Guild GAD-50 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar User Reviews at zZounds

"Guild just put the sub $1K market on notice." submitted October 29, 2008

By a customer from worldlynx.net

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Hobbyist, jam session junky, music lover.

Music Style: very diverse.

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

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. 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. 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. 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. Manufacturer Support: Marked a 10 as I've never had to contact them. The Wow Factor: 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. 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!

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"Hands Down the Best Dreadnaught in This Price Range" submitted October 21, 2009

By a customer from gmail.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: hobbyist/student

Music Style: blues rock

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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. 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. 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. 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. Manufacturer Support: No experience, hopefully won't need it. The Wow Factor: 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. 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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"FEEL THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE GUILD GAD-50" submitted April 28, 2011

By a customer from hawaii.rr.com

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Musical Background: Hobbyist 41years

Music Style: Blues, Rock, Country, Jazz, Slack

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VERIFIED BUYER

zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

Sound: The sound produced by this Guild GAD-50 is stunning. The resonance just keeps on humming for eternity. Low and high end is balanced perfectly. The high quality sounds that this guitar produces unleashes my own creativity and character of style. It is pure acoustical dream! Feature: A step from laminated guitars to solid wood makes all the differences in the world. Tonal qualities are instantly apparent. The MOP craftsmanship is absolutely beautiful. The woods have a glow that to me changes under different lighting like they're alive. This guitar has a character of its own. The wood bindings are accurately inlaid and outstanding. The machines feel great and hold it's tone nicely. Ease of Use: The GAD-50 will bring the talent out of you instantly. When the sounds are good your going to be playing good. It's fast neck is very comfortable and that translate to more creative playing. Playability overall is a dream. Price for price this is the one to own. I'll never part ways with this one. Quality: How would you best describe a Guild quality guitar. It's simply the best to me. It screams high end in every way. Just sitting in the living room displayed enhances the feeling of the house. Value: Value for value you can't go wrong with the GAD-50. Competitively it's right up there with any comparable high quality guitar. Manufacturer Support: I just bought mine recently and haven't honestly had to contact the company. I don't anticipate I ever will have to. She built too well to me for anything to go wrong. Just use TLC and she'll be around a long time. The Wow Factor: She's alive and the character stands out just looking at it. I'm glad I purchased it. It's glow under different lighting is amazing. I guess it's the quality of the woods used. Overall: I've told my friends I'm still in the market for a Martin. But after owning this Guild I'm thinking this is all I need. Time will tell but I have a feeling this one is going to put to thought to rest.

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"I don't care if it's from China. This baby is NICE." submitted November 6, 2011

By a customer from gmail.con

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The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Hobbist

Music Style: Blues, country, old rock

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Sound: No it's not your 2-3k guitar, best for under 2000.00 I've ever seen. Feature: Just beautiful. Ease of Use: setup great out of the box Quality: Beautiful, not a problem anywhere. Value: more than worth the price Manufacturer Support: no need yet The Wow Factor: Divorce the Tak, have sex with this. Overall: If I were a very well paid pro, might see the need for more but for anything else this is it.

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"Can't Touch Anything Better for the Price" submitted December 13, 2004

By a customer from excite.com

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Sound

Features

Quality

Value

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Hobbyist

Music Style: Country

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

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. 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. Manufacturer Support: N/A The Wow Factor: 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. 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.

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"I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!" submitted December 6, 2009

By a customer from hotmail.com

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Musical Background: Hobbyist

