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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:	GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:	Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:	KDX200::COOPER

Created:	Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3280
Total number of notes:	61432

2002.0. "Guild D-15M (Mahogany)" by PSYLO::WILSON (Andy Partridge for Governor!) Mon Oct 22 1990 08:57

    Hi,
    
    After doing a DIR/TITLE for Guild, I didn't any discussion of the model
    I just bought, and thought I'd enter a note here on it.
    
    It's a D-15M ("M" for mahogany), six-string acoustic, and I'm happy with 
    it. I've only owned it for a few days, but when I pick it up I have a 
    hard time putting it down!
    
    It's all mahogany, except for the rosewood fretboard. 
    
    Before buying it, I played about two dozen guitars in three music
    stores. Although it was slightly out of my price range, I decided to
    spend an extra $100 and get it with a softshell case and stand (I plan
    to get a hardshell case SOON). Base price for the guitar was $575.00. 
    
    Now I have a question - what can anyone tell me about mahogany as a
    choice for an acoustic guitar? My only experience with mahogany is, I
    think it makes up the bulk of the Les Paul electric, right? (A guitar
    known for it's sustain...)
    
    Anyway, the resonance on the D-15M is nice and was my final factor in
    choosing this guitar (along with other standard features of any good
    guitar like Grover tuning pegs, good action, no dead spots on the
    fretboard, and feel of the guitar in my hands, etc.). 
    
    It has a red finish, but it's a darker, subtler red stain. 
    
    Now, about mahogany - a good choice for an acoustic? Will this guitar
    age well?

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2002.1		WELMTS::GREENB	Apache Twins: Notso-Crypto-Commies.	`Mon Oct 22 1990 09:28`	9
	Wes, I have a friend who owns a mahogany Guild (I think it's a D-25M), which is about seven years old, and it sounds and plays beautifully, loads of sustain and body, plus it's much better than it was when he bought it. Bob p.s. Love the p-name...!!
2002.2	congrats	MILKWY::JACQUES	Vote Yes on 3	`Mon Oct 22 1990 09:52`	36
	I also own a Guild acoustic with a mahogany body. Mine is a 1973 F48, which has a jumbo body. Mahogany may not be the most exotic wood in the world, but it does produce a nice full-bodied tone, and it makes for a durable guitar. Rosewood is more exotic and used on many higher priced guitars like Martins. Maple is another wood that tends to be prettier (especially if it is curly or "flamed" maple). Maple tends to produce a brighter tone than mahogany or rosewood. 12-string virtuoso Leo Kottke insists on mahogany for all of his guitars. On a 12-string, durablility is essential. The added tension on the neck of a 12-string tends to cause instruments to self-destuct if they are not built rugged. As far as Les Pauls are concerned, the Les Paul customs are made out of a single mahogany plank, but Les Paul standards are made out of a maple-mahogany "sandwich". As a result, "Customs" have a more full- bodied tone than "Standards". My Guild has aged quite nicely over the years, save for a little lacquer chequing. Guild has made the necks on their new models much smaller and more comfortable than the older ones like mine. In my case, I have a rather large set of paws, and the fat neck is not a problem. A few years ago, Guild suffered some financial problems, and almost went under. They were bought out by investors including George Gruhn and are now back on track, making excellant instruments. I have tried several differant pickups on my Guild. The one I am currently using is a Dean Markely ZH (zero hum) soundhole pickup. It works very well with proper eq'ing, and it installs in seconds. Good luck Mark
2002.3		PELKEY::PELKEY	Life, a state of cluster transition	`Tue Oct 23 1990 13:33`	22
	That's a real nice guitar you bought.. I came '' this '' close to buying a 12 string guild (mahogony) about 2 years ago.. It was a couple hundred dollars out of my price so I couldn't swing it... Bought a nice ibanez birds eye maple dreadnuaght instead. Was in my budget and really sounded and played terrific Still got it, will probably never part with it,,,,, But I can still remember that 12 str. Guild... That baby made ya wana cry... Oh well... Good luck,, BTW.. as stated previously, Mahogony guitars have there own voice to them, and are defintely make for nice sounding, long lasting pieces.. It will age, and get mellow as time goes buy, but it'll only get better, not worse... Take good care of it.