Where were the DV52's Made? etc.

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
I recently bought a D-40 in Antique Burst.

Today I went down to a local store to put a mirror in the DV52 they just got in, so that I could measure the scalloping of the braces in order to modify the D-40 to the scalloped format.

As I was looking at the braces I realized that instead of shaping the braces with a nice sharp chisel (like I thought everybody did), they had shaped the braces with a Wood Rasp, and did not sand the braces to remove the little feathery slivers of wood that the rasp leaves behind.


Hence my question. Were the DV52's built in the Fender factory or the Tacoma factory or somewhere else?

The guitar stunned me because it sounded as good as the HD-28 Brzillian Martin that I used to own!!!

"gretschbigsby" made a lot of comments about the DV52 sounding better than the Martins, and I saw a couple of reasons for that. Martin only scallops the lower legs of the "X Bracing", where the DV52 has the upper legs scalloped as well. Also, the scalloping is a upside down "V" shape instead of being flat on top like Martin.
 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
I recently bought a D-40 in Antique Burst.

Today I went down to a local store to put a mirror in the DV52 they just got in, so that I could measure the scalloping of the braces in order to modify the D-40 to the scalloped format.

As I was looking at the braces I realized that instead of shaping the braces with a nice sharp chisel (like I thought everybody did), they had shaped the braces with a Wood Rasp, and did not sand the braces to remove the little feathery slivers of wood that the rasp leaves behind.


Hence my question. Were the DV52's built in the Fender factory or the Tacoma factory or somewhere else?

The guitar stunned me because it sounded as good as the HD-28 Brzillian Martin that I used to own!!!

"gretschbigsby" made a lot of comments about the DV52 sounding better than the Martins, and I saw a couple of reasons for that. Martin only scallops the lower legs of the "X Bracing", where the DV52 has the upper legs scalloped as well. Also, the scalloping is a upside down "V" shape instead of being flat on top like Martin.
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
DV-52

Hello Mr. P,

To the best of my knowledge, all DV-52's were built in Westerly, Rhode Island between 1994 and 2000 or so. I suppose that would make the 1994 and early 1995 DV-52 the last of the model to be built by Guild prior to the Fender buyout in 1995. Mr. Moust may be able to elaborate.

West
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
DV-52

Hello Mr. P,

To the best of my knowledge, all DV-52's were built in Westerly, Rhode Island between 1994 and 2000 or so. I suppose that would make the 1994 and early 1995 DV-52 the last of the model to be built by Guild prior to the Fender buyout in 1995. Mr. Moust may be able to elaborate.

West
 

hansmoust

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
9,202
Reaction score
3,507
Location
Netherlands
Mr. P ~ said:
Hence my question. Were the DV52's built in the Fender factory or the Tacoma factory or somewhere else?

West R Lee said:
To the best of my knowledge, all DV-52's were built in Westerly, Rhode Island between 1994 and 2000 or so.

The DV-52 was introduced in 1992. At that time there were no other locations than Westerly, RI.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
 

hansmoust

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
9,202
Reaction score
3,507
Location
Netherlands
Mr. P ~ said:
Hence my question. Were the DV52's built in the Fender factory or the Tacoma factory or somewhere else?

West R Lee said:
To the best of my knowledge, all DV-52's were built in Westerly, Rhode Island between 1994 and 2000 or so.

The DV-52 was introduced in 1992. At that time there were no other locations than Westerly, RI.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
West & Hans,

Thanks for your input. I expected that it was built in Westerly based on the serial number charts.

The method of scalloping was a surprise to me, but no matter how strange it was, that DV52 sounds as good as any HD-28 I have ever heard. So I guess there is nothing to complain about.

Happy Guilding!! :roll:

Curtis

 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
West & Hans,

Thanks for your input. I expected that it was built in Westerly based on the serial number charts.

