Any opinions about the A25 or A50?

jp · May 13, 2009

I've been considering one of these, and I'm curious if any owners have any opinions. I've never seen one or played one, but I'm drawn to their smaller concert sizes. I can't tell from the pictures on Tim's Westerly site, but are these the same shape as one of the more popular models? Didn't you pick up one of these, Don?

coastie99 · May 13, 2009

jp said:
I've been considering one of these, and I'm curious if any owners have any opinions. I've never seen one or played one, but I'm drawn to their smaller concert sizes. I can't tell from the pictures on Tim's Westerly site, but are these the same shape as one of the more popular models? Didn't you pick up one of these, Don?

JP ..... look here. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7364&hilit=+A25

Hardly the definitive test !

I do like the 1 3/4" nut. Well, I like the whole guitar !

I've stuck with Elixirs ........ only "aftermarket" strings I've experimented with.

Here's a photo., next to my F20.

workedinwesterly · May 13, 2009

the general opinion in the factory is that they were crap.

i never saw a good one.

jte · May 13, 2009

I've played three A-25 and didn't much care for them. I've played on A-50 and love it. I bought in new on December 13, 1995. Serial number shows it's the 3rd one.

Here's a picture of her with the rest of the Guild family.

It's a fine fingerpicking guitar, but not what I'd choose for strumming. Not as open as say a Martin OM or 000, but very balanced. A nice dry tone that I really like. It's my "just for me" guitar so it's not been out of the house much, and I've not had the chance to A/B it with many guitars. But back in 1995 I kept going back and forth between two stores comparing the A-50 to an OM-something that was very tempting. The Martin had a certain understated elegance to the sound (and apperance come to think of it) the Guild lacked, but the Guild had so much more personal character.

jte

Jeff · May 13, 2009

jp said:
I've been considering one of these, and I'm curious if any owners have any opinions. I've never seen one or played one, but I'm drawn to their smaller concert sizes. I can't tell from the pictures on Tim's Westerly site, but are these the same shape as one of the more popular models?

JP,

I played an A25 listed on Craigslist a while back. It was sick & needed a neck reset & I'm almost positive it had the original strings.

It didn't jump right out, action was so bad couldn't really play it but seemed to me it had some potential,

My CO1 is generally about the same size, maybe a shade bigger, same 1 3/4 in fingerboard as the A25. I'm thinking Martin 000 size, Russ D has an F30R that's about the same size.. Given a choice & money being no issue, I'd probably take the CO1, it has a "live" feel & sound , not big & powerful but live & sweet. Keep in mind I do have my CO1 in for a neck reset.

Here's the CO1 between a D25 & F20

jp · May 13, 2009

Thanks for the interesting responses, fellas. Certainly not what I expected, especially after reading mostly sparkling reviews on Harmony Central.

workedinwesterly said:
the general opinion in the factory is that they were crap. i never saw a good one.

In what ways were they crap? Poor design? I would imagine that the quality workmanship would still be there.

coastie,
If you had to choose would it be the F20 or the A25?

Jeff,
I'm not ruling out the CO1, M20, GADM20, or F20 either. I know how much you love your F20 too. I've never played an F30 or F40, and maybe I should.

jte,
Why'd you like the A50 and not the A25? Same feel but different sound due to rosewood vs mahogany?

coastie99 · May 13, 2009

workedinwesterly said:
the general opinion in the factory is that they were crap.

i never saw a good one.

Quelle horreur !!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

fungusyoung · May 13, 2009

Jeff said:
I'm thinking Martin 000 size, Russ D has an F30R that's about the same size..

I owned an A25 and Martin 000-15 at the same time... though similar sizes, the A25 was a bit smaller. It's probably closer to a 00 sized Martin. Not sure exactly how it compares to the F20 or F30, but I'll have an F30R (from the late 90's) to compare it to soon.

I sold my A25 to a good friend when I was downsizing & had to make a few very hard Guild decisions. I liked it well enough, but it didn't unseat my 000-15... which I could never get rid of purely for sentimental reasons anyways.

killdeer43 · May 13, 2009

I had an A-25 for a while but sold it after a short time, just as I did the GAD-30. They were Guilds and even though I'm thoroughly Guilded, the sound/tone just didn't compare to my Epiphone Masterbilt.

Joe

jte · May 14, 2009

jp said:
jte,
Why'd you like the A50 and not the A25? Same feel but different sound due to rosewood vs mahogany?

