Guild G37 with a mahogany neck

[Muckman]

Hello, this is my first post here on LTG. I have been hovering, soaking in as much knowledge as I can since I found a 1980' D40 and absolutely fell in love with it. So, thanks to everyone for making this forum such an interesting and valuable resource!

I've got the vintage Guild bug LOL........I can't stop browsing pics and info, looking at what's available online. So, now I have a G37 on it's way!! I bought it from GC after a lengthy phone conversation with a guy who was pretty helpful, seemed to know his stuff. This G37 has the mahogany neck....that was a pretty short-lived thing wasn't it? I've seen them as early as 1975's with the maple neck.

The neck, really, was why I pulled the trigger without actually playing it myself, I have only seen one other G37 with the mahogany neck and it was a VERY sweet sounding guitar, especially fingerstyle!!.......I had the opportunity to buy that first G37, figured I'd sleep on it, the next day it was gone before I got there.....so I jumped on this one! I can't wait......Should be here today!!

Anyway, if anyone has specific knowledge on when the G37 specs changed I sure would love to know!!!

Thanks!!!

Gary

 

[davismanLV]

Welcome to LTG, Gary. To tell the truth I didn't know the G37's ever had a mahogany neck! I've always seen them with the maple. I do know my D65S is an arched back maple dread with a mahogany D55 neck, so I know it's a good combo. Someone with more historical data will be along shortly, I'm sure. And again, welcome!!

 

[donnylang]

I think it was just the '72-'74 that had the silkscreened logo and mahogany neck. I had one of the first G37s recently ('71-'72), I liked it more than most models I've played. The unique thing about the G37 IMO is the rosewood fingerboard- I don't think Guild made another maple guitar in the '60s-'70s that had a rosewood fingerboard, which IME is a significant difference in sound from ebony.

 

[Muckman]

Thanks very much dabisman

Welcome to LTG, Gary. To tell the truth I didn't know the G37's ever had a mahogany neck! I've always seen them with the maple. I do know my D65S is an arched back maple dread with a mahogany D55 neck, so I know it's a good combo. Someone with more historical data will be along shortly, I'm sure. And again, welcome!!

Thanks davisman! Woah....so it's frankensteined together from two guitars?

 

[Muckman]

I think it was just the '72-'74 that had the silkscreened logo and mahogany neck. I had one of the first G37s recently ('71-'72), I liked it more than most models I've played. The unique thing about the G37 IMO is the rosewood fingerboard- I don't think Guild made another maple guitar in the '60s-'70s that had a rosewood fingerboard, which IME is a significant difference in sound from ebony.

Very interesting! I didn't know the G37 was unique in that way, the rosewood makes a big difference in my experience, as well. Thanks for the info!

 

[Bonneville88]

I think I have a 1980 Guild G37MNT Acoustic guitar. Could you possibly give me some insight?

Hey whats up guys, My names Mike I just inherited this guitar from my fathers estate. I don't play guitar at all but it was special to him so I guess it's special to me in that sense. I'm wondering ANY Information you could possibly give me on the guitar. Price, what kind of wood its made out...

letstalkguild.com

 

[gjmalcyon]

Good pickup. I love the way my '74 sounds and looks:

 

[davismanLV]

Thanks very much dabisman

Thanks davisman! Woah....so it's frankensteined together from two guitars?

Well, yes and no. The "S" stands for special run. They made 20 of them. Mine is #11. It's a G45 (Hank Williams Jr.) model, with a D55 neck and special tuners and a signature on the label of the (then) president of Guild Guitars. They were ordered by Guitar Center back in 1994 and I bought mine from the GC up on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Didn't really know what it was back then and it was my first guitar that I bought for myself. Truly amazing guitar!! Here's a couple of photos.




And here's the D55 neck on the maple/spruce body.



One showed up on eBay about 8 years ago, but that's the only other one any of us have seen. So that's what it is!!

 

[Muckman]

I think I have a 1980 Guild G37MNT Acoustic guitar. Could you possibly give me some insight?

Hey whats up guys, My names Mike I just inherited this guitar from my fathers estate. I don't play guitar at all but it was special to him so I guess it's special to me in that sense. I'm wondering ANY Information you could possibly give me on the guitar. Price, what kind of wood its made out...

letstalkguild.com

Thanks very much for that Bonneville, lots of good info. So sorry for Mike's loss

 

[Muckman]

Good pickup. I love the way my '74 sounds and looks:

Thanks gjmalcyon!!
That's a beauty!! Mine is a bit worse for the wear LOL. Thanks for the pics!!!

 

[Muckman]

Well, yes and no. The "S" stands for special run. They made 20 of them. Mine is #11. It's a G45 (Hank Williams Jr.) model, with a D55 neck and special tuners and a signature on the label of the (then) president of Guild Guitars. They were ordered by Guitar Center back in 1994 and I bought mine from the GC up on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Didn't really know what it was back then and it was my first guitar that I bought for myself. Truly amazing guitar!! Here's a couple of photos.




