Why Do You Like Your D-25?
- Thread starter Siwash
- Start date
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Si,
Well, I don't know where to start. First with me is that it is such an underdog, in my very humble opinion, maybe the most underrated of all time. An entry level Guild if you will, but with tone and projection that it really unmatched in it's price range.
From a projection standpoint, I've not found a guitar in ANY price range that really beats it, and I mean that. I think the arched back is the ticket on that one.
The mahogany back and sides are superb for mid range, and the suckers are built like a tank. Not to mention, I think they are no frills beautiful. Other than that, I don't care for them! :wink: There is room for improvement though. I think a bone nut and saddle would probably really set mine off to new heights, I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. I keep threatening to get a saddle and pins from Don, but keep getting preoccupied.
Would you like me to go on?
West
Well, I don't know where to start. First with me is that it is such an underdog, in my very humble opinion, maybe the most underrated of all time. An entry level Guild if you will, but with tone and projection that it really unmatched in it's price range.
From a projection standpoint, I've not found a guitar in ANY price range that really beats it, and I mean that. I think the arched back is the ticket on that one.
The mahogany back and sides are superb for mid range, and the suckers are built like a tank. Not to mention, I think they are no frills beautiful. Other than that, I don't care for them! :wink: There is room for improvement though. I think a bone nut and saddle would probably really set mine off to new heights, I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. I keep threatening to get a saddle and pins from Don, but keep getting preoccupied.
Would you like me to go on?
West
GardMan
Enlightened Member
I'll second West... the projection is second to none. The sustain is also incredible... my '74 rings like a 12 string. Hard to view it as an "entry level" instrument. My only complaint is the neck is a bit stockier and not as "fast" as those on my other Guild dreads.
marcellis
Senior Member
Loved my 72 Guild D-25 enough to carry it 12,000 miles
across the Pacific and get it restored.
I bought it new in 1973. Serial No. 72417.
It's 35 years old this year and it's brand new again.
Restoration Before & After pics at http://acapella.harmony-central.com/for ... ?t=1464706
Tight sound - all mid-range. Not the loudest guitar. But it's got a tight,
woody sound unlike any I've played. It's also under-rated as a lead
acoustic instrument. It's not my best recording guitar. I have a Maple
dread that seems to never miss. But the Guild D-25 was my all-time
best performing guitar, with a pick-up or without - and when it worked
on a recording - it really kicked *ss.
across the Pacific and get it restored.
I bought it new in 1973. Serial No. 72417.
It's 35 years old this year and it's brand new again.
Restoration Before & After pics at http://acapella.harmony-central.com/for ... ?t=1464706
Tight sound - all mid-range. Not the loudest guitar. But it's got a tight,
woody sound unlike any I've played. It's also under-rated as a lead
acoustic instrument. It's not my best recording guitar. I have a Maple
dread that seems to never miss. But the Guild D-25 was my all-time
best performing guitar, with a pick-up or without - and when it worked
on a recording - it really kicked *ss.
sitka_spruce
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If that D25 rings like a twelve-string, can you imagine what my D212 sounds like... Obviously it's of a slightly other construct. but in all it's quite the same. I concur with previous replies (espec with the arched back) and I'm still surprised how little effort is required to drive it.
The trebles of those twin X-light high E's are more vivid and present than with any other twelver I've played or owned. I was so amazed by it I was looking into buying the D25 too and did have a '70s one in sight... the opportunity never presented it-self and then it was gone (and around here they're rare birds).
The trebles of those twin X-light high E's are more vivid and present than with any other twelver I've played or owned. I was so amazed by it I was looking into buying the D25 too and did have a '70s one in sight... the opportunity never presented it-self and then it was gone (and around here they're rare birds).
1. Sweet tone, booms out deep & rich
2. It has accompanied me for over 31 years to hundreds of campfires, weddings, funerals, gigs, open mikes and jam sessons, to name a few.
