Guild DV acoustics kick much butt!

[jimistone]

I got a Guild DV-52 for Christmas and it sounds incredible! It has the kind of deep rich sound that makes you want to just strum an E chord and let it ring so you can marvel at the power, shimmer, projection, and sustain.
The more I play it the more I like it. It's a 1998 model.

I played a bunch of high end guitars at guitar center including a martin D-28 and some gibsons (j-45 and advanced jumbo)...my Guild mops the floor with them.
Maybe it's the age of the guitar. Maybe the wood has "opened up", as they say, and the new ones are "closed"...I dunno. All I know is that the guitars that I played that cost over twice as much don't sound as good and I'm a happy camper.

 

[Kingofpain678]

Congrats!

only acoustic I've ever owned was really cheap and crappy and I had to sell it within a week of getting it

I want it back!

 

[David]

I got a Guild DV-52 for Christmas and it sounds incredible! It has the kind of deep rich sound that makes you want to just strum an E chord and let it ring so you can marvel at the power, shimmer, projection, and sustain.
The more I play it the more I like it. It's a 1998 model.

I played a bunch of high end guitars at guitar center including a martin D-28 and some gibsons (j-45 and advanced jumbo)...my Guild mops the floor with them.
Maybe it's the age of the guitar. Maybe the wood has "opened up", as they say, and the new ones are "closed"...I dunno. All I know is that the guitars that I played that cost over twice as much don't sound as good and I'm a happy camper.

Pics..or it didn't happen! Really, would like to see a pic. Way jealous bro; i've alway's wanted a Guild. Great score, Mike.

 

[jimistone]

Pics..or it didn't happen! Really, would like to see a pic. Way jealous bro; i've alway's wanted a Guild. Great score, Mike.

It's an awsome guitar david. AAA spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, ebony fretbord, mother of pearl headstock inlay, abolone inlay around the soundhole. Just enough bling but not over the top. The tone is beautiful on this one. To get all this in a Martin, Taylor, or Gibson it would have cost me at least 3 grand (and the ones I played in that range were very dissappointing I'm sad to say).
I haven't seen a bad review on a DV-52 and the experts at the letstalkguild website rate this model way up there with guild best guitars. I bought it without playing it...or even one like it. Truely a leap of faith man!
I wasn't the least bit dissappointed either.
It's in mint condition too. The guy I bought it from (a real stand up guy) never learned to play guitar so it's a true closet classic.
I paid dearly for it though...never spent this much on a guitar before. But, it's worth it because I love it and it wil last me the rest of my life.

I'm not good with posting pictures dave. I'm on dialup and I try to post one friggin' picture and after a 15 minute "images are uploading" wait it say the file is too large. I end up spending all day long trying to post one lousy pic.
It's a pain in the ass so I don't do it anymore.
Here is a link to the thread on the lets talk guild forum where the guy was selling the guitar...it has pictures http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=15724

 

[jeffree]

Jimi, I used to sell guitars at a place called Coast Music in Southern Cal, and I played what we had constantly. A few of the Guilds there were just amazing values, especially one maple model that I still regret not buying. Anyhow, congrats on your new guit. Great choice.

Edit: I did buy a Guild Starfire IV semi-acoustic electric (like Gibson 335), and it's still my favorite eguitar after many years since. What a beaut. George Benson chose wisely.

 

[dervish riff]

Congratulations! That's the way to buy an acoustic, find one a few years old so any structural problems will be obvious. You'll probably notice it limbering up some more as you play it in.

One of the stores I did repairs for was a Guild dealer, but we never got any of the higher end models in stock, it's like pulling teeth to get most of the locals to even try a guitar that's not a Martin. I was impressed that even the lower end guitars were well made, which I later found out was not the case with other brands. (yeah you, Orville)

 

[David]

It's an awsome guitar david. AAA spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, ebony fretbord, mother of pearl headstock inlay, abolone inlay around the soundhole. Just enough bling but not over the top. The tone is beautiful on this one. To get all this in a Martin, Taylor, or Gibson it would have cost me at least 3 grand (and the ones I played in that range were very dissappointing I'm sad to say).
I haven't seen a bad review on a DV-52 and the experts at the letstalkguild website rate this model way up there with guild best guitars. I bought it without playing it...or even one like it. Truely a leap of faith man!
I wasn't the least bit dissappointed either.
It's in mint condition too. The guy I bought it from (a real stand up guy) never learned to play guitar so it's a true closet classic.
I paid dearly for it though...never spent this much on a guitar before. But, it's worth it because I love it and it wil last me the rest of my life.

I'm not good with posting pictures dave. I'm on dialup and I try to post one friggin' picture and after a 15 minute "images are uploading" wait it say the file is too large. I end up spending all day long trying to post one lousy pic.
It's a pain in the ass so I don't do it anymore.
Here is a link to the thread on the lets talk guild forum where the guy was selling the guitar...it has pictures http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=15724

Dang man, that's sweet! That's what I'm talkin 'bout.
Sounds like a good price, too. After reading this thread a few weeks ago you gave me some major GAS, dude. So I had to snag me one of these...



FC65CE...it's a 95/96 model. I'm pretty stoked about it.

eDIT: didn't mean to hijack your thread, Mike.

 

[Tadpui]

There's nothing like finding an acoustic guitar that speaks to you and sounds head-and-shoulders above everything else. Now I can't condone buying acoustics sight unseen and I think that you got lucky finding one that's perfect for you without having played it first.

