D-25/GAD D25 Comparison

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Who has played a GAD D25 and how does one compair to a USA built D25?
How does the GAD a flat back sound. compaired to an arched back D25?
I have only seen 1 GAD D25 and it sounded very good to my ear.
I have never heard a USA D25 though.
Are they even close to being the same?

 

[dreadnut]

Trying not to open up a can of worms here, TMG...it's really like comparing apples and oranges. especially where the archback models are concerned. Then again, tone is a very subjective thing. I've played a lot of GADs that sounded pretty good, but I prefer the tone that comes from a Westerly or Tacoma Guild over the Chinese built GAD.

Then perceived value enters into the equation - I was in Elderly Instruments one time and this guy had come prepared to buy a Guild D-50 and - I was in the same room while he played them all - he took home 2 GAD-50's instead. He told me he didn't think there was enough tonal difference to justify the price differential. (I disagree with that assessment, but he had the cash )

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Dred,
Your statement isn't that far from what I expected.
Even though the 2 guitars bare the same name, they are different beasts.
Even the finish is different on the guitars.
I guess what I'm looking for is a D25 that's all hog to compare with the GAD all hog.
There should be some similarities between the 2 guitars.

 

[Ian]

Who has played a GAD D25 and how does one compair to a USA built D25?
How does the GAD a flat back sound. compaired to an arched back D25?
I have only seen 1 GAD D25 and it sounded very good to my ear.
I have never heard a USA D25 though.
Are they even close to being the same?

OK, I'll bite.

For me they are in no way the same thing. A D25 was made by an American craftsman who cared about what they were doing and why they were doing it. A GAD25 is the product of a chinese sweatshop where the workers are paid a pittance to produce as many products per hour as possible with as little regard to working conditions and environmental concerns as possible, in order to return as great a profit as possible to the shareholders of the FMIC.

In terms of the guitars, I've played a couple of GAD25's and thought them OK. Never been tempted to buy one though.

Cheers, Ian

 

[Graham]

I guess what I'm looking for is a D25 that's all hog to compare with the GAD all hog.
There should be some similarities between the 2 guitars.

That should be the definitive comparison, although the age of the all hog D-25s will certainly lend to a better sound, IMO.

Anyone with a D-15 or D-17 might be able to chime in and give an opinion if they have played a GAD-25 though no?

 

[killdeer43]

I have to thank you for this post. You might have given me the perfect excuse to take my D25 down to the local Guild dealership tomorrow. I can tell my wife I'm doing research. :wink: :wink:

Stay tuned,
Joe

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

...................... in order to return as great a profit as possible to the shareholders of the FMIC.


Cheers, Ian

I don't disagree with the sentiment but for the record, FMIC is privately held:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Musical_Instruments_Corporation

~nw

 

[Ian]

...................... in order to return as great a profit as possible to the shareholders of the FMIC.


Cheers, Ian

I don't disagree with the sentiment but for the record, FMIC is privately held:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Musical_Instruments_Corporation

~nw

Thanks Nigel, I didn't know that. I only recently found out that they owned Gretsch as well...

Cheers, Ian

 

[taabru45]

Thats why you're not likely to see new Guild electric guitars again..... Steffan.

 

[mcrofutt]

I know I'll be flamed for this, but MY experience with Guild GADs is that the only thing they have in common with other Guilds is the name. The construction, sound, playability of the instruments I have played were completely unrelated. Don't think that I have a problem with "Pacific Rim" manufacture, there are many of those instruments I find outstanding. Comparing Guild GADs to others of that ilk, I found them to be of lesser quality and higher price.

 

[Graham]

I know I'll be flamed for this, but MY experience with Guild GADs is that the only thing they have in common with other Guilds is the name. The construction, sound, playability of the instruments I have played were completely unrelated. Don't think that I have a problem with "Pacific Rim" manufacture, there are many of those instruments I find outstanding. Comparing Guild GADs to others of that ilk, I found them to be of lesser quality and higher price.

Flamage shouldn't be a problem MC, you're stating your opinion. The varying degrees of talent on the forum lend itself to varying degrees of assessment. I'm at the lower end of assessment and don't have much in the way of comparison based on skill, etc to go on, so what I would say is not necessarily what those of the upper end would say.

