For multiple Guild owners, Which one is your favorite? Why?

tjmangum · Jun 4, 2012

I have been blessed to collect (accumulate) many Guilds and it occurred to me that if I had to pare it down to just one, which one would it be?
The answer for me is the DV52. It's a great for strumming and finger picking and has a rich woody sound that speaks to me, which I associate with Guild rosewood dreadnaughts. Not as flashy as a D55, but it truly makes wonderful music.
If you could only keep one Guild, which one would it be?

chazmo · Jun 4, 2012

My 2006 Tacoma-built F-512.

The F-512 is like a choir of angels. The rich tonal palette of the F-512 has rocked my world since day-1, when I bought it new. It is incredibly responsive as a finger-picked instrument, which is all I do these days.

It's the instrument that brought me (back) into the Guild fold years ago, and basically it's the reason why I'm here.

dlutter · Jun 4, 2012

If I had to chose, my Guild D55, great sound easy to play. My Guild 12 string a close second.

Dlutter

Geo · Jun 4, 2012

tjmangum said:
I have been blessed to collect (accumulate) many Guilds and it occurred to me that if I had to pare it down to just one, which one would it be?
The answer for me is the DV52. It's a great for strumming and finger picking and has a rich woody sound that speaks to me, which I associate with Guild rosewood dreadnaughts. Not as flashy as a D55, but it truly makes wonderful music.
If you could only keep one Guild, which one would it be?

Mine would be the DV52 also but I can't imagine getting rid of my JF26 either.

My favoite is usually the one I'm playing at the time but if I had to whittle it down to one guitar the DV52 would stay with me.

George

Frosty · Jun 4, 2012

tjmangum said:
If you could only keep one Guild, which one would it be?

I am a sentimental guy, so forced to chose it would be the Hoboken F-20 my (then) young son used to play. Doesn't get much use these days, but that's sentimental for you!

Brad Little · Jun 4, 2012

I'd have to go with my F-212, if only because I've had it since it was a pup.
Brad

twocorgis · Jun 4, 2012

Brad Little said:
I'd have to go with my F-212, if only because I've had it since it was a pup.
Brad

Same here Brad with my D50. I've owned it since it was a pup too, and have had it for most of my life. It's not the best guitar I own, but it was the first good one.

Steve Hoffman · Jun 4, 2012

I love all my Guilds, the cheapest not the least. I guess my favorite is the 1957 JOHNNY SMITH Artist. It has the vibe, it has an amazing neck, quite unlike the thinner Artist Award necks of the 1960's and it's smells really neat..

AcornHouse · Jun 4, 2012

Instead of getting different versions of the same type, I have different types: dread (D4), classical (MKII), jazz box (X-170), and now lap (F20).

That way, I'm only choosing between what style I want to play. 8)

How could you force me to choose one child over the other? :?

Geo · Jun 4, 2012

AcornHouse said:
Instead of getting different versions of the same type, I have different types: dread (D4), classical (MKII), jazz box (X-170), and now lap (F20).

That way, I'm only choosing between what style I want to play. 8)

How could you force me to choose one child over the other? :?

Good way of thinking. 8)

I'm an apparent Dreadhead... :lol: ... But I don't want to choose one over the other either.

George

AcornHouse · Jun 4, 2012

Geo said:
I'm an apparent Dreadhead... :lol: ...

George

Not that there's anything WRONG with that! :lol:

Scratch · Jun 4, 2012

I've actually been through this scenario when I decided to sell off most of the Guild corral in an effort to get my collection down to those I actually play frequently. Sold off the D-55, DV-52, D-50, D-40, D-25 (2), D-4, JF-30, CV-1, G-37, F-30, F-40, F-47, F-212c, F-212, F-512, G-312, D-212, an earlier JF30-12, and an earlier GF-25 and kept the current JF30-12 and GF-25.

If I could only keep one of those two, it would be the GF-25.

