Forty years after buying my first Guild guitar I was looking for another classic, the Guild D-55. Again, eBay was the source of choice and I found a 1997 Antique Sunburst D-55 for a reasonable price; it is in good, used condition as it shows a little more than normal playing wear with pick scratches and a few dings in the top. After doing only minor shaving of the saddle, it was in fine playing condition.
I believe the back and sides are rosewood, the top is Sitka Spruce and the fretboard is ebony, showing no wear in even the lower frets. The fret markers are the perloid blocks with triangular abalone inserts. The neck and headstock are bound, as is the body, in white plastic. The tuners are gold Grovers which compliment the coloration of the finish.
The tone and playability of this instrument are what I expected in a Guild of these dimensions: deep, rich tone across the entire range of notes and an easily navigated fretboard, though a bit more rounded than the Taylors. The projection is not as loud as I might have expected, leading me to believe that it was not played all that much by its previous owner - just one more that I need to play! This is another of those guitars that is pleasing to both eye and ear while still being a "player" that can be taken and played in public without fear of doing it harm.
And now for the pictures (click to enlarge):
So concludes the presentation of my 1997 Antique Sunburst Guild D-55 guitar. Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or comments.
*8o)
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Changes last made on: Friday, March 27, 2009 at 4:15pm