That being said, :shock:, those in my range could find the GADs to be a very good entry point in the Guild family.

 

[workedinwesterly]

I know I'll be flamed for this, but MY experience with Guild GADs is that the only thing they have in common with other Guilds is the name. The construction, sound, playability of the instruments I have played were completely unrelated. Don't think that I have a problem with "Pacific Rim" manufacture, there are many of those instruments I find outstanding. Comparing Guild GADs to others of that ilk, I found them to be of lesser quality and higher price.

agreed....gad aint guild.

 

[Pike]

agreed....gad aint guild.

Nope, and from what I've heard the gad's are the same guitar as the Washburn Timbercrafts, among others, built in the Grand Rewards factory in China, only difference is the headstocks and trim. They're nice for the price though.

 

[dreadnut]

geez louise guys, I was trying to be diplomatic about this :roll:

It's kinda like comparing bikes. Suzuki makes a nice bike, but it ain't a Harley, and it doesn't sound like a Harley either...

Either way, as soon as I get a little more money I'm gonna snatch up another Westerly Guild :wink:

 

[kydave]

A D25 was made by an American craftsman who cared about what they were doing and why they were doing it. A GAD25 is the product of a chinese sweatshop where the workers are paid a pittance to produce as many products per hour as possible with as little regard to working conditions and environmental concerns as possible, in order to return as great a profit as possible to the shareholders of the FMIC.

No nationalism or xenophobia there... Do you have a clue that there are artists working in some of those Chinese factories who have been building Western style steel string guitars longer than you've been alive, have great skill at it and take pride in their work?

 

[amnicon]

I can follow the logic that Guild tradition was broken with Chinese manufacturing, but I personally cannot say that NONE of the Chinese luthiers care about what they are doing and that ALL of the American luthiers care a great deal.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I posted this question here at LTG to get the feel of Guild owners about the differences.
It is rather one sided, that GAD guitars don't compair to Guilds.
I once owned a GAD JF48 that was a great sounding guitar but never had a Guild to compair it to.
The only thing that I would have changed on the GAD was the finish.
I have been brain washed into thinking that nitro lacquar is the best finish for guitars and the GAD was poly.

There are some makers that use poly, [I think that Taylor does]
with great results so I don't know if my way of thinking about nitro is right or not.

The first time that I played a few GAD guitars, I didn't know that they were Chineese made and without that bias, thyey sounded great!
I asked the shop owner why these guitars were priced so low.
He then told me that they were imports.

I don't know if I would have been as impressed with the GAD's if I had known that they were imports before I started to play them.

Many of us, including myself, hold more prejudices inside us than we would like to admit.
I do think that there are some very fine guitars made outside of the USA, but they seem to all take a back seat to American built instruments.

 

[Ian]

A D25 was made by an American craftsman who cared about what they were doing and why they were doing it. A GAD25 is the product of a chinese sweatshop where the workers are paid a pittance to produce as many products per hour as possible with as little regard to working conditions and environmental concerns as possible, in order to return as great a profit as possible to the shareholders of the FMIC.

No nationalism or xenophobia there... Do you have a clue that there are artists working in some of those Chinese factories who have been building Western style steel string guitars longer than you've been alive, have great skill at it and take pride in their work?

Fair comment Dave, but you can't acuse me of nationalism or xenophobia as I'm a New Zealander... I just dont really feel that GAD's are proper Guilds and I wish that the FMIC would stop branding them as such, it's demeaning the Guild name.

I've nothing per se against Chinese mass manufactured instruments, but would you buy one to pass on to your kids when you're gone ?

 

[Scratch]

I have a strong preference for Westerly and Tacoma Guilds. The GAD line is OK for what it is intended to be, a guitar line to compete with other Asian crafted guitars. Once had a GAD 212; it was nice, but certainly didn't compare to the US-made Guilds. IMO, these guitars should be marketed as GADs but the Guild logo/inlays should be reserved for US crafted instruments. Market them as Guild once marketed their Madiera line...

 

[chazmo]

Somewhat parallel discussion over here too: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... p?t=161611

I couldn't stay quiet in that one.