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Guild F-55E in Natural
Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
VS
Playability
77
Sound
88
Build
94
Value
71
Score
86
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Playability
78
Sound
88
Build
94
Value
72
Score
87
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
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Guild F-55E in Natural vs Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Specs Comparison
Guild F-55E in Natural Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
General
Brand: Guild Gibson Custom
Year: 2021 2021
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Guild Usa Modern Collection
Colors: Natural, Burst Natural Burst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: Ebony Traditional belly up
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gotoh SE700 Open-Gear in Gold Grover Rotomatic w/ kidney buttons
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany with Walnut Center Strip Mahogany
Decoration: V-Blocks - Mother-Of-Pearl and Abalone Mother-of-pearl split diamond with brass border
Scale Size: 25.625" 24.75"
Shape: Acoustic C Shape Acoustic Slim Taper
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.945'' (24mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.687'') 43.8mm (1.725'')
Electronics
Pickups: LR Baggs Anthem with Volume, Mix, and Phase Controls (Preamp / Active) LR Baggs VTC (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Gold

Reasons to Get
Guild F-55E in Natural over Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood

Nut Width
1.687'' (42.8mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.625'' (650.9mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood over Guild F-55E in Natural

Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.687'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.625'' (650.9mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
72 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Guild F-55E in Natural vs Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood

Bridge Material
Ebony vs Traditional belly up
Different Bridge Material

Shared Features
Guild F-55E in Natural vs Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Hand Size Comfortability

    And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood favors large hands more than the Guild F-55E in Natural. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

    Guild F-55E in Natural:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    The Guild F-55E in Natural meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

    New Player Friendliness

    Guild F-55E in Natural
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Tall frets
    • Narrow nut
    • Comfortable neck
    • Soft Strings
    • Comfortable shape
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Short scale
    • Locking tuners

    New Player Friendliness

    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable shape
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale
    • Soft Strings
    • Locking tuners

    Sound Quality Comparison

    The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

    Woods Used in Both

    Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
    Mahogany
    Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
    Ebony
    Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
    Spruce
    Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
    Rosewood

    Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

    Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

    Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

    Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

    Winner: Tie.

    Electronics

    Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

    Winner:Tie.

    Final Sound Quality Scores

    Guild F-55E in Natural
    Sustain 95
    Versatility 85
    Tuning Stability 70
    Sound 88
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
    Sustain 95
    Versatility 85
    Tuning Stability 70
    Sound 88

    Build Quality Comparison

    When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Guild F-55E in Natural compares to the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood.

    Country of Origin

    The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

    The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

    Winner: Tie

    Nut Material

    If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

    In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

    Fret Material

    Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

    Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

    Winner: Tie.

    Tuners

    Both come with regular tuners. The Guild F-55E in Natural's are Gotoh SE700 Open-Gear in Gold while the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood's are Grover Rotomatic w/ kidney buttons

    Winner: Tie.

    Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Guild F-55E in Natural
    • Made in United States
    • Expensive Wood
    • Bone Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Electronics
    • Bone Saddle
    • Solid Top Wood
    • Solid Side Wood
    • Solid Back Wood
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • No Compound Radius Fretboard
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    • No Strap Lock
    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
    • Made in United States
    • Expensive Wood
    • Bone Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Electronics
    • Bone Saddle
    • Solid Top Wood
    • Solid Side Wood
    • Solid Back Wood
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • No Compound Radius Fretboard
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    • No Strap Lock

    Final Build Quality Scores

    Guild F-55E in Natural
    Quality of materials 96
    Features 85
    Quality Control 100
    Build Quality 94
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
    Quality of materials 96
    Features 85
    Quality Control 100
    Build Quality 94

    Playability Comparison

    Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

    Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

    Nut Width

    Guild F-55E in Natural Nut Width
    Guild F-55E in Natural Nut Width
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Nut Width
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Nut Width

    The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood has the wider nut with 43.8mm (1.725'') vs 42.8mm (1.687''). This is a 1mm (0.038'') difference

    This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

    Scale Length

    Guild F-55E in Natural's Scale Length
    Guild F-55E in Natural's Scale Length
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood's Scale Length
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood's Scale Length

    The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

    The Guild F-55E in Natural has the longest scale: 25.625". The Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.875'' (22.2mm) scale length difference.

    This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

    This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

    Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

    Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

    Neck Profile

    Guild F-55E in Natural Neck Profile
    Guild F-55E in Natural's neck profile
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Neck Profile
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood's neck profile

    No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

    Both the Guild F-55E in Natural and the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

    Fretboard Radius

    Guild F-55E in Natural Fingerboard Radius
    Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

    Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

    Both the Guild F-55E in Natural and the Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

    Fret Size

    Guild F-55E in Natural and Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood Frets Size
    Both have a similar Medium fret size

    Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

    Final Playability Scores

    Guild F-55E in Natural
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
    Chord Playability 75
    Solo Playability 80
    Playability 77
    Gibson Custom J-45 Deluxe Rosewood
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
    Chord Playability 70
    Solo Playability 80
    Playability 78