Guild? What to buy?

[1Charlie]

You can find incredible values in used Guilds from the '70's and early '80's. Made in Westerly, RI, solid wood, high quality materials, excellent design and craftsmanship.

For $600 to $700, there are a number of options in gently used Guilds from this era. D-25, D-30, D-35, D-40, F-20, F-30, M-20. Each has its own flavor.

Look for one that has some saddle showing above the bridge and acceptable action at the 12th fret. Many from the '70's and '80's are now in need of a neck reset.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

The next range up in my area would be a Guild.

After acquiring several all-solid-wood Epiphone Masterbilts, I started selling them off to fund a Gibson J-45, but was waylaid by a jumbo U.S.-made Guild F50R. I'm now a major Guild fan.

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

I don't think I can seriously afford a D40, nor justify it based on my skill level.

Oh jeez, I don't think my skill level justifies the utterly fantastic guitars I've acquired, but a good guitar will up your skill level! I've always bought used and (with patience) gotten great deals, along with being super lucky. But I'm not into vintage and only seriously look at guitars in excellent or very good condition.

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

I liked the D140. I guess the main difference is one is made in USA and one is made in China?

Correct. As I've heard, Chinese-made Guilds are pretty darn good. Not as good as U.S.-made, but if you don't have a D40 on hand to compare to, how would you know? It's a very relative thing.

The D140 is a dread, of course. I'd suggest looking at the jumbos, too. All of my 6- and 12-string Guilds are jumbos. Talk about big booming sound!

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

Also, I just play for myself does it even pay to get an acoustic electric? I would think the electronics inside the guitar would mess up the resonance.

I doubt many folks could tell one with from one without. I'm just a home-based player, too, and I love to plug in!

Holy grail Guild New Hartford jumbo F-50R :

[6stringedRamble]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

6stringedRamble wrote:



If you want to talk about sheer numbers, the "sound of the folk revival of the 60s" was more likely to be the sound of inexpensive but surprisingly good-sounding Goya guitars that were made in Sweden and sold to kids who saved their allowances to buy them. Plenty of Guild guitars got purchased by those who could afford them, as were Martins and Gibsons, and on the lower priced end of the scale Harmonys, Kays and you name it.

But to single out one guitar brand as being "sound of the folk revival of the 60s" is fanboy

Wade Hampton Miller

lol I didn't actually say i am sure it is the truth. That is why I am asking. Good to know though, it makes a lot of sense. I forgot what video was saying that, and where he was going with his point.

[6stringedRamble]

Originally Posted by 1Charlie

You can find incredible values in used Guilds from the '70's and early '80's. Made in Westerly, RI, solid wood, high quality materials, excellent design and craftsmanship.

For $600 to $700, there are a number of options in gently used Guilds from this era. D-25, D-30, D-35, D-40, F-20, F-30, M-20. Each has its own flavor.

Look for one that has some saddle showing above the bridge and acceptable action at the 12th fret. Many from the '70's and '80's are now in need of a neck reset.

A neck reset? Is that replacing the whole neck? or just adjusting it? I'm not keen on getting a used one. I'd rather just get a new one from a store that is set up and ready to go.

[6stringedRamble]

Originally Posted by rwmct

The all solid imported Guilds are very good guitars for the money, IMO. Of course, you can get a defective one, as with any other guitar (people find defects in Martins sometimes and send them back) so you want to have someone knowledgeable look at it if you don't feel qualified to check it out yourself.

The US Guilds have a nitro finish, the imports a poly finish. Not sure if there is any difference in neck profile. I think both use bone nuts, pins and saddles. The imports have a little more bling than all but the more expensive U.S. Guilds.

I have a New Hartford made F-30 std., the U.S. built equivalent of the OM-140. It feels better to me and sounds better to me than the imported OM-140s I have seen (which are very nice guitars) but without having them together to compare, I have a hard time articulating why

I'm no expert, but I know quite a bit about guitars. What am I looking for? I've read you should try 2 0r 3 of a model you want, and pick the one you like the best. What is an example of a lemon guitar? I got lucky with my s6. No problems, sings like a song bird.

