Guild D47-CE... a D25 lite from 1983

[hearth_man]

Well this is a bit of an odd, dread, duck. The D47-CE was part of the 80's Crossroads series and was apparently not too well received back in the day.

To my knowledge this is the only thin, 3-3/4", body dread Guild ever made. (aside from the even more rare chambered solid body DS48-CE) It was a sister to the much more popular F45-CE. It has the same spruce top and mahogany arch back and sides that the early F45-CE had. Within a couple years the F45-CE got it's maple back and sides and the D47-CE was no more.

I would describe the D47-CE sound as a lighter version of the deep D25 voice, and just about as loud. I would say It is the most comfortable dread I've played! Another difference is the 24-3/4" scale length and 24 fret fingerboard.

You can see the comparison with my 1984 D25C.

 

[GGJaguar]

That has an odd look to it.

 

[Westerly Wood]

I like it. I had no idea Guild tried something like this. Dang they are unique.

 

[adorshki]

Well this is a bit of an odd, dread, duck. The D47-CE was part of the 80's Crossroads series and was apparently not too well received back in the day.

To my knowledge this is the only thin, 3-3/4", body dread Guild ever made. (aside from the even more rare chambered solid body DS48-CE) It was a sister to the much more popular F45-CE. It has the same spruce top and mahogany arch back and sides that the early F45-CE had. Within a couple years the F45-CE got it's maple back and sides and the D47-CE was no more.

I would describe the D47-CE sound as a lighter version of the deep D25 voice, and just about as loud. I would say It is the most comfortable dread I've played! Another difference is the 24-3/4" scale length and 24 fret fingerboard.

You can see the comparison with my 1984 D25C.

That has an odd look to it.

Could it be the 24-3/4 scale neck? Double dots at soundhole end are giveaways of their 24-3/4" full 24-fret neck that premiered on the original F45ce. Gt a suspicion it wasn't "punchy " enough due to that and the shallower depth, and the fact guitars weren't exactly dominating the charts in the mid '80's, the age of the keyboard..

 

[twocorgis]

I thought that @The Guilds of Grot had one of these, but his looks to be the near relative DS48CE, another oddball Guild.

 

[adorshki]

I thought that @The Guilds of Grot had one of these, but his looks to be the near relative DS48CE, another oddball Guild.

Truth to tell I'd forgotten about it myself, only remembered the DS48 like you, but when I saw it was a true flattop I remembered seeing one here several years ago.

Only dreadnought true flattop they ever made with a 24-3/4 scale. Given 2 sightings in 6 or 7 years there can't have been very many.
(Now watch 'em start to crawl out of the uh, woodwork.)

 

[GGJaguar]

Could it be the 24-3/4 scale neck?

Maybe that combined with the oval sound hole located further down the body and Florentine cutaway make the proportions odd.

 

[plaidseason]

I love the look. But I'd have guessed that with the bridge where it is, would make for a very un-dreadnought sounding dreadnought, but it that appears to not be the case. I love this forum!

Also, the D25 cutaway is one of my white whales. Part of why I acquired a(nother) DCE1 was to quell my weird obsession.

 

[hearth_man]

Could never find a D47-CE ad but it's sister was all over.

 

[jeffcoop]

Fascinating. Guild was trying all kinds of stuff during this period. I've never seen one of these, and I doubt it would make an adequate dreadnought substitute, but I'd be interested in hearing how it sounds.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Fascinating. Guild was trying all kinds of stuff during this period. I've never seen one of these, and I doubt it would make an adequate dreadnought substitute, but I'd be interested in hearing how it sounds.

 

[Westerly Wood]

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I thought that @The Guilds of Grot had one of these, but his looks to be the near relative DS48CE, another oddball Guild.

You remembered correctly Sandy, I have both!

Crossroads Series

 

[twocorgis]

You remembered correctly Sandy, I have both!

Crossroads Series

I don't think the D47 is on your website, though.

 

[hearth_man]

Wow west that's an old video, 10 years, great find!

I don't know what strings he's using but acoustically in that video it sounds very thin and weak. Could also be mics and so on but I put my standard acoustic set of .013 - .056 strings on mine and she's much more full with much better bottom end. Not a D25 but much closer to one than depicted in that video.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Wow west that's an old video, 10 years, great find!

I don't know what strings he's using but acoustically in that video it sounds very thin and weak. Could also be mics and so on but I put my standard acoustic set of .013 - .056 strings on mine and she's much more full with much better bottom end. Not a D25 but much closer to one than depicted in that video.

I think this model would be fantastic for finger picking and soloing. And easier on shoulder as the guitar is closer to body. It sounds fuller in 2nd video I posted. Probably cause he is using the electronics. Glad to hear these are good with .13s.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I don't think the D47 is on your website, though.

Yeah, for a multitude of reasons, my website is quite a bit out of date. It only has about 3/5ths of my guitars!

 

[hearth_man]

Grot, only 3/5ths! All I can say is amazing!

 

[Rich Cohen]

I like it. I had no idea Guild tried something like this. Dang they are unique.

Guild wasn't afraid to try out stuff. I suppose the oval sound hole makes sense on this model. Most of the time it worked.