Can't find any info on these.
D-4's were introduced with satin finish as one of the cost-cutting measures to make it a "Poor man's D25"; the "Gloss" (as opposed to HG finish) was first announced in Guild Gallery #1 of late '97- spring '98 and was still showing available on the last Westerly price list of '01:Own one. All the reviews I see are for satin finishes, but this is gloss from factory.
Just wondering if anyone knows how many were made. I lived in RI when I bought it from dealer. He had at least 6 of them around 500 bucks.
D-4's were introduced with satin finish as one of the cost-cutting measures to make it a "Poor man's D25"; the HG finish was first announced in Guild Gallery #1 of late '97- spring '98....
You sure about that, Bobouz?Actually, the D-4 was introduced in 1992 with both the satin & high gloss options.
I believe it about the D6, but then it seems appropriate because it is an upscale instrument compared to the D4.The D-6 was the same. I have a '92 D-6nt-hg (natural finish-high gloss), essentially turning it into a D-40 (which had just been discontinued).
And after all that I just found an item I'd forgotten about from 8 years ago, post #20 in this thread:ALL the HG finishes on Westerly flattops at the time were NCL; so that's correct, it's nitro.
Billy, FYI: Hideglue actually worked at Westerly during Fender's ownership and was a valuable source of info about their methods at the time.Those '90s D4Gs are finished with a water based lacquer. Not "Nitro", as the D25s are.
And NOT to ignite that sort of powder keg.
Thanks, I knew you were saying you had a D6NT-HG, but not knowing your info source could only guess at why you had an HG spec for the D4.Al - My info on the existence of a ‘92 D-6nt-hg is solid since I own one! But the D-4 info comes from Gruhn’s 2nd edition, which I’ve long considered one of the more accurate resources available. Gruhn lists the D-4 as being introduced & available in 1992 in a high gloss D-4HG version. He then lists a gloss finish D-4G, available as of 1998 (quite likely the poly finish version!).
I guess it's possible but I'd be surprised if it really was a one-year only option unless Hans confirms.In looking again at the way he’s got it listed, it’s possible he is saying the nitro HG version was only available in ‘92, and then discontinued. This would seem more logical, since the D-4 was clearly meant to be their low-buck entry into the world of Guilds.
Also, I'm positive I've seen other errata in the Gruhn Guide related to lower bout width of either GF or Fxxce series guitars. IIRC they're listed as 17" lower bouts when they should be 16", it was such a surprise to me I distinctly remember going to other sources to confirm or refute. Think it was related to the very uncommon F35ce, got me started looking on the possibility it would have been the first Fxxce I 'd come across that didn't have a 16" lower bout. (But it does; it's essentially a blinged-down F65ce with a little deep body IIRC).
If you've got a hard copy you may want to check my memory.
OK now I'm not sure if it might not have been the Beesly book because I can't review Fxxce's in there right now either.
In my 2nd edition copy, Gruhn's got all the GFs @ 16". He does not have the F35ce listed, but the Fxxce models he does have are also 16". Perhaps the error you saw was in the 1st or 3rd editions? I've never owned Beesly's book, so can't help there.
These things are sometimes like a treasure hunt - with no payoff!
Thank you all. Amazing info! I'll do the into test soon. It's at my daughters house., and I haven't looked at it for year or two, although in the 90's it was by my side always. I have a 78 F212 and four Martins now, and it sure seemed like nitro, in my scrambled memory. Thanks, again.