Guild GAD-30R

This OM sized (smaller than dreadnaught, larger than or equal to parlor) guitar has a natural finish. It appears to have a one-piece solid spruce top, two-piece book matched rosewood back with a very narrow herringbone zipper divider inlay, rosewood sides and a one-piece mahogany neck. No lamination that I can detect.
The finish is actually quite good, glossy, very smooth, and of an even depth, although I suspect it is heavier than a nitro-cellulose finish would be. I've noticed one small bit of excess finish (polyurethane, I believe, on the very edge of the inside of the sound hole near the pickguard. A dark stain was used on the rosewood, and provides a rich appearance.
The bracing in view is smooth and scalloped (could use a little more, if you have the tools and are daring enough), although the bracing deeper within the guitar is rather rough cut, not smooth to the touch.
The fretboard (or fingerboard if you're an old-time player, like me) is ebony, probably stained extra black (I'll explain that later), with exquisitely cut MOP position markers in an unusual snowflake, diamond, and cat's eye pattern.
I'll describe the frets as medium, because they aren't thick, but they're not wire thin, either.
The neck contour is a modern, smooth, flattened oval, and feels good to my strong, but smaller hands. However, the neck, at the fretboard, is wide for me, and the string spacing, reportedly 1 and 12/16ths inches, feels much larger than the one-sixteenth of an inch over the usual 1 and 11/16ths; more like a classical guitar. This makes it uncomfortable at first, and a pain for me to get my thumb around to press the bass E string on chords. I'd expect large-handed players would like it (and it may be good for players who hope to stretch or grow their hands.)
It is not the fastest fretboard and feels rather dull; I suspect a polish, oiling, or cleaning would improve this.
The bridge appears to be ebony, and the ebony bridge pins are a nice touch, but two of mine had minor splits on the in-guitar ends. The saddle and nut are probably bone; it's a very dense material, bleached and polished smooth.
It has they typical small bodied Guild stick-on pickguard, the type you can find everywhere as a replacement for under $5 (feels softer, like under-cooked plastic, and not hard like pickguard material used to be.) The tuners are small, open-backed Grovers (more on these later.)
This guitar has an adjustable truss rod (thank goodness), accessed through the sound hole, and comes with an Allen key to fit.
The case is a generic, arched-top design (apparently so other models can utilize it), and it fits very well. It is an attractive case, lined nicely, with the exterior covered in a faux tweed fabric. The handle is an uncomfortable low-quality thing, either leather or faux leather, but the case does have 4 clasps, so is reasonably secure for hand carrying.

Overall rating for materials and craftsmanship is 9. This is not a fancy guitar, but has a very pleasant appearance, is finished fairly well, and the materials are of a high quality, particularly for the price in today's economy.

Sound is subjective, but I'll say this.
When I first received this guitar, purchased online after reading about a hundred glowing reviews, I was so disgusted that I was ready to hand-carry it back to the store and force feed it to someone. The sound was HORRIBLE!
It sounded like a $2 Ebay special, the tinniest thing I ever heard with no projection, and the action was the worst I've ever encountered.
The neck seemed bowed and the strings were about half an inch above the fretboard (More on this and what I did about it in the section on Action, Fit, & Finish.)
However, I know that no guitar comes from the factory or store with the action and sound at its best (Why is this? Don't they WANT customers to buy these things?) I set about correcting things, making adjustments and trying two different sets of replacement strings. The second string set was Martin Silk 'N Steel, which have less tension and a better feel than the rusty iron rods that came with the guitar... The guitar still sounded tinny, and I was thinking "Send it back and buy the American-made model", and I sent an Email to the store advising them that I'd give the guitar a few days to acclimate and change its ways, but I expected to ship it back to them.

Well, something miraculous happened overnight, because the following morning the sound was a lot better. Suddenly the guitar had TONE.
This isn't a matter of my getting used to the sound, because I have 5 other guitars and I have a well-trained ear; this guitar's sound had CHANGED for the better. The tone, the projection, sustain; everything relating to quality of sound had improved. I can only speculate that the environmental conditions where the guitar had been stored before I acquired it, and the conditions experienced during shipping, must have been terrible for its wood.
The guitar has continued to improve in sound since I've had it, so unless it falls apart during the next few weeks, it will remain in my home.

As Mentioned earlier, when I first received this guitar it had the worst action ever. The neck seemed bowed and the strings were about half an inch above the fretboard, the string spacing was too wide, the tuners were very difficult to turn, and I actually broke one of the iron rods that had been masquerading as a string when I tried to LOWER the tension by tuning down! I was so disgusted with this guitar, reknowned for tone and playability, that I wanted to send it back.

