First introduced in 1968 as a special-order top-of-the-line model, the D-55 was so well-received Guild added it into the regular production line by 1974. Famously played by Tommy Smothers on the Smothers Brothers Show in the late 1960s, the D-55 grew in both popularity and longevity over the decades. The Guild Special Run (GSR) D-55 70th Anniversary Limited is an ultra-collectible special edition of the company’s flagship dreadnought, packing premium features into a limited 70 piece run overseen by Guild Master Luthier Chuck Sanzone.
The GSR D-55 70th Anniversary Limited showcases Guild’s most recognizable headstock, fully bound and featuring mother-of-pearl Guild Peak and G-shield inlays over an exotic Madagascar Rosewood face. The top features an ornate abalone rosette and matching purfling inlay and is crafted from aged Adirondack Spruce with hand scalloped Adirondack spruce braces.
Exotic Madagascar Rosewood has been used for the back and sides, adding figured grain lines across the body and the entire hand build has been done using traditional hide glue. A fully bound Ebony fingerboard pairs with a mahogany neck and beautiful Walnut center seam strip. It is inlayed with Guild’s iconic abalone/pearl V-blocks and a commemorative “Winged G” at the 12th fret.
Additional features include gold Gotoh open-gear tuners, Evo gold frets and a dovetail neck joint. A hand-sprayed gloss nitrocellulose finish provides minimum thickness and maximum resonance. Each guitar includes a specially numbered and signed certificate of authenticity, a soundhole cut-out hand signed by the Guild USA build team and ships in Guild’s premium humidified hard-shell case. Limited to 70 pcs worldwide to commemorate Guild’s 70th anniversary, 1953-2023.
Street price: $5,999
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)