Thoughts On The Guild D40 Traditional a Month and Half In . . .

Wellington · #1 11-28-2020, 05:28 PM

Some of you might have seen my post in mid October about my surprise 30th birthday gift my wife concocted, a sunburst Guild D40 Traditional.
I had never played a Guild in my life, but I'd watched about every review of the D40 online I could find.
Funny enough, the Guild I wanted so bad was the regular Guild D40 sunburst, with that beautiful white binding and satin finish (I prefer satin finishes). The videos that really sold me and made me fall in love with the D40 sound was the videos from Ian Meadows on youtube. I thought I knew what I wanted.
Well my wife narrowed in on my top guitars I wanted and pursued getting a D40. The retailer she ordered it through convinced her to get the sunburst D40 Traditional instead of the regular D40, because of the bracing, neck joint etc. So, I was surprised, ecstatic but thrown off a little when I saw it as I immediately noticed it was the Traditional, not the regular one. I hadn't paid much attention to the Traditionals on my searches because I didn't like the look as much (dark binding on the sunburst instead of white, nitro instead of satin) and in my ignorance I only thought the differences were aesthetic! I didn't ever look at the price differences so I didn't clue in that there were other differences.

After playing it for a little while, I was astonished at the sound of this guitar, it was so perfect sounding, responsive, crisp, woody and warm all at once somehow, very full and satisfying. I then went watching the Ian Meadows videos again, and I realized that all those video review and comparisons of his that I watched with the Guild D40 in it was actually the Traditional the whole time! It's embarrassing because it says Traditional right in the video titles, but because of the angle of the guitar I couldn't see the dark binding and for some reason I just didn't clue in. The guitar that he was playing in these videos that made me fall in love with the D40 was the Traditional, not the regular like I had thought, and that's what I was gifted, the Traditional! So cool, no wonder it sounded phenomenal and so similar the the Meadows videos, it's the same guitar haha. I love this guitar so much, it's staying with me for life.

Anyway, now that i've been playing it for a month and a half, I've really settled in with this guitar. It's like I described, very responsive for a dread, such a firm crispy but earthy tone, it's surprisingly balanced! Even though i had seen so many videos, theres some things you notice more when you have it in person. It's still got a strong bass presence which I love, but it's a lot more balanced than I was expecting. I know some mahogany b/s guitars tend to be a lot stronger in the mids, which this has some characteristics of but it doesn't favour the mids as much as you'd expect, IMO.

Finish wise, it's not perfect. along the crevice where the neck/heel and side of the guitar meet, it's it looks somewhat uneven, it's certainly coated, but it looks like there may have been a bit too much there or not enough of something. That same spot on my LL16, it's a flawless look. Luckily this doesn't bother me, just what I noticed when inspecting it.

All in all, I couldn't recommend the D40 Traditional enough. It's really something. Definitely in that D18 genre of dreadnought. It's a high end guitar with a very high end tone.

KenL · #2 11-28-2020, 05:56 PM

You absolutely cannot beat a good Guild. This I know because I've had one for 20 years; was just playing it 15 minutes ago, and will pick it up again after dinner.

That D-40 is gorgeous, congrats!

Psychopasta · #3 11-28-2020, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wellington

The guitar that he was playing in these videos that made me fall in love with the D40 was the Traditional, not the regular like I had thought, and that's what I was gifted, the Traditional!

Good job your wife pays attention to the YouTube videos

L20A · #4 11-28-2020, 09:24 PM

Congratulations on a fine guitar.
I have also watched some of Ian's videos.
He does a great job of getting everything a guitar has to offer to come out of it.

I own a Guild D-55 but it has been with my guitar tech sense April.
I made the mistake of putting a John Pearse Arm Rest on the D-55 a few years ago.
After deciding that I didn't want it on the guitar, I removed it last year.
There was a chemical reaction between the finish on the guitar and the adhesive on the arm rest, which cause the finish to soften and bubble.

I don't know why it it taking so long for the repairs but I'm sure missing my
D-55.
It will be like a new guitar day when I finally get it back home with me.

Bronzeback · #5 11-28-2020, 09:41 PM

Been preaching about the Oxnard D40T for a while now.. could not agree more. I sold my 2012 D18 (an awesome guitar too) to get mine it's the keeper!

mattd · #6 11-28-2020, 10:05 PM

I also have an Oxnard D40 T and it is an outstanding guitar, kept it over my my D-18 modern deluxe.