Obviously, neck adjustment was needed, so with much difficulty (it didn't want to budge), I slowly adjusted the truss rod, perhaps three quarters of a turn, using the factory-supplied Allen key. This improved matters only slightly; more adjustment was needed. I thought I'd change the strings first, allowing the neck to react to the adjustment I'd made (I'm always cautious about truss rod adjustments - I unjustifiably expect the neck to snap off.)
The first set of replacement strings that I tried was medium gauge bronze Martin, and they didn't help at all. The strings felt too tight. I removed them and tried a set of Martin Silk 'N Steel, which lowered the string tension somewhat.
However, the strings were still too high, so I loosened them, pulled the bridge pins, and removed the saddle.
Over a number of hours, I carefully sanded the bottom of the saddle, removing just a little material at a time (whether bone or synthetic, this is a hard material to sand) and then refitted it to the guitar, tightening the strings and checking the action. I managed to get the action much lower, yet more neck adjustment seemed necessary. I let the guitar sit overnight and worked on it again the next evening.
After considerable time and energy expenditure, I managed to lower the strings quite a bit, and now the action is much more to my liking.
The fretboard needs cleaning or polishing though, as some of the stain or perhaps dust from the factory has come off on my fingers... I tend to play for several hours at a sitting.

I've not had the guitar long enough to judge its durability, but the finish is well done and polyurethane (this stuff is put on hardwood floors) is known to last much longer than nitrocellulose, so I expect the top and back woods to hold together and look good for a very, very long time, barring flooding or some other natural disaster.
The mahogany neck has held up to my truss rod adjustments, but then I've read of some older GAD Jumbo models that had quality problems, so I'm hoping for the best. The overall appearance of quality is quite good.

The tuners, well, they are chromed and stylish jewels with the Grover brand on them, but they're very small, open backed, little lima bean things that are difficult to turn (probably need grease - they're dry), and though they are serviceable, I prefer a tuning button that I can get a better grip on, something a little larger with easy action.

The guitar has a chrome strap button near the neck on the upper right bout.
There is an ebony tail pin in a plastic bag in the case; I haven't installed it yet.

Would I play this guitar in public? Sure. Now that the sound has improved and I've corrected the action problems.
Do I fear it may spontaneously combust or otherwise interrupt a live performance? No... I'd say the possibility is highly unlikely.
In fact, given the overall quality of the guitar and its price, it would be a good choice for playing in public venues.

I haven't had the guitar long enough to do anything but Email complaints to the seller (a major big name online company that usually provides excellent service.) I suspect that this guitar was a Returned Item, not a new item, as there were scratches on the pickguard, the strings were old, and someone splashed some gosh-awful greasy polish all over it before sending it out to me. Additionally, there was no Guild literature or warranty registration card in the box and the guitar had NO foam or bubble wrap or any such material in or outside of the case when delivered. The guitar wasn't even in a plastic bag. It was very lucky that UPS didn't smash it to pieces during shipping.
Clearly, someone at the store GOOFED, as this should have been discounted as a Scratch 'N Dent item and SOMEONE should have verified that the packaging and all items were correct and inside the box.

I've been playing for about 47 or 48 years now, various styles, everything from wild rock and soul, to older country, folk, blues, jazz, Bossa Nova, Big Band standards, and even a splash of Mozart and Bach. I've thumb picked, flat picked, finger picked and tried a number of different ways to get different sounds, speed, and the right feel and style that is my own. I've settled on finger picking these days, as I like to accompany myself with bass and chords while I play the melody; I've always been fascinated with harmony.
I'm not Chet Atkins or Tommy Emmanuel, but if I'd have had longer fingers I think I could have been... I'm still working on it.

Other guitars I own, and all were bought new, include a 1965 Gretsch 6120, a 1974 Martin D35, a 2006 D'Aspiranta/Peerless Jazz guitar, A 1991 Taylor 355 jumbo 12-string, and a Zager ZAD-50 OM, which I recently bought as an introduction to OM sized guitars, and because I expected not to have to modify the action (Ha! Ha! The action was WAY too high and I spent many hours working to get it acceptable. Zager's explanation was that they lower the action at the nut, which of course does almost nothing for the rest of the fretboard... they practically begged me to return it ("We don't want any unhappy customers!"), but the guitar, while overpriced and not up to its praise for playability or easy action, is quite nice once you've adjusted the action yourself, and the neck at the nut is so narrow that I can get my short thumb on both the bass E and A strings. It's a real guitar made to fit a child's hands. A little cramped at the nut for an adult, but unique. Zager should advertise it as such, as it is an excellent first guitar for a youngster, providing one adjusts the action completely.)

I looked everywhere researching opinions and reviews on Guild GAD 30R, because I'm a fanatic about understanding and evaluating the collective experience of others. I think it's SMART to learn from the trials and errors of fellow enthusiasts or product owners.

I like this guitar, it has been coming along quite well, and I'm hoping that my hands will adopt to its extra-wide neck and string spacing, because that will make my OTHER guitars seem easier to play. If not, then I'll replace the nut with a closer spaced one.

