Older vs. newer Westerly's

[Conibear]

First post, but have been a reader of the forum for quite some time. I recently purchased a Westerly D55NT off ebay. The serial # indicates to me that it is probably one of the last to come off the Westerly line. It's too bad that the Guild dating charts are incomplete and don't show what was produced through its closing in 2001. Anyway, my question is this: Are the newer Westerly Guilds say from 2000 and 2001, especially the D55, of the same quality and design as the older ones off the Westerly line? From what I've read, Fender bought Guild in 1995, so was wondering if the D55 underwent any changes after this.
Hope this makes sense, and thanks for any advice.

 

[Graham]

Welcome to LTG Conibear, congrat on the D55, post pics please.

As for you quality question, some folks here have intimate details of the shop in Westerly and will more than likely offer their perspective. What I would say from my point of view garnered from various reading here is the crews in the Westerly Plant cared very much about the product they were making, possibly putting whomever owned the company aside. These were / are craftsmen after all. My DV is from '96, after the Fender take over, but from the Westerly Plant, no issues as far as I can see.

I've heard things like don't buy a car built on a Monday or a Friday, somehow I don't think that applied to hand crafted guitars. There's a love affair with the instrument, I would hope, and pride in workmanship that must have prevailed.

Lot's of folks here just want to see Westerly on the label, not necessarily the year.

 

[sfIII]

In my opinion... Guild was unique in that there was never a period of bad guitar making. Some periods seem better. I love the Hoboken made archtops. Lots of good things came in the 80's (all the Gruhn designed guitars are worth having to play and collect). Well the pointy guitars are not my cup of tea, but the acoustics were great. There may well be some variablity in specific models - I doubt they ever made a bad F-50, but some D-25s are better than others.

I suspect that after Fender bought Guild that moral was high in the Westerly plant and this resulted in a very good product. Hideglue may or may not want to confirm this. :?: And as Grahm has alluded to, there was likely an instutionallized sense of pride that existed in the Westerly plant.

I don't think moving to California was a good Idea. Not bad guitars, but too many rejects. However, I have met a few Fender guys over the years and they do take pride in their product. The move to Tacoma was great. But, I think that moving Donnie Wade to Westerly would have been better.

I did recently purchase a Westerly made D-40 (2000) that I traded in on a new Tacoma D-40.. The new D-40 is fantastic and I can't wait for it to age. :lol:

 

[West R Lee]

Con,

All I can tell you is what I have heard from those who were there, and my personal experience with the guitars I own, both pre and post Fender, but all Westerly.

A man who worked there told me that when Fender took over the Westerly plant, very stringent quality control changes were implimented, and that in his view, the best guitars to come out of Westerly were built in the 1995-2001 time frame. My own experience having owned guitars from both Westerly periods bears that out. Though I will say that my pre '95 guitars are outstanding guitars with which I can find no production flaws.

Long story short, in my view, any Westerly built Guild is probably going to be one heck of a flattop.

West

 

[hansmoust]

I recently purchased a Westerly D55NT off ebay. The serial # indicates to me that it is probably one of the last to come off the Westerly line. It's too bad that the Guild dating charts are incomplete and don't show what was produced through its closing in 2001.

Hello Conibear,

Welcome! As far as the manufacturing date is concerned, just e-mail me the serial number. I should be able to tell you when it was made.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[JerryR]

Welcome Conibear

Personally, I only have one Guild - '79 Westerly, so no way qualified to comment :!:

 

[JerryR]

Welcome to LTG Conibear, congrat on the D55, post pics please.

As for you quality question, some folks here have intimate details of the shop in Westerly and will more than likely offer their perspective. What I would say from my point of view garnered from various reading here is the crews in the Westerly Plant cared very much about the product they were making, possibly putting whomever owned the company aside. These were / are craftsmen after all. My DV is from '96, after the Fender take over, but from the Westerly Plant, no issues as far as I can see.

I've heard things like don't buy a car built on a Monday or a Friday, somehow I don't think that applied to hand crafted guitars. There's a love affair with the instrument, I would hope, and pride in workmanship that must have prevailed.

Lot's of folks here just want to see Westerly on the label, not necessarily the year.