[6stringedRamble]

There is one dealer near me, which on their website is offering the guild D140 for $800, and another for $1,159.

Recently, I went to buy the Alvarez AD70 at another dealer, because it was on sale on their website. It was on sale for like over a year, since the model was discontinued. They up sold me from wanting the AD60 which they didn't have in stock anyway. When they went to get the last AD70 it turned out, they already sold the last one, ever. So, my guess is the $800 d140 didn't sell well, because people want other brands and with a built-in pickup. I bet their stock is from a few years ago, and has been sitting in their storage in its box a few years. But that really make it worth it to me. Seriously I'm leaning towards the D240E. That's pending that I get a chance to see and play both.

What kinds of things should I look for in terms of quality? What kinds of things should I watch out for in terms of potentially a lemon guitar?

[MarkWW]

I have owned a few Guilds. All imports except 2. A 70's D40 and a True American (which I detested) but that could have been me getting a dud.

There aren't a lot of Guilds out there to play. I have purchased on-line and been quite fortunate but was willing to eat the freight if I had to do a return. Cheaper than taking the depreciation hit on selling a used guitar. THe current Westerly line is full of ALL kind of spec variations so maybe ask yourself:

1) Do I have a preference of burst over natural? Some models only come in natural which I have grown tired of.

2) Do I want a cutaway?

3) Does the guitar need to be all solid wood? Many of Guilds laminates with solid top sound pretty durn good.

4) Do I want an Orchestra, OM, Dred, Dred Slope, Jumbo, or 00 ? Lots of variances there as well.

5) What width nut?

6) Shape of neck front to back? Some are thicker than others.

7) Do you prefer the arch back over a flat back?

8) Pickups? Doesn't matter. I find it nice if one is included for the occasional times that I want to plug in and do not feel like sticking a sound hole pup in.

I am clearly addicted to Guild Guitars but I just can not spend the monies on an American made (God bless you guys that can) Guild and I only buy relatively new used or brand new guitars.

Spend a lot of time looking at the specs and maybe you might even find one to try. Good Luck on your hunt!

[Gabby84]

I sampled a few other all wood guitars and fell in love with the sound and feel of the Ox M20. No electronics, I did add the LR Baggs lyric, which sounds great! Her sound just improves the longer i own and play it.

Originally Posted by mawmow

I still wonder whether or not I would try a good ol' all mahogany M20.
I was reluctant to try newer made in China M120, but my recent experience with other brands of chinese made guitars showed me they now can craft good guitars as many brands used to subcontract there in the last decade.
Now, my choice is limited by my minimal nut width requirement : 1 3/4"
I got last year a Guild F-30 with a 1 3/4" nut with : great.
I had got a great sounding F-30 SB 1973, but had to let her go because of too narrow string spacing.
From what I read on some forums, beware of those with carbon block that apparently wronged Guild good reputation.

[numb fingertips]

I think some older USA made all wood Guilds are in your price range. Also, check out any Chinese made Guild GAD's in your area. You might be surprised by how nice they sound. Keep in mind that if they haven't been played for a long time, it might need to be played a little for it to remember it's a guitar. Bought a Guild D55 during winter and wasn't able to get it ready to play until a couple weeks ago. It hadn't been played for years and it had a lifting bridge as well as needing a cleat. The guitar tech said he believed it was a pre fender Guild. When I first got it back, it didn't sound like much and I was somewhat disappointed. Didn't compare at all to my Eastman E20D or my Martin D16GT but after a couple days, it sounded much, much better. Guilds are a good way to go. I have a 1970 Guild D40 as well and they have a certain growl to their sound that I like. I also have a Guild GAD JF30 which sounds great in it's own way but sounds different because of the jumbo size and maple back and sides. Anyway, good luck in your search!

[1Charlie]

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

A neck reset? Is that replacing the whole neck? or just adjusting it? I'm not keen on getting a used one. I'd rather just get a new one from a store that is set up and ready to go.

A neck reset involves removing the neck, shaving off a tiny wedge of wood from the dovetail joint and re-gluing the neck into the heel pocket. This is done to restore the proper geometry to the angle where the neck meets the body and ensure that the strings are the correct height off of the fretboard with sufficient saddle height.

