The Boss and his D-40

[jciampa]

Thought some of you might enjoy this photo of Springsteen with what looks like a 70's-era D-40 with a great cherry-sunburst finish.

I've always been a fan of this shot. It came from a New York Times Magazine cover story in 1996 entitled "Steinbeck in Leather," which chronicles Springsteen's shifting approach during his "Tom Joad" era.

To my knowledge, this is the only Guild he owns. I believe it also makes an appearance in the Seeger Sessions studio DVD taken inside Springsteen's home studio and played by the bands rhythm guitarist.

 

[jciampa]

My apologies for not having the image load directly onto the page (can anyone tell me how?).

Until then, you'll have to cut and paste the web address in a separate browser window to view the photo.

 

[Graham]

Great pic John, thanks.

 

[jciampa]

Thanks for loading it, Graham. BTW, what's the secret?

 

[dklsplace]

The trick is that you need to right click the image from that page, pull up the image properties, then copy & paste here. [img:640:537]http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5577/springsteenguildd40mr7.jpg[/img]
















Or you could simply add the page as a link.
http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... d40mr7.jpg

Graham, looks like you took the long road to get that one.

 

[jciampa]

[img:1280:1074]http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9347/springsteenguildd40wv2.jpg[/img]

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9347 ... d40wv2.jpg

I think I got it!

Thanks guys,

John

 

[GardMan]

Thanks for sharing that... that's one pretty sunburst! Hard to tell what it is... D-40 is a good guess, but could also be a G-37SB (I have seen one of these on eBay), or a D-44SB, like this one (sure looks like the Boss's):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

or....? Just about anything with a spruce top, chesterfield, and a SB finish available.

 

[jciampa]

Thanks for sharing that... that's one pretty sunburst! Hard to tell what it is... D-40 is a good guess, but could also be a G-37SB (I have seen one of these on eBay), or a D-44SB, like this one (sure looks like the Boss's):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

or....? Just about anything with a spruce top, chesterfield, and a SB finish available.

Good points, Dave.

Looking again at the photo (enlarged), it seems like there's dark wood inside the soundhole. Tough to say for sure, though.

 

[hansmoust]

Hard to tell what it is... D-40 is a good guess, but could also be a G-37SB (I have seen one of these on eBay), or a D-44SB, like this one (sure looks like the Boss's)

or....? Just about anything with a spruce top, chesterfield, and a SB finish available.

Hello Gardman,

Most likely a D-40SB. A G-37SB has no back braces; this guitar does.
A D-44SB would have an ebony fingerboard; this one is rosewood.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[GardMan]

You've got good eyes, Hans! Of course, you're right. I didn't even notice the brace visible in the soundhole (I looked at the embedded image, and never opened the link to the larger pic)... and overlooked the rosewood fretboard (vs ebony on the D-44).
Dave

 

[Graham]

You've got good eyes, Hans! Of course, you're right. I didn't even notice the brace visible in the soundhole (I looked at the embedded image, and never opened the link to the larger pic)... and overlooked the rosewood fretboard (vs ebony on the D-44).
Dave

Yeah, I missed that stuff too. :shock:

 

[sitka_spruce]

More of a tool compared to those Takamines he's known to use... :roll:

 

[FNG]

I saw Springsteen on his solo acoustic Devils and Dust tour. Man, what a great show. An outstanding performer. All Taks, and it seemed he swapped out guitars on each song, so I'm guessing his tech could tune it back up or whatever. Great road guitars those Takamines. Thinking he saves his good guitars for home.

 

[Guildelicious]

I am beginning to think that every great american singer songwriter has at least one Guild tucked away somewhere...I am not surprised, Guilds are stylish, have a unique tone and are built to last!!!

 

[sitka_spruce]

I am beginning to think that every great american singer songwriter has at least one Guild tucked away somewhere...I am not surprised, Guilds are stylish, have a unique tone and are built to last!!!

I agree. Guild started out as a working man's kind of instrument (learned that from a Fender rep, so I suppose he's right) but I have yet to find a more elegantly sounding and playing - and in some aspects looking - instrument.

 

[sitka_spruce]

You've got good eyes, Hans! Of course, you're right. I didn't even notice the brace visible in the soundhole (I looked at the embedded image, and never opened the link to the larger pic)... and overlooked the rosewood fretboard (vs ebony on the D-44).
Dave

Yes it has a back brace and midstrip and judging from the shade of the spruce strip it's difficult to say wether or not the wood for the back is dark (rosewood) or not (mahogany). Lightly coloured binding and toned down rosette...

 

[jciampa]

You've got good eyes, Hans! Of course, you're right. I didn't even notice the brace visible in the soundhole (I looked at the embedded image, and never opened the link to the larger pic)... and overlooked the rosewood fretboard (vs ebony on the D-44).
Dave

Yes it has a back brace and midstrip and judging from the shade of the spruce strip it's difficult to say wether or not the wood for the back is dark (rosewood) or not (mahogany). Lightly coloured binding and toned down rosette...

Yes, I guess it could be a D-50. Come to think of it, I haven't seen many D-50s from the 60s and 70s with sunburst finishes; I've seen many from the 80s onward, though.

I wonder if Hans or anyone else could chime in here. Are D-50's with a sunburst finish from this particular period rare? Does anyone on the forum have one?

 

[jciampa]

Ah, a D-50 wouldn't have a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Caught myself there!

Still, D-50SB's seem rather rare.

 

[sitka_spruce]

Ah, a D-50 wouldn't have a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Caught myself there!

Still, D-50SB's seem rather rare.

Then let's assume it's a D-25 or D-40 type flatback. I'm not familiar with those DV and DC Guilds, but maybe it could be one of those.

Edit: Hang on - it has white bindings, right. Wouldn't that indicate either D-40 or RW or maple body? Most mahogany bodied guitars have tortoise bindings.