What is the current price range for used D-55 these days?

[onewilyfool]

How about a Westerly R.I., circa '99 in good condition??? Thanks....

 

[GardMan]

On eBay, anywhere from $1000-$1500? Depends on lots of factors (condition, other guitars on auction, phase of moon, etc). Doubt they'd go much lower (unless in bad shape), but a really good one may go for more.

 

[bluesypicky]

My observations on the D55 used market, place it closer to $1500 than $1000, but I agree with the range....
Most likely the $1000 priced ones will not qualify for the "good condition" etiquette, unless you get a good deal.

 

[GardMan]

My observations on the D55 used market, place it closer to $1500 than $1000, but I agree with the range....
Most likely the $1000 priced ones will not qualify for the "good condition" etiquette, unless you get a good deal.

I think the market fluctuates a lot... but I think the '90s D-55s are probably at the lower end of the overall D-55 price scale (especially the early '90s, before the pearl rosette was added). They aren't really old enough to be "vintage," and thus command less than the '70s and '80s 55s, but have "depreciated" more than those from the 2000s (Westerly's) and the Tacoma models. I think that probably makes them the best overall deals, if you find one in good shape. My '92 cost me <$1200, and would have been in exc condition if it hadn't gotten cold-checked in transit. Still a great player... haven't even had it set up in the 3 years I have had it.

 

[adorshki]

Still a great player... haven't even had it set up in the 3 years I have had it.

I never had any of mine set up until the first fret job on the '25, other than a little truss tweaking myself. Even then I have it set to factory spec, I think the factory setups are great. I'm always leery of those ads that say "low action". I think, "OK, does that mean it's already had the frets levelled and the nut and saddle shaved so it's gonna need that stuff AND a real fret job to be the way it's supposed to be?" I'd almost rather see: "Original frets all notched to h-ll so it's gonna need a fret job for sure" Then I'd be pretty sure the nut & saddle were ok at least. :lol:

 

[bluesypicky]

I think the market fluctuates a lot... but I think the '90s D-55s are probably at the lower end of the overall D-55 price scale (especially the early '90s, before the pearl rosette was added). They aren't really old enough to be "vintage," and thus command less than the '70s and '80s 55s, but have "depreciated" more than those from the 2000s (Westerly's) and the Tacoma models. I think that probably makes them the best overall deals, if you find one in good shape. My '92 cost me <$1200, and would have been in exc condition if it hadn't gotten cold-checked in transit. Still a great player... haven't even had it set up in the 3 years I have had it.

Entirely agreed. But I do think the D55's huge popularity tends to reflect on the asking prices, (even on those from the "less desirable" years), more so than other models I believe. For instance, it is much easier to find a good condition DV52 in the $1000 to $1200 range than a D55.
So congrats on yours! :wink:

 

[onewilyfool]

thanks guys for the input.....your figures are what I expected....

 

[JerryR]

And very interesting to me too

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I paid $1150 for mine less than a year ago. It's a 2005 Tacoma built.
I did have to have the bridge reglued though. $50.00 and it is holding very well.
The kid that I purchased it from knew nothing about humidifying a guitar.
I told him that it needed to be humidified and he said that it came with a Dampit and he always kept it with the guitar.
He didn't know that you need to add water to it.
Good luck in your quest for your D-55.
They are great guitars.

 

[jcwu]

The kid that I purchased it from knew nothing about humidifying a guitar.
I told him that it needed to be humidified and he said that it came with a Dampit and he always kept it with the guitar.
He didn't know that you need to add water to it.

That sounds like me!

I always thought that humidifying a guitar is for those who live in extreme conditions, and not a problem for those of us in California.

Well, within the last two weeks I diagnosed the possible need for a neck reset on my DV-52. So now I'm getting ready to eat my words.... if indeed the lack of humidification contributed to the problem.

 

[adorshki]

I always thought that humidifying a guitar is for those who live in extreme conditions, and not a problem for those of us in California.
Well, within the last two weeks I diagnosed the possible need for a neck reset on my DV-52. So now I'm getting ready to eat my words.... if indeed the lack of humidification contributed to the problem.

