True Sounds and Reponsive Tones
Written: Oct 26 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Durable, sound quality, action, beauty
Cons: a little more than most will pay for a guitar
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| LaFeet's Full Review: Guild D55 Acoustic-Electric Guitar |
This is without a doubt one of the best mass produced (if you could refer to any Guild by that description) guitars on the market.
The D55 was first introduced in 1968 as a special order item only. Response was so strong that within a few years it was added to the line as a regular model. To this day the D55 remains as the top of the line production dreadnought and is prized by players everywhere.
The name Guild just oozes with quality, sound reproduction, sturdiness, beauty. You can not find a more "American" product than this.
The Guild D55 has excellent action for a guitar of it's size. Now I know that any guitars action can be modified to meet one's needs. But the Guild D55 has perfect action right out of the shipping crate.
The tonals and sound projection are superb, no other guitar have I heard produce such crisp, sharp, lasting tones. Deep and robust, sharp and clear, strike the note you seek and it is there.
While many do not prefer a dreadnought style because of it's size and bulkiness, I love the natural rich sounds that only a guitar of this type can produce. Even my small framed wife loves this guitar (and I plan to get her one this Christmas), claiming it is a cinch to play.
While I lived in Groton, Ct I frequently visited friends in nearby Westerly, RI. One friend knew of my love for wood working and arranged a tour of the Guild factory there. I jumped at the opportunity.
I followed construction of a Guild D55 acoustic. I was impressed by the sense of pride that all of the workers exhibited. I got a feel that there was Old World craftsmanship and dedication hard at work there.
The dreadnought Guild D55 begins as a slab of raw mahogany. It is inspected and rough-cut into manageable slabs which are then planed and laid out with a neck-profile template. Side blocks are glued on to each neck to create a large, flat headstock area. This provides additional strength for the neck - body junction. A groove is routed in the neck for the truss rod to be inserted. A truss rod provides additional strength to the neck, as well as an adjustment capability for when (or if for Guilds) the neck changes shape due to age or humidity.
The fingerboards are glued on to the necks and are put in a radio frequency press, which excites the atoms in the glue and provides for the strongest possible bond.
At the same time that guitar necks are being built the bodies are produced consisting primarily of the back, sides and the top with its bracing. Since its primary function is to provide a chamber in which sound resonates and gains volume, a high level of detail and care is required in the construction of the body. The Guild personnel displayed an extra zeal in their focus during this phase.
The body has white multiple binding on the top and back. The back and sides are solid Indian rosewood with a triple-A-graded solid sitka spruce top with scalloped bracing. The ebony bridge has abalone inlayed bridge pins. The ebony fretboard is decorated with pearl and abalone inlays.
The Guild D55 comes with an electronics option. This allows one to hook up their acoustic guitar to an amplified for driving speakers. Featuring a Fishman transducer and preamp the Guild D55 produces fabulous sounds via any head unit and speaker combo.
A hardshell case is also provided to keep your investment safe from the rigors of the road, or home.
The list of professional who use the Guild D55 is long, but here a re a few : Dave Amato and Bruce Hall both from REO Speedwagon, Keith Christopher from the K.W. Shepherd, Andy Hobson of the Pretenders, Richie McDonald from Lonestar, Steven Page from Barenaked Ladies, the unbelievable Bonnie Raitt, the recovering Slash, John Spingola, and George Strait. I know that I left a few out, but these are the ones that I am familiar with.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
LaFeet
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Paule Patterson
Location: Cushing, Ok
Reviews written: 314
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:
Retired Submariner, ex Air-Force Brat, current radiation protection tech, hiding in urban Oklahoma
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