If lightly-built is better, how can heavy old Guilds sound so good?

[devellis]

Originally Posted by justonwo

It depends which part of the guitar is heavy.

I think that's right. Total weight isn't the same as the robustness of construction. I have a Macassar ebony guitar with a maple neck that's downright heavy. But the top is lightly braced and it's highly responsive. It would be the rare spruce-over-mahogany guitar that didn't weigh appreciably less but I doubt many would be more responsive or have a louder, fuller tone. It's construction rather than total weight that matters, I think. But the two sometimes are confused.

[KenL]

My Guild D-46 with swamp ash b/s is the heaviest acoustic guitar I've ever picked up. It is also the proverbial "cannon", and is such a powerful guitar that it doesn't record real well. Just too much rumble in it.

However, I'm the second owner (since 2004) and it's the one I've held on to when many other acoustics have come and gone. It has a glorious tone and the neck is perfect for me. It was my lucky day when I stumbled across it.

[mattwood]

A 70's D-50 was one of the best sounding guitars I have heard and the one that got away that still haunts me.

[RussL30]

Originally Posted by KenL

My Guild D-46 with swamp ash b/s is the heaviest acoustic guitar I've ever picked up. It is also the proverbial "cannon", and is such a powerful guitar that it doesn't record real well. Just too much rumble in it.

However, I'm the second owner (since 2004) and it's the one I've held on to when many other acoustics have come and gone. It has a glorious tone and the neck is perfect for me. It was my lucky day when I stumbled across it.

I know we’ve discussed this model before, but I definitely have a similar experience with my friend’s D46. It might be the heaviest acoustic I’ve ever picked up, but man does sound and tone just explode out of it when you dig in. Still one of the best sounding guitars I’ve ever played. I’ve tried so hard buy it, but he’ll never sell it. It’s amazing though the sound to weight ratio.

[Dreadfulnaught]

Originally Posted by justonwo

It depends which part of the guitar is heavy.

You beat me to it! Light top and braces = more lively. Overall weight of guitar is not significant. That’s why I play a guitar before I buy it but have never weighed one.

[1Charlie]

For the record, Guild started lightening up its guitars in Tacoma, starting in 2005, and the trend continued in New Hartford in 2009.

Ren did not arrive on the scene at Guild until ~2012, so this trend preceded him.

[George Henry]

I noted that both top and back braces are shallow (short). Kind of reminded me of the brace profile on the GAD series.

Another interesting point,:. The D-40 specifies a mortise and tenon neck joint and the D-40 Traditional and D-55 use dovetail.

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by Red_Label

I am a heavy strummer and picker. I only use stiff, thick, sharp Dunlop Jazz III XL picks. So I'm getting a real loud, percussive attack. But I still tend to love the explosiveness out of a lightly built guitar. I've always tended to be a fire hose though. Subtlety isn't a trait that's ever been found in much quantity in me.

For sure: hence the "may well." It's all personal preference and technique. I was trying to give an example from the opposite end of the spectrum, not essential all heavy strummers' preferences

[JohnW63]

1Charlie,

I was referring to the Oxnard versions being lighter still. Some of the Orpheum series ideas may had found their way in, perhaps. Since Ren setup the Oxnard shop and probably had a hand in instructing the newest head luthiers, I suspect his influence may be in the latest guitars.

My Hew Hartford D-55 is the same weight at my NH F47R, I believe. 4.9lbs

[Br1ck]

I have A Guild D 35 from '70 and I like it's tone better than one from '77 or '80. The weight difference is significant. Now the later heavy guitars aren't bad by any means and are more likely to survive, witch was the reason they built them heavier.

[Tico]

Thanks all for clearing up my misconceptions about guitar weight.

Amazing place, this AFG!

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by mattwood

A 70's D-50 was one of the best sounding guitars I have heard and the one that got away that still haunts me.

I have a '74 Westerly D-50 that I got in my college days and it is a cannon. I seldom play it these days because it feels stiff under my fretting hand (I'm getting old!). And it is indeed heavy! I keep thinking of selling it but never go through with that. But it seems to me it should be out there making more music than it does.

[ManyMartinMan]

Because if there was a perfect formula for building guitars, every one of them would sound great.