2011 Guild GAD-25

Guild Acoustic Design (GAD) series guitars sport the Guild logo, but are built in China.  This allows Guild to offer its traditional designs in solid woods at half to a third of what similar US-built Guilds go for.  If you are looking for a lot of guitar for short money, these are worth at least a try.  I have been curious about this series and yesterday I got my opportunity to check it out when a recently purchased GAD-25 was listed and priced to sell. The gentleman who just bought it in January was unfortunately due for hand surgery.

The Guild GAD-25 is a dreadnought-sized guitar with solid Mahogany front, back, and sides, wood binding, three-piece Mahogany neck, and Indian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge.  The headstock has the Guild name and Chesterfield pearl logo, like the vintage Westerly Guilds. The guitar comes with a distinctive tweed-covered arch-top hardshell case with leather-like trim that is Guild-branded as well.  The GAD-25 listed for $900, and retailed for $500-600.  It looks to have been discontinued for 2012.  

This guitar appeared well-made with a clean finish.  I was pleasantly surprised with the playability and tone.  It is loud with a rich sustain.  Built to Guild specs, the guitar does play and sound like a Guild. I found the factory-set action comfortable and responsive for both finger-picking and strumming.  Being practically new, it has no playing wear and only one unfortunate small scratch on the front of the headstock. It still has the pungent Mahogany smell from the factory.  With a new set of Elixir strings on it, it will be ready for a good home.  In the meantime, welcome to the family!

You can also read about my A/B comparison of the GAD-25 with a vintage US-made D-25.