NGD - late 90s D4 HG

Boneman

Boneman

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Just found this D4 for sale locally, with generic gig bag, and couldn’t resist checking it out for the offered price of $450. Got there to find not one flaw in it. Cosmetically it looks showroom ready. The strings that are on it aren’t terrible, and it sounded good during the little noodling I did there at the sellers place. I said so you want $450 huh? Then he said you can give me 4, so I gave him $400 and skedaddled before they changed their mind LOL.

The s/n chart doesn’t go past 97, and this one is higher numbered than the last one in 97, so likely a 98 or maybe 99? It’s kinda heavy, at least it feels weighted towards the end pin. The neck seems chunkier than my 80 D25, might be narrower nut width too, I’ll have to measure.

Interestingly it has a very light colored Pau Ferro fretboard, has a cool swirly oval in the grain on back, and did I say shiny? LOL. I think the label writer got lazy and just put H, not HG. Also my first snakehead. I like the difference in color of the headstock wings. Will give it a good run through the next few days then change strings, clean it up, and see if it’s a keeper.

Feast your eyes:
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Thanks guys. Yea so my first impressions after playing for the past hour or so:

The archback seems very minimal, not as pronounced as on my D25. The neck seems thicker than my D25 in cowboy chord territory, but very comfortable and familiar. Not sure what strings are on it, but it has more treble than bass. Will have to put the same strings on this as my D25 to properly AB them, but different would be good right?

Otherwise, for an entry level guitar, its really nice.
 
Beautiful wood all around, and the unique headstock, imho, looks very cool! The light neck with dark wings makes the black logo really pop & provides a nice balance. A super deal - Congrats & Enjoy!
 
That qualifies as deal of the month (maybe year), Bone...

I kind of like how the wings on the headstock stand out. Normally I wouldn’t go for that, but here it looks cool.

Was the Westerly D-4 model always an archie? I know things changed later with the model designations (go Guild! ;) ), but I mistakenly thought the D-4 was a flat back.
 
I couldn’t wait any longer, those strings had to go, way too bright.

While at it I tightened the tuners, both the nuts on the faceplate, and the screws in the buttons. Some were very loose. Also buffed the fretboard with 0000 steel wool, then oiled it with bore oil. While it dried I polished the headstock and body, threw on a set of D’addario EJ17s(PB .13-56) and away we go. It’s like brand new all over again. Now I’ve gotta go bash some barre chords and get this top moving, loosen it up.;)
 
Boneman said:
I couldn’t wait any longer, those strings had to go, way too bright.

While at it I tightened the tuners, both the nuts on the faceplate, and the screws in the buttons. Some were very loose. Also buffed the fretboard with 0000 steel wool, then oiled it with bore oil. While it dried I polished the headstock and body, threw on a set of D’addario EJ17s(PB .13-56) and away we go. It’s like brand new all over again. Now I’ve gotta go bash some barre chords and get this top moving, loosen it up.;)
Click to expand...
It was designed to run 12-53's, and it's possible to "choke" a top with too much tension. Besides the neckset-life issue.

I'd be ok with a half-step or full-step lowered tuning though. ;)
 
Boneman said:
Ah crap, of course it was :ROFLMAO:I did not know that, thanks! Seems OK with the .13s but I’ll go down to .12s next.
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Guild-1997-1998-Gallery-Catalog-pg25_1600.jpeg


And if you really want to replicate the L-350 set of the era, Buy a set of EJ-16 and an extra PB025 single because that's what GuiIld used, The EJ-16's with an .025 G instead of an .024. Changed to an '024 sometime in early '00's, when Fender moved the stringmaking to Squier in Mexico.

I still have a set of original L350' s and a couple of EJ-16's w/ the extra .025 but have been experimenting with silk and bronze on my D25.
 
Thanks Al!

The guitar has been getting humidified since acquiring it, and even though they are .13s, these new strings are much better now that they settled in. The combination has this guitar being much boomier like I expected.

Ok so I found the one flaw. The B string is pinched and creating a weird tinny overtone on the open string, seems better when fretted. Took a few swipes with the nut file, still there. The saddle has the slightest of a worn groove as well under the B string, so I think it needs a new bone saddle and nut. Then I bet it will shine, pun intended :ROFLMAO:
 
Boneman said:
Thanks Al!

The guitar has been getting humidified since acquiring it, and even though they are .13s, these new strings are much better now that they settled in. The combination has this guitar being much boomier like I expected.

Ok so I found the one flaw. The B string is pinched and creating a weird tinny overtone on the open string, seems better when fretted. Took a few swipes with the nut file, still there. The saddle has the slightest of a worn groove as well under the B string, so I think it needs a new bone saddle and nut. Then I bet it will shine, pun intended :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
You can just sand out the groove of the B string if you don’t want to replace the whole thing.
 
adorshki said:
Guild-1997-1998-Gallery-Catalog-pg25_1600.jpeg


And if you really want to replicate the L-350 set of the era, Buy a set of EJ-16 and an extra PB025 single because that's what GuiIld used, The EJ-16's with an .025 G instead of an .024. Changed to an '024 sometime in early '00's, when Fender moved the stringmaking to Squier in Mexico.

I still have a set of original L350' s and a couple of EJ-16's w/ the extra .025 but have been experimenting with silk and bronze on my D25.
Click to expand...
I hear these strings are even better sounding than D'Addarios.

(lol)
 
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