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thinking of buying the new guild j-45 look alike ds-240 ....
anyone have one and can comment, likes and dislikes????
anyone have one and can comment, likes and dislikes????
Actually I have one. There were none to try locally so I ordered one from Sweetwater knowing I would have to probably pay for the return shipping if I didn't like it. Well I still have it but then again I like a lot of Guild's imports so that makes me kind of an outlier. Some thoughts on mine:
Nicely crafted. Nothing ostentatious but seems pretty solid. The neck profile is typical 1-11/16" nut width neck you will find on Guild Dreads. Not skinny but just enough chunk to make it playable for me. Sound is pleasant and not a lot of bass but again we are talking a $400 something guitar. I love the slope shoulders and it's overall appearance and it is nice and light and for me fun to just pick up and play. I am down to 3 Guild acoustics and pretty happy. They are my OM-140, DS-240 and a GAD G212. Hope my little blurb helps.
I know this is an old thread - but Mark WW, I have a question about that neck profile on the DS-240 compared with your GAD G212. I've played a few in the GAD series, like the M20, M120, F130, D125, and I loved the necks on those. So, as someone who owns both a new DS-240 and an older GAD, is the neck profile on the DS-240 noticeably chunkier than the GAD series? I'm thinking that the short scale and 1 11/16" nut would be a good combo for me, as long as the neck isn't too chunky. I played a Gibson WM jumbo a few years back, and also newer J15, J45s, etc, and the necks on those are all a bit too chunky for my liking. If the DS-240 is anything like the GAD, I'd probably take the plunge on one. Thanks for your help.
A nice favourable review of the memoirs is here:
https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-guild-memoir-series/
Thanks, so the profile on the GAD 40ce and the DS-240 is similar? Just don’t want to buy a guitar with a chunky neck- I like the 1 11/16 width. I had a GAD F-130 that had a nice slim profile neck with 1 3/4. Any noticeable difference between the GAD 40ce and the DS-240 in terms of the feel of the neck? I know the memoir series is supposed to be modeled after pre-war guitars, and was wondering if this means making a chunkier neck like a Gibson J-45, which seems to be the guitar the DS-240 is paying homage to.
Think a more likely comparison is to Guild's own Orpheum series which themselves were conceived as "How Guild would have done it if they'd been around then", but yeah J-45 would still have been influence, and at the time Gibson's own Ren Ferguson was on board with Guild in New Hartford and the Orpheums are considered by many to be his crowning achievement for 'em.which seems to be the guitar the DS-240 is paying homage to.
I have a ds240, it was recommended by a few sound engineers I know, after sending two vintage j45 back, due to tone issues..
I thought what do I have to loose. $500 vrs $4700.00
Stunned at the tone...well worth the price.
Not as pretty as a j45, the neck finish and dye job is just kinda weird, and does not match the body, in color or texture... but it’s acceptable.
The bracing pattern looks to be vintage j45 style, not the standard j45 newer style..another plus.
I have changed out the nut, saddle, and pins to bone, every guitar I own I cut a new nut, because I do it a bit different than most, and am a little ocd...
The tuners I will swap out next, for a better set...
Everything worked fine as is, but I know I could improve it, so I did.
the guitar sounds, and records very well..
And I am stunned at how great it sounds.
Does the j45 thing very well, compression when you dig deep, not fart out.
Not boomy recording wise like a Martin dread can be... I see rens footsteps all over this one...
I am very happy with it.
Recommended.
Think a more likely comparison is to Guild's own Orpheum series which themselves were conceived as "How Guild would have done it if they'd been around then", but yeah J-45 would still have been influence, and at the time Gibson's own Ren Ferguson was on board with Guild in New Hartford and the Orpheums are considered by many to be his crowning achievement for 'em.
I still think that given the source factory not a whole lot of variation of neck profiles is likely, but be aware there was one Orpheum model with a "soft V" profile, something appealing to a limited range of players.
They could do that in New Hartford and probably Oxnard too but I still doubt they'd take the trouble to put a special profile on a neck at Grand Rewards.