NGD - D55-12

[awagner]

I just received the guitar from Richard, who did a great job packing the guitar.

The guitar is in excellent condition, with only minor wear and finish checking.

I sampled it for just a few minutes, but it sounds great and plays nicely. I am just not used to 12-fretters, especially on 12 strings.

The big mystery to me is the tone wood. I know there has been a lot of discussion as to whether or not it is Indian rosewood, Grenadillo, or something else. Although it is most likely Indian rosewood, I am not yet convinced, although I am certainly no expert.

If you look at it closely, in addition to how light it is compared to most other IR guitars out there, the grain looks like mahogany in some places, and IR in others. And I don’t recall seeing the small pits or knots in the wood in any of my IR guitars.

Here are some close ups.

 

[GGJaguar]

Cool, congrats! Well, regardless of the wood type, the body has interesting grain and character. Very handsome!

 

[F312]

It sure is unlike any Indian rosewood I've seen before, nice, very unique.

Ralph

 

[Stuball48]

I am going to throw in another type rosewood to think about - could it be Cocobolo rosewood?

 

[Westerly Wood]

congrats! that might be walnut, but i bet it is indian rosewood, as it is a D55. still, very interesting grains. what a great guitar.

what is wrong with the 12 fret?

 

[awagner]

I’ll see what Tom Crandall thinks when I take it in for a setup.

If he is not convinced one way or the other, perhaps I will have a sample taken from inside the guitar and have it DNA tested. Has anyone done this before?

 

[awagner]

congrats! that might be walnut, but i bet it is indian rosewood, as it is a D55. still, very interesting grains. what a great guitar.

what is wrong with the 12 fret?

I was also thinking walnut, but it almost has to be Indian rosewood, based on when it was made, except it doesn’t look like it to me.

Nothing wrong with a 12-fret. Just not used to it. It is like playing with the capo on the second fret, which I almost never do on 12 strings.

 

[Rich Cohen]

IMHO it's EIR, just not finished in the way that Guild normally would finish it. How is the tone? You should be able to form an opinion whether it's EIR or mahogany. I'd expect EIR.

 

[beecee]

Boy that is one nice unique guitar.

Richard may I order one please

 

[Westerly Wood]

I was also thinking walnut, but it almost has to be Indian rosewood, based on when it was made, except it doesn’t look like it to me.

Nothing wrong with a 12-fret. Just not used to it. It is like playing with the capo on the second fret, which I almost never do on 12 strings.

nice to hear wag. ya know, my old Martin D-35 i had for 11 years had a similar rosewood pattern. the middle section of the back looked almost like mahogany. it was EIR too. I had a Larrivee L03 W that was Walnut so it does look like that, but again, has to be EIR. I bet that guitar just is super full sounding.

 

[F312]

I'm going out on a limb, I think it's some type of rosewood.

Ralph

 

[awagner]

Here are some more pix

The D55-12 is about 1 1/2 inches shorter than the D80-12, and weighs 5.7 lbs, compared to 6.5 lbs. It is super comfortable to play, and lends itself more towards fingerpicking, although I have just played it a short while. Sounds fantastic.

 

[Stuball48]

Love those pictures and report.

 

[Rich Cohen]

All I can say is WOW! Enjoy!

 

[wileypickett]

Martin made 12 fret 12-strings, but this is the only one I know of from Guild. Anyone ever seen one, either six or 12-string?

(Congrats Andrew!)

 

[awagner]

Possibly certain Orpheum 12-strings are 12-fret

I own a Martin D12-45, and it is a nice guitar, but being a slothead 12-fret that must be tuned down are big drawbacks for me. I plan to sell it.

 

[awagner]

(Congrats Andrew!)

Thanks, Glenn! You actually played a part in this transaction.

 

[HeyMikey]

That’s really cool a 12/12. In general Guild didn’t do much with 12 frets did they? I recall see some out of Hoboken, and the Orpheums... but not really many.

 

[wileypickett]

Thanks, Glenn! You actually played a part in this transaction.

Don't I know it -- my good ol' JV72 changes hands!

 

[GGJaguar]

It's interesting that Guild didn't go slope shoulder like pretty much every 12-fret dread out there, but kept the square shoulders.