How much would a decent 1966 D-44 go for?

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macriverside

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Im looking to purchase but not sure of what price range I should be considering.
 

HeyMikey

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Not many out there for comparison. Condition both cosmetically and structurally will effect price considerably. Google search and Reverb sold listing are where I would start.
 

macriverside

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Thank you Mike!! I found one in a pawn shop and they are asking $1000 but wasn't sure if that was good price. It looks in great shape. But i am not a collector and what I think is in good shape is my own personal opinion. I can't find another on the web anywhere to price comparison.
 

Br1ck

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Check the neck angle with a straightedge. Should be around the top of the bridge, with decent saddle showing, though some guitars have a taller bridge and shorter saddle. Check fret divots and height. Divots can be fret leveled out or a partial refret done. Rap on the top and back of the body to listen for loose braces. It has a distinctive not secure sound. Check relief. If you can't tell by sight (experience thing), take a capo, place it at the first fret, press the 14th fret and take a feeler gauge to the middle. As long as it's less than .012 or so, the rod should take care of things. The bridge could have been sanded down too, also an experience thing.

To me that price seems reasonable with a $500 slush fund for issues. It is a crap shoot if guitar plays great now but is boarderline for work. Might be good for ten years, or ten minutes. It is worth having that vintage though, so I'd be good with a total outlay of $1500. After all. I have $1400 in my D 35.
 

SFIV1967

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Norm has one:




But mind that the description Lemmo gives is not all correct. He mentiones at 0:59 it would have mahogany back and sides but the D-44 had pearwood back and sides! It was almost like a D-50 but with pearwood. The tuners are Dutch made Van Gent tuners. Great guitar.

Ralf
 
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adorshki

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Welcome aboard Mac! Good luck on your hunt!

Any particular reason you're looking for a D44 or is it just that the guitar that got your attention happens to be one?
 

macriverside

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I found one in a pawn shop. It looks really well kept. I am no collector but I got advice on here on what to check.
They want $1000 just needed to find out if this was a good price.
 

macriverside

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64581018379__018C4A16-29A1-480E-9F7E-A2540376EF26.jpeg
 

donnylang

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Looks nice and clean- has a replaced bridge, looks like replaced tuners too, and whatever the electronics inside are, they are of course aftermarket modern stuff.
 
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Br1ck

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Just be aware that we in the Guild world who think these oddities, in the very best sense of the term, are far outnumbered by the hoards who would run for the hills. Still, you'd have a Guild probably actually made in Hoboken, unlike my D 35 which only has the Hoboken label, but was actually built in Westerly. Wave $900 cash in the pawn shop owner's face. Say something like, you DO know it's pearwood, don't you? I'm really sort of holding out for an early Westerly. It is getting on toward rent time.
 
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