Guild D-30

Mine was made in the mid 1980s, I bought it new from some shop in the NY suburbs. Blonde body, solid front and back, with blonde neck and gold Grover tuning pegs. I swapped the shop-provided cardboard case with a friend who had an authentic Guild case: he was so impressed with the look of my guitar that he felt it needed the big case. I had a Martin Slimline pickup installed, but after 15+ years, I'm having it taken out as I almost never need to play with it wired; it projects that well.

Wow, what a clear, silky sound! I had a pocketful of cash when I went shopping for a guitar, and had my pick of what the store carried. I played fingerpicking blues at that time, and this guitar had the best sound in the house; better than the Martins or high-end Gibsons. Love at first pluck. Over time, the sound has mellowed nicely; it used to be sort of bright, with a booming but immature bass note. Now, the high notes have softened, and the bass has rounded out to blend very nicely. Nothing like old wood....

When I field-tested it, the action was great, but when they installed the Slimline, it raised the action a bit higher than I like. I brought it down a bit by tweaking the trussrod, but now after all these years it appears that the neck is warping ever-so-slightly, and the action has risen so that its uncomfortable to play high up the neck. I'm having the bridge shaved down this summer, and the pickup removed. I expect that this will bring the action back down again to where it plays like satin.

There were no factory blems when I bought it, and the nitrocellulose finish on the back is so rugged that two decades of belt buckles has not dented or scratched it. There is one small crack along the neck from my 'bending' some notes by arcing the neck outside on a winter gig. But other than that, the finish is as bright and polished as the day I bought it. Amazing...

This is one seriously well-built guitar! It could probably stand being driven on and still hold up. Its a great instrument for a travelling band, as it can withstand the bumps and grinds of daily work. Nothing about it seems to be fragile or delicate.

Never needed to do anything on warranty, but the Guild repairman who is going to look at it to straighten the neck and lower the bridge says these are a real dream to work on, as they are built so well and the finish is easy to mend once they do any work on them.

If this was stolen, I'd probably get something less heavy. I'm not gigging anymore, so I can afford to have something delicate and more ornate. But I don't think anything but a 30 year old Martin can match this for sound quality.

Early 90's D-30 with the sweet blonde finish, definetly the nicest looking guitar I have seen. Also has the gold grover tuning keys that match the blonde look. My D-30 is so sturdy, and thats what kept me away from some of the Martin models where the wood was too light.

Best sounding guitar I have heard! I fell in love with this guitar the minute I played it. The tone is no match for any other guitar i've heard. The bowed out feature makes it so much louder that all of my friends guitars and people know it when I am playing.

Had some problems with a warp in the neck that needed to be adjusted,i hear it is common with this model. But I makes up for the problem with the other features

This guitar is built like a tank and I will always have faith in playing live with it. I havent had any problems so far and I dont plan on any. Jerry Cantrell survived his unplugged set plying all guild, I think that says something for the Reliability.

Never dealt with Guild

Over the 5 years I have been playing I have had many crap guitars,I finally treated my self by spending some money and getting a nice guitar. Im so glad I bought my Guild because in my opinion it has a much better sound then most of the more expensive guitars. If you get the chance Definetly Get One!

I bought my guitar new almost a year ago. It's a Rhode Island blonde. The most beautiful guitar that I have ever layed my hands on.
My fellow nusicians always compliment my guitar.. mo so than they compliment me!My d30 feels great too.

My d-30 covers any all the acoustic songs that I'll ever wish to play. Hell, I can even belt out a decent version of purple haze on it. The sound can not be matched.

My guitar was set up nicely. Not too many problems there

3 weeks ago, I would have given it a 10 here. The bridge is coming up though!!!!! I took it in to get a slight rise in the wood behind the bridge a long time ago and they told me that it was natural. I figured they knew what they were talking about so I accepted their conclusion. I took it back in a week and a half ago because of a buzz that had been developing, and they told me the bridge was coming up! Their fixing it right now. I sure hope they can make it good as new.

dunno.. lifetime warranty, but there is so many things exclude your guitar from being warranted that it's kind of pointless having the thing.. ofcourse all lifetime warranty guitars are like this.

This is the ultimate acoustic guitar. I've only played 2 other guitars that I liked as well as the d-30. Martin's Clapton model($2500), and a gibson that was about 550 more than this one. If the bridge can be fixed properly then I will happily keep this guitar as my lone acoustic for the rest of my years.

