About my f55e all koa

[Mark Hollowell]

Furst ever pist. Purchased a used f55 with electronics. It is a stunning beauty and plays luke a dream. It is said to have been a prototype, and one if only 5 built in Asia from 2 American designed and made prototypes.
Difference between f50 and f55?
Did they originally come with electronics?
Only single nut tryss rod even though it has a cover ob the head stock.
No serial number.
Value?
Thank you.

 

[hansmoust]

Hello Mark,

Welcome! I hate to say it, but that doesn't look like a legitimate Guild to me!

Did you buy it from a Guild dealer?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[GGJaguar]

Welcome to LTG! There was discussion about a similar guitar that was not a genuine Guild. You can read about it here:

Koa F 512

i know in 2012 guild had 60 f 512 ,s produced in koa ,via the custom shop. Recently ran into an ad for a 2008 koa F 512. cant find info. TK00047008 Serial number .any one ??

letstalkguild.com

 

[Mark Hollowell]

Thank you. If it is, as I was told, a trye prototype built from an American prototype sample, would that be legit?
What might it otherwise be?
I’ve never seen anywhere an f55 all koa.
The seller relayed the background “story” that ge received it from an artist who received it as a gift from someone at Guild USA.
Stunning, flawless presentation and sonically a beautiful playing instrument..

 

[davismanLV]

What's the serial number on the label?

 

[Mark Hollowell]

No label

 

[Mark Hollowell]

I guess I accept that it is fake. Hmmm. Well, for $500 I got a beauty that plays and sounds fantastic. Worth more to me.

 

[chazmo]

Thank you. If it is, as I was told, a trye prototype built from an American prototype sample, would that be legit?
What might it otherwise be?
I’ve never seen anywhere an f55 all koa.
The seller relayed the background “story” that ge received it from an artist who received it as a gift from someone at Guild USA.
Stunning, flawless presentation and sonically a beautiful playing instrument..

Mark, sorry. It's not legit. It's a fake.

But, glad you like it!

 

[GAD]

It doesn't need to be "real" to be a great guitar, and it sure is pretty!

If it's any consolation if it were a real prototype it would likely command a price 10x what you paid.

 

[walrus]

It's looks like a very nice guitar for $500! I'd say you did alright!

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

It's looks like a very nice guitar for $500! I'd say you did alright!

walrus

I was gonna say, be encouraged, you got a good one!

 

[Mark Hollowell]

It doesn't need to be "real" to be a great guitar, and it sure is pretty!

If it's any consolation if it were a real prototype it would likely command a price 10x what you paid.

Any guess as to what it might then be?

 

[Mark Hollowell]

I guess I accept that it is fake. Hmmm. Well, for $500 I got a beauty that plays and sounds fantastic. Worth more to me.

What migjt it then be? If not a Guild…? Who would go to that troyble?

 

[mavuser]

It is said to have been a prototype, and one if only 5 built in Asia from 2 American designed and made prototypes.

technically it is possible that this is all true...about a fake Guild guitar manufacturing operation.

 

[chazmo]

Mark, see the thread that GGJaguar indicated earlier.

 

[SFIV1967]

What migjt it then be? If not a Guild…? Who would go to that troyble?

Welcome to LTG. There is a ton of factories in China making those copies of every possible brand, here is just one such example in Beijing:

Professional Jumbo Acoustic Electric Guitar-F50 Vintage-Koa Wood- Ebony

Jumbo F50 VINTAGE style guitar natural koa wood gloss finishing koa wood top, back and side mahogany wood neck ebony wood fretboard white pearl /abalone bone nut and saddle comes with pickguard attach or not , both ok built-in pickups or 3 knobs eq available ,please contact us for install...

8soundsmusic.com

But as long as the guitar plays nice please enjoy her!

Ralf

 

[merlin6666]

Given that Hawaiian ukulele builders can find it challenging to find suitable pieces of acacia koa for their tiny instruments it always makes me wonder where the huge pieces of "koa" for guitars come from. If it was made outside of Hawaii somewhere in Asia then chances are that the wood is some acacia species that looks like koa, such as acacia confusa that is also used to build cheap ukes.

 

[chazmo]

It's also a laminate, merlin, so less wood is used than you might expect.

 

[Cougar]

Well, for $500 I got a beauty that plays and sounds fantastic.

Wow, I think you're right about that, regardless of provenance. If that was a U.S.-made Guild (I don't know if Guild actually made any like that), it would likely cost something like $3,000-$5,000.

 

[Mark Hollowell]

Wow, I think you're right about that, regardless of provenance. If that was a U.S.-made Guild (I don't know if Guild actually made any like that), it would likely cost something like $3,000-$5,000.

Agreed! IF it were US Guild, their non-koa f55ss start at $2,900 on, say recerb, as an example. If I keep it in this absolutely like new condition, were I to sell it, I’ll likely get my money back and then some. But for now, I continue to write songs with it and get comments on her looks and sound. So, win-win, either way.