Yeah, I think it was the 'hog on a small body. It didn't really project and was kind of dead. I played the A-25 side-by side with an F-30RLS, and was sorely tempted to go home and get my A-50 to compare them side-by-side.

The thing is, I played on original F-30R decades before. Sometime around 1978 I played a used small-bodied Guild with rosewood back and sides. Later as I learned more it became obvious that it was an F-30. That sound was the holy grail of what an acoustic guitar should sound like for me. It took me almost 20 years to get a small rosewood Guild. So there's probably some ancient yearning in my choice too.

They do fall into Guild's common real of heavily braced guitars. My F47CE (mahogany) with its scalloped braces is more open and alive, but the A-50 is just so much fun to play stuff like Bach's "Minuet in G", "Buckdancer's Choice", my acoustic version of "White Room", and "Willin'".

jte

jp · May 14, 2009

jte said:
They do fall into Guild's common real of heavily braced guitars. My F47CE (mahogany) with its scalloped braces is more open and alive. . .

Aha. Very interesting point. I'd still like to try both of them out whenever I get the chance.

Punkybub · May 14, 2009

I had both at one time - a satin A25 and a gloss A50. Sold the A25 after bringing it over to a friend's house and playing it against a Seagull (lower end satin finish) and feeling like they were very similar tonally. That A25 was a good guitar, just not Guild-good to my ear. I had played a gloss A25 years ago that I liked better than the satin one I ended up with, so maybe it was just the satin finish I didn't get along with...

The A50 I've hung onto because it's so distinctive in it's tone. Dry, woody, balanced, with some power too. Not much bass - the body of the A25/A50s look like an OM with the bottom of the instrument flattened. It's a good guitar for single string stuff up the neck as well as finger style playing, and it records pretty sweetly too.

fungusyoung · May 14, 2009

jte said:
I played on original F-30R decades before. Sometime around 1978 I played a used small-bodied Guild with rosewood back and sides. Later as I learned more it became obvious that it was an F-30. That sound was the holy grail of what an acoustic guitar should sound like for me. It took me almost 20 years to get a small rosewood Guild. So there's probably some ancient yearning in my choice too.

Not that I wasn't already thrilled about an incoming F30R that I'll have within a couple weeks or so, but this just post made me even more anxious :mrgreen:.

Rosewood was not intuitive for me. The DV52 I had... it was a wonderful guitar, but I never felt that I was a good enough player to make it sing the way it needs to sing. A Martin D-35, though much quieter and a lot less overtones vs. the DV52, is much more up my hack/cowboy chord playing alley.

Now the idea of a smaller bodied rosewood Guild has me VERY excited about recording and playing out live a bit. Can't hardly wait.

Jeff · May 14, 2009

[quote="fungusyoung.......thrilled about an incoming F30R that I'll have within a couple weeks or so, but this just post made me even more anxious :mrgreen:.
......
Now the idea of a smaller bodied rosewood Guild has me VERY excited about recording and playing out live a bit. Can't hardly wait.[/quote]

I'm experiencing F30 envy.

I'm not 100% positive but I think Hans is playing Russ D's F30 R here.

Russ allowed me to play his baby for some time at Arlington, it's a sweet little guitar. Has a PU installed, more fun.

tjmangum · May 14, 2009

For what it is, or was, the A25 is a nice, simple entry level Guild. Nothing fancy. IMHO, the A50 is a whole different animal. The tone of my A-50 reminds me of my DV52. Great little guitar all around. I can see giving up the A25, but the A-50 is definitely a keeper.

By the way, the cases these come in are the best ones I've seen a Guild come in.
tj

jte · Jun 11, 2009

OK, I finally got some pictures of my A-50 loaded up...

for the body...

for the whole thing...

and another shot of the whole guitar.

I've had her since December 1995. Love it.

jte

Scratch · Jun 11, 2009

jte said:
OK, I finally got some pictures of my A-50 loaded up...

for the body...

for the whole thing...

and another shot of the whole guitar.

I've had her since December 1995. Love it.

jte

DANG!!! That is one beautiful Guild...

coastie99 · Jun 11, 2009

Very salubrious JTE.

jp · Jun 11, 2009

It's a beauty, jte. I would love the opportunity to play both the A25 and A50, but chances are slim. I'm still very curious about the F20 or M20, especially after seeing Jeff's and coastie's!

killdeer43 · Jun 11, 2009

Dang it, I'm having a serious GAS attack! Where's the Beano when I need it? :lol:

She's a real looker,
Joe

Any opinions about the A25 or A50?

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