guys a few weeks ago i played about 50 acoustics looking for the one. anyway i ended up picking up a nice rosewood/spruce guitar from another maker. I love the guitar but im missing the mahogony sound. While i was playing i was extremely impressed with a dv4 i tried. I dont have the money for a new one but will be in the market soon for a used mahogony model. My question is what models are considered the best sounding mahogony guilds? Im confused because on ebay some models get passed over, some of the same models get bid on, and some i dont know about. Like the "true american" models seem to hang around and some D30s get bid on, others dont. Whats a good one to buy?
Which Mahogony Guild
- Thread starter gusto
- Start date
There's a lot of D25 love around here, gusto. Inexpensive, well-made... Different years have different specs though, from all mahogany to laminated, arched mahogany back and spruce top...
Are you sold on dreads, or do you like other shapes as well?
Are you sold on dreads, or do you like other shapes as well?
all ive ever played was dreads so i dont know anything else. i guess cosmetically a dread with a florentine cutaway looks good to me but hear they dont have as much volume. I just want opinions on a mahogony/spruce solid wood guild that sounds good.
You can hardly go wrong with an arch-back D-25 
killdeer43
Reverential Member
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I have 5 Guilds with mahogany backs and sides and a D15 which is 'total' mahogany. There seems to be something bright about the mahogany sound with the spruce top, whereas the D15, with the newly-installed Bridge Doctor emits a sound that I can only describe as, perhaps, 'smoky' (and I'm not even a smoker). It's different, to say the least. Like a subtle growl or a deep purr? (I'm pretty sure I installed the Doctor correctly!) It's also an intriguing sound.
dayuhan
Member
Did Guild ever make a full-sized mahogany Jumbo, as in same body size/shape as the F50 and F50R?
dayuhan said:
Here's an F48, it's been hanging on Craiglist for a couple weeks, probably priced too high. I can't tell from the pics if it's mahogany.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/838826587.html
On the 12-string front, I think the F212XL was mahogany.
6L6
Senior Member
Tacoma-built D-40 Bluegrass Jubilee.
wa3jpg
Junior Member
Hey Gusto -
I had the same experience when I was running around playing a lot of guitars - I discovered a DV-4 that just seemed to sound "better" to me than the more expensive ones (that I really wanted to want....) I ended up with one, got it at a very good price due to some special circumstances. It is a very fine guitar. Hunt around, you may find one in your price range.
Clark
I had the same experience when I was running around playing a lot of guitars - I discovered a DV-4 that just seemed to sound "better" to me than the more expensive ones (that I really wanted to want....) I ended up with one, got it at a very good price due to some special circumstances. It is a very fine guitar. Hunt around, you may find one in your price range.
Clark
dayuhan
Member
I knew about the F212XL, but didn't know there was a 6-string equivalent, this is the first I've heard of the F48. I was just looking at some F50 pics, and feeling a little lust, and thought it would be kinda cool to have an F50R, an F50, and something as close as possible in mahogany. Fairly irrational whim, I know, but these things happen.
That particular F48 doesn't look bad and the price isn't outrageous (though I don't know what would be a "normal" price)... but buying a guitar based on 4 pics is a leap of faith, and I'm buying too much other stuff right now!
Still, there may come a day...
That particular F48 doesn't look bad and the price isn't outrageous (though I don't know what would be a "normal" price)... but buying a guitar based on 4 pics is a leap of faith, and I'm buying too much other stuff right now!
Still, there may come a day...
marcellis
Senior Member
My 1st pick: D-25 solid hog - not arched.
2nd pick - D-25 arched.
Hog/Spruce combinations disappoint me. My D-40 is
the least-impressive sounding Guild I've ever owned.
GAD D-25's are solid hog again. I've heard good things about them.
The Martin 15 series are making great solid hogs too,
reasonably priced.
My 1972 - after & before restoration.
It ain't for sale. It won't ever be for sale.
2nd pick - D-25 arched.
Hog/Spruce combinations disappoint me. My D-40 is
the least-impressive sounding Guild I've ever owned.
GAD D-25's are solid hog again. I've heard good things about them.
The Martin 15 series are making great solid hogs too,
reasonably priced.
My 1972 - after & before restoration.
