Seduced by a D-55

[Ragpicker]

Strange things are happening since I purchased my Red JF30. Now when I play other guilds in the shops, no matter how nice they sound, I find myself in a hurry to go home and play mine instead!
I'm still waiting for the F50R to come in, and I've started to wonder if I NEED two jumbo's. I played a D-55 for a few short moments and was pretty amazed by how easy it played and how nice it sounded. Its a different sound from the jumbo body for sure.
Now I'm thinking of Keeping the JF30 for my jumbo, a D55 for my rosewood guitar and finding a really nice classical Rosewood/cedar.
Are there more D55 owners out there than F50R owners?

 

[J45dale]

I don't know about the breakdown of ownership numbers, but I have said this many times.
After just playing a Guild D55 one time ,I had to have one!
This instant desire has not happened to me with any other guitar.
Also after 2 years of constant playing, it has still contained my gas attacks for any additional Rosewood Dreds.(but not Hogs) :wink: , The D55 is a Great guitar.
Dale.

 

[6L6]

"

The D55 is a Great guitar."


+1 on that!!!

LOVE my '06 D-55.

6

 

[johnny]

The D55 is absolutely my favorite. I own four of them now!!!!!!!!!!! There is just something about the sound, and it just it feels right in my hands.

 

[West R Lee]

It's hard NOT to be seduced by the D55. Such a unique combination of beauty, tone and overall quality. Then as you attend events in which the D55 goes head to head with other high quality guitars, the D55 usually does far more than hold it's own.

Throw in the price for which one can be had and they're very hard to beat. There's just not a better choice in the guitar world in my very humble opinion. I will say this though. I've owned 2 of them, both Westerlys, and the difference between the two in terms of projection was enormous. We can't always play a guitar prior to purchase, but if you can, compare a few of them.

West

 

[Graham]

This has, I'm sure, come up before, but at the moment I'm too lazy to look through. I'm quite pleased with my DV-52, I really can't think of a reason to get another, or even play another dread. My D-25s are getting very, very little play time.

How do the F-50 or F-50R compare to the D-55 in playability and sound, projection, yada, yada, yada?

I'm thinking that I will be scouting for an F-50R later this year.

 

[J45dale]

Graham,
Good question, I have never been able around here ( S.W. Va.) to find a F50 or F50R, in order to a/b with my D55.
To me the # 1 feature of my D55 is its overall playability, then its massive,balanced tone, seperation, and projection. Then its looks.
The D55s are very versital showstoppers.
I would think that the F series Guilds are just as great as the Ds, with just a different body feel???
Dale.

 

[Graham]

I know that Frosty has played both and has written some comments around here before, I'll look for those.

What I would love is the sound of my DV with the body style of the F.

 

[sitka_spruce]

The D55 is absolutely my favorite. I own four of them now!!!!!!!!!!! There is just something about the sound, and it just it feels right in my hands.

Obviously not trying to be smart about it, but howcome you ended up with four of them, if you don't mind my asking? Guess I better put it in the right way or somebody might make the assumption there's a reliability issue with the 55

 

[sitka_spruce]

Where sonically do the 55 differ from a sitka topped 50 if any?

 

[GardMan]

Here's a D-50 vs D-55 comparison in reply to a comparison I requested some months ago:

Dave,
This is a little late in coming, but I just now read your post about the difference in a D-50 and a D-55. Maybe I can shed some light on this, for I owned both guitars at the same time.

I did an extensive study on the two, (right after purchasing the D-55), comparing them side to side; picking one up, playing it, putting it down, playing the other, going back and forth.

The '93 D-55 had a warmer, richer sound, felt majestic in my hands. It also had, to my dismay, lower frets than the 50. This meant that more contact was made between my fingers, and the wood. Some people like that, I didn't. The '82 D-50 had higher frets, which helped in my playing, was (rather, is) a little brighter, more "alive" sounding, and had a little less "majestic" sound and feel to it. It lent itself to more inspiration to play, more so than the D-55.

It was almost like the D-55 was too much guitar for me, and that playing the D-50, the one I had since new in '82, was like "coming home".

I talked to a few of my guitar repairmen, asked about refretting the D-55, giving it higher frets. At a cost of about $350 - $400, I decided against it. That was my main issue with the D-55. Other than that, I enjoyed it. But not as much as my D-50. And seeing that I had paid pretty much top dolloar for the instrument ($1800), I decided to unload it for something I would really enjoy. (And that guitar is up there on the left )

I ended up selling the D-55 to one of the guys in the acoustic guitar ensemble I had at the time, and he was more than happy to take it off my hands.

So, the D-55, warmer, louder, richer, more "regal".
The D-50, brighter, still just as loud, a little bit more "jangly", not as "regal" as the D-55.
But each person has their own tastes, it is all up to the individual.
I see a lot of D-55's on Ebay at all different prices. Should be no problem picking one up. Same with the D-50. But stay away from the Corona built models. I have played them, and the sound is just not there. Not even the D-50CE, which is a cutaway acoustic-electric. They sound even worse.
Now, if you want something really good, the new Tacoma-built D-50 is the one. If I lost my '82 D-50, I would waste no time in picking up the new model.

 

[sitka_spruce]

Here's a D-50 vs D-55 comparison in reply to a comparison I requested some months ago:

Cheers, mate. Hope I didn't hi-jack this thread.

 

[GardMan]

No worries about hijacking... just providing the info for those that haven't seen it before (came from a thread on DV-52s).

I picked up a '92 D-55 this winter off eBay. After putting some issues with the finish behind me, I am really enjoying it. Mostly finger pickin' these days... when I strum with a pick, it's almost too loud to accompany my singing (maybe that's a good thing). It's sittin' here right next to my easy chair in the living room... and is probably my most-played instrument right now (followed by my G-37 in DADGAD, D-25 in DADGAD, and '72 D-35 in CGCGCE). The D-55 is really a breeze to play, sounds fantastic (I've got JP 80/20s on it... sounds like a grand piano), AND it's the only one out of its case in standard tuning.

 

[johnny]

How did I end up with four D55s you ask?

I've tried many others, and the Gibson Songwriter is in 2nd place for me. I had some nice Taylors, a Martin, and a few cheaper guitars. The D55 won out. My first didn't have electronics. #2 had electronics(no volume/EQ), then I found one with a barndoor type electronics, so I had to get that one because I wanted control over the EQ and volume. Then I found another Westerly D55 that was in like new condition, so I just had to get it because my westerly has a lot of checking.
Before I knew it, I had 4 of them. I'm not really interested in any other guitar, and I use alternate tunings, so I need at least 3 guitars so I don't have to keep retuning a lot.
I plan on selling one with electronics(#2). All 4 are great, all 4 sound great, play great and look great.

 

[sitka_spruce]

How did I end up with four D55s you ask?

I've tried many others, and the Gibson Songwriter is in 2nd place for me. I had some nice Taylors, a Martin, and a few cheaper guitars. The D55 won out. My first didn't have electronics. #2 had electronics(no volume/EQ), then I found one with a barndoor type electronics, so I had to get that one because I wanted control over the EQ and volume. Then I found another Westerly D55 that was in like new condition, so I just had to get it because my westerly has a lot of checking.
Before I knew it, I had 4 of them. I'm not really interested in any other guitar, and I use alternate tunings, so I need at least 3 guitars so I don't have to keep retuning a lot.
I plan on selling one with electronics(#2). All 4 are great, all 4 sound great, play great and look great.

Well, good going mate! Now I see why, thanx for telling us - it makes all the more sense to me now.