1975 Guild® D-25M Good, Original Hard, $695.00
Made in the Westerly, Rhode Island, plant in only the seventh year of production for the classic Bluegrass D-25M model, this wonderful 1975 dreadnought has been dominating lesser instruments for 41 years. It has been played lovingly but hard, and it has the resonance of its aged woods to prove it. The dark reddish finish makes it stand out in a crowd, but it’s the huge sound that will make other musicians turn around to check it out.
This original Guild D-25 has a solid mahogany top (the spruce top D-25 was introduced in 1976) and solid mahogany sides and neck; the arched mahogany back is laminated, allowing for less bracing, lighter weight, and booming projection. The dreadnought style body is bound in black top and back, with a classic tortoise pick guard, a rosewood bridge with ivoroid pins, and a multi-stripe rosette. The beautiful 14/20 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay ends in three-per-side chrome tuners and the screened headstock logo.
The neck on this guitar is straight and true, the top is flat, and the neck joint is solid, but there are several fairly deep scratches and dents, as well as small dings throughout. All are solid, none are cracks; they just look cool. The bridge has apparently been professionally re-set some time recently, and there may have been some work done on the neck joint. As you can see, there is a passive K & K pick-up accessed through the end pin jack which works fine. I can only add that it sounds great now and apparently has done so for many years.
The many small cosmetic items are typical of any guitar which has been played for four decades, primarily consisting of some finish crazing, a few dings at the bottom of the lower bout and around the bottom edges, and some pick wear below the sound hole. While this is still a truly attractive instrument, it is a real Guild, “Made to be Played,” full of character, and it has been making music and turning heads for a generation. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, it will pass into the hands of a player able to make music and turn heads for a generation or two to come.
The included original hard shell case is in very good condition, despite some dings around the edges: the hardware works fine, the pick pocket is intact, and the guitar fits perfectly. With the Guild logo conspicuously displayed on the arched top, it is the ideal complement for this vintage guitar—and of course offers great protection.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.
Good luck!
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.