I mention it because it is not an inexpensive procedure (~$300 - $400) and is especially problematic in a $600 to $700 guitar, which may or may not be worth the investment in getting it reset.

[6stringedRamble]

I think the D240E might be a enough for me. I really like the sound from the reviews on youtube, I will have to try it and the D140.

Anyone know if the arch back is good for sound? Or is it just to remove the back bracing, and make the guitar lighter and cheaper?

[6stringedRamble]

Originally Posted by MarkWW

I have owned a few Guilds. All imports except 2. A 70's D40 and a True American (which I detested) but that could have been me getting a dud.

There aren't a lot of Guilds out there to play. I have purchased on-line and been quite fortunate but was willing to eat the freight if I had to do a return. Cheaper than taking the depreciation hit on selling a used guitar. THe current Westerly line is full of ALL kind of spec variations so maybe ask yourself:

1) Do I have a preference of burst over natural? Some models only come in natural which I have grown tired of.

2) Do I want a cutaway?

3) Does the guitar need to be all solid wood? Many of Guilds laminates with solid top sound pretty durn good.

4) Do I want an Orchestra, OM, Dred, Dred Slope, Jumbo, or 00 ? Lots of variances there as well.

5) What width nut?

6) Shape of neck front to back? Some are thicker than others.

7) Do you prefer the arch back over a flat back?

8) Pickups? Doesn't matter. I find it nice if one is included for the occasional times that I want to plug in and do not feel like sticking a sound hole pup in.

I am clearly addicted to Guild Guitars but I just can not spend the monies on an American made (God bless you guys that can) Guild and I only buy relatively new used or brand new guitars.

Spend a lot of time looking at the specs and maybe you might even find one to try. Good Luck on your hunt!

But how do you know what "makes a dud"? EG. Is one note always flat when it should not natural or something? I really don't know what that means, but everyone says to look out for dud guitars.

I only have a flat back s6 seagull. I don't know how like the back different. What is the difference aside from shape? I originally just wanted a decent spruce top alvarez with laminate back and sides just for something different from a cedar top.

Many people in a previous convo convinced me if I get another guitar it should be an upgrade in quality, eg all solid. IDK, my s6 sounds nice. No real complaints there, but then again a solid does have that fuller mellow sound. I'm really not sure at this point d240 or d140.

I don't like the cutaway look. It's not symmetrical. It's silly but it looks to me like only 3/4 of guitar with a gimpy shoulder.

Isn't dred the standard? Is it hard to find a case for a jumbo? A jumbo is considered popular for folk and country isn't it?

[1Charlie]

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

I think the D240E might be a enough for me. I really like the sound from the reviews on youtube, I will have to try it and the D140.

Anyone know if the arch back is good for sound? Or is it just to remove the back bracing, and make the guitar lighter and cheaper?

Guild has been producing arch-backed guitars since 1953. The arched back projects better, and does not need braces because it is stronger than a flat back. "Laminate" and "cheap" do not always go together. Guild has historically used a high-quality laminate, that is heated and pressed into the arched shape on a giant hydraulic press.

[6stringedRamble]

Originally Posted by 1Charlie

Guild has been producing arch-backed guitars since 1953. The arched back projects better, and does not need braces because it is stronger than a flat back. "Laminate" and "cheap" do not always go together. Guild has historically used a high-quality laminate, that is heated and pressed into the arched shape on a giant hydraulic press.

What do you think of the open tuners on the D240E? Is it expensive to have them upgraded?

[Gabby84]

I briefly owned the m240e with arched back. it projected great and was a solid guitar. Only sold it because I was gifted the m20. I really enjoyed the sound and the feel of it.

I suspect the D240e is much the same re: quality of construction and projection (both were excellent on the m240e).

Originally Posted by 6stringedRamble

I think the D240E might be a enough for me. I really like the sound from the reviews on youtube, I will have to try it and the D140.

Anyone know if the arch back is good for sound? Or is it just to remove the back bracing, and make the guitar lighter and cheaper?