Martin D45 versus Guild D55

D41Fan · #1 03-10-2021, 01:13 PM

Honest question, what would make me spend the money on a D45 standard specs when I can get the same with a Guild D55.. Is the Guild that much of a better value? The bling is there on both. Obviously a little more on the 45.
Ignore nut size or string spacing etc. Is the Martin built any better? Guilds binding is not coming off that I heard of yet.

Thanks,
Dan

egordon99 · #2 03-10-2021, 01:14 PM

I think people buy a Martin D-45 because they WANT a D-45. And there is nothing wrong with that.

jp2558 · #3 03-10-2021, 01:43 PM

The Martin is what the Guild wants to be when it grows up.

egordon99 · #4 03-10-2021, 01:46 PM

Well 55 is 10 more than 45 so.....

D41Fan · #5 03-10-2021, 02:14 PM

Spec and build wise, are they not pretty much the same? Bracing patterns, braces and so on?

Kyle215 · #6 03-10-2021, 02:37 PM

I don’t have much experience with Guild, but I understand them to be very well made guitars with a different voice than you might expect from a Martin... not in a bad or inferior way, just different.

egordon99 · #7 03-10-2021, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D41Fan

Spec and build wise, are they not pretty much the same? Bracing patterns, braces and so on?

Well they are both spruce/EIR dreads with x-bracing but one is a Martin and the other is a Guild.

Br1ck · #8 03-10-2021, 02:57 PM

No comparison on the bling front. The Martin kills the bling bit. As a guitar, the D 55 would be my choice based on evenness of tone. They really are superb. But they won't do Martin like a Martin if that is what you want. I personally would look for a great sixties D 28. Hard to find a really good one though.

D41Fan · #9 03-10-2021, 03:01 PM

The thing I like about the D55 is the eveness of tone.. Nothing overpowering in the way of highs or lows. All the notes just seem to blend together even with the forward shifted bracing.

hamburg325 · #10 03-10-2021, 04:00 PM

I once owned a D55 and now own a D-45.

They may seem similar on paper.

But they're worlds apart.

Brucebubs · #11 03-10-2021, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamburg325

I once owned a D55 and now own a D-45.

They may seem similar on paper.

But they're worlds apart.

Similar on paper ... until you get to price.

Sweetwater,

Guild D-55 - $3599.00 - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...d-d-55-natural
Martin D-45 - $9499.00 - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...n-d-45-natural

That's a $5900.00 difference ... you could buy 2 Guild D-55's and still have $2301.00 change.

llew · #12 03-10-2021, 04:18 PM

I would have already owned the D-55 had it not been for the 1 11/16" nut and associated string spacing. Other than that it's a fine guitar. So is the D-45 but it is pricey!

SuperB23 · #13 03-10-2021, 04:23 PM

Man I haven't played a Guild D-55 in a long time!! I've played quite a few D-45 and D-42 model Martins. It would be fun to sit side by side with those two.

The last higher end Guild I played was a D-40 Bluegrass model from about 2009 and it was a fine instrument but I struggled a bit with the string spacing at the nut. I remember it sounding very nice and hanging well with a D-18GE I played.

Years ago I played a D-100 Guild at a shop and it was memorable it was light weight like a Santa Cruz Tony Rice, really sounded amazing and had a very cool neck carving on the neck heel. I went back a few weeks later to buy it and someone beat me to it. I really regret not getting that one.

aeisen93 · #14 03-10-2021, 04:40 PM

I recently played a D45 for the first time and I wasn't impressed. It was a used guitar that was for sale for $7000. I thought the D18 sounded better. I've never played a Guild D55 but I'd like to.

Steve DeRosa · #15 03-10-2021, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D41Fan

The thing I like about the D55 is the evenness of tone...Nothing overpowering in the way of highs or lows. All the notes just seem to blend together even with the forward shifted bracing.

Um, isn't that what most of us say we want in a guitar...?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Sweetwater:

Guild D-55 - $3599.00 - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...d-d-55-natural
Martin D-45 - $9499.00 - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...n-d-45-natural

That's a $5900.00 difference...you could buy 2 Guild D-55's and still have $2301.00 change.

One blonde, one sunburst, and if you really must have a Martin that'll get you a brand-new D-18 (which, interestingly enough, many AGF'ers seem to prefer for its more even tone)...