Guild D-60

[John J. Quinn]

A very nice fellow from upper NY State just met with me to buy my '73 Guild D-40. It was in very nice condition, a few bumps but no repairs, cracks or neck issues. It was a good guitar. Now just today a local fellow to Scranton, PA area offered me his late 80's Guild D-60 in trade for my '92 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe. The guitar has some bumps and bruises, no cracks or repairs, but just behind the bridge on the treble side, there is a little belly up. Seems like the bridge warped a little there and the top came up slightly. The guitar plays very well with just a little fret wear, the action is very comfy, not high at all. It is a beautiful guitar with all the fancy appointments of a D-55 but with different inlay on fretboard instead of the blocks. Solid Rosewood sides and back, OHSC.

Does anyone have any info on these guitars?????? How long they were made? Value?

Thanks,
John
jqballer1@yahoo.com
570-878-9906

 

[Punkybub]

I would say if you're in the market for a serious acoustic, jump on it. I have a D60 (from a forum member - thanks again AJ!) and it's a great guitar - anyone who hears it for the first time does a doubletake it sounds so good.

Not too many were made, and it was designed/built by Kim Walker and George Gruhn while they were at Guild in the late '80s.

I have other Guild acoustics from the same period, and the majority of them (at least the best sounding ones) have the "belly" you mentioned. Others might disagree, but I believe that is part of the way it was made. Possibly due to different bracing or maybe a slightly thinner top? I've had a luthier check the braces for any looseness or such and found none. Don't know for sure - all I know is I can *easily* live with the non-flat top for the kind of tone I hear out of them.

The main gigging guitar I use (GF60 - similar guitar in a small jumbo size/shape) has a very pronounced "belly" and for the first year I was worried - didn't play it outside if the weather was funky, etc. but after a couple of years steady playing with no movement/increase/cracking I've decided to worry about something else...!

Unless that Strat Plus Deluxe has some sentimental attachment for you or is your only electric, from my perspective the D60 would be a solid trade-up from it and most likely would appreciate better than the Strat. But the tone is the thing - set that D60 up w/some bone pins/saddle/nut and fresh strings and prepare to be happy!

As far as value - from what I saw on ebay just now, a primo Strat Plus Deluxe can be had for $1200? I don't believe I'd sell my D60 for much less than about twice that. I think Elderly or Buffalo Brothers might be able to give you a ballpark figure for what they would ask for one.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

 

[John J. Quinn]

PunkyBub,
yes I did the trade. The Guild does sound very, very good. Other than the belly below the bridge just on treble side the guitar is in excellent shape. Binding and top has yellowed nicely. It has some bumps and weather checking but that gives it some character. The inlay is unique as well as the headtock face. I'll have to take some pictures of it. I may as well get a nice under saddle pickup for it and start using it on my solo gigs.
John

 

[West R Lee]

I would say if you're in the market for a serious acoustic, jump on it. I have a D60 (from a forum member - thanks again AJ!) and it's a great guitar - anyone who hears it for the first time does a doubletake it sounds so good.

Not too many were made, and it was designed/built by Kim Walker and George Gruhn while they were at Guild in the late '80s.

I have other Guild acoustics from the same period, and the majority of them (at least the best sounding ones) have the "belly" you mentioned. Others might disagree, but I believe that is part of the way it was made. Possibly due to different bracing or maybe a slightly thinner top? I've had a luthier check the braces for any looseness or such and found none. Don't know for sure - all I know is I can *easily* live with the non-flat top for the kind of tone I hear out of them.

The main gigging guitar I use (GF60 - similar guitar in a small jumbo size/shape) has a very pronounced "belly" and for the first year I was worried - didn't play it outside if the weather was funky, etc. but after a couple of years steady playing with no movement/increase/cracking I've decided to worry about something else...!

Unless that Strat Plus Deluxe has some sentimental attachment for you or is your only electric, from my perspective the D60 would be a solid trade-up from it and most likely would appreciate better than the Strat. But the tone is the thing - set that D60 up w/some bone pins/saddle/nut and fresh strings and prepare to be happy!

As far as value - from what I saw on ebay just now, a primo Strat Plus Deluxe can be had for $1200? I don't believe I'd sell my D60 for much less than about twice that. I think Elderly or Buffalo Brothers might be able to give you a ballpark figure for what they would ask for one.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

You are correct Punky, Guild tops are not perfectly flat from the factory, there is a tad bit of built-in belly just below the bridge.

West

 

[guildzilla]

You got excellent advice from Punkybub and made a great trade, JJQ. Enjoy the guitar.

The belly on the Gruhn/Walker Guilds is partly by design in that the tops were built with scalloped bracing (in imitation of the pre-WW II Martins). My F-44 is an early version of the GF-60, which I've owned for 21 years now. You may find differently, but I found that .12-.53 strings were best. With medium phosphor bronze strings, which I used early on, the belly seemed a bit too much.

 

[John J. Quinn]

Thank you fellows. The fellow I got it from just cleaned it up and put 11's on it. I also play down a 1/2 step for singing purposes so hopefully there will not be too much tension to cause further belly or bridge problems.

 

[songsmith7]

John, you made out like gangbusters. That is a GREAT trade. The D-60 is the best dreadnought Guild ever made, IMHO. Mine will be pried out of my cold, dead hands. Congrats!

 

[John J. Quinn]

Any suggestions on a pickup? I have used K&K Pure Western passive pickups before and I thought they sounded great. Or is there a good under saddle active one out there now. I really would like to use this on my solo acoustic gigs.
Thanks,
John

 

[Punkybub]

Any suggestions on a pickup? I have used K&K Pure Western passive pickups before and I thought they sounded great. Or is there a good under saddle active one out there now. I really would like to use this on my solo acoustic gigs.
Thanks,
John

Hey John,
(brokenrecord) I am a big fan of the K&K, not only for the sound but also because it's not an undersaddle pickup. I'm of the mind that anything other than bone (or your preferred saddle material) between the strings and the bridge will affect the tone, and usually not in a good way. I've noticed the guitars I have w/undersaddle pickups (*before* I tear 'em out with my teeth) never have as solid a tone as after those things are gone and bone is installed. Once the guitar is sounding great - then I like to add the K&K. Sort of keep the two issues separate so they don't mess with each other.

GF60+K&K=Heaven (for me). I suspect the equation will hold true for a D60 too...! (/brokenrecord)

That said, if you find some incredible pickup out there that isn't well known - hook us up!

~

 

[john_kidder]

Congratulations - a D-60 is one of the right ones to have, all right, and a very fine trade up from a D-40.

 

[dreadnut]

Nice trade, John! Do you have pictures for us yet?

 

[John J. Quinn]

I promise I will take some pics and make them available.
Thank you everyone,
John

 

[songsmith7]

I have a K&K Pure Western installed in my D-60. Sounds like buttah!

 

[fungusyoung]

Songsmith, you have as impressive of a Guild line up as I've ever seen. Fantastic guits!

John, congrats on the D60... what a score. Enjoy!

 

[songsmith7]

Thanks, Fungus. I wish some of them got more play, though. My D-60 has almost completely stolen away dread time from the D-55 and the D-25. The D-60 I use solely in DADGAD tuning, and it has even more low-end rumble and crisper highs than the D-55. It's just a damn fine instrument. The D-55 is no slouch of course, and the neck on the D-55 is perfect for my style, but there's just something about the sound of the D-60...