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Guild GAD50 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (with Case)

Solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, solid spruce top with scalloped bracing, one piece mahogany neck with the traditional dovetail neck joint.

Overall User Ratings

Overall:
           9 out of 10
Features:
           9 out of 10
Quality:
           9 out of 10
Value:
           9 out of 10
I Want It:
           9 out of 10
Sound:
           9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
           10 out of 10
Support:
           9 out of 10
 
 

"Can't Touch Anything Better for the Price"

Overall:
          10 out of 10
Features:
          10 out of 10
Quality:
          10 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          10 out of 10
Sound:
          10 out of 10
User: a customer from excite.com
Submitted: 12/13/2004
Style of Music: Country
Musical Experience: Hobbyist
Location: Canonsburg, PA, USA

 

 
Feature:
Tweed hardshell case is a great bonus for no charge. Compared to Alvarez MD90 - same construction (solid spruce top, solid rosewood sides and back), same price but you get the free case and a better sound with the Guild.

Quality:
Beautiful wood and great looking MOP inlays on the fingerboard.

Value:
As I said earlier, can't beat this guitar for the price. Similar price guitars with similar construction don't include the AWESOME tweed hardshell case.

Desirability:
Don't know how "Sexy" a standard drednaught guitar is, but the wood on this guitar is beautiful. The MOP inlays on the fretboard are nicer than anything else I looked at in this price range.

Sound:
For the price, nothing touches the sound of this guitar. The solid rosewood back and sides really add a wonderful tone to the spruce top.

Support:
N/A

Overall:
Every few years, I like to upgrade my acoustic guitar (when $$$ permits). Always thought I would someday own a Martin D-18, but after owning this Guild, it looks like I may be in the market for a Guild F50 instead.

12 of 12 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"Guild just put the sub $1K market on notice."

Overall:
          10 out of 10
Features:
          9 out of 10
Quality:
          9 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          10 out of 10
Sound:
          10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          10 out of 10
Support:
          10 out of 10
User: a customer from worldlynx.net
Submitted: 10/29/2008
Style of Music: very diverse.
Musical Experience: Hobbyist, jam session junky, music lover.
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA

 

 
Feature:
Doesnt have strap buttons? Comes with an awesome tweed case, has excellent tuners, extremely playable neck. Look, some people like to have all of the intricate Mother of Pearl and abalone inlays and flamed maple this and that. This guitar is all about playability, sound, and durability. You get more than what you pay for in those categories.

Quality:
Only gave it a 9 because there are even better quality finishes out there. For the money though, you will not find a better quality guitar. Building overseas certainly keeps the cost down. If this guitar were made in the USA or by another big name (martin, taylor, gibson) I could certainly see it commanding prices around the 2K mark.

Value:
You wont find a better value. This truly is a topo of the line instrument in both construction, materials, and sound. Terrific value.

Desirability:
As I stated earlier, I've played many acoustics even more expensive than this one, but as soon as I heard the tone of this guitar, I was hooked. You will be too.

Sound:
This is the best part about this great guitar. The intonation and evenly matched sound from each string. Its just a butery smooth guitar. Plenty of volume if you dig in, yet precise and controlled. No fret buzz or other weird sonic artifacts. The Rosewood really makes the sound project well from this beauty. I played many acoustics in this price range (above and below) including Taylors, Martins, Epiphone master builts, Takimini's, etc and none of them could come close. The sound of this guitar is much closer to a Taylor sound than it is a Martin. Not low end biased, but just a warm even tone.

Ease of Use:
For some reason this guitar is one of those that you pick up and just feel "at home" with. It, for whatever reason, is just easier to play. Maybe its the lower action, or the smooth, fast neck. Either way, its a real joy to play and keps you coming back for more.

Support:
Marked a 10 as I've never had to contact them.

Overall:
Gets a 10 for the terrific value, playability, and sound. This is an unbeatable guitar for the price, and a great guitar at double the price. Low action, fast neck, great volume and projection, excellent finish and construction...what more could you ask for ? A free tweed case? Oh yeah, it comes with that too!

3 of 3 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"Hands Down the Best Dreadnaught in This Price Range"

Overall:
          9 out of 10
Features:
          8 out of 10
Quality:
          8 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          7 out of 10
Sound:
          9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          10 out of 10
Support:
          10 out of 10
User: a customer from gmail.com
Submitted: 10/21/2009
Style of Music: blues rock
Musical Experience: hobbyist/student
Location: fort collins, co, usa

 

 
Feature:
I love the simplicity of the guitar. The rosewood back and sides really make a difference in the sound, plus it looks gorgeous. Nothing flashy, just a great workhorse with great sound. The one downside some people will note is that it is not a Gibson. I don't care one bit, and if you play one I think you'll agree, but some people still think if we buy Chinese goods the commies win. It doesn't have the name recognition of a Gibson, but it hasn't disappointed me at all.

