1978 D55 in excellent shape

[drobinson9]

Hi,

Found this on ebay here in the UK -it didn't sell, despite a starting bid of £2,800. Wasn't this a good era for D55s?

 

[steverok]

That is a beaut', for sure.

 

[GGJaguar]

Very nice! I have a '77 and I sure like it a lot. I'm sure that '78 sounds great, too.

 

[Stuball48]

Beautiful and NO bad era for D55. Great find!

 

[drobinson9]

What d'you think of the price tag? Is £2,800 fair? That's around $3,400.

 

[Guildedagain]

Wasn't this a good era for D55s?

Unlike brands cost two or three times as much, there's never been a bad era for Guilds.

 

[Br1ck]

Beautiful and NO bad era for D55. Great find!

Ditto the above. We in the US really don't have an idea as to what your market is. I'd add at least 20% to US prices plus a premium for availability. As to eras, I do believe Guild, like all the rest, beefed up their bracing. Years later you could see that as a plus, but generally I like pre 73 Guilds, but they pretty much all need neck resets.

 

[SFIV1967]

I'd add at least 20% to US prices plus a premium for availability.

That's not even enough. First is import duty which is about 2.x % in Germany and I think 3.5 % in UK.
You need to add shipping from the US which could be up to $200.
And on the sum of all of that (guitar+import duty + shipping) you need to add the local VAT which in country dependent in Europe, Germany is 19% but UK is 20%.
So a $2,500 guitar + $87.50 (duty)+ $200 (shipping) = $2,787.50 + 20 % VAT ($557.50) = $3,345 final cost.

So all in all you could be almost 34 % above US pricing. Plus issues if guitar contain wood that is CITES regulated...

Ralf

 

[Br1ck]

Might explain why folks in Europe don't tend to have huge collections. That IMHO is not such a bad thing. We in the US tend to buy and sell for recreation.

 

[drobinson9]

This is the best close up photo I can get - does this look like the pickguard has moved or has been removed and put back again?

 

[kostask]

I don't really have an explanation, but it looks like there is some pick wear on the top, and the pickguard was put on top to cover the damage. I have tried to (awkwardly) point out the areas in which I believe that the evidence of the pick wear is.



You would have to inspect it yourself to make sure, as the picture detail is not great. As for the other pick guard areas, the pick guard may have shrunk slightly, which is not unusual for pick guards, depending on age and the ambient environment. It does, from the pictures at least, to have what looks like pick damage, though.

The guitar has a very nice top, with a lot of cross grain silking going on, almost over the entire top seen in the picture.

 

[drobinson9]

I don't really have an explanation, but it looks like there is some pick wear on the top, and the pickguard was put on top to cover the damage. I have tried to (awkwardly) point out the areas in which I believe that the evidence of the pick wear is.



You would have to inspect it yourself to make sure, as the picture detail is not great. As for the other pick guard areas, the pick guard may have shrunk slightly, which is not unusual for pick guards, depending on age and the ambient environment. It does, from the pictures at least, to have what looks like pick damage, though.

The guitar has a very nice top, with a lot of cross grain silking going on, almost over the entire top seen in the picture.

But it still looks good to me, though. I'm off to buy it tomorrow morning.

 

[davismanLV]

Wow, can't wait for the NGD!! Let us know and take some photos to post!!

(if you came here thinking someone would talk you out of buying a Guild, you came to the wrong place)

 

[drobinson9]

Wow, can't wait for the NGD!! Let us know and take some photos to post!!

(if you came here thinking someone would talk you out of buying a Guild, you came to the wrong place)

Hah, thanks! Here's another photo, bit better this one. I know - I'm being insecure, aren't i! Overall, from the photos, it looks in great shape for a 1978!

 

[davismanLV]

Whoa!! Damage in this photo doesn't look bad at all!! For a '78?? Wow... beautiful.

 

[GGJaguar]

 

[drobinson9]

I do love it here, on this forum, but my bank manager doesn't!

 

[wileypickett]

Looks like ordinary pickguard shrinkage to me, and not as bad as many I've seen -- not bad at all in fact. It's not unusual to see older guitar tops crack as the pickguard shrinks. This guitar doesn't appear to have that problem.

 

[drobinson9]

I don't really have an explanation, but it looks like there is some pick wear on the top, and the pickguard was put on top to cover the damage. I have tried to (awkwardly) point out the areas in which I believe that the evidence of the pick wear is.



You would have to inspect it yourself to make sure, as the picture detail is not great. As for the other pick guard areas, the pick guard may have shrunk slightly, which is not unusual for pick guards, depending on age and the ambient environment. It does, from the pictures at least, to have what looks like pick damage, though.

The guitar has a very nice top, with a lot of cross grain silking going on, almost over the entire top seen in the picture.

"with a lot of cross grain silking going on"...so that's a good thing, then?

 

[Uke]

Not that you need any more encouragement, but I have a 2000 D55. It is my favorite horse in the stable. And I think wileypickett is correct -- just looks like normal pickguard "shrinkage" to me on your guitar.