I would have preferred good action right out of the box, and I would have preferred the store to have done a better job in packaging it, and in representing it correctly as a Returned or Shopworn Item, which it obviously was... It wasn't banged up, no dings, but they OWE me a discount! I'll be satisfied if they send me the Guild literature and warranty registration papers, though. For the most part, they've been good people with which to do business, and I'll continue to shop with them.

I compared the Guild GAD 30R to lots of other guitars, but chose this one over the American Guild F40/47 and short scale Valencia because of the additional neck length (14 frets to the body rather than the Valencia's 12 frets), the much lower price, and most importantly, the many, many favorable reviews, many of which I'd disregard today as mere youthful enthusiasm.

In summary, I like this guitar. I hated the action, but I corrected that. The sound was awful at first, but it has improved immensely.

Do I recommend it? Well, if you're handy and expect to adjust the action as I did, if you don't want to spend several thousand dollars, if you are interested in a reasonably well-built, good looking, but smaller bodied guitar, if you can put up with or prefer a wide string spacing and wider, although comfortable neck, and if you can see past American jobs being exported to China, then Yes, I recommend this guitar. It has a lot of good things going for it, but remember, if it sounds horrible when you first take it out of the box, let it sit a few days, change the strings, and it may sound better. If it doesn't, then send it back.

Reviewing a guitar I regrettably parted ways with. Solid Spruce top with Solid Rosewood sides and back. Grover Sta-Tite tuners, maple binding and comes with a green Tweedish case. Very nice! My dealer was nice enough to include a humidifier, tuner, button down shirt, as well as tons of guild documentation.

Many people who ultimately buy this guitar are finger pickers. I AM NOT a finger picker, however this guitar was so good for me, I'm kicking myself for selling it and impulsively buying a Martin. (Cheaper and not as well constructed.) To me, gently strummed, this is a beautiful sounding and quite graceful instrument. For a small body guitar, there was quite the even spectrum of tones that does distort like an electric through a cranked tube amp, but doing windmills and going Pete Townshend isn't what this thing was made for. Players wanting that big booming tone of a dreadnought will not find that here, and to me, singing and playing with a more intimate and delicate tone is better than trying to even your voice or tone down the playing of a big boomy guitar. Once I get this guitar again, it'll be my singer/songwriter guitar with the Martin being my rhythm, recording and bash up mash up guitar.

The guitar was set up perfectly from my dealer. There were no finish flaws or glue present. The maple binding was so perfect! All the wood was top notch, especially for a guitar of this price range. The nut was right, nothing wrong with the saddle- many people complained of a loose strap button on the bottom, but mine was plenty secure.

This guitar will live on as long as you take care of it. I plan on getting my hands on another one, and this time, I'm not letting it go for anything. BE CAREFUL THOUGH!!!!! I CANNOT stress that enough! My buddy was helping me move, and I don't know if he dropped the case, or stacked a bunch of things on top of it and then he dropped the case, but when I opened up the case, I almost cried because there was a crack on the top. If you live in a very dry environment like Alaska, where I'm stationed, HUMIDIFY HUMIDIFY HUMIDIFY!!! This thing is very sensitive- it's like a PRS- wonderful woods and great looking, however you MUST PROPERLY take care of it to ensure you enjoy this guitar for many years to come. If not, be prepared to weep.

I haven't dealt with Guild, and if you have a dealer like mine, they'll ensure your guitar is taken care of- any gripe, question, complaint, anything before it has to go to the factory. That is a sign of a good dealer- they take care of the customer, no matter how trivial the issue may seem.

Like I said, I sold this guitar for $200. In exchange, I got a camera and rechargable batteries that I DO NOT USE and I've been kicking myself for over a year and a half now. This guitar is ultra sexy and exudes vibe AND tone. She wants to be played. She wants you to spend the extra time and care with her. Essentially, this is a desert island guitar- you're stranded with nothing else, and you'll be grinning every day you play- until you break your strings! All joking aside though, this guitar has what you need and nothing you don't. It'll get you noticed on the stage and complimented in the studio. One doesn't need fabulous electronics and cutaways for your 'unplugged' experiences. Just mike her up and go! As many have exclaimed here, this is one of the best values in the acoustic guitar market today. You get ALL solid woods, Grover tuners, maple wood binding, tortoise shell pickguard, and a case, all for under a grand. You must be out of your mind to think you can get something like that from Gibson or Martin. Taylor may be the only exception here. If you want to take your playing to a higher level, go with this guitar- it'll be one heck of a ride, and you'll be singing the blues if you do decide to divorce. Treat her like someone's daughter, and experience the best thing in the acoustic world today.

OOO Body Style, Sitka Spruce Top, Indian Rosewood Back&Sides,Wood Binding... MOP Guild Logo... Snowflake pearl fret markers..Side pearl fret dots...bone nut and saddle...Made in China

Great sound when played fingerstyle, not as loud as I would have liked when strummed...Certainly not as loud as my ooo Martin or my ooo Blueridge, but a great player just the same

The fit and finish on this particular Guild is flawless...beautiful sitka top and gorgeous rosewood back and sides...great MOP accents

Seems very solid although I've only owned this particular guitar for a few weeks...

Bought it used for $250 so this category does not really apply here

Nicely featured OM style. All solid woods(Sitka spruce top and East-Indian Rosewood back and sides), ebony bridge and fingerboard, style 45 inlays. Grover open-back tuners, one piece mahogany neck, 1 3/4" nut. Maple binding, South-west style backstrip. The neck profile is perfect for fingerstyle, and the OM size makes it comfortable to just sit on the couch and play (Midnight already?!).

As a guitar designed for and played fingerstyle, it sounds great for the price-point. But I have found that even moderately hard strumming tends to overdrive it, and produce fret buzz. Use it as it's intended, and you won't be disappointed. As for clarity of tone, projection and sustain,I would put it at about 80% of a Collings, Santa Cruz or other premium builders offerings. Bass is decently rich thanks to the rosewood, and if fingerpicked hard, has that satisfying "snap".

Action is set up perfectly for fingerstyle, a bit low for strumming;the backstrip doesn't quite line up with the center of the heelcap, and the polyethelene finish seems a bit unevenly applied to the top. And the fingerboard markers aren't centered exactly. These flaws don't affect the sound or playability for me (the apparently thinner finish application on the top is on the bass side of the lower bout), and the rest of the construction seems of very high quality. As an aside, I've had a look at a GAD-F40P as well. Sounded and played real nice, but it had numerous black streaks in the top, and the backstrip was WAY off-center at the heelcap. Something to watch for-but it's only cosmetic...

I haven't had the guitar long enough to to contribute anything meaningful here, but I can't foresee any major problems.

First of all, I want to say how much I like this guitar. I bought it as a complement to my dreadnaught whose nut is just a tad short for fingerstyle.

The GAD 30-R is a great instrument for the money. It sounds good, plays very well, and is tastefully appointed. However, I can't give it a 10 in any category, because I believe that rating is the domain of the premium marques. I also own a Collings D2H, and to me that's where the 10's are.
But it does come very close, and for under $800, I don't think you can do any better.

Won't repeat the impressive list of solid woods here. The shocking thing here is that there ARE so many features. Purfling, wood binding -- really well done wood binding I might add -- gloss finish, bone + bone. You'd pay more for a stripped down satin Larrivee OM-3 and the current crop of laminated neck, Micarta Martins. Guild wins easily.

I agree with all the highest compliments here, and none of the others. I live for fingerstyle on an OM. I walked away from Martin OM-Vs years ago when I played my first Collings. This guitar has restored my faith in sub $3000 OMs. Lush, harmonically rich, balanced sound. Read dave's review -- I'm just raising my hand to say yes, it really is a 10, but he says it better.

Finish is flawless. The binding is incredibly clean and precise. Everything is exactly where it should be, no weird misalignmnets or mystery seams. The rosette is not a decal, by the way (look closer!) No filler around the MOP markers. No glue to be seen. Even the ebony pins seat perfectly and evenly, and I've never seen that ever. I would have replaced them with bone, but they are too well made. Even the fret ends are smooth and evenly beveled.

I switch between standard tuning and DADGAD, and the Grover open-backed tuners are very stable. When I check my A with a tuning fork, I find it is right on after several weeks.

No need so far.

After 35 years of playing, I still dream of a Santa Cruz or Collings, but I may never get there. I would buy another GAD-30, in different woods, just to keep it in another tuning. Had I not found this, I would have paid more -- and gotten much less -- for the leanest Larrivee, and I still would have felt under-guitared. This model is a sub-thousand dollar dream. It's still weird to see the familiar Guild logo on my fingerstyle guitar, but I'll get used to it.

All solid wood,orchaestra style body. Unbound ebony fingerboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, Maple body binding, and Grover open back tuners. Nut spacing is 1.75" and string spacing is absolutely perfect for fingerpicking. Nothing outstanding, or flashy here, but high quality materials used throughout, especially at the price point. Even comes with a stylish tweed case!

Rosette appears to be a decal, but it is layed underneath the poly finish so it will never release from the body. Were you expecting mother of pearl for $620.00?

In short, the sound quality of this guitar blew me away! I bought it for fingerpicking, and it responds exceptionally well to this style of playing. Tone is beautifully balanced across all six strings, with piano like bass, and bright highs that really project. Tried it alongside Taylors and Larrivees, and found those guitars to be too "crystaline" in their highs for my taste. I enjoy playing folk and country blues on this guitar, and prefer a more traditional tone. I also tried this alongside Martins that were twice its price, and to say that the Guild held its own would be an understatement.

A word of caution, I had a chance to play three examples of this model side by side, (in a very well stocked shop) and I have to say that there was a significant difference in the tone between the three. None of them sounded bad, but one of them was much softer on the bass side. It would have sounded perfect for Mississippi John Hurt covers, but the one I chose was a little more flexible. I would definitely audition this guitar in person if you have a chance. After I did, I was glad I didn't purchase it from an online dealer.

Fit and finish on this guitar were quite good overall. My only real complaint is a little excess glue around the 9th fret, but nothing you can't fix with a little fine grade sandpaper, or steel wool. Frets are very even and well dressed, and the bracing on the inside looks to be clean and free of excess glue. The slightly thick poly finish seems to be hiding some imperfections in the woodwork, but this is revealed only upon close inspection. It is certainly nothing that affects the tone or playability of the guitar. Keep in mind that this is a Chinese made guitar under $700, and I don't expect the fit and finish of a $2000 Martin. This guitar is a player, not a museum piece.

When playing several examples of this guitar, I found the action to be varied across the board. The action on my particular guitar was a bit high from the factory, but my dealer had his tech do a free set up, and within 20-30 minutes, he had the action lowered, neck adjusted and new strings put on. It now plays quite well, with no buzzing and great intonation. I was told by my dealer that they put the guitars on the wall "as shipped", and then adjust them for the customer at the time of purchase. I would plan on having a professional set up done on this, and any guitar after it is purchased.

Seems solid and well constructed, though I have only had it a couple of weeks. Grover tuners and bone nut and saddle seem to be quite durable, and the polyester finish should certainly last a quite a few years (maybe longer than I do). I don't see any reason why this guitar wouldn't stick around for many fine years of playing.

Buy your guitars from reputable dealers, and you will never have to talk to the factory. Period.

I've been playing electric guitar on and off for 15 years, and I have recently become enamored with the acoustic guitar (gettin' old I reckon). My electrics include an American Reissue '62 Strat, and an American made Hamer Archtop Custom. I have owned several expensive, high end instruments over the years, and am familiar with what makes them special.

I have also recently discovered and purchased an Epiphone Masterbilt series acoustic, and have found it to be an equally superior product. Don't discount Chinese made instruments these days, they just might surprise you! I have found that most of the good ones are manufactured in China, and then sent to American factories for final fit and finish. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it well, and representing some oustanding value in the process.

I mostly play around the house and with a few close friends, and am currently teaching my 9 year old nephew to play. I find this little Guild to be outstanding for this, and lots more. I would not hesitate for a moment to gig with this guitar. It's not a guitar I would take out and show off to people as if it were a vintage Martin, or Taylor. It is a workhorse, and the tone and playability speak for themselves. If you are in the market for an OM style guitar, you owe it to yourself to try a few of these Guilds. You might just end up with a first rate guitar, AND an extra grand in your pocket!

Nice solid wood.
Good quality tuners.
Really nice case.
Quite pleasd with the whole thing and nothing to complain about here.
All the makings of a good guitar.

Great sound - Ive been mostly playing Ovations for the last 20 years but Im glad I got this Gad 30 - the sound is typical OM style and great for finger style folk and blues. Great projection and volume.For the price its fantastic. I cant compare it to my Ovations - the sound is too different but played it alonside a Martin 00016 recently and its about the same class.

Well this is a bit of a down side. the guitar was mostly fine but there are a couple of areas that concerned me. The first thing was that as soon as i got this the strap button on the lower bout fell out - its a peg like device that clearly didnt fit properly - i had to glue it back in.
The other thing is the string pegs are either too tight or too loose.
Finally the action is high and you might have to lower it. Ive got mine down really low now and its easier to play.
All these things are quality control issues and resolvable if you get one like this - just keep an eye out when purchasing.

Solid - and, issues above apart, it should go on and on and on.
Now Ive fixed it i think i would use it without backup live.
Caution with those strap buttons!

Guild dont have any contact details on their website as far as i can see.

Been playing for 31 years ( holy cow!).
I mainly own Ovations ( Balladeer, Elite, Pinnacle),classical, fender Strat and various other bits and pieces.
Mainly play finger style and this guitar is perfect for that and if it were lost i would certainly buy one again - no hesitation (but Id check the strap button on the lower bout first!)

1 3/4 width at nut. Spruce top, Rosewood back and sides. The inlays on the neck are a nice design - mix of cultural influences. I'm not a guitar expert but it looks like they selected quality woods and considerable care went into the construction. When you pick it up by the neck you can sense how solid it is. I traded in a Tacoma DM10 - spruce top, mahogony back and sides. The Tacoma is an excellent sounding guitar but the neck is more suited for bluegrass. This is exactly what I was looking for. Very comfortable to hold and the wide neck works great for comping jazzchords, playing Hendrix and jamming the blues.

I have played Rosewood dreadnoughts and really think mahogony is better for that style guitar. For this smaller bodied instrument rosewood is the way to go. I think it is because the rosewood is stiffer than mahogony that the volume and projection are surprising when you first play it. The note definition is excellent in chords and played singly. If you play harder you simply get more sound and not an increase in noise. It's funny but I can hear the silence between notes and chords better with this intrument. The neck is very fast and the string spacing helps to retain control when I vary tempos or crosspick.

One thing that clues you in to a quality instrument is how it looks inside. This guitar has a clean well finshed look. The sides are reinforced internally. Having had a guitar that developed a crack in the side (I had it repaired before it became a problem) I'm glad to see this. The guitar is very playable as I bought it and I will wait at least six months before considering any changes. It doesn't seem likely at this point except if I put a pickup in it. I put an L.R. Baggs Active Element in the Tacoma which worked well. Having the volume control inside the soundhole when playing in a group is very useful.

I haven't evaluated this guitar from a gigging perspective yet. I'll be doing something informal this week and will evaluate.

Dealer I bought it from is authorized repair center and said just bring it back with the receipt if there is any problem. They said it has a lifetime warranty and I think they'll stick by that statement.

I've been playing on and off for many (30) years. Over the past three years I played in a group and now have the bug - I know I'll always play from here on out. I have owned a D28, Tacoma DM10, Larivee D02, low end Epiphone, and a few others I don't remember. I also own a Highway 1 Telecaster and have owned a Squier Strat, and Gibson ES175. I really like the size, neck, volume, note articulation and quality workmanship. The case is nice too.

Model Name GAD-30R
Model Number 381-0300-(Color NAT)
Category Guild?? Acoustic Design
Body Style Orchestra
Top Solid Sitka Spruce1
Bracing Guild?? Scalloped
Back Solid Indian Rosewood
Sides Solid Indian Rosewood
Neck 1-Piece Mahogany
Width at Nut 1-3/4"
Fretboard Ebony (12" Radius)
Scale Length 25 1/2"
No. of Frets 20
Machine Heads Grover?? Sta-Tite Tuners
Bridge Indian Rosewood Pin Bridge
Hardware Chrome
Electronics None
A very very nice "old fashion" designed hard case was included.

I???m a guitar player from the southern parts of Sweden. Have playing for about 45 years now.
So a lot of guitars of different styles for varying use have passed through my hands so fare.
To day I???m mostly a ???fingerpicker??? and playing and sing classical and modern folk music.

For a long time I have played nylon stringed guitars but for about a half year ago I decided to add a new steel strung acoustic guitar.
I have the advantage to know a very good and serious guitar player and dealer, means that he know in detail what he talking about and all new models are tested by him self before he start to sell it in the store. He knows my playing style so I got a Guild?? GAD-30 R Auditorium Acoustic Guitar in my hand and believe - it was ???love at the first glance???.

What a like most in this Guitar is the reach, brilliant and well balanced sound through the entire register. The fretboard in Ebony is hi precision made, fast and distinct - In plain language, it is a pleasure handle this guitar. The fretboard is little bit wider witch make it perfect finger style playing.

Nothing to complain on. (My guitar dealer always makes quality controls
before delivering.)

So fare my experience the guitar is crafted in very good and careful way. Solid built, hi quality in every details- In plain language this guitar is a beauty. I hope and believe we can live a long happy life together :-)

The finish is high gloss polyester, good or bad its much a matter of taste but maybe it could be sensitive for scratches etc.

I have played this guitar nearly every day in about half a year no.
In my eyes I think this Orchestra body styled guitar in solid hi quality wood is a successful combination of a very good designing team, much know how and ability to mediate, to in this case, a very good Chinese craft. (I have seen the opposite ...)


???This guitar is too cheap???.
You could compare this guitar to others priced 2 or 3 times higher.
It???s a relay good bargain!

This is a solid OM style guitar. If you are a fingericker, you should check this guitar out. This isn't a fancy, hand crafted instrument made from an exotic endangered rainforest wood species. It is, however, a solid, well made, great sounding guitar for a fair price.

I first tried the mahogany model, and was less than impressed with the sound. It played nice and had a great fingerboard, but no projection, and sounded very dull for a solid woood guitar. I was about to give up on Guild until I played the rosewood model.

Excellent projection, and a bright, well defined sound. Now, I've played OM-21s, and in my opinion, this is the Holy Grail for fingerstyle. I'm still amazed that this cheesy Chinee Guild can even come close - but play them side by side if you can. You may be surprised...

Unfortunately, the current Chinese production paradigm is stuck on using the thick poly clear coat. I'm sure this affects the tone. Yeah, it looks kinda shiney, in an early 70's Japanese import kinda way, but what would it sound like with a nitro finish?

This Guild is a notch above the other Chinese offerings I looked at, most notably the Blueridges. No bumps, dings, or obvious craftsmanship flaws under the finish. Now, while the back splice and maple purfling are nicely done, don't expect any hand scraping or leveling. A critical look at the joints under the thick finish will reveal uneven finishing.

Still, not bad for a dip-and-ship finish. The maple heel cap seems out of place - I would have preferred Mahog or some other dark wood.

This guitar is solid - heck, it's dipped in three pounds of poly clear coat. I've had it about four months, and surprisingly, the sound is starting to open up. Nothing has come loose or started rattling. The end pin that was supplied was loose, and not to be counted on to hold a strap. This was easily remedied by my dealer.

The case is semi-hard, and OK for keeping it around the house, but I wouldn't tour with it. The guitar, on the other hand, seems almost indestructible. I've schlepped around a number of Farmer's Markets and Street Expos with this guitar hanging on a strap, and have no worries about it's durability.

My local dealer is good people. I should never have to deal with Guild.

Martin, shame on you. More than two grand for an OM-21, and Guild is selling these for less that $700? Sure, it's a cheap Chinese import. Yeah, it doesn't have a lifetime warranty. But it plays and sounds too good to ignore.

Try and find a shop that has both hanging on the wall, and compare them side by side. I'm not saying this is a Martin, but for a killer fingerstyle guitar on the cheap, this Guild beats all other imports I have tried.

Without repeating all of the factual features provided by the manufacturer, I will make the statement that the features of this guitar rival that of any high end instrument (Taylor 800 series, Larrivee 09 series, etc.) This is with the exception of the undersaddle transducer. Certainly not to my tonal taste, but a nice value add for the price.

Very open and balanced tone for fingerstyle and strumming

Set up very nicely...action a little high, but acceptable. Looks, sounds and feels like a mid-teens to $2K instrument

Seems as solid as any of the Taylors I've owned.

No experience here.

There's definitely a shift going on in the marketplace with the Chinese imports. Fantastic quality all the way around. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to scale back the collection, you no longer have to give up tone or appointments. Guild hit a homerun on this thing. By the way, I've never owned or wanted to own a Guild prior to this. I'm a strong James Goodall fan and supporter. If you've never played one....you're truly missing out. You'll lay the Martin, Gibson, Larrivee or Taylor aside once you do.

It's a Guild version of a Martin OM design, made in China. So yeah, a traditional acoustic guitar. Here are the features I found interesting:

1. A thin, well-profiled 1 3/4" neck. Most acoustic guitars are 1 5/8" or 1 11/16". The extra width squarely places it as a fingerpicker's guitar. The neck is well-shaped and a real pleasure to play if you do fingerstyle. Size DOES matter, kids.

2. Wood binding, an usual feature on any factory-made guitar. It's something I associate with very expensive handmade instruments, and it looks very classy. The one I played was a natural finish with (I think) maple binding. I saw a different Guild model from the same line (a dreadnaught) in amber sunburst with what looked like koa binding. The binding was just beautifully done, and symbolic of the excellent craftsmanship overall.

And some features it doesn't have that will matter to some players:

1. No cutaway. I don't think they make a cutaway model, although they may in the future.

2. No pickup. Fine by me; I'd install my own. The catalog lists an "E" version with Fishman Matrix electronics. Yawn. I'd put a K&K or B-Band or McIntyre in instead; this superb-sounding guitar deserves far better than the generic quacking sound of Fishman.

For a guitar that shines a lot, this is where it shines the most. BEAUTIFUL sound. The OM sound, DONE WELL, has always been my favorite. A really good OM guitar has a very even tone throughout the frequency range, with plenty of brightness and bite. Fingerpicked, the notes should decay from fundamental into harmonics, sort of an "OOoooo..." sound. Strummed with a pick, it should compress smoothly as the picking gets harder, much like an electric through a mildly overdriven tube amp (and respond to palm muting much like a distorted electric guitar). It should NOT bark in the lower mids or jangle in the upper mids.

The beauty of great OM sound is its flexibility. It can do anything from delicate fingerpicking to hard rock. The only thing an OM can't do is that really deep, boomy dreadnaught sound (and I'll gladly give that up in favor of an elegant midrange). Unfortunately, there are VERY few good OM guitars out there! Everyone makes one, and most of them suck - they jangle rather than shimmer, clang rather than bang, lack sustain (and any character in the sustain they have), get muddy on close intervals, etc.

The only moderately-priced OMs I have played that sound really great are this Guild, and the Blueridge models. And the wider neck and much more tasteful appearance put the Guild head and shoulders above the Blueridge, at least in my eyes and hands. I played it in a well-stocked showroom, and it completely creamed a Taylor 214, a Martin OM three times its price, and Alvarez, Washburn, et al.

