80’s D-25 vs 70’s

[Greenerer]

Have been interested in getting a Guild D-25. I’ve played and loved the ones I’ve tried from the 70’s , but can’t find as many testimonials about the 80’s. Looking at an 89’. Obviously there will be differences, but is that signature boomy tone still present? Looking for reviews/experiences from members who have had or played 80’s models

 

[adorshki]

Have been interested in getting a Guild D-25. I’ve played and loved the ones I’ve tried from the 70’s , but can’t find as many testimonials about the 80’s. Looking at an 89’. Obviously there will be differences, but is that signature boomy tone still present? Looking for reviews/experiences from members who have had or played 80’s models

Hi Greenerer, welcome!
That "signature boomy tone" is a hallmark of the spruce-topped archbacked D25s, which was the build formula throughout the '80's..they got the "narrow" headstock in '87.

 

[E-Type]

The notable difference is flat to arch back. Once you get to the arched ones, more or less aging of the top is the only real difference, but even 80s versions are pretty old by now (to me, anything over 30 years old is old).

 

[chazmo]

Have been interested in getting a Guild D-25. I’ve played and loved the ones I’ve tried from the 70’s , but can’t find as many testimonials about the 80’s. Looking at an 89’. Obviously there will be differences, but is that signature boomy tone still present? Looking for reviews/experiences from members who have had or played 80’s models

Welcome aboard, Greenerer! Good luck in the hunt!

By the 1980s, the D-25 model was pretty much nailed down and they're all very similar. These guitars were arguably the mainstay Guild acoustic in that era, and an unbelievable value, especially when compared with other USA-built dreadnoughts. One of my friends' late -70s D-25s (same formula of solid spruce top over arched laminated mahogany back) was what drew me to Guild in the first place.

 

[millrat]

I've had my 88 since 92, played it at church every Sunday for 25 years. Wouldn't part with it! There were times when I unplugged it as volume wise iin a smaller room it had plenty of volume.

 

[adorshki]

The notable difference is flat to arch back. Once you get to the arched ones, more or less aging of the top is the only real difference, but even 80s versions are pretty old by now (to me, anything over 30 years old is old).

Change to archback was phased in in '73, possibly late '72 (which would correspond to recent confirmation that there were some G37's built in '72, and they had maple arched backs).

They were all-hog archbacks for roughly a year, and it appears the production was mixed as they phased in the spruce top ca '74. We've seen both types of build from '74.

But anything from '80's (and even late '70's) through '90's will be a spruce-top hog bodied archback.

Just didn't want overwhelm the OP with too much info right off the top.

 

[Greenerer]

Hi Greenerer, welcome!
That "signature boomy tone" is a hallmark of the spruce-topped archbacked D25s, which was the build formula throughout the '80's..they got the "narrow" headstock in '87.

Aha I see you’ve clued into one of my reservations! The narrow headstock was a concern that they may have changed the recipe. Not too concerned about looks.

Guild D-25 1987 - 1994 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

This is the one I’m looking at. The prices seem to be coming down across the board, hoping patience pays off. Stuff like this I feel is not reasonable:

Guild D-25 1974 - 1986 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

But I could be wrong. I know it’s still Ana amazing value. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

 

[E-Type]

Aha I see you’ve clued into one of my reservations! The narrow headstock was a concern that they may have changed the recipe. Not too concerned about looks.

Guild D-25 1987 - 1994 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

This is the one I’m looking at. The prices seem to be coming down across the board, hoping patience pays off. Stuff like this I feel is not reasonable:

Guild D-25 1974 - 1986 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

But I could be wrong. I know it’s still Ana amazing value. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

The ‘89 is def the better deal! At least the hard part of that reset has been done!!!

 

[adorshki]

Aha I see you’ve clued into one of my reservations! The narrow headstock was a concern that they may have changed the recipe. Not too concerned about looks.

Guild D-25 1987 - 1994 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

Looks good. Saddle looks a little funny under "B" string, like possibly compensated. That wouldn't be original but it's about as imortant as what strings are oon it as far as being a problem, ie, very easily fixed.

This is the one I’m looking at. The prices seem to be coming down across the board, hoping patience pays off. Stuff like this I feel is not reasonable:

Guild D-25 1974 - 1986 | Reverb Canada

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

But I could be wrong. I know it’s still Ana amazing value. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

Interesting, I see seller is actually "Reverb's Garage Sale" in Chicago IL, with the caveat:
"This guitar received damage due to poor shipping/mishandling.".

Wonder if this was a "buy-back" due to seller using Reverb's UPS account for shipping? But yeah, does seem way overpriced for a project guitar. Suspect perhaps it's just a corporate practice to try to recover as much costs as possible while liquidating such items.

Looks like maybe some of the other items are simply aged and getting price drops.

