Looking for info on D4 HR MAH

Looking for any info including year. Have checked different serial number sites and can't find anything that matches the serial number AD402547.

All I know is it's a archback D4 with a mahogany top. I'm also wondering if it's somewhat rare since I haven't been able to find any info on this particular model in the 3 months that I've owned it.

Just curious more than anything as I bought it for the great tone and easy playability.

TIA

It is a first for me. I have never seen a D4 with hog top.. Buuut I am a newb compared to a good number of cats on this forum. Just stand by as the cavalry is a coming soon. And welcome to what you will come to realize is a great forum!

D30Man said:

It is a first for me. I have never seen a D4 with hog top.. Buuut I am a newb compared to a good number of cats on this forum. Just stand by as the cavalry is a coming soon. And welcome to what you will come to realize is a great forum!

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Yep welcome aboard tgaume!!
I've seen 3 of 'em in all my time here (pics anyway), and that's assuming one of 'em wasn't shown twice if one of the buyers decided to sell it. Couldn't compare s/n's between 'em all.
But yes by far the vast majority of D4's were built with spruce top.
Here's the deal: the s/n chart on the Guild site only covers up to some point in '97 even though it says it goes to '99:
http://guildguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/history_of_your_guild.pdf.
Your guitar fits comfortably in the upper end of the range shown for D4's there, as last s/n on record is AD401129.
It's easy to miss that they switched from an AD04 to an AD40 prefix during that period, it might have thrown you off.
First time I saw one of those listed on the net I was pretty surprised too. I actually called the seller who was a member here and pretty knowledgeable about Guilds (Jay Pilzer of New Hope, since retired), to ask if the listing was accurate and he confirmed it was indeed, with a comment to the effect that "Guild was doing lots of crazy stuff with tops and finishes during that period".
Since then we've also seen several D4's with finish colors seen nowhere else on a Guild, that I've seen.
But yes that's a real 'hog top.
Also don't worry if your replies take a couple of days to show up at first, new members' first few posts are screened by moderators then they'll start showing up in real time.

WELCOME TO LTG!
I haven't seen a D4 with a mahogany top, either, but it's right here in the old Blue Book. Listed as "similar to the D-4, except has a solid mahogany top, mfg. 1999-2002. Last MSR was $799."
I'd be interested to know how it sounds. :joyous:

Joe

killdeer43 said:

I'd be interested to know how it sounds. :joyous:

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As I said, I bought it for the tone and playability. Really didn't need it as I have a nice collection of Gibson (7), Martin (2) guitars, and other oddities such as a prototype Emmons steel, and a Ovation classical that has a solid wood bowl carved from Mahogany (back) and rosewood (sides).

I'll breakout the Tascam tonight or tomorrow and get a clip of the Guild recorded.

Thanks for all the info!!!

Tom

killdeer43 said:

WELCOME TO LTG!
I haven't seen a D4 with a mahogany top, either, but it's right here in the old Blue Book. Listed as "similar to the D-4, except has a solid mahogany top, mfg. 1999-2002. Last MSR was $799."
I'd be interested to know how it sounds. :joyous:

Joe

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Think the blue book's in error on making date range on that one. Pretty sure all the ones I saw were '97's.
In fact it just hit me, Westerly was already closed in '02 and they didn't make 'em in Corona, so it's definitely incorrect on that end at least.
Betcha it sounds an awful lot like a D15.
:friendly_wink:

HR is for "Hand Rubbed" finish. MAH is probably, as others have suggested, "mahogany." It does look like a mahogany soundboard. Not sure about the year.

chazmo said:

HR is for "Hand Rubbed" finish. MAH is probably, as others have suggested, "mahogany." It does look like a mahogany soundboard. Not sure about the year.

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Trust me, I'm absolutely clear on these.
Jay Pilzer confirmed actual 'hog tops put on 'em in '97-'98 Westerly and Hans himself has said that the s/n charts don't extend past '97, and it fits in the sequence.
Although it could be a '96, I guess.
"TG", if you really want to nail it down I should have remembered to mention there should be a date stamp on a bevel of the neck heelblock. A little awkward to find but visible looking at just the right angle through the soundhole.
They did stop doing that in very late Westerly production but I think they were still doing it into '98.
That's actually the date the "superstructure" was completed, and actual completed date was up to a couple of months after that depending on how popular the model was.
But it certainly can't be any older than the date stamp.
Our member Hans Moust authored the Guild Guitar Book and if you really want to know the completion date, I'm sure he could nail it down precisely.
He was there copying every record he could while Westerly was shutting down.
He prefers to be contacted at his website:
http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/

That's a beauty! You bought it for the right reasons!

walrus

walrus said:

That's a beauty! You bought it for the right reasons!

walrus

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Oh yeah, that's right.
Back to the important stuff!
:biggrin-new:

adorshki said:

I should have remembered to mention there should be a date stamp on a bevel of the neck heelblock.

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Great info. April 29, 1998.

Sound clip as promised: https://soundcloud.com/thomas-gaume/sweet-baby-james

very nice, basically a D-15 w/ bindings (and maybe some other trimmings?)

tgaume said:

Sound clip as promised: https://soundcloud.com/thomas-gaume/sweet-baby-james

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One of my favorites! Nice hat, BTW. :applouse:

Joe

Nice tune. She sounds great. Like I said, never laid eyes on a hog top D4, but I must say if I came across one might have to look into it. Nice woody tone.

tgaume said:

Great info. April 29, 1998.

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And thank you! We now have evidence that at least one of the models in that section has info extending into '98.
And I might have been wrong about Hans saying the don't go past '97, it wouldn't be the first time I've had incorrect memory of something he's mentioned.

adorshki said:

We now have evidence that at least one of the models in that section has info extending into '98.
And I might have been wrong about Hans saying the don't go past '97, it wouldn't be the first time I've had incorrect memory of something he's mentioned.

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No, it's not evidence that one of the models in that section goes into 1998. The numbers in the 'official' serial number lists that are available on the internet do not go any further than the end of '97. The last number in the section for the D4 and D25 is # AD401129 and we are now looking at # AD402547.


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

hansmoust said:

No, it's not evidence that one of the models in that section goes into 1998. The numbers in the 'official' serial number lists that are available on the internet do not go any further than the end of '97. The last number in the section for the D4 and D25 is # AD401129 and we are now looking at # AD402547.


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

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Thank you! I realize now I got the s/n on the guitar mixed up with the last s/n on the records.