chicagowineguy
Member
Well I made a trip to my favorite candy store today and:
They do indeed have two Conn models on the floor, a D55 and a D40. Loved them. Absolutely loved them! I compared the 55 to a Tacoma side by side, both with fresh strings, and guys...I preferred the Conn! It was louder, it was more precise, it had spot-on intonation up the neck and the neck was just butter! As for the D40--I would take it over the 55--it was just superb. I compared all of them playing the Jayhawks "Blue" which is in E and demands some slides and some barres up to B. The D40 just rocked. I inspected all the guitars closely--fit and finish on the Conn products seem very clean and precise.
I also played a Tacoma F30 I believe and was underwhelmed. Hopefully just a lemon, but for a smaller guitar I much preferred:
An amazing value in the Seagull S6 folk Cedar top. This guitar can be purchased for under 350 at the store and I could not put it down. Very small guitar, tiny waist, almost parlor sized, and man, both fingerpicked and strummed with a medium pic this little guitar just sang. I am VERY tempted to just go ahead and get it, even though I'm still determined to find a good GF25 Guild.
Taylors: Ugh. I played through a lot of the series. I just don't get it. The only one I liked, all the way up to the 800's I believe, was, weirdly, the Big Baby, which I thought was the only Taylor that sounded like a GUITAR, and of course it was cheapest! It growled a bit, and when I hit a nice open cowboy chord it actually responded with some bass!
Lust list: They had a '64 Gibson Dove that just astounded me. This thing was just a rhythm monster. Chords were so complex...not overpowering, just...so there...every detail subtle but very present. I've always been prejudiced against Gibson, probably because I've always perceived them as Guilds main competitors for the "Anything But Martin" contingent, but man, this instrument was just a real joy to play. They were asking $4995...sigh...
and...a tiny Huss & Dalton parlor short-scale...my god. I played Needle and the Damage Done fingerstyle...it was just heavenly. $3500...oh well...
In closing...I really think there is something good happening at the factory in Connecticut, if these two examples can be construed as any indication of the work being done. And if you're on a budget and you can step outside the Guild stable...look at Seagull. North American product, sustainable woods and fantastic sound!
They do indeed have two Conn models on the floor, a D55 and a D40. Loved them. Absolutely loved them! I compared the 55 to a Tacoma side by side, both with fresh strings, and guys...I preferred the Conn! It was louder, it was more precise, it had spot-on intonation up the neck and the neck was just butter! As for the D40--I would take it over the 55--it was just superb. I compared all of them playing the Jayhawks "Blue" which is in E and demands some slides and some barres up to B. The D40 just rocked. I inspected all the guitars closely--fit and finish on the Conn products seem very clean and precise.
I also played a Tacoma F30 I believe and was underwhelmed. Hopefully just a lemon, but for a smaller guitar I much preferred:
An amazing value in the Seagull S6 folk Cedar top. This guitar can be purchased for under 350 at the store and I could not put it down. Very small guitar, tiny waist, almost parlor sized, and man, both fingerpicked and strummed with a medium pic this little guitar just sang. I am VERY tempted to just go ahead and get it, even though I'm still determined to find a good GF25 Guild.
Taylors: Ugh. I played through a lot of the series. I just don't get it. The only one I liked, all the way up to the 800's I believe, was, weirdly, the Big Baby, which I thought was the only Taylor that sounded like a GUITAR, and of course it was cheapest! It growled a bit, and when I hit a nice open cowboy chord it actually responded with some bass!
Lust list: They had a '64 Gibson Dove that just astounded me. This thing was just a rhythm monster. Chords were so complex...not overpowering, just...so there...every detail subtle but very present. I've always been prejudiced against Gibson, probably because I've always perceived them as Guilds main competitors for the "Anything But Martin" contingent, but man, this instrument was just a real joy to play. They were asking $4995...sigh...
and...a tiny Huss & Dalton parlor short-scale...my god. I played Needle and the Damage Done fingerstyle...it was just heavenly. $3500...oh well...
In closing...I really think there is something good happening at the factory in Connecticut, if these two examples can be construed as any indication of the work being done. And if you're on a budget and you can step outside the Guild stable...look at Seagull. North American product, sustainable woods and fantastic sound!