Coop47 · #7 11-28-2020, 10:14 PM

I've found a great deal on a used one and was really impressed right out of the case. After cleaning it up, re-stringing it, tweaking the truss rod (very responsive) and playing it for a week, I feel really fortunate to have landed it. Outstanding guitar, and I think it's going to get even better with time.

DCCougar · #8 11-28-2020, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wellington

....After playing it for a little while, I was astonished at the sound of this guitar, it was so perfect sounding, responsive, crisp, woody and warm all at once somehow, very full and satisfying.....

Yep, major congrats, Wellington! I've probably bought and sold about a dozen 6-strings over the past 8 or 10 years. Now I've got just one -- a jumbo Guild F-50R, which is just a spectacular guitar. It's the only 6-string I need. No more buying and selling. (Well, I've seriously gotten into 12-strings -- Guilds, of course -- but still.... I am super pleased with all my Guilds!)

SingingSparrow · #9 11-28-2020, 10:24 PM

Great story about your wife paying more attention to the videos and specs than you did! haha I am very glad it worked out so well for you. Congratulations on the awesome new guitar!

These Oxnard Guilds tend to sound pretty darn good, I have to say. How do you like the neck on this guitar? Is it a shallow or fat one? The M20 necks I've payed feel good in the hand (and sound so very good)

Wellington · #10 11-28-2020, 10:55 PM

Nice to see others who know what I'm talking about with this guitar and fantastic Guilds in general!
L20A, that is brutal, the D55 is king of rosewood to me at this point, maybe one day I will own one.

Interesting that a couple of you chose the D40T over a D18, it certainly pleases me more than a D18 as well, which is also an amazing guitar.

Wellington · #11 11-28-2020, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SingingSparrow

These Oxnard Guilds tend to sound pretty darn good, I have to say. How do you like the neck on this guitar? Is it a shallow or fat one? The M20 necks I've payed feel good in the hand (and sound so very good)

I actually really like the neck, it's not low profile but it doesn't feel cumbersome. I believe the neck is different in the regular D40, not sure the actual differences though, all I know is it feels great in the hand and plays really well all along the neck, much nicer than a D18 and D28 neck for my personal preference. I'm ignorant to neck terminology, but as you go up the neck or doesn't get thicker, like say a Larrivee, my shubb can almost stay at the same tension all along the neck.

jimi junior · #12 11-29-2020, 03:16 AM

Spectacular guitars. I played one months ago and it still haunts me.

The one thing that puts me off is the colour - the sunburst is so vivid and cartoony. Clownburst.

A shop owner told me because it's nitro it would fade. Is this really true? And over what time period I wonder?

Emil · #13 11-29-2020, 03:33 AM

That’s one beautiful guitar my friend!

FingahPickah · #14 11-29-2020, 06:55 AM

Very, very nice ! Great choice. I grew up on Guilds ... Love them... I believe the D40 has been one of their best selling models since the 1960s.

Guild's dreadnoughts: D40 (mahogany), D44 (pearwood), D44M (maple), D46 (ash) D50 (rosewood) and D55 (rosewood/ornate) were once billed as the "Bluegrass Jubilee" models; the D40 and D50 leading the pack in sales.

I have a '73 D44M and a '87 JF65-12 (Jumbo 12 string).

nightchef · #15 11-29-2020, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

Very, very nice ! Great choice. I grew up on Guilds ... Love them... I believe the D40 has been one of their best selling models since the 1960s.

Guild's dreadnoughts: D40 (mahogany), D44 (pearwood), D44M (maple), D46 (ash) D50 (rosewood) and D55 (rosewood/ornate) were once billed as the "Bluegrass Jubilee" models; the D40 and D50 leading the pack in sales.

I have a '73 D44M and a '87 JF65-12 (Jumbo 12 string).

A D50 that I bought used in the early 80s (I think it's a 1977 or 78) was my #1 guitar until recently. Wonderfully full, complex sound with Nigel Tufnel-level overtone sustain. The G and D strings on that guitar, in particular, are incredibly powerful -- I can play single-note leads up the neck on those strings and make them heard over a roomful of drunk strummers and an out-of-tune piano.

The neck was a bit chunky for my taste, but I got used to it.