Guild A-50

My A-50 was made in late 1995 or early 1996 in Rhode Island. I have reason to believe that mine was a prototype of some sort, due to the vintage Kluson tuning keys that look original to the guitar, and the sticker has a bunch of odd numbers next to the model number, and does not read A-50. I understand that this guitar is extremely rare and hard to find. That's the reason why I'm keeping this guitar even though I hardly play it. It has a solid spruce top with solid rosewood back and sides. This guitar came with a well build guild case that fits the guitar like a glove. The guitar is built like a rock and has a glossy finish. This guitar is Guild's version of the Martin OM-28 guitar, except it was only built in 1996, and 1997.

I play fingerstyle, so this guitar does work very well for that purpose. It also sounds very good flat-picked. The sound is very unique. It's very open and the tone is mellow but loud enough to fill an auditorium.

This guitar was set-up with medium action when I purchased it used. It has no electronics. The top and back are properly bookmatched. The guitar had no flaws, just some wear from the previous owner playing it.

This guitar is extremely solid. Guild makes the most solid guitars on the market. At least used to, before they moved overseas.

I have never dealt with the company. Every Guild I've owned was built to last.

I have been playing for 13 years. I own a Martin, and a few Guilds. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I would be completely out of luck. This guitar is extremely rare and only about 250 of them were made. To find another in good condition would be like winning the lottery.

This A50NT I just bought used out here in California and it was made in 1996 in the old Rhode Island plant. This is a little gem of a guitar - all solid wood construction: nice, tight spruce top, beautiful Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony fretboard and bridge, mahogany neck, mini-gold Grover tuners, a nice rosewood overlay on the headstock as well as beautiful abalone inlays around the soundhole, abalone "snowflake" fret markers, and an abalone inlaid Guild logo on the headstock (every other Guild logo I've seen had been in Mother of pearl, but never abalone). These combined features truly make this a top-of-the-line insturment in every way. Something that the other reviewers didn't mention was the body shape - it is basically an OM body shape similar to Larrivee's OM and Martin's OM guitars - modest shoulders, slim waist and nice, rounder bottom end - it's actually quite sexy for a guitar shape. It's about 3/4 of an inch thinner than my Guild D55 and so it's extremely easy to hold and play. Full gloss finish and a unique black pickguard unlike the traditional Guild pickguards.

As an OM guitar, the A50 breaks the mold of most Guild flattops - it isn't a loud, boomy guitar, but instead very responsive and present. The resonance is still pure Guild - dark, thick and vintage-y. Not glassy like a Taylor or like Yamaha's LS500, but even and balanced. I'm growing to like this sound even though it can't come close to my D55 - it wasn't created to be like it anyway. The A50 is a classic porch guitar suitable for small and larger players - and for me it's filling a hole that my D55 can't meet: an easygoing, accessable guitar that is comfortable to hold and not required to pump it out in an auditorium...this is an intimate guitar that cuts no corners in terms of quality and yet is feiendly and non-intimidating to the player. I intend to install a pickup soon because I plan to use her on-stage. My dreadnought will kick out the loud chords and aggressive strums while this A50 will be perfect for ballads, fingerstyle songs and alternate tunings.

The guitar came to me sort of dinged up from the previous owner. It was made to be played! I can appreciate the character that this A50 now possesses: an ambered spruce top, the white binding has turned into a soft ivory, and evidence that it was appreciated before. The neck is super straight and I'v even lowered the action and there's still no string buzz. The top has no bellied or warped out...yet, and after a good de-waxing and polish, the shine on this guitar is radiant. The rosewood is nicely bookmatched - almost looks Brazilian with a dark, coffee colored effect. Everything feels nice about this A50.

Like I said earlier, this guitar was played and used and still it holds up well. The wood doesn't cave in or bend back to my pressure - it's a solid little guitar! I will play this guitar unplugged and plugged in when I install the pickup. Thus far, this feels like a genuine Guild even though it's not as heavy as its cousins. The tone, the smell, the workmanship is all classic Guild.

I would like to find out more information about this fairly rare model. I heard that production was only a year or two on this thing. The website doesn't offer much in terms of information on this guitar, but i suspect that it is related to the old F30's and M20's. My hope is that Guild would make a library available of resources and information because these models deserve it.

I've been playing for about twenty years now - mostly flatpicking and strums. My early guitar was a Takamine - a respectable guitar in its own right, but the mystique surrounding the Guild name and history intrigued me and hooked me in to stay. I've owned Larrivee's and Taylor's and have played my friends' guitars, but I've always come back to the Guild brand. With this particular A50, it would stand shoulder to shoulder with most OM sized guitars out there - probably like Larrivee's OM09 or OM10 or Yamaha's LS500 - all of whom sound crisper and brighter as guitars with virtually similar tonewoods. But the sound and feel of this Guild A50 feels like "home" to me. I'm in my element and I feel at ease with this guitar. She may not appeal to everyone just like Guild's won't appeal to the Gibson and Taylor players out there, but for me, it's as if I'm sitting with an old friend whenever I pick up this A50.

