Up for sale, a 1964 Guild D-50 Bluegrass Special dreadnought acoustic guitar in exceptional condition. This premier Guild flattop was introduced in 1963, and this model was crafted very early in the second year of production. Featuring a solid spruce top, solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides, and rare fan braced construction, this Guild has a broad appeal for open tunings, fingerpicking, DADGAD, and a variety of other applications. The guitar has a clear and articulate tone that has exquisite projection and power, with a warmer, richer overall sound than the X braced version of this model. Desirable for flatpicking as well, the construction of the D-50 lends itself to the kind of piano-like clarity, and crisp, articulate sounds you expect from a top-tier dreadnought. The low end blooms and booms without overwhelming the treble strings, and individual note lines have a body and roundness uncharacteristic of most acoustic guitars. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar and strung with 12-53 bronze strings, this Guild is dialed in for optimal playability.The two-piece mahogany neck with maple center stripe has a wide and fairly flat C shaped profile, with well rounded shoulders and a full 1 3/4" nut width that provides ideal spacing for fingerpicking if desired. The original frets are intact and still have modest height, having been recently leveled and crowned, and currently showing only the faintest wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-4. The ebony fretboard boasts stately pearloid dot inlays, and the scale length measures 25 1/2". Action height is comfortable and well within spec for a proper setup, and at 1/8" on both the treble and bass side at the 12th fret, there's still a small amount of room for further adjustment at both the saddle and the nut, which is a hand-carved piece of bone and the only non-original aspect of the instrument (although if anything, an improvement over the stock nut). On the headstock, the original shield truss rod cover and Guild pearloid inlay is present, with a set of stock patent pending Grover Rotomatic tuning machines that turn very smoothly and provide excellent tuning stability.Visible through the soundhole, the original Guild label is intact, with a handwritten serial number that matches the number imprinted on the back of the headstock. The label is very clean aside from one small mar near the serial number, and the Guild name is imprinted on the back center seam brace as well. The stock rosewood bridge and tortoise shell pickguard are both present, and the bridge sits flush with the top, having been recently reglued. All of the braces are in great shape, and there is very little deflection in the top behind the bridge.Clean and crack-free, the original nitro lacquer finish shows zero touchup or overspray, with a deep shade of brownish cherry on the back and sides, with a spruce top that has aged to a deep amber. There is wear in the pick path on the bass side of the body particularly where the fretboard extends towards the soundhole, with more prominent wear through the finish on the treble side beyond the southernmost end of the tortoise pickguard. While there are various small and inconsequential nicks and light finish scratches on the body as a whole and mostly relegated to the back, as the photos show this is a very clean and well loved guitar that has seen careful, honest use. The neck profile is quite clean, with wear down to the bare mahogany behind frets 1-5, and a couple tiny nicks that don't affect playability in the slightest.This is a rare, early example of the famed D-50 model, and this Guild has been consistently played over the decades in such a way that the open, resonant qualities of the body are apparent when you strike your first chord. Setup, restrung, and ready for stage and studio work, this is a unique chance to own one of the best Guild acoustics ever crafted.A vintage yet non-original Guild hardshell case is included.