And here's the D55 neck on the maple/spruce body.



One showed up on eBay about 8 years ago, but that's the only other one any of us have seen. So that's what it is!!

That's hitting the ground running davisman!! Your FIRST guitar purchase.....very beautiful flame on the back and sides. Wow

 

[GardMan]

Good pickup. I love the way my '74 sounds and looks:

Nice to see my old '74 G-37 is still around! She looks good! I always liked the contrast between the mahogany neck and maple body...

According to Hans (Moust, author of The Guild Guitar Book, for our new comer... welcome!) the switch to laminated maple necks and Chesterfield logo occurred ca 1976 (which could mean late '75).

 

[bobouz]

The G-37’s change from a mahogany to maple neck took place during 1976. My G-37 is a ‘76 with a one piece mahogany neck - probably one of the last of the breed (Hans has it in his database & would of course know more). It also appears to have a Brazilian rosewood bridge, and the fingerboard is rosewood. In the photos below, I’ve added a silver chesterfield & logo because the silkscreened gold logo was faded & hardly visible (& I just like chesterfield logos!):

 

[SFIV1967]

The 1976 catalog still showed a mahogany neck, so they had not changed the marketing papers yet:





Ralf

 

[Muckman]

The 1976 catalog still showed a mahogany neck, so they had not changed the marketing papers yet:





Ralf

That's interesting. The G37s that I've seen with a maple neck, described as 75's, didn't disclose the serial numbers, so....maybe they dated them wrong?

I received my G37 yesterday, it's just a beautiful sounding guitar - dated to 1974'. She is in kinda rough shape; the neck angle definitely has moved over the years - not quite needing a reset yet - action is 5/64" and 4.5/64" - string height off the body at the bridge is around 7/16" - saddle height at the E's is just shy of 1/8", the last owner played 9,000,000,000 cowboy chords on it and wore huge grooves in the second and third fret, scratches, missing pickguard, dings and finish wear, no cracks or structural issues at all though.....and the sound of this thing is just beautiful. A joy to play!! I'll gets some pics up, for those who are curious.

 

[Bonneville88]

Congrats, looking forward to pics!
I’m on my 2nd G37, hadn’t planned on getting another after selling my first one a couple of years ago, but glad I did - and it’s a very different guitar than the previous one.

 

[crank]

Mine is an '81 and has a maple/rosewood neck. Since we are discussing G37's...

Thread hijack warning.

Question for you guys. I find my guitar loves to be driven hard and is great for flat picking. I am not very good at, or at all good at finger picking. Here's the question: Is this a good finger picking guitar and it's just my wimpy fingers or is it less responsive to my wimpy fingers than another model, say not a dread would be?

 

[bobouz]

The 1976 catalog still showed a mahogany neck, so they had not changed the marketing papers yet:

Yes Ralf, as mine conclusively indicates, the neck was still mahogany at the front end of 1976, and the neck finish on my sample is done in a natural finish - exactly as seen on the heel of the catalog photo.

 

[adorshki]

That's interesting. The G37s that I've seen with a maple neck, described as 75's, didn't disclose the serial numbers, so....maybe they dated them wrong?

That's very common in listings as Guild's s/n's from that period aren't always easily dated.

I received my G37 yesterday, it's just a beautiful sounding guitar - dated to 1974'. She is in kinda rough shape; the neck angle definitely has moved over the years - not quite needing a reset yet - action is 5/64" and 4.5/64" - string height off the body at the bridge is around 7/16" - saddle height at the E's is just shy of 1/8", the last owner played 9,000,000,000 cowboy chords on it and wore huge grooves in the second and third fret, scratches, missing pickguard, dings and finish wear, no cracks or structural issues at all though.....and the sound of this thing is just beautiful. A joy to play!! I'll gets some pics up, for those who are curious.

Well you got your bird in the hand and that's the important thing, congrats!

Mine is an '81 and has a maple/rosewood neck. Since we are discussing G37's...

Thread hijack warning.

Question for you guys. I find my guitar loves to be driven hard and is great for flat picking. I am not very good at, or at all good at finger picking. Here's the question: Is this a good finger picking guitar and it's just my wimpy fingers or is it less responsive to my wimpy fingers than another model, say not a dread would be?

I go turned on to 'em by a buddy, when he was practicing a finger-style tune for "the band". I think it should be a great finger-picking guitar.

It did just occur to me that because they have incredible sustain they may not be what most people would consider a good finger-picker, but, I liked the fact that notes were still ringing while new ones were being picked, and a lot of that was due to my buddy's excellent technique.

 

[Muckman]

Thanks to everyone who added to this thread, responded with history/info and pics. It was surprising to me, after playing a G37, that they weren't more common (or popular?) and there wasn't much info or discussion on them.......I could just be smitten with my new acquisition LOL. Here is some pics of my G37. Thanks, again, for all the responses and discussion guys!!!