1976 Guild D-35
This wonderful Guild D-35 dreadnought guitar was made in the Westerly, Rhode Island, plant in 1976, judging from its serial number (142467) and the Guild website. It was a substantial all-solid-wood upgrade from the more common D-25 until it was discontinued in 1987. As such, this particular guitar has been dominating lesser instruments for 45 years, and the resonance of its aged woods will only improve with its new generation of players. Its classic good looks make it stand out in a crowd, but it’s the huge sound that will make other musicians turn around to check it out.
The Guild D-35 has a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck. The body is fully bound in black, top and back, and it has a large tortoiseshell pick guard, a rosewood bridge with black pins, and a multi-stripe inlaid rosette. The 14/20 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay ends in a mahogany headstock with three-per-side chrome tuners and the screened Guild logo.
There are several cosmetic items to report: there is some finish “crazing,” and as might be expected after 38 years, there are a few small dings visible in the top and sides, some slight buckle bruises on the back, and a repaired 3” crack in the back lower bout, but relatively little fret wear, even in the first three frets. The significant issue is an elaborate repair of a broken headstock, solidly repaired and carefully touched up but still quite visible. The overall finish is still in very good shape on the back and sides, and the neck is straight, the top is flat, and the sound features the resonance which one expects from quality seasoned solid tonewoods.
While this is still an attractive instrument, it is obviously not collectibly “perfect;” it’s a real Guild, “Made to be Played”, and it has been making music and turning heads for more than a generation. It has been thoroughly checked out and set up by a professional luthier, the action is medium at a hair over 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and it’s ready to beat up on some banjo and fiddle players—and if they’re really obnoxious, there’s an under-saddle pickup so you can turn the knob on your amp and blow ‘em away. 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 vintage hard shell case is marked “Washburn” but is in very good condition, including a few dings around the outside edges and so on. However, the latches work fine, the plush lining is soft and odor-free, and structurally it is solid. It fits like a glove and is an excellent vintage complement for this vintage guitar—and of course it offers excellent 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 vintage guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase this cool instrument.
Thank you for your interest.
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.