NGD Guild 50th Anniversary D55

keith7940236

keith7940236

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
393
Reaction score
4
Location
Beaverton, Oregon
I honestly never thought that I'd have an opportunity to see one of these in person, let along play one. In response to an ad that I had for another guitar that I am selling, a gentleman offered this beauty in trade. Although I really need to sell some instruments to fund some other projects, I couldn't pass up the chance to make this trade. If other sales go through, I'll be able to keep her, otherwise, I'll pass her along in a few weeks.

The guitar is constructed of beautiful Brazilian Rosewood and Engleman Spruce. I can tell that this instrument has very little playing time on it, as the guitar still sounds tight. It is obvious to me, judging from what I am hearing now, this is going to be an absolutely beautiful sounding guitar. The tone is very rich and complex and deep. As it loosens up, it will become very sweet, complex and bold. It reminds me of how you can taste the potential of a great bottle of red wine before it has an opportunity to "open up".

Sorry that the pictures are so dark, I just had a few minutes to snap these this morning.

















 
Westerly Wood

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,519
Reaction score
6,804
Guild Total
2
Whoa!!!!!! That Engleman is so pure, and the Braz b/s is just amazing. Love the dark hues in it and the striping. The inlay on fretboard, holy cow, maybe this is the King of the Dreads.
 
davismanLV

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,457
Reaction score
12,397
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
HOLY CRAP, Keith!! That's some kind of trading going on up there!! What a beautiful guitar that is!! That top is spectacular and the Brazilian is just too much. Congrats on this acquisition. Are you sure you don't want to be the one to break this in to it's full potential?? Wowza!! :encouragement::encouragement:
 
keith7940236

keith7940236

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
393
Reaction score
4
Location
Beaverton, Oregon
davismanLV said:
HOLY CRAP, Keith!! That's some kind of trading going on up there!! What a beautiful guitar that is!! That top is spectacular and the Brazilian is just too much. Congrats on this acquisition. Are you sure you don't want to be the one to break this in to it's full potential?? Wowza!! :encouragement::encouragement:
Click to expand...

I'd love to!!! if I can get some other sold (Hint, there is a DV62 for sale in the classifieds as well as a Tokain FA245) then I will!!
 
walrus

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
24,114
Reaction score
8,211
Location
Massachusetts
Wow! Everything about that guitar is beautiful - the TRC is way cool!

I'm afraid to ask what you traded!

walrus
 
txbumper57

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,631
Reaction score
148
Location
Texas
Congrats! If you ever had one keeper Guild Keith, this would be the one. I am still impressed by mine every time I pick it up whether I am strumming or fingerpicking. These are truly Amazing Instruments.

TX
 
Last edited:
jcwu

jcwu

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
2,958
Reaction score
37
Location
San Jose, CA
Let me respond to the photos of your guitar with another photo:

69556203.jpg
 
jeffcoop

jeffcoop

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
1,877
Reaction score
784
That's just amazing, Keith. To have the 50th anniversary D55 appear out of the blue like that--what are the odds?
 
Rayk

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,829
Reaction score
1,206
Wow sexy ;)
How many D55's had Engleman ?
I know many like it but It is more favored for finger style then a strummer and I can't help but think with the D55 you'd want to cut loose on her .
My experience the Engleman tops don't have the headroom but I'd still like that baby in one of my stands ;)
 
keith7940236

keith7940236

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
393
Reaction score
4
Location
Beaverton, Oregon
I believe that only the 50th anniversary guitars had Engleman (50 of them). The guitar actually is very powerful, I'm of the opinion that the bracing and construction of the guitar has more to do with headroom than the type of wood (of course that's just my opinion). This guitar has VERY scalloped bracing (as compared to DV dreads that I've seen), so it is quite responsive. It definitely has the Guild sound, but I think could more than hold it's own in a Bluegrass setting.
I'm finding that my playing style tends to adapt to the guitar that I'm playing so I think you can bring out the best of just about any instrument by varying strings, picks, attack, etc.

Lots of fun!!!!!
 
PTC Bernie

PTC Bernie

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2012
Messages
315
Reaction score
5
Location
Loudon, TN, USA
"Pretty nice. (Love the truss rod cover!)"
-----------------------------------------------

Yes, that one's hard to put on upside down. ;-}
 
txbumper57

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,631
Reaction score
148
Location
Texas
keith7940236 said:
I believe that only the 50th anniversary guitars had Engleman (50 of them). The guitar actually is very powerful, I'm of the opinion that the bracing and construction of the guitar has more to do with headroom than the type of wood (of course that's just my opinion). This guitar has VERY scalloped bracing (as compared to DV dreads that I've seen), so it is quite responsive. It definitely has the Guild sound, but I think could more than hold it's own in a Bluegrass setting.
I'm finding that my playing style tends to adapt to the guitar that I'm playing so I think you can bring out the best of just about any instrument by varying strings, picks, attack, etc.

Lots of fun!!!!!
Click to expand...

I can say that after having mine for a year and a half that it has "blossomed" nicely in tone. As far as an Englemann Spruce top not having as much headroom as other species I have heard this as well. It was true with a Taylor 914 Englemann/Koa guitar that I owned but as for the D55 50th anniversary it has loads of headroom. I have 2 Guilds with Englemann tops, the D55 50th anniversary Brazilian like the one Keith has listed here and a GSR D50 Englemann/Cocobolo Dread as well. Both guitars have Amazing tone to them and Rival the Headroom of any other Guitars that I own with both Sitka and Adirondack tops. I think the actual construction of the guitar matched with the Brazilian/Cocobolo tonewoods is what allows them to do so. If I were to try and sum up the tone of the D55 50th Anniversary in just a few words they would be Bold, Rich, Piano Like, and Loud. The D55 50th Anniversary is a proverbial Cannon and has performed extremely well in a Bluegrass setting for me. Here is to hoping you get to keep this one Keith!

TX
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top