My Guild D30 is a mid-1990s 20 fret model with solid spruce top and maple back and sides. It is cherry red in colour which takes a bit if getting used to but I'm fine with it now. It has an active Fishman pickup installed with Volume Tone and Brightness controls, also a phase switch - this is a great pickup for stage work. The tuners are Grover brass-plated. As I bought the guitar it had a rather ugly brass scratch plate on the body which I have removed and replaced with a thin black scratch plate - this has greatly improved the overall sound. The instrument was bought with a Guild hard case.

The guitar was good with the brass scratch plate, but once I removed it the sound has improved enormously, both in terms of volume and tone. It has a lovely mellow tone with excellent projection and has also become my favourite guitar when I am plugged in due to the quality of the Fishman pickup. I play Irihs traditional, rock/blues and jazz so it is great to own a guitar which performs well in a number of styles.

Ampified, I play the guitar through a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 amp with a DigiTech effects board - so most sounds are possible.

The guitar was bought second hand. It has a number of minor blemishes and scratches but I have only fixed one of them (on the neck, which was affecting playability). The bookmatching is good from what I can see (difficult to judge with the cherry finish and the back may well be a single piece of maple??

Action is slightly higher than "normal" - but I like a higher action. I'm sure it could be adjusted if required.

It is a perfect acoustic guitar for stage work and also has a great acoustic sound. It is very well-built and will probably last longer than I will. I have used in several times without a backup and it has never let me down (the Fishman pickup has a LED which lights up when it is time to change the battery - nice touch!!"!")

Never dealt with Guild

I have been playing guitar for approx. 30 years. I have 2 hand-made Joe Foley (Irish luthier) acoustic guitars, a Joe Foley bouzouki, a US Standard Fender Stratocaster (2000)and an Ibanez Strat copy (1979).

If it was stolen I imagine it would be difficult to replace - I would probably buy another Guild if I could, otherwise a Martin which I probably couldn't afford.

I love the sound and the quality of workmanship, I'm just OK with the overall colour and I HATED the brass scratch plate which was on it when I bought it. This was an absolute sacrilege which murdered the sound.

I originally bought it because it was a bargain and for the pick-up.

I am so delighted I changed the brass scratch plate as it revolutionised my overall opinion of the instrument.

My Guild D30 is a mid-1990s 20 fret model with solid spruce top and maple back and sides. It is cherry red in colour which takes a bit if getting used to but I'm fine with it now. It has an active Fishman pickup installed with Volume Tone and Brightness controls, also a phase switch - this is a great pickup for stage work. The tuners are Grover brass-plated. As I bought the guitar it had a rather ugly brass scratch plate on the body which I have removed and replaced with a thin black scratch plate - this has greatly improved the overall sound. The instrument was bought with a Guild hard case.

The guitar was good with the brass scratch plate, but once I removed it the sound has improved enormously, both in terms of volume and tone. It has a lovely mellow tone with excellent projection and has also become my favourite guitar when I am plugged in due to the quality of the Fishman pickup. I play Irihs traditional, rock/blues and jazz so it is great to own a guitar which performs well in a number of styles.

Ampified, I play the guitar through a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 amp with a DigiTech effects board - so most sounds are possible.

The guitar was bought second hand. It has a number of minor blemishes and scratches but I have only fixed one of them (on the neck, which was affecting playability). The bookmatching is good from what I can see (difficult to judge with the cherry finish and the back may well be a single piece of maple??

Action is slightly higher than "normal" - but I like a higher action. I'm sure it could be adjusted if required.

It is a perfect acoustic guitar for stage work and also has a great acoustic sound. It is very well-built and will probably last longer than I will. I have used in several times without a backup and it has never let me down (the Fishman pickup has a LED which lights up when it is time to change the battery - nice touch!!"!")

Never dealt with Guild

I have been playing guitar for approx. 30 years. I have 2 hand-made Joe Foley (Irish luthier) acoustic guitars, a Joe Foley bouzouki, a US Standard Fender Stratocaster (2000)and an Ibanez Strat copy (1979).

If it was stolen I imagine it would be difficult to replace - I would probably buy another Guild if I could, otherwise a Martin which I probably couldn't afford.

