Guild Custom Shop Deco

My guitar was made in the USA in April 2001. It is bound in delicate abalone, with a AAA grade solid spruce top. The Deco has back and sides of solid Indian rosewood with ornate multiple binding. The 3-ply mahogany/maple/mahogany neck is 1.70" and is faced with a bound ebony fingerboard, inlaid with a distinctive Art Deco pearl/abalone pattern. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret. The tuners are gold grovers. The peghead of the Deco is bound and made of solid ebony, and the traditional "Chesterfield" inlay combines engraved pearl and abalone. The ebony truss rod cover is inlaid with New Zealand paua abalone. The bridge of the Deco is ebony, carved in the crisp lines of a 1966 original, and is fitted with a compensated bone saddle.

These guitars are hand-tuned to optimize the powerful, balanced tone and can accommodate anything from bluegrass to finger-style jazz. It is a very loud and full sounding guitar. This is the first Guild I have ever owned, others include Taylors and Martins which whilst nice guitars dont match these beauties.

The set up on the guitar is just about perfect and action very fast. the neck is quite shallow which suits my small hands. I found the neck binding was not fully laid down and did occasionally make my hand sore so this was easily finished off by a luthier to my total satisfaction. I use standard Guild L350 strings, which is what the guitar was fitted with in the factory, and these are excellent.

I would imagine this guitar will be very durable (if you really want to take it on the road). The guitar has been ultra reliable for me and keeps in tune exceptionally well. It will take a little knock without apparent damage (I know). The tuners are of course excellent and it has a bone saddle as standard so should last forever.

Never used them and Guild in the UK are not represented too well, which is disappointing.

I've been playing guitar 35 years and have owned many 'name' acoustics (as well as quality electrics). I'd put this near, if not at, the very top of my favourite guitars. They are superb and if you can get (afford) one BUY it.

That's a Guild Custom Shop built in February 99 at the USA. Has a German spruce AAA solid top with pearl and abalone inlays. Of course the top is bookmatched. The back is Indian rosewwod bookmatched as are the sides. Neck of mahogany (2 pieces) and maple (1 piece). Nitrocelulose finish in natural. Bridge and fingerboard of ebony with abalone and pearl inlays. Dreadnought style, with 20 frets. Scale lenght 25-5/8". 1-11/16" width at the bone nut. Cames with a Guild Deluxe hard case.

Being a guitar player for more than 25 years and can only say that this Guild has the best sound I have ever experienced. Loud, true and perfectly clear in all ranges.

Almost perfect action from the factory, at least for my style. The fretboard is a pleasure to walk around. Just one minor flaw at one of the inlays in the fretboard, but you have to look hard to discover it.
The fit is perfect. The finish is a perfect one nitrocelulose. Be awre of that.

Being a custom shop, it's a precious instrument, but it handles very well the live playing. It's heavy compare to others. I think this could represent durability and surely adds to the great sound.

As I havs said before I play for more than 25 years. I have had others guitars, no one compare to my Guild. I have p+layed a lot of guitars, namely Martin's, Gibson, Ibanez, Taylor, but now I understand why you must have a Guild. If you could afford by one.