Was it hard to let go? yeh; kinda... But it was also difficult to keep 17 guitars humidified in the winter and played frequently. Some just sat in their cases for extended periods. I can honestly say that the four guitars I now have get played quite frequently and the receive more TLC attention than I was able to provide. Oh... and my spousal unit is much happier... :wink:

adorshki · Jun 4, 2012

I tend to re-think that question every time it comes up, but I think it still boils down to the D25 everytime, based on playability, versatility, and age (both for sentimental attachment and how well it's "opened up"... I could never do that again with another guitar at the age I'm at now...it's got over 1300 hours of playing on it.)
Still, though, the other two have special places in my heart for their special qualities, and I have a pipedream about a nice F30R, hopefully new, with a 24-3/4" neck and a 1-11/16 nut...just because I don't have any rosewood yet and I know it'd probably be just the right size for me now...

Taylor Martin Guild · Jun 4, 2012

For now, it's my D-55. It's my only Guild now but I have it because it is the one Guild that I want.
I had to give up on Jumbo Guilds. They just hurt too much to play these days.

Scratch · Jun 4, 2012

Taylor Martin Guild said:
For now, it's my D-55. It's my only Guild now but I have it because it is the one Guild that I want.
I had to give up on Jumbo Guilds. They just hurt too much to play these days.

+1 here TMG.

I think that's what started my selloff. The dreads and jumbos just wore my shoulders out. In fact, I'll probably sell or trade the JF30-12 for the same reasons. Even double Celebrex wouldn't help my shoulders to put up with the big bodies these days...

Gorgar · Jun 4, 2012

It's too hard to call. Acoustically, I'd keep the D25-12 over the D25 6 string, Corona F-50R and the B30E. Bass, I'd keep one of the JS-IIs over the other one, but I don't know which yet as the second one hasn't arrived yet. Electric, as cool as the XII is, it would either be the S-100 or the M-80 (which I just haven't spent enough time with yet).

All the electrics but the XII have Flying V counterparts of the same wood. Of those, only the M-80's counterpart ('83 "The V" with a maple cap and Dirty Fingers pickups) is as good (but different) to me.

In the end, the D25-12 is the One True Acoustic and also my first Guild, and I'd probably rate the S-100 as the One True Electric.

Cypress Knee · Jun 4, 2012

Thought I had replied, but evidently the post did not take.

I was like Scratch at one time. I have had and sold a number of Guilds in the past ten or fifteen years, including most body types and wood types. Most of them sounded really good.

Dreds - D/DV62, D60, 2xD55, DV52, 2xD50, 2xD44M, D44P, 2xD40, G37, 2xD35, D25 and D25M

Other - GF60, F50, 2xF50R, F48, F40, M20, JF30

12's - F512, JF65-12, JF55-12, G 212

I kept the '73 F50R, the JF55-12, and my drednaught is actually a Carlo Greco hand-built. If the house was burning and I could only grab one, it would be the Greco because I cannot replace that one.

I figured out that I generally like rosewood better than mahogany or maple.

Regards,

CK

ladytexan · Jun 4, 2012

Eenie, meenie, miny, mo
Which Guild do I love best
I pick you:

In order of love:

D25 (first Guild in 1973)
Mark V
GF30
D25-12 (we haven't bonded yet, so thinkin' may need to sell this one)

12 string · Jun 4, 2012

Well, they're all keepers, but the F-512 rules the roost.

' Strang

dapmdave · Jun 4, 2012

I've only had the DV-52 for a few weeks, but we're really bonding. It's my first ever rosewood Guild. The D-40, just picked up last winter, is also a strong contender. And when the time comes to plug in and play an electric guitar, the old Starfire really fills the bill.

I'll elect the D-40, but it's a tough call.

Dave

For multiple Guild owners, Which one is your favorite? Why?

tjmangum

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chazmo

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dlutter

Geo

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Frosty

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Brad Little

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twocorgis

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Steve Hoffman

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AcornHouse

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Geo

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AcornHouse

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Scratch

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adorshki

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Taylor Martin Guild

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Scratch

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Gorgar

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Cypress Knee

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ladytexan

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12 string

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