recall a D 25 going for $1600, but maybe these days they could. I believe in fixing them regardless, but I could be the exception. The older Guilds appeal to me much more than the 80s-90s, but again, my subjective opinion.

Then there is the whole rest of the Westerly era, 80s into the late 90s. A 90 D 25 is going to have a probability of being a solid playable guitar for a long time. I've seen D 25s of this era in the $800-900 range. I would not discount a D 40 either, and perhaps casting a broader net when buying used is a wise move. Then there is the whole, buy a D 20 new and have no worries approach. Several here have done that recently and been very happy.

Finally, the import issue. You certainly get value there, and the imports have gotten so much better. A newer player might not hear a big difference. You need to play guitars as that is the only true way to answer the question for yourself. Forums are full of people who think their Eastmans are just as good as XYZ. That may be true for them. May be true for you. Is not true for me. There is that subjectivity thing again. Certainly yours is the only opinion that matters.

Are you a trader or a keeper? Me having $1400 in a guitar at one time having a market value of $1000 is inconsequential to me. Even less so when the market has caught up. I'm a keeper though. Others pay a lot more attention to value because they are traders. You should know which kind of person you are and act accordingly. I think if you buy from the classifieds here or a local guitar you can play, you'll have a high probability of success. And yes, you will have pride of ownership.
 

Roland

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Yes, those are all considerations to take into account. I will keep them in mind.
 

PreacherBob

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Greetings Roland. For me, in comparing specifically dreadnought guitars whether from the same manufacturer or two different builders, I like to know the build specs on each, going in. I can already expect differences in certain aspects before I give it a strum. Scale length and body size to me make the most difference, considering the bracing is basically of the same footprint. So Chazmo is correct. The 240e is built more on the same lines as the D25. I have both, and play them regularly. the D40 has a bit deeper body than the D25 and 240e and a bit longer scale, scalloped bracing, which most say robs the guitar of high frequency tone a bit, but an acceptable trade off for bottom end power. The D40 was built for power, and it’s a beast, though It doesn’t have the same bright tone as my D25. Thats the give and take. My D25 and my D35 both have brighter tone, D25 little more thump. I would imagine based on the specs for the D25 and D240e, they are more comparable especially with the arched back. And maybe even an edge for the 240e over the D40, non scalloped bracing(I think) better trebles, plus the pau ferro fretboard which has been as great substitute for rosewood by builders in recent years:

“Pau Ferro has a tighter density than rosewood, meaning slightly less frequencies are absorbed into the fretboard. This results in a brighter, snappier tone, while still retaining the depth of rosewood designs. The feel of pau ferro is comparable to that of ebony, meaning an effortless, smooth playing experience.”
 
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Roland

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Thanks so much for the replies. They are very helpful. From what is being said I won't get the sound I'm looking for from the D-40. I'm accompanying my wife out of town for a conference this weekend so I've got a couple days to kill in the big city. I will certainly go in search of a D-25 to play. There seems to be plenty of them around online but I want to try one out first. Regardless, I think that now since I've weaseled my way into the Guild family with the D-240e I will stick around. I'm in no hurry. The D-240 is doing the job for the time being.
 
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Br1ck

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Good luck with your search. Guilds hanging in stores around here are rare, and I'm in a big city. I run across one or two per year and would not know where to look for a new one. This in a very guitar store friendly area. I'd buy the first one I liked, or check the classifieds here regularly.
 

Runner6

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I owned a 240 for a short bit. Came across a D140 that I like very much. You may want to consider that model. Really a nice guitar.

I’m not certain if you’re considering a vintage D40 or a new one. I own a ‘75 D40, an excellent guitar. But as has been stated, those 70’s era guitars can be pricey (I guess that depends. For me the D40 was pricey). The D140 is around 800.00 new and is imminently playable. Really nice

good luck.
 

Roland

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Don't discount the D40 though, including Oxnard ones, I'd recommend trying to get your hands on one to try. I have an Oxnard D40 Traditional and it's unreal.
I am back from the weekend in the big city. I found a Guild dealer but not surprising, he didn't have a used D-25. He did have a new D-40 and two new D-20s. I really liked the D-20s. I'm not saying I didn't like the D-40, the D-20s just seemed to talk to me. More pondering to do.

What is the difference between the two besides the wood they are built of? When I read and compare the specs sometimes it isn't as evident to me the differences as it is to others more knowledgeable of guitars.
 

PreacherBob

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Greetings. So traditionally speaking, the D40 is on a slightly different build than the othe Guild dreads. the D40 has a slightly longer scale, meaning the same string gauge will be a little tighter to reach pitch. The strings may seem a little harder to fret if you like a medium string height, however with low action you may not notice much difference. The D20/D25 seems almost like a lighter gauge string with the shorter scale, a little more easy to play. The body depth of the D40 is slightly larger as well. Hard strumming or “digging in” the D40 will project more. So the D40 is more for power playing, most players like mediums on those, as I do as well. You can’t over drive it. The tops on the D40 are scalloped where the others are not. The D20/25/35 to me sounds like it has a better all round treble tone with the shorter scale, non scalloped top. The D35 is the same as the D20/25 spec wise. So for general playing and finger style the shorter scale I like with the better treble tone, my D40 is begging to be driven. However I do finger pick some on the D40, but the D20/25/35 is really my choice for light strumming and picking with the flesh of my fingers, tone just sticks out more. Just really depends on your style, projection or finesse. Both will provide both, just one more pronounced than the other.
 
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