JC: I can't remember ever hearing that a neck reset was associated with humidity. It's always associated with the years of accumulated tension of the strings. Cracks in the wood are the common problem associated with humidity. I suppose it's possible that a dry top is more likely to crack if the strings are pulling the guitar's body up around the heelblock, which is what's really going on when people say the neck is being pulled towards the bridge.
It's possible that if the guitars are stored in an HVAC controlled environment maybe they do get too dry since typical industrial air conditioning dehumidifies air. I'm thinking is it stored in your church, especially outside its case? Otherwise, you're correct, in CA the ambient humidity in the SF Bay Area stays in tyhe range of 45-55% year round which is ideal for guitars. I always keep mine in their cases in a closet if I'm not actually playing them, and even the D25 which is almost 14 years old with about 1300 hours of actual playing on it is spot-on in alignment, I just checked it last weekend. Some people think the need for a reset is inevitable but I think it also depends on what string gauges you use, I've always used the lights spec'd for the guitars. Didn't you mention recently you used mediums for quite a while? I think that's much more probable cause of the need for the reset.

 

[devellis]

I only know what I've heard from others but some of that suggests that humidity might play a role, though not likely the primary role. As I understand it, neck resets are caused primarily by changes in the body geometry. Some feel that compression of the top or back plates is one of the sources of those changes. Although humidity tends to affect things across the grain a lot and along the grain not so much, I suppose it's possible for chronic humidity under constant string tension to contribute to geometry changes than could affect the neck angle. Even lateral plate shrinkage can throw the soundbox out of kilter if its' extreme enough. But I basically agree with adorshki; other signs of dryness -- like protruding fret ends, the development of a pronounced "corduroy" texture to the top, and eventually top or back splits -- would be evident way before any effect on overall geometry from dryness would throw off the neck angle. I guess a humidity-related brace failure might have a more dramatic effect (e.g., top dipping in front and rising in back of the bridge, thus screwing up the action and the bridge's alignment with the neck). It's still a good idea to monitor humidity but it's not the most likely culprit when a neck reset is needed.

 

[jcwu]

It's possible that if the guitars are stored in an HVAC controlled environment maybe they do get too dry since typical industrial air conditioning dehumidifies air.

I'm thinking is it stored in your church, especially outside its case?

If it's our church you're talking about, the HVAC is almost never on. Too expensive on the PG&E bills.

Besides, my guitars spend most of their time in their case at home.

Some people think the need for a reset is inevitable but I think it also depends on what string gauges you use, I've always used the lights spec'd for the guitars. Didn't you mention recently you used mediums for quite a while? I think that's much more probable cause of the need for the reset.

I used mediums for most of the DV52's life span, then changed to lights about two years ago because I wasn't playing enough and my fingers weren't doing too well with the higher tension - they were getting tired too quickly. But this last year I've been playing more again, so I've switched back to mediums. I'm guessing the neck alignment problem was there before I switched to the lights, but I just never noticed it..

...and now that I think about it, maybe I was having problems with the mediums not because my fingers were getting weaker, but because the neck misalignment was causing the action to go up. :idea:

 

[Treem]

All my acoustics have mediums on them right now. But the mediums playability feels like the lights on my Guilds!! And I dunno why? :lol: 8)

But it makes me

 

[adorshki]

...so I've switched back to mediums. I'm guessing the neck alignment problem was there before I switched to the lights, but I just never noticed it..
...and now that I think about it, maybe I was having problems with the mediums not because my fingers were getting weaker, but because the neck misalignment was causing the action to go up. :idea:

Well, having eliminated the humidity question, you might be right. But I still think string tension is the primary cause of necks going out of line and less can only be better in gthe long term. Before I noticed the bellying getting exaggerated on my F65 I used to keep her strung with lights even though Guild spec'd "EXTRA lights". I thought, hey, it's a Guild, it can take it. Now I think they spec'd the strings for very good reason. Do you know what the DV-52 was originally designed for? I admit I don't.

 

[adorshki]

All my acoustics have mediums on them right now. But the mediums playability feels like the lights on my Guilds!! And I dunno why? :lol: 8)
But it makes me

I know what you mean. My D25 with lights is as easy to play as nylon, with all the snap of steel. I still haven't felt any other guitar like it, although the F65 comes very close. The D40 has a thicker neck so it's just a tiny bit harder for me to play.

 

[Treem]

All my acoustics have mediums on them right now. But the mediums playability feels like the lights on my Guilds!! And I dunno why? :lol: 8)
But it makes me

I know what you mean. My D25 with lights is as easy to play as nylon, with all the snap of steel. I still haven't felt any other guitar like it, although the F65 comes very close. The D40 has a thicker neck so it's just a tiny bit harder for me to play.

AWESOME PLAYABILITY!!!! 8) :lol: 8)