1979 Guild D-35 Dreadnought Guitar

Update February '24: I've just reset the neck and made a new saddle for this guy -- it has plenty of saddle height, a bit more oomph, and is ready for future action adjustments if need be. I added a couple of extra photos... now back to the original info...

This cool old Guild is a bruiser -- it sounds pretty-much like a good D-18 but with more of those clear-sounding mids you get from a Guild. It has punch, too, and is ready to take out with the band or at the open mic or cafe as it's got a pickup installed already.

I see D-35 models through the shop all the time as they're very popular guitars. When they're setup right, they have a fast, easy feel and the player can lean into them all they want. These have good headroom and don't get "compressed-sounding" when you crank on them. They just dish-out more power.

Post-repairs it's playing spot-on and has remained stable since stringing-up again but it does have a low, low saddle.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, neck reset (fresh since Feb '24), new saddle, bridge reglue, replacement pickup (K&K with volume knob on side panel), replacement bridge pins, hairline top crack repair, cleaning, setup.

• Weight: 5 lbs 3 oz
• Scale length: 25 1/2"
• Nut width: 1 11/16"
• Neck shape: medium C
• Board radius: essentially flat, a little over 20"
• Body width: 15 7/8"
• Body depth: 5"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• 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-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-lower

Condition notes: there are a few repaired hairline cracks on the top -- two small ones just below the fretboard extension at the soundhole, one near the high E-string at the pickguard's edge, and a longer, very tight one on the lower bout between the bridge and endblock. All are tight, fixed, and good to go. There's also the usual minor wear and tear via small scratches, nicks, and dings here and there throughout, some pickwear around the soundhole, and some weather-checking to the finish throughout. The worst of it all, however, is that the headstock had a break in the past (not horrible, with plenty of coverage for a good glue job). Someone good at their job reglued it, reinforced the back of it with an ebony diamond on the rear of the headstock, and installed a new rosewood headstock veneer (sans-Guild-logo). To this veneer I've added a parts-bin Guild truss rod cover to complete the look.

Also... it was fit with a 90s-style Fishman acoustic pickup at some point with the ugly black panel in the side. It was non-functional so I yanked-out its whole mess and replaced it with a simple K&K pickup. I hid the cutout for the old panel with some pickguard material (screwed-down, too) and fit a neat "radio dial" and volume control/knob for the pickup on the side where the old Fishman plate used to be. I think it's pretty retro-cool, myself, and adds rather than detracts from the vibe of the guitar.

Also... the tuners were swapped to Grover sealed units at some point and someone added a strap button at the side of the heel. There's an endpin jack/strap button at the endblock.

It comes with: an old hard case, actually!

Consignor tag: 68T