I can't add anything here that wasn't already well-covered by the other reviewers. Key for me when I purchased this was the body size. Coming from a primarily classical guitar background, I've always found the typical dreadnaught or jumbo to be just too much body for me. And that's as a 6 foot tall guy! This guitar just fit me like a glove and I knew I had to have it as soon as I held it. It would be an ideal size for many female or younger players. Also, it can't really be overstated that this is a guitar made with high quality solid traditional tonewoods. In this price range there were/are no other guitars of comparable quality.

Nice even tone. I've never been a big fan of, or needed, a big booming guitar sound. This one has good balance across the strings, and sounds equally good fingerpicked or played with a (medium) pick. I don't play out and don't record, so those weren't really sound concerns for me, but I imagine with the right mic this rosewood beauty would sound great. Does seem to have that rosewood clarity.

Guitar came with a pro setup from the quality local acoustic guitar store. Overall fit and finish are excellent. No gaps in binding, no excess glue on braces, and no excess finish in corners or tight spots on the body or neck. I guess the neck is a bit wider than some steel strings, but as I play a classical it wasn't an issue for me. Fretwork was nice, and guitar stays in tune.

Can't comment on gigging, but this baby shows every indication that I will have it for a long time. A couple small dings are my fault and have nothing to do with the guitar itself. I've had the guitar about 4 years and have not needed to adjust the truss rod.

Never dealt with them.

I couldn't be happier with this guitar, and I plan to keep it for a long time. I really do expect it to even improve as it opens up in the years ahead. This was a great value when it was produced, and if you ever get a chance to acquire one now, you'd better take a hard look! It sounds trite to say a guitar is equal to one at twice the price, but in the case of the A-50 it really is true.

The A-50s (and A-25s) had a short production life at Guild. Mine was built in 1996, and then purchased in early 1999 as a new instrument. The guitar is shorter than D-naughts, comparable to nylon string classicals. Overall length is just shy of 40 inches. Width of the body is slightly larger than classical counterpart measuring 15 inches with 4.25 inches depth. The width at the upper part is 11 inches with body depth of 3.75. Neck is connected at 14th fret (no surprise) with the distance from upper bout to tip od headstock being approx 21.5 inches. The length from upper body to lower bout is 18 inches. Top is solid spruce, sides and back are East Indian rosewood. Neck is mahogany, fretboard is ebony, with a scale of 25 5/8, bone nut, and a width of 1 11/16 inches. The bridge is ebony with bone saddle. Gold Govers for tuners on a peghead the that is rosewood veneer. If you have waded through all this cold data, an important piece of information is the lack of fingerboard binding. I find this to be an asset as far as smoothness to the touch and graceful aging. The binding seems to dry and crack on my Martin. One less dissimilar material transition that will better indure the thermal tests of time. And this guitar will be with me awhile.
I rated this a 9 because I was looking for these specific features. I wanted a smaller body for comfort with a wider neck. The materials were consistent with a potentially bright tone that would respond to fingerpicking. I was striving for a good player, good sound, good value, quality, and ruggedability in an instrument to endure less than ideal environments. The only dissappointment was the case was oversized and bulky, otherwise the whole package would have been rated a 10.

I panicked when I heard the first notes - it sounded like a cigar box. But, sensed a hint of tone hiding behind the dirty finish and strings corroded black. A trip to the luthier, $125 later, and this cinderella sings with a smooth bluesy voice. The sound may be described as dark, but if I stand direct in front of the soundhole, the brilliance is there. Being the player instead of the listener, my ear is positioned over the top. This guitar is very gratifying in the intimate setting. It doesn't project as well as the big boyz, but hey, you don't have your arm pit dislocated to the ceiling either. Fingerpicking is responsive, as picking (plectrum) is excellent. The Guild sound is comparable to the Bonnie Raitt acoustic blues - something relatively flat (smooth) and simple. I have 15 years of familiarity from one Martin (M38), I have recently come to admire the Guild sound. I wake-up every morning and pull the Guild out the case first, before the others. I expect the sound to grow better with age as all the right components are there.

I bought the guitbox from an internet auction, which means it arrived with 3 year old strings and a set-up to hurt your brain. As near as I could tell, the guitar was abused at the store. Maybe a demonstrator. Scratches, dirty finish, one finish crack, and a set-up from hell (did I mention that?). The luthier reglued the bridge, checked construction, executed a set-up, and pronounced a clean bill of health. Cleaned-up nice! The intonation is dead nuts on, which lends to the enjoyment of playing. Open strings played in conjunction with upper frets are in-tune and blend. Had to measure with the tuner when I didn't quite beleive my ears.
The action is easy, but plays like a blues guitar - not Satriani light, but the feel of a wide neck with pleasant action. Hard to express, a personality to get to know and play every day.

Based on the potential abuse this thing may have endured before being bought, the overall appearance, action, and sound is an endorsement to durability. I bought this thing to carry on trips, practice while watching my 15 month old, and generally not worry about knocks and dings. It is built like a brick s--thouse and endures my son's slaps, hitting, and other skills. Feels rock solid!