I love the sound and the quality of workmanship, I'm just OK with the overall colour and I HATED the brass scratch plate which was on it when I bought it. This was an absolute sacrilege which murdered the sound.

I originally bought it because it was a bargain and for the pick-up.

I am so delighted I changed the brass scratch plate as it revolutionised my overall opinion of the instrument.

Beautiful choice of solid woods, gold Grovers and simple appointments gives this D-30 a unique look. Nitrocellulose finish is perfect. Needed fret major fret work out of the box - higher frets were buzzing and not quite masterfully finished. I played several Guilds with this problem so it is NOT unique to the D-30

Unbelievable sound! Low low's, full mids and sweet treble makes this the most well balanced sound I have ever played.

Action was too high from the factory and fret problems as well. All fixed easily and under warranty by certified tech. Pretty flamed maple back and sides makes her a wonder to look at - in different light she glows!

Pick up a Martin, then pick up a D-30. This is a man's guitar. It's heavy, cumbersome and obnoxiously big...BUT, this thing is built RAM Tough!

Warranty work covered NO PROBLEM

Compared to equally priced guitars, this is a no-brainer. Compared to Martins and Taylors which are $500-$1000 more, it stilll wins in all categories! I have had my D-30 for 6 years now and each year it mellows and sounds even sweeter than the day I bought it. Upgrading to a D-55 this week...my dilemma is whether or not to part with the D-30.

Made in the mid 90s sometime, in the US, at the rhode island plant I think. 20 fret dreadnaught shape. Rosewod fingerboard and bridge, 3 piece maple neck, solid spruce top and maple back and sides. Back may be laminate maple--not sure. The back is domed or carved into an arch. Very highly flamed neck and quilted back. Gold Grover tuners. Finish is glossy nitro, thinly applied.

I actually think it's kind of an ugly guitar--sort of awkward looking. Even though all the individual components are handsome on their own, they don't quite add up. It has a huge body and a thin neck, flame neck and quilt back, and the pickguard doesn't fit the style of the rest of it. It's got a lot of "archtop wanna-be" kind of features, like the gold tuners and the three piece flame neck, the black and white binding, but then it's got small, understated position markers. I traded a very very beautiful Taylor to get this, and my wife's first response was "that's an ugly guitar." But then she heard it, and right away she said "wow, that sounds great." Several times shes commented on liking it better. I have no doubt it's a better sounding guitar for what I want

I use this to play jazz and blues at home--chord melody stuff. I gig mostly as a bass player, on upright and electric, so this is for my own pleasure. I've done a couple solo coffehouse things on guitar, playing standards. The sound is what killed me on this guitar--most dreadnaughts have a boomy bass and a twangy top end--the Martin sound, which is a great sound. But this guitar sounds very different from other dreads. It's a very big guitar, very very rich and full sounding, with a smooth and deep but also clear bass and a bright top end. It's much closer to an archtop in voicing, I think. Probably because of the maple and the arched back. But it rings like a flat-top. It's very very rich sounding and smooth, but also louder than hell and it's almost impossible to overdrive it. None of that dry jangle you get with so many acoustics. A lot of people will find this a bad feature, since it doesn't sound like every other guitar. But this guitar is like a big, plush ride. I am still learning how to get the most out of what it can do--it's an exceptional sound. The treble might be a bit too sharp, but that's part of learning to play the particular instrument you're playing

For the player, it's better with a pick than fingerstyle, as it takes a good bit of energy to get the big soundbox moving. Listeners hear the fingerstyle better, but I think for fingerstyle a concert shape is better for the player's ear. I tended to play the Taylor fingerstyle more often

I bought this used, but in mont condition. Frets were well leveled and polished--the action is very very low, with slight relief in the neck. Finish is very glossy and thin--you can see the grain lines in the spruce top. The rosewood compenents are very dark and close grained. The neck has some slight uneveness in the sanding--it's a tiny bit wavy. Maybe because the neck is so highly figured, and figured wood is hard to work. Everything else is right and tight. No visible glue lines inside, nut setup is excellent

Hard to know--seems very solid, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I know this from playing upright bass! I have used it without backup and have no reservations

