KCGuildPicker
Junior Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2023
- Messages
- 69
- Reaction score
- 88
- Guild Total
- 2
Don't know if this really counts as this is obviously a Guild Guitar Forum . . .
So I am fortunate enough to call Mass Street Music one of my local shops and Saturday I trekked over to Lawrence to try out the 1979 D-55. As you can imagine, it was a canon . . . a beauty (IDK if pristine is the best word) but there were no scuffs, scratches, or other physical age markers. The sound was what we all would come to expect. The neck fit my hand like a glove. Unfortunately, the guitar's weight was also what we would come to expect . . . For me, I had managed to forget just how heavy these guitars can get and with my shoulder problems, I knew as cool and sweet sounding as it was, I would not be leaving with the D-55. So . . . (and here's the point of this post), one of the guys in the shop held up and suggested a James Goodall KGC model that was also in the shop on consignment.
Now to my knowledge, I have never played a guitar from a builder considered a boutique builder/shop as they are just beyond my means. That said, this one was on consignment for less than market value and it sounded like one would expect a boutique guitar to sound - suffice to say, I was thunderstruck like Michael Corleone on his trip home . . . I now get the "boutique" allure. And given that it was priced below market, I would have been a fool to walk away. The sound is definitely mid-range, focused, and "tight" - not tight in sort of the guitar seems choked . . . but tight in the kind of focused, laser / dialed in kind of way (not sure if that makes any sense at all). I'm still learning my way around this guitar as it is definitely one that I will grow into.
Some specs:
1-Ceder Top
2-Koa back and sides
3-Top five coolest Headstock shape (not really a spec but apparently something that I really use in my guitar appraisal)
4-Scale is 25.5
5-I don't yet have the neck measurements and string spacing . . . but both were actually the first thing I notices when I sat down and played it in the shop. Lots of room on the string spacing and the neck is a bit flat with very little roundness (C shape?) which just fits my hand wonderfully.
So, even thought I didn't leave with the D-55, the D-55 played a role in bringing me to the James Goodall . . .so even in a non-purchase, the Guild stands out as just coolness.
Right time and right place. Feeling humbled and fortunate in front of the guitar goddess. Thinking the Eastmans may be on the way out as between the Goodall, Guild, and Larrivee in my signature, there is not much sonic room or even purpose for the two Eastmans.
(Sorry about the quality of the photos . . . I am by far one of the worst photographers out there!)
So I am fortunate enough to call Mass Street Music one of my local shops and Saturday I trekked over to Lawrence to try out the 1979 D-55. As you can imagine, it was a canon . . . a beauty (IDK if pristine is the best word) but there were no scuffs, scratches, or other physical age markers. The sound was what we all would come to expect. The neck fit my hand like a glove. Unfortunately, the guitar's weight was also what we would come to expect . . . For me, I had managed to forget just how heavy these guitars can get and with my shoulder problems, I knew as cool and sweet sounding as it was, I would not be leaving with the D-55. So . . . (and here's the point of this post), one of the guys in the shop held up and suggested a James Goodall KGC model that was also in the shop on consignment.
Now to my knowledge, I have never played a guitar from a builder considered a boutique builder/shop as they are just beyond my means. That said, this one was on consignment for less than market value and it sounded like one would expect a boutique guitar to sound - suffice to say, I was thunderstruck like Michael Corleone on his trip home . . . I now get the "boutique" allure. And given that it was priced below market, I would have been a fool to walk away. The sound is definitely mid-range, focused, and "tight" - not tight in sort of the guitar seems choked . . . but tight in the kind of focused, laser / dialed in kind of way (not sure if that makes any sense at all). I'm still learning my way around this guitar as it is definitely one that I will grow into.
Some specs:
1-Ceder Top
2-Koa back and sides
3-Top five coolest Headstock shape (not really a spec but apparently something that I really use in my guitar appraisal)
4-Scale is 25.5
5-I don't yet have the neck measurements and string spacing . . . but both were actually the first thing I notices when I sat down and played it in the shop. Lots of room on the string spacing and the neck is a bit flat with very little roundness (C shape?) which just fits my hand wonderfully.
So, even thought I didn't leave with the D-55, the D-55 played a role in bringing me to the James Goodall . . .so even in a non-purchase, the Guild stands out as just coolness.
Right time and right place. Feeling humbled and fortunate in front of the guitar goddess. Thinking the Eastmans may be on the way out as between the Goodall, Guild, and Larrivee in my signature, there is not much sonic room or even purpose for the two Eastmans.
(Sorry about the quality of the photos . . . I am by far one of the worst photographers out there!)
