Have I been duped? D25M/D25 1974/1979?

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Hello all,

So today I purchased a guitar from a private seller in OfferUp. It was advertised as a 1974 D25M but now that I have done some more research I am beginning to question it’s authenticity and have come to you for help.

I will attach photos but here are my main areas of concern.

1. The serial reads DA100296
The numbers fall into the 1974 time frame but the letters do not. Also it does not fit the 1979 serial guide I found for a DA serial, those begin at DA100914 from what I have gathered.

2. The sticker in the sound hole is horizontal where I am seeing them oriented vertically in other examples of this guitar.

3. And lastly, I am just skeptical enough to doubt my purchase and would love some feedback from someone who knows these guitars.

Apologies if these questions have already been asked and/or answered on here before, it is my first day here. Thank you in advance!

EDIT BELOW:

Thank you ! So glad to find this community!

Making an edit to summarize the post and hopefully help the next guy who has these questions. I will also add a couple more photos soon of the bridge and nut for better detail.

The SN listed in the photo is the END of the year run and it’s been confirmed this is a 1979 D25M with solid spruce top stained mahogany.

This is the first vintage guitar I’ve purchased and I couldn’t be happier, thank you guys again for taking the time to respond and welcome me here!
 

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cupric

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I could not locate that serial number. It shows as not being traced back to any date or model. The bridge on the guitar does not look original to me. There are others in this site that would know more. The sticker also appears suspect.
Was the headstock serial number white when you received it?
 

Westerly Wood

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It’s definitely a westerly ri made D25 arched back dreadnaught. M stands for the mahogany stain but it’s a solid spruce top. Would have to do sone research re the serial number, like Cupric states above, that serial no is hard for me to trace. Serial does look imprinted well into back of headstock, and the Guild logo also looks legit. Nearly impossible to fake the laminate hog wood of the arched back in those photos. It’s a real Guild D25, far as I can tell without Hans or Ralf weighing in.

what is the number stamped on the neck block?
 
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GardMan

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Looks like a typical 1979 D-25M to me. The SN list for '79 D-25s ENDS with DA100914, so the SN DA100296 fits into that range. Hard to tell because of the shadows, but the bridge may well be original... I think I can see the expected shape thru the shadows.

So, it's five years YOUNGER than you thought... but may be a great sounding guitar (looks like its in nice shape). Unless you were looking for a birth year guitar, I'd let its sound make your decision for you.
 

jfilm

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Looks like an honest mistake- seller saw the numbers after the DA when coming up with 1974. Certainly no reason to do that intentionally, don't see any advantage there. Guitar looks good to me, bridge looks legit/original, though the photo could be better, looks to be a nicely figured piece of rosewood. Like GAD said, that label may have been re-positioned, but it looks right to me. D-25 stamp on the neck block also looks right, I had one with the same. And as Wood said, copying the arch back of a D-25 doesn't seem to be something that's done (could be wrong but I've never heard of it being done)- the D-25's were on the lower end of the price range, and so not a lot of counterfeit incentive there when they are so distinctive, and thus harder to copy than a typical flat backed dread.
 

Rambozo96

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74’s are generally mahogany tops. This is late 70’s early 80’s judging by the tuners. I don’t believe there’s anything to worry about. Even if you were after the mahogany top variant it’s not the end of the world. You have a late 70’s D-25 that appears to be very playable with decent amount of saddle left.
 

adorshki

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Hello all,

So today I purchased a guitar from a private seller in OfferUp. It was advertised as a 1974 D25M but now that I have done some more research I am beginning to question it’s authenticity and have come to you for help.

I will attach photos but here are my main areas of concern.

1. The serial reads DA100296
The numbers fall into the 1974 time frame but the letters do not. Also it does not fit the 1979 serial guide I found for a DA serial, those begin at DA100914 from what I have gathered.

2. The sticker in the sound hole is horizontal where I am seeing them oriented vertically in other examples of this guitar.

3. And lastly, I am just skeptical enough to doubt my purchase and would love some feedback from someone who knows these guitars.

Apologies if these questions have already been asked and/or answered on here before, it is my first day here. Thank you in advance!
Welcome aboard, "Brunch"!

I guess you figured out you obviously came to the right place. :D

Nothing more I can add except, glad to see you got a genuine article after all! Nice lookin' piece. :cool:
 
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It’s definitely a westerly ri made D25 arched back dreadnaught. M stands for the mahogany stain but it’s a solid spruce top. Would have to do sone research re the serial number, like Cupric states above, that serial no is hard for me to trace. Serial does look imprinted well into back of headstock, and the Guild logo also looks legit. Nearly impossible to fake the laminate hog wood of the arched back in those photos. It’s a real Guild D25, far as I can tell without Hans or Ralf weighing in.

what is the number stamped on the neck block?
This makes me feel better, thank you.
The number on the neck block is D25
 
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I could not locate that serial number. It shows as not being traced back to any date or model. The bridge on the guitar does not look original to me. There are others in this site that would know more. The sticker also appears suspect.
Was the headstock serial number white when you received it?
Thank you! Glad I’m not the only one! Yes, the headstock serial was white like that
 
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Looks like a typical 1979 D-25M to me. The SN list for '79 D-25s ENDS with DA100914, so the SN DA100296 fits into that range. Hard to tell because of the shadows, but the bridge may well be original... I think I can see the expected shape thru the shadows.

So, it's five years YOUNGER than you thought... but may be a great sounding guitar (looks like its in nice shape). Unless you were looking for a birth year guitar, I'd let its sound make your decision for you.
This makes so much more sense, I had assumed it was the beginning SN. I’ll post a better pic of the bridge. Part of why I was skeptical is how good the overall condition of this guitar is, it does also sound great!
 
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Looks like an honest mistake- seller saw the numbers after the DA when coming up with 1974. Certainly no reason to do that intentionally, don't see any advantage there. Guitar looks good to me, bridge looks legit/original, though the photo could be better, looks to be a nicely figured piece of rosewood. Like GAD said, that label may have been re-positioned, but it looks right to me. D-25 stamp on the neck block also looks right, I had one with the same. And as Wood said, copying the arch back of a D-25 doesn't seem to be something that's done (could be wrong but I've never heard of it being done)- the D-25's were on the lower end of the price range, and so not a lot of counterfeit incentive there when they are so distinctive, and thus harder to copy than a typical flat backed dread.
The seller was very friendly and I agree I think it was an honest mistake. Thank you for the insight!
 

chazmo

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Welcome aboard! That's pretty much exactly the instrument that introduced me to Guild when I was in college! A friend of mine owned one of these, and I was really taken with it.

Enjoy! And, again, welcome to LTG!
 

fronobulax

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Welcome. You have an answer and I agree. There is nothing obviously suspect about the instrument in the pictures and, as a rule, the vast majority of "fake Guilds" we have seen are obviously fakes. There isn't much money in making a good fake Guild compared to a good fake Martin.

Guild serial numbers are a study unto themselves and even people with the best intentions can read the published charts incorrectly. Then there is the issue that the published charts are often incomplete or incorrect and the absence of published data for a few years in the 1990's...

Your headstock and label match and can be found in the published data so there is really nothing to be concerned about except the time lost by worrying and not playing :)
 

Rebosbro

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Tom is right about the SN assuming the chart is correctScreen Shot 2021-07-21 at 12.10.33 AM.jpg

As for the label, they often fall off, so I wouldn't worry about the position too much.
My label for my 76 D-50 has been in a desk drawer for a decade
Paul
 

Westerly Wood

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btw, you got my favorite stain top on the arched D25s. congrats!
 

davismanLV

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The only reason the serial number on the back of the headstock is white-ish is because someone used polish heavily and it got down in the letters and numbers and then didn't buff out. I'd just use a soft brush or soft toothbrush and get that stuff out. It's just old polish, is all. Welcome to LTG!! Nice D25!!
 
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