NA--bought used

It's a fantastic guitar for the money. Guild's are unpriced in general, and this seems to me to be a great buy. Been playing more than 20 years, and owned five different acoustics, maybe a dozen electrics. I would be very unhappy if this guitar were stolen, and I'd look for another one in a second

Favorite feature is the big, rich sound, and the price

This D-30 is one of the last Rhode Island Guilds. Solid AA spruce top, solid flame maple sides, laminated and arched maple back. Rosewood fretboard and bridge, maple three piece neck, gold tuners, black chesterfield headstock. Mine is Tennessee ORANGE - can you believe it? It's beautiful if you like orange Tootsie Pops - sort of that translucent, slightly darker color. The neck is unbound as well. I've always wondered why Guild doesn't do this more often to their guitars. Those would be my only added desires for this guitar.

I've always been biased towards rosewood guitars and thought that maples were too bright, but this Guild blows me away! I believe it carries a perfect balance between deep, resonant tones and a thick mid-section. Rather than being bright, the guitar sounds clear - not muddled or too boomy. I love this guitar!

Oh, I forgot to mention that I put a John Pearse armrest on this and it makes the sound resonant all the more. The Pearse website claimed that sound loudness and resonance would improve 15-20% with the armrest - and they are absolutely correct. I simply wail on this guitar and it shines through the crowd of other guitars begging to be heard.

Action and fit were great. I'm a Guild guy and I'm familiar with their necks, heels, and overall quality. This felt like a real Guild and that is what I was looking for. By being a Guild I mean that it isn't a fragile guitar, but it's not as heavy as other Guilds. This one just feels solid. Again, the orange color takes a bit getting used to, but with rosewood accents on the guitar as well as my own coffee colored guitar strap make this look yummy!

I've become a Guild guy for the very reason of Guild's quality and craftsmanship. This D-30 is no different - it represents the company and tradition well. I'm not sure how the new Corona built Guilds will fare - I just hope Fender doesn't screw with them too much!

I don't know. But the dealers and lutheirs I've worked with have always been helpful.

I forgot to mention that that I had a Fishman Matrix II installed under the bridge and it sounds awesome plugged in. I love this guitar - I would have preferred a sunburst finish, but my other Guild has that. This orange D-30 stands out - visually and acoustically. I can't wait to get home and strum this baby. Guild is the most underrated guitar company in the world - too many people are missing out on the joy.

I finally found The guitar of my dreams. Looks fabulous Mine is the blonde finish with gold hardware. Quality is 10times better than most Martins and I have two.
The sound ooohhh the sound.
Best acoustic guitar by far for the money, I paid 19000 Swedish kroner
(quality costs here and they don't import many).

I play blues and rock acoustic I also have a very nice 1989 Gibson Les Paul. Which I will never part with alng with my new guild.

Perfect perfect perfect,
However the guitar store I bought it fro, know mre well. and proberbly put a little more effort than usual into ther setup.

One slight bubble blemish on the heel binding, but thats it.
The guitar is built like a tank and will gig all night IO only take one acoustic to my gigs now. Instead of two Martins. Only a 7 because of the slight finish imperfection.

Just bought it one month ago so hopefully I will never need to call Guild.

Good God heaven forbid someone steal it. Now that Guild Have moved from RI to CA. to a bigger factory I would like to think I could replace it with one of the same quality, WE shall see.
IU also play a Les Paul Standard. A Martin 0028 X 2 I have an old jap Strat which I hate but comes in handy now and again. Going back to the Guild I Love everything about it Except for the price I paid for it.

1995, USA-made, 20-fret, can't recall the dealer-installed pickup. High-maintenance, gloss black finish. Included case.

By far, most "rich" and "full" sound of any acoustic in the $1k range in the Sam Ash/NY stable at that time. Just sweet, sweet sound. Particularly on the bottom. In fact, I don't particularly love the "needs polishin'" finish, but gitter sounded so good, I couldn't pass it up.

Action was high, so got it re-set. Finish was with slight blemish on side of neck, and so was sold at slight discount. However, gloss finish on rest of guitar is flawless. (As a high-gloss, black finish damn well has to be.)

I pamper this little bitch, so I couldn't fairly report it's endurance.

Slight seperation of back from sides, almost certainly due to my dampit dripping. They/Sam Ash fixed it right up perfectly (back to factory). Loaner in the meantime.

Just a great guitar. Just wish mine had a more "normal" finish.