Boneman
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2021
- Messages
- 1,392
- Reaction score
- 1,665
- Guild Total
- 6
D25 price increases.
- Thread starter Guild Man
- Start date
Br1ck
Senior Member
I think the arched back Guilds are the most misunderstood acoustics ever made. Firstly they were so prominent a feature on the "cheap" D 25s, then they were plywood. Two strikes against for the uninformed. I have a friend with not one but two Linda Manzer arch tops. The solid wood one is far too lively to be amplified, so he had a second plywood guitar made. Not all ply is equal. Guild never did explain it as a feature very well. Still, the only arch back Guild I had was an F 40, which was horribly bright and shrill.
Westerly Wood
Venerated Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2007
- Messages
- 13,426
- Reaction score
- 6,625
- Guild Total
- 2
If my right shoulder could take it, I would trade my F30R for a nice old sunburst one in excellent shape. I would consider that a decent trade today, knowing what I know.
Last edited:
E-Type
Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2017
- Messages
- 397
- Reaction score
- 344
Funny you say that. For my arch back ‘74, I can plug it’s K&K pure mini right into any acoustic amp and it sounds great. My flatback D-25 (K&K too) needs a fancy pre-amp and some eq to sound good. On its own, it’s just too resonant and sounds like a mess.
Last edited:
Br1ck
Senior Member
If you keep any solid wood guitar long enough it will gain value. I vividly remember being $400 underwater on my D 35. I was fine with that then as I am now. Yes, I miss those craigslist $700 D 25 adds, or the $300 project guitars.
I'm going to assume it must have been significantly cheaper - not only is the material probably cheaper (laminate vs solid) but I'd also imagine that the process of heat-pressing a single laminate piece into an arch is much less labor/time intensive than gluing the two halves solid halves together, putting on the back strip, the bracing, shaping it, tucking it into the lining etc etc. Again, just making an educated guess here.
As for archback acoustics, Gibson was in the early '70s making the Gospel - a square shoulder, maple sides and arched maple back dreadnought. Around the same time Guild made the switch from flatback hogtop to archback spruce for the D25s. Though there are plenty other examples of archedbacks in general...
Edit: I also recall seeing some "parabolic" arched back acoustics in an Ibanez catalog from the mid-70s, very Guild-inspired.
adorshki
Reverential Member
I said it earlier, and I think you're absolutely correct, except about the laminate which they constructed in-house.
Center layer was normally something light, Hans mentioned larch once for example, but I forget a couple of other candidates, and the outside layers were actually fine grade furniture veneer which they bought ready sheeted and then glued up the layers in-house.
Interesting detail about those veneers: Since they were sequentially sheeted and delivered that way, any 2 consecutive sheets would have near-identical grain patterns. They actually took pains to ensure the grain was matching on both sides.
Found that out when I was looking at my D25 one night and realized that the grain inside the back was reversed 180deg from the uotside, but it was obviously thae same grain pattern, with a couple of distinctive "spikes" in it.
One of the guys who worked at Westerly told me that would actually have been considered a cosmetic defect.
hansmoust
Enlightened Member
No, I didn't say that, but I won't beat you up for it! It was poplar!
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
Ross
Senior Member
I second that opinion. My '83 has a very dark burst.
adorshki
Reverential Member
And for that I thank you sincerely.
My D15 kicks bootie. It is much nicer all around than the 2 or 3 D25s I've owned.
It's pretty surprising to see even the worn ones fetching higher prices lately. I'm guessing word's spread about their value or maybe there's a newfound appreciation for them in the market. It's interesting to observe these shifts, isn't it?
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,861
- Reaction score
- 766
Seriously, look for a D4 (basically a D25 with a hand-rubbed finish) or, if you're not committed to a spruce top, a D15. I have a friend who plays a D4 at an open mic I attend. It's a killer guitar, more than holding its own against a D40 that another participant plays, as well as various Martins and Taylors. As for me, don't tell my D25 (which was my first and for a long time only acoustic Guild), but I prefer my D15 (purchased for $680 five years ago. I haven't kept track of D4 or D15 princes recently, but I'm sure they're less than D25 prices.
wileypickett
Enlightened Member
I'm with Jeff!
The D4 is, IMO, Guild's "best bang for your buck" model. You can find 'em in good shape for under $500.00. I've also owned several D25s, all of them fine guitars. I currently have a D15 that is as good sounding as any of the D25s I've owned.
While these models don't excite the hardcore Guild fan, for anyone on a budget (or who is simply a cheapskate) they'll serve you well and then some.
The D4 is, IMO, Guild's "best bang for your buck" model. You can find 'em in good shape for under $500.00. I've also owned several D25s, all of them fine guitars. I currently have a D15 that is as good sounding as any of the D25s I've owned.
While these models don't excite the hardcore Guild fan, for anyone on a budget (or who is simply a cheapskate) they'll serve you well and then some.
Last edited:
Br1ck
Senior Member
Not exciting the hardcore fan is the key to lower prices.
And if you're lucky, you'd find one with a high gloss finish. I had a '93 for a while that was as good as any D25 I've ever played, with the exception of my recent D25 "25th anniversary".
Last edited:
Westerly Wood
Venerated Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2007
- Messages
- 13,426
- Reaction score
- 6,625
- Guild Total
- 2
Which is really a D26.with the exception of my recent D25 "25th anniversary".
j/k