1978 Guild D-40

adorshki

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This may be totally off, but I've seen somebody open up a nut slot by just taking the wound string of the new gauge and using it to file the slot to size using the string width as the guide. I have no idea if that's even appropriate but just a thought. I won't be doing that FYI
Good.
Strings don't have an appropriate surface for the kind of fine shaping required, and the unwound strings won't "do anything at all".
To coin a phrase.
:friendly_wink:
When my D25 came back from its last refret, I did need to tweak the slot of the "D" string just a tiny bit to lower to perfect height, and I actually used a folded piece of finishing grade sandpaper to do it.
But I was lucky it was the one slot that that would work on.
That's where the files come in.
But they run about $100.00/set "IIRC" so may not be something you'd want to buy just to have 'em handy.
Also slots need to appropriately "ramped" similarly to the back of the saddle.
If they don't match the angle between the tuning post and the nut they can be a source of buzzing.
You want a nice clean edge right at the face (fretboard side)of the nut.
 
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sitka.bc

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It's actually primarily a cosmetic (grading) thing and is due largely to how the planks are cut from the logs ("quartersawn" being ideal) but there is a school of thought that along with "tight grain" it indicates denser (stronger) wood.
Means you can make a slightly thinner top, resonates better.
That's actually what makes Adirondack spruce desirable, but there's no evidence they used Adi until Tacoma, and it probably wasn't readily available until then anyway.
Over the last couple of years of seeing so many for sale listings, I've just realized that Guild tops in general were just always pretty d--n gorgeous, and at least starting in the '70, thanks largely to the efforts of their buyer Willie Fritscher:
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/articles/woodselection.pdf


Re Sitka, see the note above about Willie.
I think the issue was more about the skill of the buyer/grader as opposed to specific source locations within the range.
Mahogany was most likely what's known as Honduran but is found in a range in Central America, Honduras was just probably the most common source at the time, up through late '90's when they did need to start looking for more sources.
Rosewood in '70's just about guaranteed to be East Indian. Again, it was just the most common source at the time.
Last known "regular production" use of Brazilian was '73 (?; or '74, don't remember for sure right now) on D50's that actually had mixed backs and sides of Braz and EIR.
Full Brazilian backs and sides very rare after '69, suspect they saved it for the top-of-the line models D55 And F50R for the next couple of years 'til they couldn't do it anymore.
Thus the mixed D50's.


Think were actually put on with hide glue but a little slightly watered-down Elmer's should be be fine

Thanks for the wisdom!
 

Ron from Texas

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I'm way late to see this one but great looking D-40 for it's age ! Looks just like my D35NT including the case and color .
 

Br1ck

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Helpful tip: Get a set of feeler gauges from an auto supply store. Get a small triangle file. Take the file and file three or four v shaped teeth side to side half an inch or so from the end. You now have a saw that is the exact width of the slot you need. It is crude but works if you don't want to invest in nut slotting files. Make sure you only saw down as far as the nut slot that is there, provided that is the correct depth.

But check the new strings before doing anything. Likely they were cut a bit wide anyway. One thousandth of an inch isn't much. They should not be too tight or too loose.
 
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