Quality:
When I first received it there was a small piece of wood that was rolling around inside, but after fishing that out, I haven't had any problems and don't expect any. Very well made and solid. The case is also of very good quality to come with the guitar and looks great.

Value:
This is where the GAD 50 really shines. It is hands down the best valued dreadnaught in the price range. Gibson quality at a fraction the cost as long as you don't mind the 'made in China' sticker.

Desirability:
Aesthetically not the most appealing guitar of all time. I personally love the simplicity, though the inlays and pickguard give it a unique and distinctive look. However, the real appeal in this guitar is the sound and value.

Sound:
I love the sound of this guitar. Rich and warm rounded tone with great sustain; exactly what you would expect from a quality dreadnaught. After only a year of owning it, the sound is really maturing nicely. I can't wait to hear it 5 years down the road. I would put my guitar up against any acoustic two and possibly three times the price. I get comments all the time that it's the best sound they've heard from a spruce top/chinese-made/non-gibson product. You get much more than you pay for in the sound the department.

Ease of Use:
After a basic guitar setup and getting the action where I wanted it and getting a good set of strings on there, this is a top quality instrument for the price.

Support:
No experience, hopefully won't need it.

Overall:
I am extremely satisfied with this guitar. I will upgrade my electric in the same price range well before I ever consider upgrading this guitar. I would easily have to spend 4-5x what I spent on this guitar to get a meaningful upgrade, and most of that would just be for brand recognition versus an actual improvement in sound quality. As long as the sound continues to age well, I see no reason to ever get rid of the instrument even if I get another dreadnaught.

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"great guitar...great price....great company...ordered the guitar on monday nite late...and had it thursday....can beat it!!!"

Overall:
          10 out of 10
Quality:
          10 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          8 out of 10
Sound:
          10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          10 out of 10
User: a customer from yahoo.com
Submitted: 2/12/2008
Style of Music: country
Musical Experience: hobbist
Location: andrews, nc......usa

 

 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
nice looking guitar and sounds great

Quality:
just got the guitar but it looks great and really well built....

Value:
have several friends that have martins and gibsons......would take this guitar over any of the ones Ive played....you wont beat it for the price nor the sound

Desirability:
no bells and whistles on this....just a great looking gluitar that sounds good....nice pearl inlay on neck and the guild logo

Ease of Use:
slim neck and low action.....can play all day

Support:
fast shipping and product was exactly as described and presented...

Overall:
this most likely will be my last guitar....no need for another....had a yamaha fg240 and an fg 275....have sold both

4 of 5 people (80%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"Love my Guild"

Overall:
          9 out of 10
Features:
          7 out of 10
Quality:
          10 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          10 out of 10
Sound:
          10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          9 out of 10
Support:
          10 out of 10
User: a customer from ucla.edu
Submitted: 11/29/2006
Style of Music: Rock, Country, Blues, Folk
Musical Experience: Active Musician
Location: Los Angeles

 

 
Feature:
The guitar is not fancy looking but is made with top quality materials all around: grover tuners, bone nut and bone compensated saddle, solid woods, ebony pins, etc. I removed the stupid clear pickguard and eventually will put a Guild pickguard on it. Case is a nice tweed hsc, probably couldn't stand getting run over by a truck but is nice hard case at a price point that often means a gig bag.

Quality:
This thing is made from top quality materials. If it were made in the US it would probably cost as much as a Gibson because it's made from all the same stuff. Looks like it's going to last forever.

Value:
A great deal if you're loooking for max sound on a real all-solid acoustic. Clearly outplays the Epiphone masterbuilts and the lower-end Martins. Only thing close was a Breedlove Atlas, which was also great but just a different sound.

Desirability:
Awesome, just what I needed. I'm not sure how an orange acoustic guitar can be 'sexy' in the absence of a sexy person playing it, but I think it's awesome nonetheless.

Sound:
This was easily the best-sounding acoustic I played under $1000 and I played a lot, which is why I picked it. It has tons of character, great harmonics, and huge volume. Not a Martin sound or a Taylor sound, but something else entirely and very nice. Very well suited for banging away with a pick, it also does a surprisingly good job with more folk and classical stuff.

Ease of Use:
Ease of Use? What a weird question. It's a freaking acoustic guitar. It's easy to use if you can play the guitar and hard to use if you can't. It came with a pretty low action but needed a setup as usual. Intonation was perfect out of the box.

Support:
No idea.

Overall:
9 not a 10 because it didn't come with stap buttons, and it still needs a real pickguard. Before you go hating on Asian (this is Chinese made!) guitars even one more time, pick this up, get tuned up, and check it out.

