Westerly vs. Tacoma D55

valleyguy

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A few years ago I bought a 1976 D55, Love its sound but it needs a little work, fret dressing, and, there is very little saddle left. I have avoided taking it to a luthier to get an opinion on it, cause it sounds good and I can play it, the set up is fine.

However, I've always wanted a sunburst. There's a 2008 Tacoma sunburst D55 on the local Craigslist that I plan to go see, thinking I could buy it and sell the older one.

I need opinions on how the 2008 compares in sound to the 1976. FYI I have a 2008 D50, so I know the Tacoma guitars are pretty sweet.
 

gjmalcyon

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So you'll bring your '76 along and A/B them and let us know?

I have two Tacoma guitars and they are great sounding instruments. If I can generalize based on my Westerly vs. Tacoma dreadnought comparisons in my herd, the Tacoma's feel lighter and seem to me more resonant. There are many more variables that just place of manufacture, of course.
 

davismanLV

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If you already have a 2008 Tacoma D50 I'd think you'd know all you need to know about their rosewood dreads from that time period. Unless there's something unique about your D50 from Tacoma (say BG with a Adirondack Spruce top), then I'd say you have all you need for comparison. The D55 is about as similar as you can get. Just less bling, yes??
 
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twocorgis

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If you already have a 2008 Tacoma D50 I'd think you'd know all you need to know about their rosewood dreads from that time period. Unless there's something unique about your D50 from Tacoma (say BG with a Adirondack Spruce top), then I'd say you have all you need for comparison. The D55 is about as similar as you can get. Just less bling, yes??

Tacoma D50s are an Adi top, and I'm pretty sure that other than one-offs, all D55s have been Sitka. Still pretty similar though.
 

adorshki

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Tacoma D50s are an Adi top, and I'm pretty sure that other than one-offs, all D55s have been Sitka. Still pretty similar though.
Yeah, in Tacoma they only made Bluegrass Special D50's, adi tops by definition, but even the Tacoma D55s got adi bracing.
I'd think that'd be the most likely source of difference in voices between Westerly/Tacoma.
 

valleyguy

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Yes, when I bought my Tacoma 2008 D50, I played the D55 side by side. At the time I was really into bluegrass and flatpicking, the D55 had too many overtones and sustain (oh, the horror), so I went with the D50, which is an adirondack top and has bluegrass in its name. The guy at the guitar store couldn't believe my choice

Later, I wanted to round out my sounds with a Martin HD28 type guitar, and I liked the D55 more than the HD28. The D55 is a perfect compliment to the D50. The two guitars sound nothing alike.

I'm more interested to see that the Tacoma D55 sounds like the 1976 D55, which sounds marvelous. Can adi braces on the 2008 make that big a difference in sound? I'd think 45 years of aging might sweeten the 1976 D55.

Here's a link to what the 1976 D55 sounds like:

https://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?201310-Greg-Alman-s-Melissa
 

adorshki

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Can adi braces on the 2008 make that big a difference in sound?
I just think it'd be the biggest source of difference between 'em, not sure if it could be called "big".
The "secret" is that adi's stronger than sitka by weight, so the bracing could be made lighter and still offer the same strength as the old sitka bracing, allowing a tad more top resonance, even with sitka.
I'd think 45 years of aging might sweeten the 1976 D55.
Oh I'm a big believer in aging/opening up, I just think you'd probably like both of 'em about the same, even though there'd be nuances of difference.
Owners of builds from multiple factories have remarked that a certain essential Guild sound is always there but each factory seemed to present it a little differently.
Resonance is the word that keeps coming up for Tacoma and New Hartford.
 

valleyguy

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Oh I'm a big believer in aging/opening up, I just think you'd probably like both of 'em about the same, even though there'd be nuances of difference.
Owners of builds from multiple factories have remarked that a certain essential Guild sound is always there but each factory seemed to present it a little differently.
Resonance is the word that keeps coming up for Tacoma and New Hartford.

Excellent analysis, thanks.

I can attest to Tacoma's D50 sounding unlike any other Guild I have played, and it can't all be the adi top. That said, my D50 is a HEAVY guitar.
 

adorshki

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Excellent analysis, thanks.

I can attest to Tacoma's D50 sounding unlike any other Guild I have played, and it can't all be the adi top. That said, my D50 is a HEAVY guitar.

THAT's interesting, usually we hear it other way 'round, that mid-70's Westerlys were the epitome of the built-like-a-tank era and Tacomas were the lightest a lot of members had owned at the time (and New Hartfords even lighter)
FWIW my Corona's the heaviest of my 3 by a long shot so I suspect it's built according to the older mid-'70's philosophy, too.
It took a lot longer than the D25 to open up turned out to have been well worth the wait.
"Midrange punch" is the word for it for sure but the trebles are pretty "bell like" althought I wouldn't say "chime-y".
Just AA sitka top and sitka bracing.
Some folks have mentioned that it didn't seem to matter how heavily built the guitars were because they were always able to extract great tone from 'em.
Since the top's the single most important element in a guitar's voice I have to conclude that no matter how thick or thin they were, they always knew how to tailor the bracing to achieve the desired sound.
It's the "secret sauce" of guitar making.
 

chazmo

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Good luck in the hunt, valleyguy. I'm reading between the lines here, but my gut tells me you should get the Tacoma D-55.
 

valleyguy

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Well it's been two days and I haven't heard from the seller on Craigslist. I suspect he has sold the guitar and hasn't bothered to respond. Oh well, the search continues.

Yes, chazmo, the GAS is calling me to get the Tacoma.
 

redta

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Looks like that D55 Burst is back up for sale on CL in Echo Park,Ca. I saw that one also and was wondering why you did not buy it. It's just too far for me (Florida). I have seen guys get burnt from CL when you can't play the guitar first from a private owner. Like to hear your opinion if you ever see it.
 
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Taylor Martin Guild

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I own a 2006 Tacoma built D-55.
I have played a few Westerly D-55 Guilds and to me the difference is that my Tacoma build has a bit more sustain and bottom end.
Mat I say that the Westerly D-55 has more of a Gibson tone and the Tacoma D-55 gas a bit more of a Martin tone.
At least to me.
I love the sound of all of them but to me the Tacoma is a bit more open sounding and less boxy, thumpy.
 
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