But that aside, it's so great to find an instrument that excites you from every sense you have. My prize-winner that I recently bought not only looks incredible but it sounds just amazing in every aspect. Same as yours, just striking an E chord and letting it ring for what seems like forever, hearing the resonance of its top and sides vibrating in harmony is soothing like a siren's song. It feels good in my hands, in my lap, against my skin and resonating in my chest. It even smells good coming out of its case, with the wonderful aroma of unfinished rosewood and spruce wafting up from its sound hole.

Finding "that guitar" (or, more generally, "that instrument") is probably the most rewarding thing that a musician encounters in his/her career. But purchasing it, bringing it home, and having it live just a few feet away is even better. Every time I open my guitar's case, I pause for a few seconds and just admire it.

The same is still true with my electric guitar that I've had for 10 or 11 years now. Every time I walk into the room and see it on its stand, I just take a few seconds to admire it standing there, representing everything that I love about playing guitar and reminding me of my influences that have wielded similar instruments. That feeling of how much these instruments mean to me hasn't faded over time, and I hope it never does.

Hopefully your new baby will bring you the same level of joy as mine have to me. Enjoy!

 

[philboyd studge]

I've had my DV-52 for about 10 years now, and like yours, I bought it used. It's a gloss '96 witha natural top. Setup and pickup were done by Jim Foote at Music Works and it's been a solid go-to guitar ever since. I've used it for songwriting, recording, and stage and I've got to say it has been most balanced steel string guitar I've ever recorded with.

Used Guilds continue to be a great deal and are a good alternative to buying a new Taylor, etc. off the rack. For Guilds in addition to my DV-52, I have a '81 D-25, a '70 F-50R Special, a '66 Mark II classical, and a '70 Mark IV. Every one could be sold at a profit.

 

[jimistone]

Dang man, that's sweet! That's what I'm talkin 'bout.
Sounds like a good price, too. After reading this thread a few weeks ago you gave me some major GAS, dude. So I had to snag me one of these...



FC65CE...it's a 95/96 model. I'm pretty stoked about it.

eDIT: didn't mean to hijack your thread, Mike.

Man, dave...that is one beautiful guitar!!
I love that type of neck inlay man.
I don't know where you found that jewel because the F65CE is a kind of rare find...not alot of them for sale out there.
Congratulations on aquiring a Westerly R.I. made Guild. You can honestly say "they don't make 'em like this anymore". It's the general concensus of those that are knowledgeable on all things Guild that the Westerly era is the heyday of guild guitars. I believe that the price appreciation of value that the Westerly guilds have been seeing over the last few years will continue. They have been the best kept secret in vintage guitars for a while now...but the cat is pretty much out of the bag now IMO.
I already have a guy wanting to buy my guild...he REALLY likes the way mine sounds. He has a Gibson J45 that he would probably trade. The J45 is worth twice what the guild is...but the guild mops the floor with the Gibby so I think I'll keep the guild. I bet yours sounds fantastic too. We need to get together and pick sometime bro.
So, yours is at Burrells shop huh? I like Burrell. He does great work too. Your guild is in good hands.

 

[jimistone]

I've had my DV-52 for about 10 years now, and like yours, I bought it used. It's a gloss '96 witha natural top. Setup and pickup were done by Jim Foote at Music Works and it's been a solid go-to guitar ever since. I've used it for songwriting, recording, and stage and I've got to say it has been most balanced steel string guitar I've ever recorded with.

Used Guilds continue to be a great deal and are a good alternative to buying a new Taylor, etc. off the rack. For Guilds in addition to my DV-52, I have a '81 D-25, a '70 F-50R Special, a '66 Mark II classical, and a '70 Mark IV. Every one could be sold at a profit.

I bet that F-50R sounds really good.
I think you hit the nail on the head with "balanced". Mine is very balanced too. I don't think you could ask for better balance in an acoustic to tell the truth. The DV52 dosen't have as much high end shimmer and overtone as some high end Taylors I have heard...but those Taylors don't have the balanced sound over all 6 strings and the richness of sound that the DV52 has. There are some things that that high end shimmer would work better for but for 90% of everything I do I would prefer the balance, richness, loud sound projection, and deep bass of the Guild.

 

[David]

Man, dave...that is one beautiful guitar!!
I love that type of neck inlay man.
I don't know where you found that jewel because the F65CE is a kind of rare find...not alot of them for sale out there.
Congratulations on aquiring a Westerly R.I. made Guild. You can honestly say "they don't make 'em like this anymore". It's the general concensus of those that are knowledgeable on all things Guild that the Westerly era is the heyday of guild guitars. I believe that the price appreciation of value that the Westerly guilds have been seeing over the last few years will continue. They have been the best kept secret in vintage guitars for a while now...but the cat is pretty much out of the bag now IMO.
I already have a guy wanting to buy my guild...he REALLY likes the way mine sounds. He has a Gibson J45 that he would probably trade. The J45 is worth twice what the guild is...but the guild mops the floor with the Gibby so I think I'll keep the guild. I bet yours sounds fantastic too. We need to get together and pick sometime bro.
So, yours is at Burrells shop huh? I like Burrell. He does great work too. Your guild is in good hands.

Thanks, Mike. I probably paid too much for it, but it's what I wanted. Can't wait till I can get it back from Burrell. He had a nice tele in his shop that he made that was out of this world. Had a parson's B-bender installed big baseball type maple neck...man I better stop. Congrats on our guilds!