It ain't for sale. It won't ever be for sale.
chicagowineguy
Member
My DV4 is a little brighter, I think, than the D25 I recently acquired. The D25 is a hell of a lot louder, too...maybe that's the arched back effect...I find that I prefer the DV4 for fingerpicking...it has a real sweet tone on the softer stuff...the D25 seems to like being strummed hard with a medium or firm pic....fascinating how different construction methods alter the tonal qualities of the same woods....
marcellis
Senior Member
Hump-backed D-25's are louder than the solid hogs. And they are a lot heavier.
I've always preferred the earlier D-25's with the Mahogany top for tone.
They can't match the hump-backs in volume though.
I think the GAD's have gone back to the lightweight solid Hog paradigm.
But they're competing with Martin 15 series solid Hog guitars.
You can't miss with either D-25.
I think you can miss with a D-40. My 1976 is anemic compared to any D-25 I've played.
I think a Spruce top detracts from the enhanced mid-Range warmth of Mahogany.
Spruce adds brightness. It spruces it up. And in that brightening, some of the warmth of
the Mahogany tone is lost.
I'll never buy a Mahogany/Spruce guitar again. Of course, that's because I already have one.
And I have a solid Hog archtop. And my son will loan me the old D-25 anytime I ask.
I've always preferred the earlier D-25's with the Mahogany top for tone.
They can't match the hump-backs in volume though.
I think the GAD's have gone back to the lightweight solid Hog paradigm.
But they're competing with Martin 15 series solid Hog guitars.
You can't miss with either D-25.
I think you can miss with a D-40. My 1976 is anemic compared to any D-25 I've played.
I think a Spruce top detracts from the enhanced mid-Range warmth of Mahogany.
Spruce adds brightness. It spruces it up. And in that brightening, some of the warmth of
the Mahogany tone is lost.
I'll never buy a Mahogany/Spruce guitar again. Of course, that's because I already have one.
And I have a solid Hog archtop. And my son will loan me the old D-25 anytime I ask.
Very interesting comments Marcellis. My 67 D40 is very anemic next to my D55. But a Martin D18 with a spruce top sounds pretty darn nice. One of my favorite sounding guitars.
The Guild GAD 25 with the mahagony top sounds pretty good. I played one not too long ago and was well worth whatever price they were asking for it. Still, that new D40 with the red spruce top is hard to beat. It is one very nice guitar.
The Guild GAD 25 with the mahagony top sounds pretty good. I played one not too long ago and was well worth whatever price they were asking for it. Still, that new D40 with the red spruce top is hard to beat. It is one very nice guitar.
marcellis
Senior Member
I've heard raves about the new D-40. The Red Spruce tops
probably made them better-sounding guitars. My 1976 D-40 sounds
anemic compared to my F-65ce or my old D-25.
I think one loses the special Hog warmth with the addition of Spruce.
Maybe that's just how I hear it. I've never liked the sound of any
Martin D-18 I've played or heard. But I love sound of the Martin 15 series,
which are solid Hogs.
probably made them better-sounding guitars. My 1976 D-40 sounds
anemic compared to my F-65ce or my old D-25.
I think one loses the special Hog warmth with the addition of Spruce.
Maybe that's just how I hear it. I've never liked the sound of any
Martin D-18 I've played or heard. But I love sound of the Martin 15 series,
which are solid Hogs.
6L6
Senior Member
Gotta say, my '74 D-40 is every bit the great guitar that my '06 D-40BJ is.
6
fungusyoung
Senior Member
killdeer43 said:
I have 3 all mahogany guitars- D15, D17 and a Martin 000-15. Love them all. What a great sounding tone wood. Killdeer did a great job describing what I really like about it... such an intriguing sound, but also very different compared to mahogany sides/backed guitars with spruce tops.
The guitar that stopped my yearning for a great D25 or D40 in it's tracks is my Westerly era DV6. It's totally different from the new DV6 models from Tacoma. And what a tone monster, very powerful and robust. They pop up used from time to time, and are still incredible values. Mine plays like a dream.
Played a new Tacoma DV4 last night in a cool little shop in Brookfield, CT. They had a bunch of new Guilds in there, which was great to see... think it was Rt. 7 Music. The DV4 was great- lightweight, no frills & excellent tone & playability. I didn't even pick up the D40 because I was afraid I might fall in love again. If you want a new dread and have a budget of less than $1000, find an appealing sounding DV4. I don't think you can go wrong there.