Music Style: Christian, Rock, Pop

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

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Sound: In one word? UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Just received my new Guild and with temperatures in the teens, I left it in the box and set it my closet to warm up 24 long agonizing hours before opening and playing. I didn't have a chance to play my GAD-50 before I ordered it but did my homework and during those long 24 hours was wondering how a guitar made and coming all the way from China with factory strings would perform and sound. Especially since owning a Martin JC-40. Finally, it was time and as soon as it was tuned, I strummed my favorite cord (the E) and knew before the vibrations stopped that I had a winner. The strength of the lower strings blended beautifully with the mids and upper that I had to remind myself that I wasn't playing my Martin and at a third of the price! Feature: •Dovetail Neck Joint •Ornate Mother-of-Pearl Position Inlays •Strap Button with Internal Block Reinforcement •Abalone Side Dot Position Inlays •Mother-of-Pearl Headstock Logo •Ebony Bridge Pins with MOP Dots •Ebony End Pin with MOP Dot •Bone Nut and Saddle •Mahogany Body Bindings •Tortoise Shell Pickguard •Back Center Wood Mosaic Inlay •Top: Solid Sitka Spruce •Bracing: Guild Scalloped •Back: Solid Indian Rosewood •Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood •Neck: 1 Piece Mahogany •Width at Nut: 1 11/16 Inches •Fretboard: Indian Rosewood (12 Inch Radius) •Scale Length: 25 1/2 Inch •Number of Frets: 20 •Machine Heads: Grover Rotomatic Die-cast Tuners •Bridge: Indian Rosewood Pin Bridge •Hardware: Chrome •Electronics: None •Finish: High Gloss (Polyester) •Strings: Replace with Guild L350 Phosphor Bronze, Gauges .012, .016, .025, .032, .042, .053 •Case: Includes Deluxe Hardshell Case •Introduced: 1/2004 Ease of Use: As mentioned earlier, I just received my Guild and haven't had much time with her. However, I find the action low enough for my tastes for right now. I will probably go in and get it set up a little lower and put a new set of EXP's on her. Quality: All inlays, construction, fit, finish and hardware are perfect! The construction is much better than any of the Martin's or Taylor's in this price range, and they actually give you less features in this price range than the Guild. It is made in China, but from inspecting it closely I don't see anyone, anywhere doing a better job. Value: I started out looking and playing guitars that were 2x and 3x's the price of the GAD-50, but in these economic hard times I couldn't justify the cost and starting looking for an all solid wood guitar for now more than $750. I found it and the Guild was it. Solid Sitka Spruce top and solid East Indian rosewood back and sides. Bone nut and saddle, rosewood bridge, grover rotomatic tuners, great MOP inlay on the fretboard, mahogany binding, etc. These are the SAME features that were on the $2000+ Larivee's, Gibson's, Taylor's and Martin's and the sound is just just as good in many and better in some!! Manufacturer Support: No experience. The Wow Factor: Not as "sexy" looking as a Martin D-45 but, better than looking than almost every other guitar in this price range. Overall: You can tell by the appearance, sound and quality materials used that is guitar is a quality instrument that will give you years of pleasure. Plus, I got a great tweed hardshell case for free with the guitar. For the money, you cannot beat this guitar. I love it! AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

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"great guitar...great price....great company...ordered the guitar on monday nite late...and had it thursday....can beat it!!!" submitted February 12, 2008

By a customer from yahoo.com

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Sound

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: hobbist

Music Style: country

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

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Feature: nice looking guitar and sounds great Ease of Use: slim neck and low action.....can play all day 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 Manufacturer Support: fast shipping and product was exactly as described and presented... The Wow Factor: no bells and whistles on this....just a great looking gluitar that sounds good....nice pearl inlay on neck and the guild logo Overall: this most likely will be my last guitar....no need for another....had a yamaha fg240 and an fg 275....have sold both

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"Love my Guild" submitted November 29, 2006

By a customer from ucla.edu

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Musical Background: Active Musician

Music Style: Rock, Country, Blues, Folk

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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. 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. 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. 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. Manufacturer Support: No idea. The Wow Factor: 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. 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.

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Guild GAD-50 Dreadnought Customer Review submitted August 31, 2011

By a customer from yahoo.com

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Musical Background: musician

Music Style: American mix

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Sound: exact reproduction of the Guild D-50NT I bought in 1972. Full body sound, perfect fretwork, and that strong tension needed for volume control. High quality case also. Great wood selections Feature: high quality case. Ease of Use: very good Quality: good hardware and woods

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"Musicians Take A Hard Look Here" submitted March 2, 2006

By a customer from rcn.com

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Musical Background: serious hobbyist

Music Style: Folk Rock

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

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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. 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. 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. 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. Manufacturer Support: No experience. The Wow Factor: Do you play music or do you show off? If you play music, this is your piece. 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?

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"For the price, look no further." submitted March 16, 2006

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Features

Ease of Use

Quality

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Sound: beautiful sound, rich mids and highs. Loud and round Feature: no flash, just beautiful sound and playability Ease of Use: great. 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 Manufacturer Support: haven't had to. The Wow Factor: sweet looking, nice retro sunburst top, ooohh

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"The best for the $ doesn't make it good" submitted December 17, 2008

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Musical Background: Still active sometimes, full time hobbyist. I play every day since I can remember.

Music Style: rock

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Sound: I don't get all the raves. The guitar sounds tinny and has very little/no bass sustain. Feature: The materials used are impressive; the result less so. Ease of Use: Its easy to play. 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. Manufacturer 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. The Wow Factor: Give me a break. 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.

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Guild GAD-50 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (with Case)

User Ratings

"Guild just put the sub $1K market on notice." submitted October 29, 2008

"Hands Down the Best Dreadnaught in This Price Range" submitted October 21, 2009

"FEEL THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE GUILD GAD-50" submitted April 28, 2011

"I don't care if it's from China. This baby is NICE." submitted November 6, 2011

"Can't Touch Anything Better for the Price" submitted December 13, 2004

"I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!" submitted December 6, 2009

"great guitar...great price....great company...ordered the guitar on monday nite late...and had it thursday....can beat it!!!" submitted February 12, 2008

"Love my Guild" submitted November 29, 2006

Guild GAD-50 Dreadnought Customer Review submitted August 31, 2011

"Musicians Take A Hard Look Here" submitted March 2, 2006

"For the price, look no further." submitted March 16, 2006

"The best for the $ doesn't make it good" submitted December 17, 2008