3. It darn near plays John Prine songs all by itself now.
2. It has accompanied me for over 31 years to hundreds of campfires, weddings, funerals, gigs, open mikes and jam sessons, to name a few.
3. It darn near plays John Prine songs all by itself now.
guildzilla
Senior Member
All of the above and a couple more observations....
The D-25 has such a nice narrow fingerboard at the nut. It fits small hands well. The neck does start to fat up around the 7th fret, but for first position chords it feels slim and quick to me (thanks partly to the narrow fingerboard).
Also, the D-25M is such a period piece from the 70's - the unique, dark- stained spruce top and very dark stained mahogany body and neck. With those colors, it reeks with nostalgia for me.
Finally, I think it is the quintessential Westerly guitar. Part of the motivation to move from Hoboken to a larger facility was to be able to build big batches of less expensive guitars. Guild really found a groove cranking out D-25's. And in terms of maintaining quality and turning out a great, inexpensive product, I think the D-25 is a classic success story.
It's too bad it wasn't a bigger marketing success for Guild because in retrospect, it was such a good formula.
But plywood imports and Ovations were a little cheaper. If you paid around $200 for one of those back in 1977 (I did), you could have done so much better by spending $100 more for a D-25, solid woods and American made.
Look how well so many of these D-25's have held up and increased in value. I really admire that.
The D-25 has such a nice narrow fingerboard at the nut. It fits small hands well. The neck does start to fat up around the 7th fret, but for first position chords it feels slim and quick to me (thanks partly to the narrow fingerboard).
Also, the D-25M is such a period piece from the 70's - the unique, dark- stained spruce top and very dark stained mahogany body and neck. With those colors, it reeks with nostalgia for me.
Finally, I think it is the quintessential Westerly guitar. Part of the motivation to move from Hoboken to a larger facility was to be able to build big batches of less expensive guitars. Guild really found a groove cranking out D-25's. And in terms of maintaining quality and turning out a great, inexpensive product, I think the D-25 is a classic success story.
It's too bad it wasn't a bigger marketing success for Guild because in retrospect, it was such a good formula.
But plywood imports and Ovations were a little cheaper. If you paid around $200 for one of those back in 1977 (I did), you could have done so much better by spending $100 more for a D-25, solid woods and American made.
Look how well so many of these D-25's have held up and increased in value. I really admire that.
yeah, what 'Zilla said.
I was also impressed with the rich grain and colors of the mahogany as compared to the Martin D-18 and the Gibson. The when I played it, I said to myself "what's not to like about this? It's clearly the finer instrument and only costs half of the others." $300, with HSC.
There's still not a scratch on the arched mahogany back of that guitar after all these years. (I wish I could say the same for the spruce top, but the little battle scars all have good stories behind them )
I was also impressed with the rich grain and colors of the mahogany as compared to the Martin D-18 and the Gibson. The when I played it, I said to myself "what's not to like about this? It's clearly the finer instrument and only costs half of the others." $300, with HSC.
There's still not a scratch on the arched mahogany back of that guitar after all these years. (I wish I could say the same for the spruce top, but the little battle scars all have good stories behind them
)West R Lee
Venerated Member
Send yours down here Dred, I'd like to hear some of that Prine. About all I know is "I Woke Up Early This Morning" or whatever it's called, and "Paradise", although I'm familiar with several. A guitar that would play them by itself would be a real asset to me ! Kind of a "player guitar", if I may be so bold.
West
! Kind of a "player guitar", if I may be so bold. West
OK Westie, just send me that DV-73 in return and we'll call it even. No, really! Your fingers will just naturally gravitate to the Prine songs on my D-25, it knows almost all of 'em, I promise!
Next thing you know, you'll be playing "My Mexican Home", and "Donald and Lydia".
Next thing you know, you'll be playing "My Mexican Home", and "Donald and Lydia".
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Well bring that sucker on down here....along about October. :wink:
West
West