 

[Rambozo96]

Didn’t the bracing patterns change as with the rest of the line up?

 

[Greenerer]

Looks good. Saddle looks a little funny under "B" string, like possibly compensated. That wouldn't be original but it's about as imortant as what strings are oon it as far as being a problem, ie, very easily fixed.

Interesting, I see seller is actually "Reverb's Garage Sale" in Chicago IL, with the caveat:
"This guitar received damage due to poor shipping/mishandling.".

Wonder if this was a "buy-back" due to seller using Reverb's UPS account for shipping? But yeah, does seem way overpriced for a project guitar. Suspect perhaps it's just a corporate practice to try to recover as much costs as possible while liquidating such items.

Looks like maybe some of the other items are simply aged and getting price drops.

Yeah prices are all over the place. One popped up locally today - 1990 cherry burst, great condition, 3k

I’m sorry but that’s just insane

 

[Boomstick]

My favorite D-25s were the older mahogany tops, simply because they were unique and sounded different than a D-35 or D-40. But I’ve played a few late 70s spruce top models that were solid guitars too, sound similar to a D-35 or D-40.

I don’t think I ever played one from the 80s

 

[adorshki]

Didn’t the bracing patterns change as with the rest of the line up?

One can see some slight pattern mods in Gardman's drawings, but I think it was more a matter of adjusting thickness and tapers as top thicknesses required during the fluctuations between "light" and "heavy" builds.

A place where location had to be modified was when the "Fxxce" series went from 24-/34 scale to 25-5/8, necessitating relocation of the bridge and thus the bracing.

Also some of the earliest early dreads ('63-64 D40/D50) got ladder bracing.
EDIT: Fan not ladder bracing as noted below. Thx Boomstick.

 

[Boomstick]

Also some of the earliest early dreads ('63-64 D40/D50) got ladder bracing.

I found this '64 on the blog of a luthier not too far from me who mentioned this.

1964 Guild D-40 Dreadnought Guitar

Rochester, Vermont-based guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and general vintage and antique fretted instrument repair. Also history, how-tos, and slice of life.

jakewildwood.blogspot.com

 

[adorshki]

I found this '64 on the blog of a luthier not too far from me who mentioned this.

1964 Guild D-40 Dreadnought Guitar

Rochester, Vermont-based guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and general vintage and antique fretted instrument repair. Also history, how-tos, and slice of life.

jakewildwood.blogspot.com

Dingdingding! Winnah! Winnah!
Yes it's fan not ladder bracing:

Hans has posted that pic here before but when I ran a Google search just now it came up first in this link to the UMGF:
https://umgf.com/guild-d-40-1964-t134209.html

 

[chazmo]

The narrow headstock was a concern that they may have changed the recipe.

I don't think so, Greenerer. I prefer the wider headstock style myself, but I don't think the guitar changed. It's still a D-25. Of course, I have to be careful if I try to say that with modern (mostly non-USA builds) Guilds because there are enough changes to make your head spin... but not these.

 

[chazmo]

My favorite D-25s were the older mahogany tops, simply because they were unique and sounded different than a D-35 or D-40. But I’ve played a few late 70s spruce top models that were solid guitars too, sound similar to a D-35 or D-40.

I don’t think I ever played one from the 80s

The mahogany-topped D-25s are from the (very) early '70s. They're much less common than the "final" arched-back, spruce-topped versions.

Boomstick, if you're interested in that kind of sound, the modern D-20 from Oxnard and the former GAD (MIC) versions of the D-25 had solid mahogany backs and tops. They were really nice, but didn't follow the arched-back/spruce-top formula. I think even the D-25s from the Corona era (in USA, that is) might be of interest.

 

[Boomstick]

Dingdingding! Winnah! Winnah!
Yes it's fan not ladder bracing:

Hans has posted that pic here before but when I ran a Google search just now it came up first in this link to the UMGF:
https://umgf.com/guild-d-40-1964-t134209.html

Oh I'm not familiar with fan, I thought it was a variant of ladder bracing. Looks like it's kind of a hybrid.

 

[Boomstick]

The mahogany-topped D-25s are from the (very) early '70s. They're much less common than the "final" arched-back, spruce-topped versions.

Boomstick, if you're interested in that kind of sound, the modern D-20 from Oxnard and the former GAD (MIC) versions of the D-25 had solid mahogany backs and tops. They were really nice, but didn't follow the arched-back/spruce-top formula. I think even the D-25s from the Corona era (in USA, that is) might be of interest.

I don't have room for that many guitars, else I would be. I borrowed a friend's early 70s D-25 and played a lot of blues and slide on it, very fitting sound for it. Maybe someday.

 

[davenumber2]

Oh I'm not familiar with fan, I thought it was a variant of ladder bracing. Looks like it's kind of a hybrid.

Most classical guitars are fan-braced.