1978 Guild D-50NT Dreadnought Guitar

Update September 2021: the owner is selling so I've installed a new K&K pickup under the hood, taken fresh photos, made a new video, and set it up fresh with new strings.

Look at that headstock! My-oh-my.

This Guild has lived a rough life but it wasn't in a horrid state when it arrived -- it just needed the usual nudges in the right direction to bring out its best. It was obviously well-loved in its time and came here with a DeArmond soundhole pickup in it that was rattling-around and damping its top like mad.

Unlike some of the other Guild models, the D-50 is a pretty traditional dreadnought along the lines of a Martin D-28. Its back and sides are solid rosewood and it's built with a flat back with braces rather than press-arched plywood like many other Guild builds. I think that helps to bring a bit more "old" into the sound of these. D-50s are some of my favorite '70s dreadnoughts when they're fixed-up because they've got that creaminess of a D-28 in the lower-mids but a bit more snap (rather than that Martin-like, cushy, velvety, sculpted-ness) in the highs and upper-mids. Especially good ones (like this one) seem to hum with a bit of energy when banged-on, too.

I love how the headstock veneer's finish has chipped-out and decayed like it's an elevation map. I also love how the back and sides of this guitar are littered with weird finish-craters of wear-and-tear. It's nice to see all of that life without it relating to crazy internal or structural damage, too.

And, yes -- it sounds superb and plays like a champ as well.

Repairs included: neck reset, fret level/dress, bridge reglue, new bone saddle, K&K acoustic pickup install, cleaning, setup.

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid rosewood

Bracing type: x

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w, 42w, 32w, 24w, 16, 12

Neck shape: slim C

Board radius: almost flat

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-low

Scale length: 25 9/16"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body width: 15 3/4"

Body depth: 5"

Condition notes: it's all-original with the exception of the pickup, one strap button, the saddle, and output jack. It's definitely beat-up and shows a ton of wear and tear throughout, but has only one crack along the fretboard extension on the top.

It comes with: a beat-up old Guild hard case (not pictured).