3 of 4 people (75%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"Musicians Take A Hard Look Here"

Overall:
          10 out of 10
Features:
          10 out of 10
Quality:
          9 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          9 out of 10
Sound:
          9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          10 out of 10
Support:
          5 out of 10
User: a customer from rcn.com
Submitted: 3/2/2006
Style of Music: Folk Rock
Musical Experience: serious hobbyist
Location: Tidewater, Virginia

 

 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
Flash and sparkle are not this instrument's gig. All of the various elements come together easily with workman-like purpose to play music. To be blunt, this one has all the tools without being a showboat. The neck deserves special notice since it plays with ease, is marked clearly and well and exibits the kind of strength needed for a guitar that's going to be used.

Quality:
I found some very minor surface blemishes, but to be fair, I found nothing without really making an effort. Structurally, this thing is a beast, robust and dependable. It will not let you down.

Value:
Really, really hard to beat for the price. Spending hundreds, maybe thousands more might give you a flashier guitar, but you'd have to be an expert or professional player to hear the difference between this one and higher priced instruments. In the sub-$1000 category, I can't imagine you'd do better than this one.

Desirability:
Do you play music or do you show off? If you play music, this is your piece.

Sound:
This instrument has excellent tone and balance. I am especially impressed by it's intonation and it's ability to shape bass, mid-range and treble tones into an overall sound. It seems to be happiest with medium weight strings that have a couple of days on them - the cumulative sound is warm and friendly.

Ease of Use:
This guitar is just so nice to play. Chords and patterns that were so hard with other instruments seem easier with this guitar in my lap. I've become more ambitious in my playing with this guitar.

Support:
No experience.

Overall:
It will be some time before I outgrow this guitar. It has become my best musical friend - we work together and I enjoy every moment. We sit down, get a quick (often unnecessary) tune, and off we go. How can you do better than that?

5 of 7 people (71.43%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"For the price, look no further."

Overall:
          10 out of 10
Features:
          9 out of 10
Quality:
          10 out of 10
Value:
          10 out of 10
I Want It:
          10 out of 10
Sound:
          10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
          10 out of 10
Support:
          10 out of 10
Submitted: 3/16/2006

 

 
Feature:
no flash, just beautiful sound and playability

Quality:
haven't had it long, but can't see a problem with it. Built like a tank, yet subtle and crisp

Value:
for the price range, can't be beat. Outdid every other guitar I played for the price, from Martins to Taylors

Desirability:
sweet looking, nice retro sunburst top, ooohh

Sound:
beautiful sound, rich mids and highs. Loud and round

Ease of Use:
great.

Support:
haven't had to.

2 of 3 people (66.67%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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"The best for the $ doesn't make it good"

Overall:
          4 out of 10
Quality:
          1 out of 10
Value:
          5 out of 10
Sound:
          4 out of 10
Submitted: 12/17/2008
Style of Music: rock
Musical Experience: Still active sometimes, full time hobbyist. I play every day since I can remember.
Location: Hamburg, Germany

 

 
Feature:
The materials used are impressive; the result less so.

Quality:
I find it not well made. One of the strap pegs was not fixed tightly to the body of the guitar. The FIRST time I played it with a strap said-peg popped out and my brand new Guild hit the wooden floor full force. Made a sick sound and left a fine scar on the solid top. Thanks, Guild for the Chinese factory workmanship.

Value:
Well, it does cost less than $1000...it sounded the best of its price range. I alway wanted a "Name" guitar- my cheap little Yamaha never turned anyone's head (but mine once I got used to this Guild)As a left-handed player, you learn not to be too selective, that your model of the SAME guitar often costs more, the one you want isn't to be had- regardless of what the catalogue says, etc. The best for the money doesn't make it good.

Desirability:
Give me a break.

Sound:
I don't get all the raves. The guitar sounds tinny and has very little/no bass sustain.

Ease of Use:
Its easy to play.

Support:
What are they going to do...replace my guitar? I see the opening of a Chinese factory as a blatant capitalistic move with nothing to do with the manufacture of a quality product. Inferior quality sold under a traditionally strong name. Guess I've learned my lesson.

Overall:
If it weren't already marred I'd have already gotten rid of it. If my old Yamaha FG-335 (no solid top,new price in 1976 $200) weren't suffering from age and handling I would choose it hands down over this "Guild". I can only wonder what a real Guild, made in the real Guild factory would sound like. I know what the price tag would look like, but buying a "less expensive model" of a big-name company (like the newer, cheaper Martins) is certainly not the answer. I'm convinced there are NO really good sounding guitars for under $1000.

1 of 2 people (50%) found this review helpful. Did you?    
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