My first Guild!

[GGJaguar]

Welcome to LTG! Great first Guild and great first post!

 

[F30]

I use John Pearse Strings on all my acoustics and Mandolins.

 

[twocorgis]

You sure know how to make an entrance! Welcome to LTG.

 

[HeyMikey]

Welcome! That is a beautiful guitar. I bet it sounds wonderful. I see that one bridge pin is not like the other. Your doing or the prior owner?

 

[adorshki]

thanks! They're Dean Markley 12's which I've never tried before but they sound alright. Do you have any string suggestions?

HI Bsimz welcome aboard! Nice way to make an entrance!
12's are the right gauge, but folks tend to wind up finding the alloy that sounds best to 'em through experimentation.
80/20's sound harsh to me for example, and whenever I try something new on my dreadnoughts, I always wind up going back to D'Addario PB. Although I prefer uncoated, Oxnard uses D'A coateds.

I do suggest trying the factory spec strings at least once: D'Addario EXP16 - Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053), then try the EJ-16 uncoateds which should sound just a tad brighter and maybe a bit more sustain. Those uncoateds do need a couple of hours of playing-in to lose their "zinginess", though.

I solve the dreaded TRC issue by removing them.

You run around with naked adjusting nuts?

Welcome! Beautiful guitar! I wish I still had mine! It was possibly the last one made in Westerly. I do not have the s/n so I'll never know! Anyway, fantastic instrument!

Hi Bowenite, it's known for sure the last guitar made in Westerly was an Artist Award, signed by everyone who had a hand making it. A guy who acquired it showed up here a few years back, posted pics including letter of authenticity from Westerly.

 

[cupric]

HI Bsimz welcome aboard! Nice way to make an entrance!
12's are the right gauge, but folks tend to wind up finding the alloy that sounds best to 'em through experimentation.
80/20's sound harsh to me for example, and whenever I try something new on my dreadnoughts, I always wind up going back to D'Addario PB although I prefer uncoated, Oxnard uses D'A coateds.

I do suggest trying the factory spec strings at least once: D'Addario EXP16 - Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053), then try the EJ-16 uncoateds which should sound just a tad brighter and maybe a bit more sustain. Those uncoateds do need a couple of hours of playing in to lose their "zinginess", though.


You run around with naked adjusting nuts?

Hi Bowenite, it's known for sure the last guitar made in Westerly was an Artist Award, signed by everyone who had a hand making it. A guy who acquired it showed up here a few years back, posted pics including letter of authenticity from Westerly.

I was referring to the last D55 made in Westerly. I purchased it in Wakefield RI, which was about 15 miles from Westerly. The music store was one of the oldest Guild dealers in the country. He would go pick out guitars at the Westerly factory. The one I bought was definitely one of the last D55s....But he thought it might have been the last one commercially availsble. He knew he would never have a new one again. Anyway, I do not have the s/n available anymore as I sold it a few years later. I was dealing in a lot of Guilds at that point.

 

[ruedi]

thanks! They're Dean Markley 12's which I've never tried before but they sound alright. Do you have any string suggestions?

Oh, so I let the picture fool me, it looked bigger than 12's to me I am not an acoustic guy, so no help from my side, but I see that you have recieved great suggestions overnight from the experts.

 

[dreadnut]

I'm a real sucker for a nice 'burst!

 

[adorshki]

I was referring to the last D55 made in Westerly. I purchased it in Wakefield RI, which was about 15 miles from Westerly. The music store was one of the oldest Guild dealers in the country. He would go pick out guitars at the Westerly factory. The one I bought was definitely one of the last D55s....But he thought it might have been the last one commercially availsble. He knew he would never have a new one again. Anyway, I do not have the s/n available anymore as I sold it a few years later. I was dealing in a lot of Guilds at that point.

Ah, I do recall that story now, thanks!

 

[adorshki]

Oh, so I let the picture fool me, it looked bigger than 12's to me I am not an acoustic guy, so no help from my side, but I see that you have recieved great suggestions overnight from the experts.

In sympathy, I noticed the strings looked to be riding a bit proud of the nut myself, as you mentioned, so I get why you thought they may be mediums or even heavies. I'll assume Oxnard is using the same philosophy about slot depth that used to prevail for saddle height/action height:
Ship 'em at the top of the spec range ("high"), because it's a whole lot easier to lower action to an owner's preference with a simple bit of filing, than it is to raise it which normally means new nut and saddle.

 

[cupric]

Ah, I do recall that story now, thanks!

I have never told that before as far as I remember. There were others I owned due to lucky circumstances, etc. There were also some that got away! When I was younger my mind was a lot sharper than it is now. I could recall serial numbers and such. One of the reasons I enjoy this forum so much is that I remember bits and pieces of Guild joy. Forty odd years of being a huge Guild fan helps.

 

[adorshki]

I have never told that before as far as I remember. There were others I owned due to lucky circumstances, etc. There were also some that got away! When I was younger my mind was a lot sharper than it is now. I could recall serial numbers and such. One of the reasons I enjoy this forum so much is that I remember bits and pieces of Guild joy. Forty odd years of being a huge Guild fan helps.

It sure rang a bell, at least, the "possibly the last D55 from Westerly" part, and that you lived close to the plant.

I myself thought my F65ce might be the last Westerly guitar or at least the last F65ce, because the shop where I bought it had a sign by it: "Last of the Westerlies!".

It took a few years and an email to Fender to figure out it was the next-to-last F65ce, and that the sign in the shop should have said "Last of the Westerlies that we'll ever see!".

Sound familiar?

 

[cupric]

It sure rang a bell, at least, the "possibly the last D55 from Westerly" part, and that you lived close to the plant.

I myself thought my F65ce might be the last Westerly guitar or at least the last F65ce, because the shop where I bought it had a sign by it: "Last of the Westerlies!".

It took a few years and an email to Fender to figure out it was the next-to-last F65ce, and that the sign in the shop should have said "Last of the Westerlies that we'll ever see!".

Sound familiar?

Yes, it does. Pretty neat that the F65 was that close! The D55 was the last one in the shop. I played it, loved it.....and left. The price was pretty much list, so no deal there. I ended up going back and purchasing it at list price. Something told me I had to have it! I think I sold it to feel better about buying my Nightbird a few years later. The things we do for love!