SeriesGuild USA

I've owned and sold four of these since 1974. The first one cost me $750 and was purchased in Studio City CA. The last one cost $1800. In a word, everything. I won't repeat the other reviewer's comments because they're all accurate, but I do have one qualification to add. Up until the late-1970's Guild produced some of their D-55s (not all) using pre-CITES, Bahia-region Brazilian rosewood. This is the "inky-black spider vein" wood that was eventually logged out of existence in Brazil. These D-55s had bass, sustain and harmonics that were just short of supernatural. In comparison, the current Indian rosewood D-55s are still excellent, but nowhere near the same. I have fairly big fingers so I would have preferred a slightly wider nut, but I've adjusted to it over the years. What can be said? It's very close to perfect. Guild recently produced an anniversary edition of the D-55 (50 units) in Brazilian rosewood, and if I had $6000 to spend right now I'd definitely try and get one of them. It's an outstanding guitar. Every time I come across a vintage D-55 I get this nauseous feeling in my gut. My first D-55 was made from Brazilian rosewood, and I was forced to sell it because of money problems just a few years after I bought it. As superficial as it sounds, that's probably the biggest regret of my entire life. I really loved that guitar. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I haven't had the fortune of playing a lot of Guild instruments, but this guitar really stood out for me. This twelve string changed my opinions on twelve string guitars forever. It has more than 15 frets, but the 15-17 range is about when you can comfortably reach while playing. It has a jumbo size body. There aren't any pickups, this is a fully acoustic guitar. If UTILIZATION One of the most frustrating things for me when playing a twelve-string is getting used to the added pressure and the awkwardness of having to play extra strings. Some of the more technically advanced, frustrating parts were rendered almost impossible on lesser quality twelve-strings. I haven't had too much trouble playing this guitar at all. Sometimes I forget that I have to hold down two strings at once. It's a bit big in terms of width and length, so it might be a bit uncomfortable for some short-armed folks, but I have to admit that it hasn't been a problem for most of my friends who have also played this. It's an acoustic guitar, so getting a good sound is up to having a good pair of strings and a just having a good natural player's tone. SOUNDS The sound of this thing is so beautiful it's scary. It's got a very full sound, that is, it has a great high end and low end. This guitar is definitely a good purchase for those who record, as it will sound good with almost any microphone. The sound seems to shimmer and shine, and it puts even some of the better Taylors I've played to shame. It stands out for me because it seems to be that anyone would really enjoy this sound, as it has almost a "best of both worlds" quality to it. Its simultaneously bright enough and dark enough for anyone. OVERALL OPINION This guitar is ridiculously good, and just as expensive. This is gonna be a long-term investment for the average musician, professional or amateur. This is to be expected, so its not a guitar for those who aren't seriously dedicated. I would say that its worth the price as much as any instrument could be. I can't find a single flaw with it, except for the limited uses that are typical of 12-string guitars in general.