Guild D-40C

This guitar was made in 1981. Its a left handed model. Only one I've ever seen. It has a beautifully bookmatched, solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, sides and neck. It has what I believe to be rosewood fretboard and bridge. It has Guild chrome tuners which still work beautifully and keep it consistently in tune. The story with this one goes that it was bought by someone in the States new in 1981 and due to the owner sustaining a wrist injury has sat in a closet since about 1982. It therefore still looks and smells like a new guitar. Unfortunately, the previous owner didn't take the tension off the strings and over the years the tension on the headstock lead to a hairline crack appearing across the back of the headstock, otherwise, there is virtually no checking or crazing which in a guitar this age is amazing. Apart from the beautiful mother of pearl logo on the headstock, the thing I love about the guitar is its understated simplicity. It has what I believe to be the original factory nut and saddle, both of which are still looking brand new. It has everything you need in a working guitar without all the trimmings that often make a guitar look a little tacky. I love it.

I'm a finger picker and really agonised over whether to get a dreadnought or something with a smaller body that would offer more punch and less muddiness in the bottom end. But I've always loved the Guild sound and given there are very few in Australia and even less left handers, when I saw this one advertised I was prepared to take a chance. So when it arrived from the States, I was very nervous indeed. However, when I picked it up and with trembling hand, struck the first chord, I was blown away by the richness of the bottom end and by the sparkle of its trebles. And this from strings that had obviously been on the guitar for a very long time! I of course, changed the strings immediately. Interestingly, I agree with another reviewer of this model guitar who commented that it is a little too bright when you first change the strings, but once they have been on a couple of days, the guitar just sings. I am constantly blown away by the depth and clarity of sound right across the neck. I play in a duo with a female vocalist at the moment. This leaves the guitar very exposed, but it comes up trumps in virtually everything we do. I play it in open tuning, in regular tuning and in a broad mix of jazz, blues, folk and contemporary and I never think that I need another guitar to cover our entire repetoire. In fact, I used to use a resonator guitar for some songs, but it just doesn't cut it with the D40.

This is a hard one for me to answer. However, I think it still had the original factory set up when I got it. The saddle was a little high for my liking, but the intonation is so good, I've just learned to put a bit more elbow grease into my fret hand. The fit and finish are very clean and very tight. The nitrocellulose shines like new, the bookmatching is first rate, the tuners are as smooth as silk and after 21 years, there are absolutely no structural problems . This is one beautiful instrument.

I've only just started playing out with the D40, but it feels as if it will go another 21 years with no problem at all. The finish is tough, the hardware solid and it stays in tune. The neck is beautifully crafted but solidly attached. All in all, it appears built to last.

I haven't had to use guild at all, so I can't really give an opinion.

I have been playing and performing for 27 years. In that time I have had some beautiful left handed seventies strats and a great old Hofner electric. I've played a law suit Takamine, an Ibanez copy of Gibson Hummingbird and they were both serviceable enough. However, I have always craved a high end acoustic. And left handers in this bracket are almost impossible to find. I know that Martins and Taylors have the reputation, but in Australia they also cost as much as a small car. I took a chance on this D40 and I am overjoyed! It is just beautiful. I can hardly put it down. Everyone comments on just how great it sounds. I have played it up against some high end Australian dreadnoughts like the Maton CW80 and I think it wins hands down. One day, I would love to get a small bodied acoustic, but the D40C sounds so good, that I'm not in so much of a hurry to do that right now.

One last word of warning for Australians looking for guitars on ebay. I had a terrible time shipping from the states. The rates are astronomical. If it weren't for the incredible hard work and kindness of the person I bought this from (he hassled and cajoled to get the cheaper rate) the guitar could have cost me half as much again due to shipping. Still, I have my Guild now so I'm very happy. If I ever lost it, I'd be heartbroken. My guess is that its the only left handed D40C in Australia, so replacing it with anther simply wouldn't be an option.

My D-40C is 1982 model purchased from a retail music shop. I had the saddle and the nut changed over to bone to help the playability and lower the action some. Otherwise, the instrument is basic with no remarkable features except for the cutaway and the mother of pearl inlay in the headstock.

The guitar has always had kind of a bright sound. This works quite well for soloing except that the guitar is not as loud without amplification as a comparable Martin, for example. The overtones and harmonics are excellent however. I love the sound of individual notes on this guitar.

The guitar was set up OK from the factory, but I like my guitars with a little action even with Medium guage strings. I had the fretboard dressed by a professional when I replaced the nut and saddle with bone. The action was vastly improved and I enjoyed playing the guitar much better after the luthier worked on it.

This guitar has been treated very well; however I experienced a significant finish check that looks like the guitar top is cracked (which it is not) from the bridge to the bottom of the guitar. Otherwise no other cracks or damage due to age. The finish is nicely ambered now after 18 years and it looks great. Pat Metheny played one of these on "Phase Dance" live and I'm sure that answers the issue of whether these are suitable for live performance. I have not used it in a large gig setting.

Never dealt with them. But, I suppose that since Fender owns them the customer support must not be too good if what I have read about Fender support is true.

I've been playing for nearly 30 years, and have several guitars. This is a keeper, since I have played it as my primary acoustic for nearly 19 years. If it were stolen, I would just find something else that has a bassier sound, but it would be hard to replace the playability and overtones of this guitar. If I use it for performance I would add a pickup or transducer to amplify the sound.

Manufactured in 1990. Mahogany flat-back (Guilds usually have arched backs) and sides. Single cutaway dreeadnought body. Gold plated hardware. "Officially", the D-40C model was discontinued in 1989. The cutaway version was offered as a subset of the D-40 model. Medium size neck. Added an under bridge piezo pickup. In this day and age, it would be nice if it came with an internal pickup with volume and tone, but we can't gripe given when it was purchased.

This instrument has aged beautifully! Nice full, warm tone. Excellent projection, even unamplified. To me, it sounds best after new strings have been broken in a few days, otherwise can be a tad bright.

Quality of the finish and fret work was fine. Over the years, it's gotten a few light dings, but it has proven to be very sturdy. I used to keep a Keyser capo clamped on the headstock for quick access, and the rubber from it has marred the finish .. Don't ever do this!! I haven't gotten after it too much, but regular guitar polish won't remove it. Fret work was fine.

I've dragged this thing around the world a few times, and it's held up well. I obviously use a hard shell case, and take care of the instrument, but it seems very sturdy. Due to the travel, it's seen it's share of climate changes and temperature changes, but other than retuning has displayed no problems.

Haven't needed to contact Guild/Fender, except to get age and manufacturing information. They were very responsive, however.

I had been eyeing one of these for years before I got this one. When I purchased it, I found out that the model was discontinued and I got the last one in SoCal.
Guild makes a fantastic acoustic guitar. Martin and Taylor may make some nicer instruments, but you'll usually pay dearly for it. I think Guild is the perfect "working man's" instrument, where you don't have a fortune to invest in the instrument.
This is the second Guild acoustic I've owned, and I'll never part with this one! I'm now in the market for a Guild 12-string, but that's another story;).