The method of scalloping was a surprise to me, but no matter how strange it was, that DV52 sounds as good as any HD-28 I have ever heard. So I guess there is nothing to complain about.

Happy Guilding!! :roll:

Curtis

 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
West,
What is a DV-72? Does that just have abalone on everything it could possibly be put on?
Curtis
 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
West,
What is a DV-72? Does that just have abalone on everything it could possibly be put on?
Curtis
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
The DV-72 (I've also seen it called the Pueblo version, they show up on e-bay once in awhile) has a AAA spruce top (the DV-52 has a AA spruce top), the -72 has the "Shield " headstock inlay (the DV-52 has the "Chesterfield" headstock inlay) and I believe all the inlay work on a -72 is turqouise. I'd love to add one of these to my collection if anyone might like to trade one for a 1980 F-512...
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
The DV-72 (I've also seen it called the Pueblo version, they show up on e-bay once in awhile) has a AAA spruce top (the DV-52 has a AA spruce top), the -72 has the "Shield " headstock inlay (the DV-52 has the "Chesterfield" headstock inlay) and I believe all the inlay work on a -72 is turqouise. I'd love to add one of these to my collection if anyone might like to trade one for a 1980 F-512...
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
sorry, west, I was so anxious to answer the question I didn't notice it was addressed to you. Being the proud owner of a -72 and a -52, perhaps you could do a reality check on my facts...[/img]
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
sorry, west, I was so anxious to answer the question I didn't notice it was addressed to you. Being the proud owner of a -72 and a -52, perhaps you could do a reality check on my facts...[/img]
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
DV-72 (Dreadnaught Vintage)

No, that's ok Dred. Mr.P, as Dred stated, the 72 has a turquoise inlay soundhole rosette. In place of the usual high end abolone arrows on the fret markers, it has turquoise arrows inlaid in the MOP, and then it has a turquoise inlay Chesterfiels logo on the headstock. There are also a couple of turquoise arrows on either side of the bridge. The tuners are Grover Imperials which are quite striking and unique and again, as Dred stated it has a AAA top which some have called an AAAA top. I've never heard of a quad A top though, so I can't swear to that one. The headstock also has a gold pinstripe around the perimeter which in my view, is pretty, but a little out of place with the turquoise and silver southwest theme.

Mr. Moust has told me that sonically, the DV-52 is very similar. I am lucky enough to own both, and the 72 has a little different sound. It could be the way the 72 is set up, but I'd swear the 72 has better intonation. The 72 also has a deeper low end.

There are several other high-end Guild acoustics out there that I've never been able to find any info on. The DV-73,74,76 and 82. I believe all were built in Westerly between 1994 and 2000 (somewhere around there), and I'd like to find a nice one one day to ad to the collection.

Jim
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
DV-72 (Dreadnaught Vintage)

No, that's ok Dred. Mr.P, as Dred stated, the 72 has a turquoise inlay soundhole rosette. In place of the usual high end abolone arrows on the fret markers, it has turquoise arrows inlaid in the MOP, and then it has a turquoise inlay Chesterfiels logo on the headstock. There are also a couple of turquoise arrows on either side of the bridge. The tuners are Grover Imperials which are quite striking and unique and again, as Dred stated it has a AAA top which some have called an AAAA top. I've never heard of a quad A top though, so I can't swear to that one. The headstock also has a gold pinstripe around the perimeter which in my view, is pretty, but a little out of place with the turquoise and silver southwest theme.

Mr. Moust has told me that sonically, the DV-52 is very similar. I am lucky enough to own both, and the 72 has a little different sound. It could be the way the 72 is set up, but I'd swear the 72 has better intonation. The 72 also has a deeper low end.

There are several other high-end Guild acoustics out there that I've never been able to find any info on. The DV-73,74,76 and 82. I believe all were built in Westerly between 1994 and 2000 (somewhere around there), and I'd like to find a nice one one day to ad to the collection.

Jim
 
Top