D-40 vs. D-55

The D-40 is mahogany. The D-55 is rosewood and has lots more bling, like abalone inlays and a bound fretboard.

Are there other differences - for instance, in design or quality of materials used - or are they otherwise pretty much the same guitar?

Thanks!

Have owned two D40s and they are a fine guitar. Sold both - not because of quality - but to buy a D55 from Richard. That's just me but the D55 is staying.
By my signature, you can tell I am a big Chris Bozung fan and my next Mahogany will be a Bozung sloped shouldered Dred.
Not to say I wouldn't buy another D40. Ha

A D-55 is 15 better than a D-40.

I’ve owned a 1974 D-40, 2006 D-40, and a 2006 D-55NT that was my main gigging guitar for 10 years.

All were superlative instruments and each had its own special tone. My fav Guilds are the ones built in Tacoma, WA., but ALL USA-built Guilds are fantastic guitars.

The only Guild in my stash currently is my 1971 F-312NT that goes to my grave with me. Mere words do not suffice to tell you how great this guitar really is.

If we're just talking dreads... had three D55s and a D50, now have two D40s, several maple Guild dreads but no 50-series dreads.
Just depends on what tones appeal to you.
My ear time and again found the hog of the 40s and the maple of the D30 and DCE3 dreads preferable for most of what I play.
You won't really know unless you can compare side by side for some unhurried period of time,
I recommend doing so if at all possible! :smile-new:

New or vintage?

D-55s have a Mahogany neck with a central Walnut stripe, whereas the D-40 has just a Mahogany neck (one piece I should imagine)...The reinforced D-55's neck should be more steady; I think that's why they do it this way, but can't tell about efficiency...I once had a D-40 and the neck was very steady, not the slightest problem on that one...

I've never owned a D-55...or D-50 for that matter. Have never had the opportunity to try one.

They have both been built to traditionally high Guild standards. The D-55 has a higher grade top, ebony fretboard and bridge plus the aforementioned bling.

My D-40 Standard is a lovely guitar build wise and sound wise

Thanks, gang! That answers it.

Keep on pluckin'!

I didn't realize that the D-40 build formula had changed that much--I don't recall ever seeing a one-piece neck on an older (20th-century) D-40--a three-piece laminated neck was a consistent feature, as it still is on the Traditional line.

How you feel about the voice of a D-40 vs a D-50 is a personal matter--I never cared for what rosewood did for the D-50 or any big-body guitar, but individual instruments can easily challenge that general impression. (My current favorite guitar is a rosewood Goodall Standard.) The rest of the formula is mostly cosmetic, though there are those who hear differences in the variety of spruce used for the top or even fingerboard material (I'm not among them).

Maybe your mind is already settled on this topic, but I think of mahogany-bodied Guild dreads as having particularly strong and warm mid-range tones.

A good D-55 sounds chimey (if that is a word?) to my ears . . . almost like a piano.

Charlie Bernstein said:

Thanks, gang! That answers it.

Keep on pluckin'!

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Actually they all missed the real point:
Be aware the D55 was simply the name given to D50's which Tommy Smothers ordered as "D50 Specials": D50's fitted with F50 necks, when they finally decided to make it a model in its own right (Special order only from '68-74, then became regular production)
At the core at introduction in '64, the D40 and the D50 were identical in build and materials quality except for the body woods.
After that the models went their different courses of development but the true apples-to-apples comparison would be between D40 and D50, not D40 and D55.
As Dreadnut mentioned build era is relevant too.
If you're talking current production then the true apples to apples comparison is between the D40 Traditional and the D55, primarily because they both have the real dovetail neck joint and 3-pc necks and HG NCL finish.
The most significant difference between 'em is that the D40 has a "high grade solid sitka top", the D55 gets a AAA sitka top.
Grading is supposed to be a primarily cosmetic issue but there is a school that believes that the tighter more consistent grain associated with "AAA" grading could make better soundboards.
I'm still on the fence because my limited sampling doesn't support that belief.
My own '03 D40 with AA top is the top of the heap now, tone-wise.

Bernie said:

D-55s have a Mahogany neck with a central Walnut stripe, whereas the D-40 has just a Mahogany neck (one piece I should imagine)...The reinforced D-55's neck should be more steady; I think that's why they do it this way, but can't tell about efficiency

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It is supposed to also help resist "twist" as you supposed.

Bernie said:

...I once had a D-40 and the neck was very steady, not the slightest problem on that one...

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Mahogany is already considered to be a very dimensionally stable wood in environments of changing humidity so wasn't sure why they'd make a 3-pc out of it until I realized twist is a different issue from humidity.

Russell Letson said:

I didn't realize that the D-40 build formula had changed that much--I don't recall ever seeing a one-piece neck on an older (20th-century) D-40--a three-piece laminated neck was a consistent feature, as it still is on the Traditional line.

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Yeah it actually was already gone by '72, don't think it was ever revived until New Hartford's Bluegrass Jubilee version (my '03 Corona has a one-piece).
.

