Brothers From Another Smother In the late sixties, few television personalities were as provocative and popular as the Smothers Brothers, two musical comedians whose variety comedy show gave voice to the rising tide of the counterculture and antiwar movements. They rode the cutting edge of the cultural zeitgeist, and amid all the controversy and outrage they sparked, one thing remained constant: a Guild D-55 slung over older brother Tommy's shoulder. Music was an integral part of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and they helped turn the D-55 into an integral part of American musical history. Originally, Guild only offered the D-55 as a cream-of-the-crop high-end model available for special order starting in 1968, but after it gained visibility thanks to Tommy Smothers, they officially added it to their catalog. It would subsequently become a favorite of artists from all over the musical map, including Waylon Jennings, Billie Joe Armstrong, and David Nail. This modern iteration, the D-55E, carries both the legendary tone and revolutionary spirit of the original D-55s along with some choice modern updates, so let's dive deeper and find out the secret behind its enduring popularity! Guild-ed Age To put it simply, the D-55E owes its status as an acoustic icon to one simple fact: it's a blast to play! Its premium solid tonewoods and thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish give it supreme resonance and volume, yet its light scalloped bracing means it's still unbelievably responsive despite its cannon-like power. The AAA Sitka spruce top gives it a good blend between woody fundamental tones and sparkling overtones, and the East Indian rosewood back and sides give it deep, piano-like bass response and a rich, glassy, high-end laden with shimmering overtones. It also has an uncommonly punchy midrange, which gives it excellent balance up and down the fingerboard. That balance allows complex chords to ring out clearly with excellent note separation even when you play complex chords! As you may have guessed, these qualities make the Guild D-55E a delightful strumming/flatpicking machine. It fills the room with its rich resonance, yet it never sounds muddy. It also has plenty of headroom, so it sounds open and full even at high volumes. Its attack is piano-like and immediate, but it also has a lovely percussive quality that captures the nuances of your right-hand technique beautifully. And, that light build also means it speaks eloquently and sweetly and low volumes, too! However, because it's so ridiculously responsive, it also makes a marvelous choice for a fingerstyle player seeking a bigger sound. As such, it's an all-terrain dreadnought! Style for Miles Of course, the modern D-55E had to also look worthy of a TV appearance, so our friends at Guild equipped it with a host of elegant cosmetic appointments. Its headstock is fully bound, and it has the classic Guild headstock shape with a "Peak and Shield" inlay sitting within a gorgeous figured ebony pegface. The opulence continues down the neck, as the bound ebony fretboard is home to abalone/pearl V-block inlays and "railroad track" purfling on the edge of the binding. Add in a gorgeous abalone rosette, and you've got one sweet-looking acoustic tone machine! And, if you're looking to show off the D-55 on stage, this serial comes equipped with an incredible LR Baggs Anthem pickup that delivers crystalline fidelity in live settings so you can set the stage on fire and look good doing it! We Guild This City on Rock and Roll Wildwoodians, we are so sorry if we got a Jefferson Starship song stuck in your head because of that pun, but we get goofy when we're excited about guitars, and this Guild D-55E has us stoked! Its combination of head-turning style, massive tone, and responsiveness put it firmly in the pantheon of acoustic greatness, and we believe it is a fitting tribute to its vintage forebears. We have no doubt it will inspire you to embark on all sorts of exciting acoustic adventures!
