GGJaguar
Reverential Member
While on the hunt for another maple body Guild acoustic, an F-47R fell into my lap instead. IMHO, the reintroduction of these models by Guild in 2007 was brilliant. My 2012 F-40 was a great guitar with the only drawback being that it did not have a 1 3/4” nut width. So, it was only natural that I should be drawn to the F-47 as well. This is the first Guild I’ve owned that was made in the Tacoma facility. Fit and finish is top notch and absolutely on par with the New Hartford F-40. The guitar is lightly built and is very lively.
The F-47 was available in four flavors – rosewood (F-47R), rosewood with cutaway (F-47RC), maple (F-47M), and maple with cutaway (F-47MC). The Tacoma versions were available in natural, Antique Burst and Ice Tea Burst, the latter being dropped after the move to New Hartford.
Note that the Tacoma and New Hartford F-47s are not true reissues, but rather, they are a re-imagined model based on the mid to late 60’s F-47 Bluegrass. Too bad they didn’t keep the Bluegrass name, but really, I would choose a dreadnaught if I was going to play bluegrass. Here’s the description of the F-47 used in the Guild catalogs from 1963-67. Note the catalog guitar is the early version with moustache headstock.
And here’s a pic of a 1966 F-47 – mahogany body, 3-piece mahogany neck. Beautiful!
Here’s what is the same or similar to the original – general body shape and dimensions, 3-piece mahogany neck with bound rosewood fingerboard and block inlays, hump top headstock with Chesterfield inlay, 3+7+3 rosette. Here’s what is different – body wood, top wood, brace wood, scalloped bracing and (I’m guessing) bracing pattern, bridge shape, heel shape, non-through-saddle, body binding, and tuners.
Here’s a pic of the scalloped bracing in the Tacoma-made F-47R.
Of the differences, one detail to note is that the Tacoma-made F-47 has a plain Chesterfield inlay while the New Hartford version has a Chesterfield with 3 lines, the latter being vintage correct. Here’s a pic of the Tacoma F-47 headstock next to a New Hartford F-47. Note the inlays are placed farther north on the Tacoma that, according to @davismanLV, cannot be unseen.
The F-47 was available in four flavors – rosewood (F-47R), rosewood with cutaway (F-47RC), maple (F-47M), and maple with cutaway (F-47MC). The Tacoma versions were available in natural, Antique Burst and Ice Tea Burst, the latter being dropped after the move to New Hartford.
Note that the Tacoma and New Hartford F-47s are not true reissues, but rather, they are a re-imagined model based on the mid to late 60’s F-47 Bluegrass. Too bad they didn’t keep the Bluegrass name, but really, I would choose a dreadnaught if I was going to play bluegrass. Here’s the description of the F-47 used in the Guild catalogs from 1963-67. Note the catalog guitar is the early version with moustache headstock.
And here’s a pic of a 1966 F-47 – mahogany body, 3-piece mahogany neck. Beautiful!
Here’s what is the same or similar to the original – general body shape and dimensions, 3-piece mahogany neck with bound rosewood fingerboard and block inlays, hump top headstock with Chesterfield inlay, 3+7+3 rosette. Here’s what is different – body wood, top wood, brace wood, scalloped bracing and (I’m guessing) bracing pattern, bridge shape, heel shape, non-through-saddle, body binding, and tuners.
Here’s a pic of the scalloped bracing in the Tacoma-made F-47R.
Of the differences, one detail to note is that the Tacoma-made F-47 has a plain Chesterfield inlay while the New Hartford version has a Chesterfield with 3 lines, the latter being vintage correct. Here’s a pic of the Tacoma F-47 headstock next to a New Hartford F-47. Note the inlays are placed farther north on the Tacoma that, according to @davismanLV, cannot be unseen.
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