OLD vs NEW = WWLTGD?

[11earl]

Hi,

First post here, so don't be too tough on me...

I'm in the market for a git to replace my Larrivee D03. I've always been enamored with the D55 and J55. In doing my research, it seems that I can get a gently used Tacoma or NH model OR a gently used Westerly-made model for roughly the same price.

My question is, What Would Let's Talk Guild members Do and why?

 

[Geo]

My question is, What Would Let's Talk Guild members Do and why?

Welcome to LTG 11earl.

I'd shop until I found the one I like, at a price I like and buy it. :wink:

JF-55 vs D-55: I'd love to have either. Top of the line Jumbo or top of the line dread? How can you go wrong? 8)

N.H., Tacoma, Westerly Guilds,,,, they'er all good!! :mrgreen:

George

 

[Frosty]

WWLTGD.... I love that! Who's going to make the bumper stickers? Welcome 11earl - you
are off to a great start.

I have had a few D-55 guitars pass through my hands, as a fingerpicker I think the tone
is sublime. The 2006 Tacoma was the sonic equal of the 1981 Westerly. To my ear the
NH model sounds a little different - you may prefer it. This is a flagship model for Guild,
good choice.

As always - play before you pay. If it's mail order, my opinion, only buy from someone
offering an approval period (24-72 hours). Good luck and let us know what you do.

 

[Scratch]

Welcome aboard... Be prepared for lots of answers and differing opinions.

Westerlies get lots of love; they have a well-deserved reputation and have stood the test of time. I've owned nice Tacoma-crafted Guilds; they were very well constructed and played beautifully. The NH Guilds are by all accounts well crafted; they just haven't been around long enough to develop the dedicated following as have Westerlies. I believe they eventually will.

As far as your dilemma, just my opinion, but if the Westerly is in good shape, that would be my choice without a second thought...

 

[Geo]

As far as your dilemma, just my opinion, but if the Westerly is in good shape, that would be my choice without a second thought...

+1

Love the Westery Guilds!!! All but one of mine are Westery built but my Corona D-50 is a good one, as I've said repeatedly.

George

 

[killdeer43]

Welcome to LTG, 11, or should I call you earl? :wink:

You seem to have the luxury of making a choice here so, FWIW, if I had a comparable model (D50 perhaps) from Westerly, Corona, Tacoma, and New Hartford in the same room to try them out/compare, I would pick the one that feels/sounds the best to me.

Forget where it was made and listen to the guitar as it speaks to you.... 8)

Joe

 

[johnny3j]

I have a 1995 Westerly made JF55, its a wonderful sounding and looking guitar. I think of it as a 6 string partner to my F512 since they're both spruce-topped rosewood jumbos with pretty much identical body dimensions.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome.

I would vote for whichever one you can actually hold in your hands and bond with before you buy, if that is possible. If the prices are comparable then it two non-factory factors to consider are the warranty (or lack thereof) and how long it will be before the instrument needs a neck reset. I'm pretty much convinced that neck resets are inevitable but when they are needed seems to vary from a "couple of years" to "not yet, after 50". As a SWAG, the last time anyone tried to figure it out, it seemed as if a warranty was worth about $400 and neck resets are anywhere from $200 to $400.

The Guild/Fender folks have said several times that the biggest competition for the new New Hartford Guilds is the vintage Guilds, and not necessarily other manufacturer's new guitars.

 

[evenkeel]

First, welcome to the LTG gang.

Your Larrivee is a spruce/mahogany dread. Both of the Guilds you have your eye on are spruce/rosewood models so I'm guessing at least part of your quest is a desire for that tone wood combination. However, the dread is going to have a very different tonal flavour than the jumbo. They will also have very different playability factors. I simply cannot manage a full bodied jumbo. As much as I love 'em sound and looks wise they always feel like a wrestling match.

So, rather than focus on the factory issue, I'd consider deciding the dread vs jumbo question. Once you decide on that I suspect the factory issue will be far less critical.