Hey Graham - why revert to Cute Beaver from Coastie Beaver :?: You wern't worried about his feelings were you :shock:

 

[Graham]

Hey Graham - why revert to Cute Beaver from Coastie Beaver :?: You wern't worried about his feelings were you :shock:

No Jerry, I have it on good authority that he has no feelings, 'cept for ewe.

I switched cause I got lots of email complaints from the Canadian Beaver Corporation. Felt their likeness was being maligned. :shock:

 

[fungusyoung]

All I can say for sure is during the 80's & '90's Westerly made great guitars.

Just got my D17 today. Another stellar 'hog tank! Need to get the camera working
so I can post photos of this & the newly acquired D15. Yes, I'm stopping now.

 

[guildzilla]

The last five years at Westerly, Guild was at the top of its game, IMO.

 

[Guildmark]

I switched cause I got lots of email complaints from the Canadian Beaver Corporation. Felt their likeness was being maligned. :shock:

Betcha they wouldn't if the logo said "Godin".
And shouldn't that be Canadian Beaver Corporation Canadién?

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

I switched cause I got lots of email complaints from the Canadian Beaver Corporation. Felt their likeness was being maligned. :shock:

Betcha they wouldn't if the logo said "Godin".
And shouldn't that be Canadian Beaver Corporation Canadién?

Eh :?: :!: ..... :mrgreen: :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[Graham]

I switched cause I got lots of email complaints from the Canadian Beaver Corporation. Felt their likeness was being maligned. :shock:

Betcha they wouldn't if the logo said "Godin".
And shouldn't that be Canadian Beaver Corporation Canadién?

Eh :?: :!: ..... :mrgreen: :lol: :mrgreen:

Ehsus2 :wink:

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[dreadnut]

My '76 and my '98 are both excellent guitars

 

[Kap'n]

I switched cause I got lots of email complaints from the Canadian Beaver Corporation. Felt their likeness was being maligned. :shock:

Betcha they wouldn't if the logo said "Godin".
And shouldn't that be Canadian Beaver Corporation Canadién?

Legally I think that's

Canadian Beaver Corporation / Société Castor Canadién

 

[Metalman]

The one guitar I have owned, and since am kicking myself for letting it go, was my '80 F-30. That instrument, for me, summarized the whole Guild sound. Straight forward, lots of mids, lightweight, and easy to play.

There was a change in the overall sound and feel between '80's Guilds, and mid to late '90's Guilds, in my opinion. I have owned a few instruments from both those periods, and there is a difference, to be sure. Still very good, and all having that distinctive sound, although if I had to chose, the '90's Guilds were not as quite as good as the earlier ones. I know I'm going to stir up a hornet's nest of reaction with all the DV6 and DV52 owners out there.

Guild lost quite a bit of quality during the Corona years, but . . .

With the new Tacomas, they have nailed the sound right away; putting in the best wood in their traditional guitars. Seems they spared no expense. That is great news for us new guitar buyers. I am not too crazy over the contemporary models, but the D-40, D-50, F-40; they are real nice.
I like my '82 D-50 a whole lot, but I think the the new D-50 from Tacoma is a better playing, better sounding guitar. Wouldn't go so far as to trade one for the other, but hey, why not have both? Now THAT'S a good idea!!

 

[Conibear]

Thanks for the welcome and the responses. I will try and post some pics soon. For the most part, I get the sense from ya'll that any Westerly, no matter what year, is a fine instrument. I definitely feel better about my investment in the newer Westerly D55. I'm sure I will have more questions in the future and look forward to posting with ya'll.

 

[chicagowineguy]

Heck I just feel blessed to have picked up my '99 DV4 for a song last year...she just sounds better and better and lately folks have been commenting on the big rich sound coming out of her. Still saving and dreaming of a Westerly archback D25. After that...gotta have a D55...just have to!

 

[Graham]

There was a change in the overall sound and feel between '80's Guilds, and mid to late '90's Guilds, in my opinion. I have owned a few instruments from both those periods, and there is a difference, to be sure. Still very good, and all having that distinctive sound, although if I had to chose, the '90's Guilds were not as quite as good as the earlier ones. I know I'm going to stir up a hornet's nest of reaction with all the DV6 and DV52 owners out there.

Still being relatively new at the guitar thing all I have to go on is what I have. My DV sounds, to me, smooth, full, complete?, and my '76 D-25 is almost as full.

I can certainly see why a D-25 would be all anyone could need or want. Taking GAS out of the equation of course. :shock: