1999 Guild® DV-25 Very Good, Original Hard, $895.00

This wonderful Guild DV-25 “Dreadnought Vintage” guitar was made in the fabled Westerly, Rhode Island, plant in 1999, judging from its serial number (AD408586) and the Guild website. The DV-25 is the flat, solid mahogany braced back "vintage" version of the arched laminated back D-25, and also has the higher end headstock veneer and inlaid logo and in this case, the high gloss Antique Sunburst finish. I think it actually replaced the DV-6, as the wood formula is the same, but it was only produced in 1999-2000, so there are very few of them around.

Note that the serial number prefix shows it was in the high-end D-50/52 build family as opposed to the laminated archback D-25's, which were "AD04xxxxx" during that era. At the time, the classic mahogany D-40 was absent from the line, so the DV-25 would have been filling the niche of a mahogany flatback. If you're frustrated with trying to find a great-sounding soon-to-be-vintage guitar that costs less than your first-born child, this could be your dream come true.

The Guild DV-25 has a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. The body has multi-ply binding top and back, a large tortoise pick guard, a rosewood bridge with white black-dot pins, and an inlaid multi-ring rosette. The one-piece mahogany neck is faced with a 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay. It ends in a mahogany headstock with black overlay, three-per-side chrome Guild tuners, and the inlaid Guild logo. It has a 25.625” scale, a 1 11/16” nut, and this one comes with a really nice Antique Sunburst finish, custom fingerboard inlays, and working onboard electronics that were added before my time.

A note on the fretboard inlay—which was very well done, by the way: according to Wikipedia, The Greek word ikhthýs (ἰχθύς, "fish"), is sometimes represented as a symbol consisting of two intersecting arcs, the ends of the right side extending beyond the meeting point so as to resemble the profile of a fish. It was used by early Christians as a secret Christian symbol and is now known colloquially as the "sign of the fish." When I played this guitar at church, it was considered really cool; when I played in a bar or some such, my friends also thought it was really cool, but they assumed it was for a fraternity or Masons or something. I have kinda enjoyed it, which is good, because it’s inlaid to stay….I removed the strings from the guitar so this inlay and the Guild label could be seen clearly in my pics; a new set of strings will be in the case.

There are a few cosmetic items to report: there is some chipping around the binding which suggests that the binding has been replaced, but the binding itself is clean and intact. There are two professionally repaired cracks—one visible in the treble part of the lower bout, and another barely visible above the amp control box. As you can see in the pictures, there are very few other small dings and bruises, and the beautifully finished back and sides are in excellent condition, with only very slight signs of belt rash and so forth.

Thus, while this is a truly attractive instrument, it is a real Guild, “Made to be Played”, and it has been busy making music and turning heads for sixteen years. It has been thoroughly checked out and set up by a professional luthier, the action is low to medium, and it’s ready to beat up on some banjo and fiddle players. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, it will pass into the hands of a player able to make music and turn heads for a generation or two to come.

The included original Guild hard shell case is in very good condition: the latches work perfectly, the scarlet plush lining is soft and odor-free, and structurally it is solid as a rock—despite a substantial chip out of one end. It fits the guitar like a glove, and with its discreet Guild logo on the front is the ideal complement for this great guitar—and of course it offers outstanding protection.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.

Thank you for your interest in this cool guitar.