 

[Ian]

Hi there all the way from New Zealand. :lol:

Plus one on what even keel said, but it's the other way round for me: I cant handle dread shaped guitars, just too difficult for me to get around. Jumbo's have a waist which makes them easier to hug...

Also a huge sound difference between the Jumbo's and dreads: to my ears the jumbos are a bit less boomy at the bottom end, a more balanced sound. That said there's nothing like the sound of a D55, They are both beautiful guitars, choose the one that feels right to you.

Good luck.

Cheers, Ian

 

[adorshki]

My question is, What Would Let's Talk Guild members Do and why?

Buy one of each and possibly begin a program of serial foster care for Guild guitars.
Because its' what a lot of us do.
Because we can.

 

[FNG]

I'd say play as many of them as you can, and pick the one that does it for you.

 

[jgwoods]

I'd go for the Jumbo. I like the way they sit on my leg with the narrow waist. Very playable for a big guitar.

 

[twocorgis]

I'd say play as many of them as you can, and pick the one that does it for you.

Welcome 11earl, and that's some sound advice if I ever heard it. Guild Jumbo and Dread rosewoods are fine guitars no matter where they're made, and there seems to be a good supply of used ones out on the market. As others have said, it's important to buy from someone who offers return privileges.

 

[killdeer43]

I like the way they sit on my leg with the narrow waist.

Reminds me of an old girlfriend.....long ago and far, far away. 8)

Joe

 

[chazmo]

Welcome to LTG, 11earl!! Good luck in the hunt.

I have added WWLTGD to the acronyms FAQ.

 

[11earl]

Thanks everyone for your wisdom, opinion, and greetings.

I will definitely play what I am able to do so - I must admit the availability of web-based deals makes for *great* temptation!

For some reason the Westerlys appeal to me, as I'm from right up the road in MA, USA - but then again, New Hartford ain't too far either.

It does seem that if I do happen to locate a Westerly-made 55 and it doesn't happen to work for me it might be a bit of an easier sell if I purchase it from someone or somewhere that does not offer return privileges - so I'm leaning in that direction for the time-being.

Ah, the hunt - gotta love it!

 

[john_kidder]

it might be a bit of an easier sell if I purchase it from someone or somewhere that does not offer return privileges - so I'm leaning in that direction for the time-being

I suggest you lean the other way - especially in your area there are many good Guilds for sale, and the additional cost of return shipping if a git doesn't work for you won't break the bank. It's a serious downer (trust me, been there) when the instrument arrives and it's not what you yearned for, and you're stuck with it. Then your choices, being an honest guy, are to resell it with full disclosure (almost certainly at a discount) or to leave the damn thing in its case because it makes you cross very time you look at it.

 

[Ravon]

Welcome Earl. I can only give an opinion on two 2011 New Hartford Guilds I recently played side by side, one a D-50 Bluegrass Special and one a D-55. I went in the music store with my mind already made up that I was going to purchase the D-55, but only because of the extra bling and it was just a couple hundred more. Both were lighter than I expected because I have a couple Westerly X170's that are solid. I also went in there assuming the D-50 was going to be louder than the D-55 because of the opinions expressed on this forum. That may have prejudiced my judgement but the D-50 did seem louder but not by much. And to be honest, when I got it home the D-55 sounded kinda bland (compared to my Deep Bowl Ovation...really) and kinda too even. Well, after giving this guitar a new set of strings and giving it time to 'open' up, its developed a wonderfully loud, balanced and ringing tone. I love it. I love the tone, the looks, the build. I played a new Martin HD-28 a few months ago and with that experience fresh in my mind, I'd put the tone of the D-55 up against the Martin anytime (I still want that HD-28 however... one day, one day :wink: ). Now the action on my D-55 is a little higher than I'm used to but with a proper set-up this thing will shine even more. The NH D-55's are great guitars

 

[Ravon]

And.... I'm finding myself finger picking more because of the songs we've been playing and, as been mentioned, this is really where it seems to shine