My model for this sort of tone has been a 1970s Yamaha I've played for over 15 years. I also own an incredible Running Dog Mini-Jumbo that is very similar to the OM sound, although a little rounder and a little slower on the attack (this is a Good Thing). This little Chinese Guild just NAILS the OM sound. It's brighter and faster than the Running Dog, rather more aggressive overall, which is what I'd want a true OM to be.

It sounds like 95% of a handmade Collings or Santa Cruz OM, rather than 110% of an Alvarez or modern Yamaha, if that makes sense. There's a fundamental difference between a great OM and a mediocre OM. This is a great one.

Fit and finish were superb. I don't know how much is jigs and CNC machines, and how much is handbuilt, but I know a well-made guitar when I see one. The only flaws I could find were a couple of tiny chips around the neck inlays. There was no visible glue squeeze-out (or smell). The rosewood was nothing special grain-wise but well-bookmatched and perfectly quartersawn. The binding was absolutely flawless, and the Grover Sta-Tite tuners a nice touch.

Action was a smidge high, but it seemed properly set up. I'd rather lower a high action than shim a low one, so I think that was a matter of choice, not carelessness. Fretwork was fine as well, and I'm sure the action could be made as low as desired with simple adjustments.

I don't see any reason this should be less reliable than any acoustic guitar made.

I must say here that I'm basing this review on a half-hour's play in the store. I don't think I've ever before reviewed something I didn't own. But I felt this one was worthy of a review, because Guild and the Chinese factory have hit it out of the park! For under $700 (including case), you can own a beautiful, all solid wood acoustic guitar that should age beautifully, and requires no improvements other than perhaps a pickup and a setup tweaking.

I checked it out because I've been looking for a good stage guitar. I don't want to take either my precious (and expensive!) Running Dog or my beloved past-prime Yamaha out to shows. I was leaning toward a Blueridge, but didn't like the narrow neck and was lukewarm about the kitschy looks. I think my search is over! I expect I'll be buying one of these Guilds soon. It has everything I want in a stage guitar - great sound, tasteful appearance, nice wide neck, and it's REPLACEABLE if something bad happens.

2005 Auditorium Body made in China
20 frets 14 clear, 25 1/2 inch scale
Solid Spruce top
Solid Indian Rosewood back and sides
1 3/4 inch bone nut and saddle
1 piece mahogany neck
high gloss finish
mother of pearl inlays
Deluxe hardshell case

If you like the sound of and OM guitar as I do then this one if for you. It is a fingerpicker?s dream 2 3/8??spacing at the saddle with super string response and sustain. Great string balance top to bottom and puts out enough volume to hold it?s own with any guitar when strummed.

Action was a little high for my liking but might be fine for someone else. The strings that came with it were junk changed them when the action was adjusted with Martin SP light 4100. The finish was perfect couldn?t find any flaws at all. Except for the strings the fit and finish is a 10.

Very well built I don?t expect any problems at all.

Haven?t needed it so I can?t say.

I?ve played a few different guitars in the last 30 some years and this guitar is turning out to be the one to set the standard for the rest of the ones I?ve played. To tell the truth I hate to buy anything from China I?m red, white and blue to the bone but I?d buy another one if something happened to this one I like it that much.

The OM sized Chinese made guitar features solid sitka top and solid EI rosewood back and sides. Braces are scalloped according to literature. The neck is one piece mahogany and nut is 1.75". Bindings are maple and fretboard and rectangular bridge are ebony. Nut and saddle are bone and tuners are Grover sta-tite. The top is finished in vintage sunburst and the case is a deluxe greenish tweed type stuff. The finish is high gloss polyester.

This guitar has a very loud and open tone, perfect for fingerpicking but okay for flatpicking as well. The size makes the tone projective and bright, but the rosewood back and sides add mellowness, depth, and smoothness to the tone.

This guitar seems set up very well straight out of the box but the frets are a little higher than I like. The overall workmanship seems superb and the interior work is extremely clean. This guitar looks like it comes out of the same Chinese factory where the upper end Blueridges are made, but Guild has used more taste in the overall design than Saga did with the Blueridges. I did not note any flaws in this guitar. My only gripe is the poly finish, which is well done but still poly.

This guitar seems to be very well made and extremely sturdy. My experience with Blueridges so far has been positive and I would think this guitar would hold up as well. The high end Chinese stuff is very well made and Guild/Fender is a reputable outfit.

Haven't had to use them.

I was using a Blueridge BR-143 (000 size) for my fingerpicking guitar, but I couldn't get used to the skinny neck. I also think the Blueridge headstock is dorky looking. The Guild is much the same guitar with a classier design and a 1.75" neck whicle feels comfortable for fingerpicking. It has all the strengths of my Blueridge but none of the deficits. I also play a Breedlove Revival DM which is a great all around guitar.