HoboKen
Member
Edited & Revised....Older Guild Acoustic Guitars In a Nutshell
(Let's Try It This Way.....From Old Guild Catalogs and HoboKen & Friends' Guild Collections)
“Rule of Tonewoods” – (Back and Sides):
Mahogany - Loud, Mellow, With a Great Mid-Range Response.
Maple- Bright, Brilliant, With a Jazzy Treble Response.
Rosewood- Loud, Deep, Smooth, With a Great Bass and Treble Response.
Spruce Tops- Graded from “A” to “AAA+.” The straighter & tighter the Grain, The Higher and Better the Rating!
Note: “All” are quality solid woods' USA made instruments……….Please remember, for every generality mentioned here, Guild probably had at one time or another, at least one exception in some way or another…..only Alfred Dronge, Willie Fritscher, and…..Hans…. know for sure?
"Guildese" -
D = Dreadnought
G = Another Prefix for "D" ?
F = Regular, More Traditional Guitar Body
JF = Jumbo F-Body
XL = Extra Large F-Body
HG = High Gloss
NT = Natural Top
V = Vintage Gloss Finish
SB = Sun Burst Finish
AB = Antique Finish
R = Rosewood
P = Pearwood
M = Mahogany Body and Top or Mahogany stained spruce top
MA = Maple
S = Spruce Top and/or Satin Finish
LS = Long Scale
C = Cut-Away
Level I:
Mahogany or “A” Level Quality Spruce Top, Basic Quality Mahogany Sides, & Back Woods with Rosewood Bridge and Fret-Board w/Dot Inlays or No Inlays. Wood-Grained or Black Headstock w/”Guild” Chevron-Like Name Only or with the Chesterfield Logo at the Top.
Some Examples –
M-20 (Mahogany)
D-4 / DV-4 (Mahogany)
D-25 / DV-25 (Mahogany)
F-30 (Maple)
Mark 1M - Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Level II:
“AA” Quality Spruce Guitar Top with Mid-Level Sides and Back Quality Woods.
Rosewood Bridge and Fret-Board w/dot inlays or no inlays. Black or Wood-grained Narrow Headstock with only the name “Guild” or w/ Basic Chesterfield Logo Under the Name.
Some Examples –
F-20 (Maple and Mahogany)
D-30 / F-30 / F-30R / JF-30 (Maple) (Rosewood)(Mahogany?) (Taj Mahal, Mississippi John Hurt, & Richie Havens?)
D-40 / F-40 (Mahogany) (Richie Havens?)
F2-12 / F2-12XL (Mahogany) (John Denver & Judy Collins?)
D-50 ( Rosewood)
DV-52 / DV-62 (Rosewood) (w/Abalone Sound-Hole Rosette, Ebony Fret-Board & Bridge & Gold Grover Tuners) A Best Mid-Level Buy!
Mark 2 - Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Level III:
“AAA” Quality Spruce Top with Upper-Level Quality Sides and Back Woods with Ebony Bridge and Bound Fret-Board w/Arrowhead in Soap-Bar Inlays; Abalone Sound-Hole Rosette; Bound Black Wide Headstock w/”G-Shield Logo” & Gold Grover Tuners.
Some Examples –
F-50 (Maple and Rosewood) (Dave Van Ronk?)
D-55 / JF-55 (Rosewood) (Tom Smothers, Deana Carter, & Waylon Jennings John Denver?)
D-60 / JF-65 (Maple)
Mark 3 Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Mark 4 Nylon String Classical (Rosewood or Pearwood)
Mark 5 Nylon String Classical (Maple)
Mark 6 Nylon String Classical (Rosewood)
Level IV - Limited Editions - (Only About 200 made):
“AAA Feathered” (AAAA?) Quality Spruce Top with Top-Premium Quality Sides and Back Woods with Top Quality Ebony Bridge and Bound Fret-Board w/Special stone (Turquoise, Red Coral, etc.) Arrowhead in Soap-Bar, Arrowheads on Bridge, & Sound-Hole Rosette Inlays. Herringbone Top Edging. Black Wide with Multi-Layered Beveled Headstock Woods forming the Edging with Special Stone Inlay G-Shield Logo.”
Some Examples –
DV-72 / DV-73 (Rosewood)
Mark 7 Nylon String Classical (Made to Order) (Charlie Byrd?)
Level IV – Custom Shop - Nashville:
Top of the Line Almost Everything like the Limited Edition Series without the Special Stone Inlays. However, it has the Special “Cloud” Fret-Board Inlays and Abalone Top Edging and Sound-Hole Rosette.
Some Examples –
D-100 / JF-100 (Rosewood) (Hand-Carved Neck & Maple Bindings) (George Strait?)
F-40 Valencia (Maple) (Narrow “G” or “G-Shield” Headstock)
D-Deco (Narrow Chesterfield Headstock) (Johnny Cash?)
D-Finesse (Same as Deco, but with Under-Stated Wood-Grained Headstock, Dot Fret-Board w/Herringbone Top Edging and Sound-Hole Rosette.) (Paul Rodgers?)
F-30R-LS – Under-Stated Version Like the Finesse.
HoboKen's Dream Acoustic Guild Guitar Collection -
(only seven more guitars to go!)