Don't want to know. The A-50 was advertised as warrantied under manuacture from Guild by the folks at Rockauction. This lead me into the false confidence that any problems would be remedied free. In my mind, it took the edge-off buying a guitbox over the internet without playing first. The authorized Guild repair took one look and laughed at the prospect of honoring the warranty. Basically, the warranty was a marketing ploy, but to Rockauction's credit, they stepped-up and covered the cost of repairs. Indeed, they offered to refund the whole deal. Thumbs-up for taking care of me, thumbs-down for deceptive advertising.

The cool thing is that this is a professional instrument, made in the good ol' US of America, at cost around $700. I play it everyday and consider it an excellent value. If lost, where could I possibly find its replacement for the same bucks? I suspect I may be looking at $1500 for an equivalent.
I've been playing for more years than I can count, and know this is a highly subjective thing. If you get a chance to try one, check it out! A wonderful instrument that begs to be pulled out of the case every chance. I took the risk, bought it not knowing the history and am now very happy with it. IMHO, A-50s are presently not enjoying popularity, so if you find one, the price may easily be in your favor. Price not withstanding, it's a good friend.

Made in Febuary 1997 in Rhode Island (this model was only made in '96 & '97). Body is small-scale concert-sized, similar to a Martin 000- maybe a little smaller around the perimeter (more like a 00). Solid bookmatched spruce top. Solid East Indian rosewood sides and back. White, multi-layer binding on front and back sides. Ebony bridge. Abalone inlay around soundhole. Unbound mahogony neck with ebony fingerboard and abalone snowflake-shaped position markers. Neck has 20 frets and joins body at the 14th. Neck width at nut is 1 3/4" (wide-- good for fingerstyle). Headstock face has a rosewood veneer with the Guild logo inlaid in abalone. Gold plated Grover tuners. Nut and saddle are made of bone. Pickguard is black plastic and smaller and more tastefull than on most Guilds. There's a black and gold pattern inlay strip on the back and bottom of the guitar. The guitar is finished entirely in nitro-cellulose laquer. This is the big brother to the A25, with overall fancier features. Guild discontinued its "A" series guitars in late 1997 after making only a few hundred.

It's a small bodied, concert-sized guitar, so don't expect it to have that big, boomy sound you'd get out of a full sized dreadnought. It has a more intimate sound with good balance in volume between bass and treble. The bass is very smooth and mellow sounding, especially when plucked with bare fingers. The treble side retains the same smoothness without sounding too bright or metallic. It has a character of sound very different from standard Martins or Taylors-- darker overall than a Martin, and maybe not as complex or three dimensional sounding, but rich and pleasing nonetheless.

All binding and inlay work was flawless. Finish is also near perfect, except for some very slight laquer build up along the corner of the fretboard. Frets are expertly seated. Action was rather high to start off with. The dealer lowered the saddle at no cost and it plays very smoothly now. I really like the wide neck. I've never considered myself a fingerstyle player, but with the wider string spacing I've found myself tossing the pick and going straight in with thumb and fingers. Plus, it makes general chording a little easier. There is a little excess glue overrun visible inside the guitar, but I've never been too picky about the cosmetics of my guitars' innards.

I can't find anything particularly flimsy or weak in the guitar's construction. Tuners are Grovers and seem very solid. I had the interior inspected for signs of loose bracing. The tech said everything looked fine and even commented on how clean and solid the workmanship appeared. The form fitted hardshell case is excellent with plush maroon lining, leather grained covering, and heavy duty brass buckles. I'm sure as long as I keep it in the case when not in use and avoid sudden temperature and humidity changes it will be fine. I did buy a Dampit humidifier which I use with the soundhole cover during the Winter months to prevent the wood from drying out too much.

Haven't had a need to deal with Guild (hopefully never will). Guild is owned by Fender Musical Instruments, which has a mixed reputation for individual customer support. Guitar has a limited lifetime warranty (like most US guitars now).

This is only my second acoustic guitar, replacing the much worn out Yamaha FS-310 that I banged away on for over 10 years. I was initially saving up for a Martin SP000-16TR. But, the poor condition and difficult playability of my Tiawan-made Yamaha forced me to start looking for lower priced alternatives. I was suprised when I saw the Guild A50, because it was exactly the type of guitar I was looking for in terms of body style and appointments. Even at it's original list price of about $1,500, it's a lot of American-made guitar for the money-- comparable to high end guitars from Martin and Taylor costing hundereds, if not thousands of dollars more. I paid near dealer invoice for the instrument, simply because they wanted to get it out the door. Overall, I'd say it's closest to a Martin OM-21 in style and features. Well suited for fingerstyle and blues work (i.e. Robert Johnson). Guild only made this guitar (and its sister, the A25) for a few years and in limited quantities. There must not be a huge market for moderately priced, lavishly appointed concert-sized guitars. If your looking for a guitar for fingerstyle playing or smaller, intimate settings where you don't need or want dreadnought-level volume try to find one on the used market. Truly a "Fantastic Value" on a premium-grade, American-made instrument.