Russell Letson said:

How you feel about the voice of a D-40 vs a D-50 is a personal matter--I never cared for what rosewood did for the D-50 or any big-body guitar, but individual instruments can easily challenge that general impression. (My current favorite guitar is a rosewood Goodall Standard.) The rest of the formula is mostly cosmetic, though there are those who hear differences in the variety of spruce used for the top or even fingerboard material (I'm not among them).

Click to expand...

I have no rosewood experience either, but funny thing, over the last few days I listened to some recordings made back around 2012 on the D40 with a really good microphone and heard what I'd started thinking I wanted from rosewood: really sweet, clear, ringing highs, like when holding a note at the end of a scale, and downright thumpy bass.
Had forgotten it could sound so sweet.

geoguy said:

Maybe your mind is already settled on this topic, but I think of mahogany-bodied Guild dreads as having particularly strong and warm mid-range tones.

A good D-55 sounds chimey (if that is a word?) to my ears . . . almost like a piano.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. I have a D-35 and used to have a D-25.

adorshki said:

Actually they all missed the real point:
Be aware the D55 was simply the name given to D50's which Tommy Smothers ordered as "D50 Specials": D50's fitted with F50 necks, when they finally decided to make it a model in its own right (Special order only from '68-74, then became regular production)
At the core at introduction in '64, the D40 and the D50 were identical in build and materials quality except for the body woods.
After that the models went their different courses of development but the true apples-to-apples comparison would be between D40 and D50, not D40 and D55.
As Dreadnut mentioned build era is relevant too.
If you're talking current production then the true apples to apples comparison is between the D40 Traditional and the D55, primarily because they both have the real dovetail neck joint and 3-pc necks and HG NCL finish.
The most significant difference between 'em is that the D40 has a "high grade solid sitka top", the D55 gets a AAA sitka top.
Grading is supposed to be a primarily cosmetic issue but there is a school that believes that the tighter more consistent grain associated with "AAA" grading could make better soundboards.
I'm still on the fence because my limited sampling doesn't support that belief.
My own '03 D40 with AA top is the top of the heap now, tone-wise.


It is supposed to also help resist "twist" as you supposed.


Mahogany is already considered to be a very dimensionally stable wood in environments of changing humidity so wasn't sure why they'd make a 3-pc out of it until I realized twist is a different issue from humidity.
Yeah it actually was already gone by '72, don't think it was ever revived until New Hartford's Bluegrass Jubilee version (my '03 Corona has a one-piece).
.
I have no rosewood experience either, but funny thing, over the last few days I listened to some recordings made back around 2012 on the D40 with a really good microphone and heard what I'd started thinking I wanted from rosewood: really sweet, clear, ringing highs, like when holding a note at the end of a scale, and downright thumpy bass.
Had forgotten it could sound so sweet.

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Thanks! I live, I learn.

Did Pete Townsend smash up Tommy's Guild? I have it in my head that it was a Martin.

Charlie Bernstein said:

Thanks! I live, I learn.

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And even I am guilty of error of omission here, there's another detail that makes the D40/D55 comparo less "equal" than the D40/D50 comparo:
D55's get ebony fretboard/bridge but D40's always got rosewood, and that makes a subtle sonic difference too.
And pretty sure I remember Hans saying once that they even got mixed ebony and rosewood between fretboard and bridge (usually they're matched) for a while, like some time in '70's, but don't recall which was which.

Charlie Bernstein said:

Did Pete Townsend smash up Tommy's Guild? I have it in my head that it was a Martin.

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Thought Tommy played a Bally.

What the strength of Guild dreads is, is a smooth frequency response. Martins generally have a hyped bass. This can work against Guilds, particularly among bluegrass pickers. The real beauty of the D 55 is that Martin tone can tend to blur notes while the D 55 has more clarity. Now the hog vs rosewood is pretty black and white defined by personal taste and use. Pretty early on, mahogany was used on cheaper variants and thus got the bad rap of somehow being inferior, but the massive overtone properties of rosewood make it ill suited for many styles. My answer would always be to have one of both.

I mean, they're two different animals, or at least I think so. Love 'em both but would have no good way to really make a comparison.

i find the rosewood back/side dreads are great as strummers, awesome strumming machines. great for solo singer accompaniment. can get lost in the mix of a band, sometimes, too overtoned...

i find hog back/sides to be more crisp and clear re note definition, so fingerpicking. sustain as mentioned above i am sure, not as great as rosewood. hog to me is more versatile.

imho of course.

that being said, bluegrass for example, i see more D28s than D18s.

Br1ck said:

My answer would always be to have one of both.

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You've restored my belief that I really ought to have a rosewood bodied guitar to round out the sonic palette of choices.
But for sure I've become more and more aware of the wonderful properties of 'hog over the years.
Warm, lots of midrange punch, just what I like.
:smile:

adorshki said:

You've restored my belief that I really ought to have a rosewood bodied guitar to round out the sonic palette of choices.
But for sure I've become more and more aware of the wonderful properties of 'hog over the years.
Warm, lots of midrange punch, just what I like.
:smile:

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with your solo playing songs Al, you might like the fuller tone and sustain of a D50. i could totally see that.