D-100
DV-72
F-40 Valencia
D-55
D-60
JF-55-12
JF-65-12
DV-52
D-40
F-30 Aragone
JF-30
F2-12
Mark IV-R Classical
(Let's Try It This Way.....From Old Guild Catalogs and HoboKen & Friends' Guild Collections)
“Rule of Tonewoods” – (Back and Sides):
Mahogany - Loud, Mellow, With a Great Mid-Range Response.
Maple- Bright, Brilliant, With a Jazzy Treble Response.
Rosewood- Loud, Deep, Smooth, With a Great Bass and Treble Response.
Spruce Tops- Graded from “A” to “AAA+.” The straighter & tighter the Grain, The Higher and Better the Rating!
Note: “All” are quality solid woods' USA made instruments……….Please remember, for every generality mentioned here, Guild probably had at one time or another, at least one exception in some way or another…..only Alfred Dronge, Willie Fritscher, and…..Hans…. know for sure?
"Guildese" -
D = Dreadnought
G = Another Prefix for "D" ?
F = Regular, More Traditional Guitar Body
JF = Jumbo F-Body
XL = Extra Large F-Body
HG = High Gloss
NT = Natural Top
V = Vintage Gloss Finish
SB = Sun Burst Finish
AB = Antique Finish
R = Rosewood
P = Pearwood
M = Mahogany Body and Top or Mahogany stained spruce top
MA = Maple
S = Spruce Top and/or Satin Finish
LS = Long Scale
C = Cut-Away
Level I:
Mahogany or “A” Level Quality Spruce Top, Basic Quality Mahogany Sides, & Back Woods with Rosewood Bridge and Fret-Board w/Dot Inlays or No Inlays. Wood-Grained or Black Headstock w/”Guild” Chevron-Like Name Only or with the Chesterfield Logo at the Top.
Some Examples –
M-20 (Mahogany)
D-4 / DV-4 (Mahogany)
D-25 / DV-25 (Mahogany)
F-30 (Maple)
Mark 1M - Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Level II:
“AA” Quality Spruce Guitar Top with Mid-Level Sides and Back Quality Woods.
Rosewood Bridge and Fret-Board w/dot inlays or no inlays. Black or Wood-grained Narrow Headstock with only the name “Guild” or w/ Basic Chesterfield Logo Under the Name.
Some Examples –
F-20 (Maple and Mahogany)
D-30 / F-30 / F-30R / JF-30 (Maple) (Rosewood)(Mahogany?) (Taj Mahal, Mississippi John Hurt, & Richie Havens?)
D-40 / F-40 (Mahogany) (Richie Havens?)
F2-12 / F2-12XL (Mahogany) (John Denver & Judy Collins?)
D-50 ( Rosewood)
DV-52 / DV-62 (Rosewood) (w/Abalone Sound-Hole Rosette, Ebony Fret-Board & Bridge & Gold Grover Tuners) A Best Mid-Level Buy!
Mark 2 - Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Level III:
“AAA” Quality Spruce Top with Upper-Level Quality Sides and Back Woods with Ebony Bridge and Bound Fret-Board w/Arrowhead in Soap-Bar Inlays; Abalone Sound-Hole Rosette; Bound Black Wide Headstock w/”G-Shield Logo” & Gold Grover Tuners.
Some Examples –
F-50 (Maple and Rosewood) (Dave Van Ronk?)
D-55 / JF-55 (Rosewood) (Tom Smothers, Deana Carter, & Waylon Jennings John Denver?)
D-60 / JF-65 (Maple)
Mark 3 Nylon String Classical (Mahogany)
Mark 4 Nylon String Classical (Rosewood or Pearwood)
Mark 5 Nylon String Classical (Maple)
Mark 6 Nylon String Classical (Rosewood)
Level IV - Limited Editions - (Only About 200 made):
“AAA Feathered” (AAAA?) Quality Spruce Top with Top-Premium Quality Sides and Back Woods with Top Quality Ebony Bridge and Bound Fret-Board w/Special stone (Turquoise, Red Coral, etc.) Arrowhead in Soap-Bar, Arrowheads on Bridge, & Sound-Hole Rosette Inlays. Herringbone Top Edging. Black Wide with Multi-Layered Beveled Headstock Woods forming the Edging with Special Stone Inlay G-Shield Logo.”
Some Examples –
DV-72 / DV-73 (Rosewood)
Mark 7 Nylon String Classical (Made to Order) (Charlie Byrd?)
Level IV – Custom Shop - Nashville:
Top of the Line Almost Everything like the Limited Edition Series without the Special Stone Inlays. However, it has the Special “Cloud” Fret-Board Inlays and Abalone Top Edging and Sound-Hole Rosette.
Some Examples –
D-100 / JF-100 (Rosewood) (Hand-Carved Neck & Maple Bindings) (George Strait?)
F-40 Valencia (Maple) (Narrow “G” or “G-Shield” Headstock)
D-Deco (Narrow Chesterfield Headstock) (Johnny Cash?)
D-Finesse (Same as Deco, but with Under-Stated Wood-Grained Headstock, Dot Fret-Board w/Herringbone Top Edging and Sound-Hole Rosette.) (Paul Rodgers?)
F-30R-LS – Under-Stated Version Like the Finesse.
HoboKen's Dream Acoustic Guild Guitar Collection -
(only seven more guitars to go!)
D-100
DV-72
F-40 Valencia
D-55
D-60
JF-55-12
JF-65-12
DV-52
D-40
F-30 Aragone
JF-30
F2-12
Mark IV-R Classical