Is this an arch back D-25M with a Mahogany top?
- Thread starter dreadnut
- Start date
Looking at the grain, I think you've got it right, dreadnut. That could be a stained spruce top, but I'm going with your guess of mahogany. I'm going to look in the Old Testament and see if that jibes...
Well, according to Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, this is a '74, dreadnut, and the spruce top didn't really come into play until around 1976.
Odds are good that's a hog top.
Odds are good that's a hog top.
Dan, I don't think so... If it had the "DA" prefix, it might be different... But, this guitar is just 102550, and the label is one of those transitional ones they used in early Westerly before they started printing Westerly on it... This one's a '74, Dan.
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
I would believe that the "M" in D-25M is for the mahogany top.
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
Thanks BluesDan......I'm always learnin' sumthin' around here!! 
GardMan
Enlightened Member
A D-25M from '74 would probably have a stained spruce top (M is for "mahogany stained"). Most of the 'hog-topped arched back D-25s I have seen have been from '73... but they might extend into '74 (Hans would probably know). My '74 (SN 110xxx) is definitely spruce.
Looks to be in pretty good shape... tho' definitely not from the 50s or 60s. Might be a good deal if it stays under $600.
Dave
Looks to be in pretty good shape... tho' definitely not from the 50s or 60s. Might be a good deal if it stays under $600.
Dave
Graham
Venerated Member
I agree that the M stands for Mahogany colour stained top.
The grain, to me, looks like spruce.
The grain, to me, looks like spruce.
I guess we're all learnin' somethin' 'round here.
Cheers, guys.
Cheers, guys.
killdeer43
Reverential Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2008
- Messages
- 21,848
- Reaction score
- 113
And for my entry in the sweepstakes, my '79 D-25M is a dark mahogany-stained spruce top. It's all in the grain.
More fun,
Joe
More fun,
Joe
bek
Junior Member
The photos aren't conclusive, but it looks a lot like my 73 hog-top. The stained-spruce ones I've seen are real muddy-looking, not like this one. My experience with Guilds that aren't mine is very limited.
sitka_spruce
Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 794
- Reaction score
- 0
What disturbs me, should this actually have a mahogany top, is the tint of the top would then be way different than the back and sides. It's such a shame you can't actually see much of the grain of the top on the photos, but halfway between the endpin and the bridge, slightly left of the center seam there's a light coloured dot. Around this area you can rather clearly see some grain running from top to bottom. My guess then would be this guitar actually has an Engelmann top, which has a slightly looser grain than Sitka does, as the later D25s had.
hansmoust
Enlightened Member
dreadnut said:
Hello dreadnut,
No, that's a regular 'mahogany' shaded spruce top.
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
Thanks, Hans. I thought the grain looked like possibly 'hog. Still searching for that elusive archback hogtop D-25...
plaidseason
Senior Member
Another item to include in your list is the late-nineties D4M, which has an arched back and a mahogany top. I have no idea how many of them are out there, but I did in fact see one once.
This guy has one:
-Chris
This guy has one:
-Chris
Actually, I'd also / or like to get a D-15 in nice shape, I see a few of these come up on the -bay.