Br1ck
Senior Member
I'd love to get three or four of them in the same room.
Donny, your D35 might also be an especially good one. I had another,
same design, same early-style pickguard, but a little later - think it was an early '70 model.
It did not compare favorably to the remarkable playing and tonal characteristics of
yours, and I spent a fair amount of time comparing the two side by side before selling it.
Perfect analogy.This discussion closely mirrors the "what's the difference between a D50 and D55"? Other than appointments, the guitars seem the same, but sure sound different. I remember 15 years ago as I went looking for a nice Guild, I honed in on the D50. When I went into a guitar shop to buy it, the guy handed me the D55 to try. He was amazed when I still chose the D50. That happened to be the sound I was looking for at the time. I have since bought a D55 and enjoying the differences between the two, and figuring out which sounds better for which song.
Viva le difference.... whatever the cause.
Hi praise coming from youNice photo!
Details please.I have owned a ‘76 D40 and a ‘98 D40. Two entirely different guitars.
I would expect the 22-year difference to be notable. I would even expect a '76 compared to a '72 to be pretty different. The only model I've owned a lot of different years of are F212s. There are consistent elements from era to era, but each guitar is unique of course.I have owned a ‘76 D40 and a ‘98 D40. Two entirely different guitars.
Ha thanks!Damn good tune - sounding great Donny!
Somehow that D35 never sounded nearly as good when
I was playing it
I'd be willing to bet the '98 was noticably lighter than the '76, just to start..
Details please.
My casual observations of owner comments seem to indicate they started lightening up again ca mid-'80's. It seems to me to be more than coincidence that that coincides with the Gruhn era, starting '84.4 post-'70s (I don't have enough experience here to know).
Interesting.My casual observations of owner comments seem to indicate they started lightening up again ca mid-'80's. It seems to me to be more than coincidence that that coincides with the Gruhn era, starting '84.
My D25 was the lightest flattop I'd ever owned (still is), so I've always been kind of curious how it'd compare to the fabled Hoboken builds.
The Corona D40 is a real tank, I've described elsewhere that I suspect it was built according to the old mid-70's Westerly characteristics.
And yet it keeps growing on me, especially after I realized it records the best, like you said about your D35, doesn't need any EQ.
Tacomas were supposed to usher in a return to the Colin Chapman (Lotus Cars founder) philosophy: "Add lightness".
I never put any guitar on a scale, but I had a few right around the same time- and I'm sensitive to the weight of a guitar when I'm standing (I have to get used to a super light guitar, and super heavy guitars are not too comfortable)- but I would estimate the '68 D40, '67 D44, '69 D35, and '72 D25 to be along the lines of maybe 4.5-5 lbs (they all felt about the same- light but sturdy), and the '68 D35 more like 4-4.25 (feels sturdy still because it has that Guild thing, but still seems almost too light at times- probably why it sounds good ha).I had both '72 and '78 D-35s for a number of years, and they were VERY different. The '72 was and is my lightest Guild, at about 4.25 lbs. The '78 weighed in closer to 5.5 lbs, as I recall.
The '72 (bought new in Jan '73 when I was 17) has a much warmer "woodier" tone, with better bass but sparkling trebles. The '78 had much more emphasis on mids and trebles, notably weaker bass, but was MUCH louder.
Structurally, the '72 has the "early" style of bracing in the upper bout (discussed here), with a popsicle brace between the neck block and first brace. It also looks to have a maple bridge plate. The '78 had the later style upper bout bracing, with neck block extension and wing braces, and a rosewood bridge plate.
I don't know which models might have "lightened up" later in Westerly, or when that might have occurred... but IIRC, of the 12 Guild dreads I have owned, those built in or before '72 ('71 D-44 and '72 D-35) were under 4.5 lbs, the two '74s (D-25M and G-37) were between 5.25 and 5.5 lbs, and everything from '76 and after is between 5.5 and 6 lbs ('76 D-50, '78 D-35, '81 D-46, '82 D-70, '92 D-55, two '94 DV-72s, and a '95 DV-73).
In my sig: neckblock stamp Oct31 96. Thus: "Hally"Interesting.
What year is your D25?