O.K. I have officially gotten "Guild Fever"!

[theflyingturtle]

It has been a three pronged attack on my senses lately! It all started innocently enough with a trip to the record store. I found a used copy of John Denver's Greatest Hits. I haven't heard that in over 30 years. It brought back a lot of strong memories that I wouldn't have remembered otherwise. I remember watching my mother trying to learn from a John Denver songbook while I rolled my Hot Wheel cars down the side of her guitar case. Watching the cars rise and fall as they followed the curved shape of the cheap, cardboard black case. I remember wishing that the handle was gone because the handle was in the way of my cars building up speed. They kept hitting the handle.

I found that book last week in a pile of old songbooks that I had long forgotten about. There was the picture I remember of John holding his F 50 mid strum with a big smile on his face. It is interesting how things from the distant past can still have an effect on me.

Finally I've taken to lurking here for a couple of days going through the threads, looking at all of the nice Guilds. I didn't realize until now how fond and drawn I am to the Guild headstock shape just from being exposed to pictures of them at a very young age. So I hope to try an F 50 as soon as I can find one.

However, since there are so many Guilds to try it will clearly be a process of months if not years till I can consider myself knowledgable about Guilds. Because of that how about some direction from the forum?

1. I play 90% of the time with bare fingers.
2. I want a guitar that I can sing with.
3. I have a Gibson J 45 and while I do not think it is a great instrument, it blends with my voice in a way that blends with my voice in such a way that it makes me sound better. I haven't found another guitar that does this as well.
4. I don't know if it matter but I really dislive v shaped necks of any kind.

So is there anything you might suggest that I try that might be a good fit for me?
Also are there any known weaknesses regarding older Guilds that I should be aware of or look for when checking out used Guilds?

Lastly, I saw this guitar locally, o.k. about a hundred miles away. Would this get me close to John Denver land? Thanks.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2058976375.html

 

[killdeer43]

I would salivate and drool over that F50 if it didn't have that control panel on the top.

There's a Guild out there that's waiting for YOU, so go find your own personal Guild grail. :wink:

Joe

 

[markus]

… 2. I want a guitar that I can sing with. …

I'm desperately looking for one of the magic guitars I can play & sing with …
Markus

 

[twocorgis]

...So I hope to try an F 50 as soon as I can find one.

However, since there are so many Guilds to try it will clearly be a process of months if not years till I can consider myself knowledgable about Guilds. Because of that how about some direction from the forum?

1. I play 90% of the time with bare fingers.
2. I want a guitar that I can sing with.
3. I have a Gibson J 45 and while I do not think it is a great instrument, it blends with my voice in a way that blends with my voice in such a way that it makes me sound better. I haven't found another guitar that does this as well.
4. I don't know if it matter but I really dislive v shaped necks of any kind.

So is there anything you might suggest that I try that might be a good fit for me?
Also are there any known weaknesses regarding older Guilds that I should be aware of or look for when checking out used Guilds?

Lastly, I saw this guitar locally, o.k. about a hundred miles away. Would this get me close to John Denver land? Thanks.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2058976375.html

That one looks OK, but the added electronics look a bit dodgy to me. I'm also not particularly crazy about preamps that are cut into the side of the guitar, though my gibson SWD is like that. I am particularly fond of F50Rs (they're Rosewood; "regular" F50s are Maple). Also, the later JF55 is identical to the F50R, other than an added Abalone rosette around the sound hole, so you can look for one of them as well.

Here's an '84 that looks nice. It's priced on the high side, and the reserve hasn't been met. That's more than I paid for my excellent condition '75.

Here's a '92 that's ending in 7 hours. It looks to be missing a chunk of binding out of the headstock, which shouldn't be too hard to fix. It doesn't have any stings on it in the listing, which makes it hard to assess the neck set. Seller has a seven day return policy though.

That's all I can see right now. These pop up pretty often though, so there will be more. Welcome here! You'll like it!

 

[killdeer43]

… 2. I want a guitar that I can sing with. …

I'm desperately looking for one of the magic guitars I can play & sing with …
Markus

:lol: :lol:
Aren't we all looking for THAT guitar?

Joe

 

[theflyingturtle]

...So I hope to try an F 50 as soon as I can find one.

However, since there are so many Guilds to try it will clearly be a process of months if not years till I can consider myself knowledgable about Guilds. Because of that how about some direction from the forum?

1. I play 90% of the time with bare fingers.
2. I want a guitar that I can sing with.
3. I have a Gibson J 45 and while I do not think it is a great instrument, it blends with my voice in a way that blends with my voice in such a way that it makes me sound better. I haven't found another guitar that does this as well.
4. I don't know if it matter but I really dislive v shaped necks of any kind.

So is there anything you might suggest that I try that might be a good fit for me?
Also are there any known weaknesses regarding older Guilds that I should be aware of or look for when checking out used Guilds?

Lastly, I saw this guitar locally, o.k. about a hundred miles away. Would this get me close to John Denver land? Thanks.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2058976375.html

That one looks OK, but the added electronics look a bit dodgy to me. I'm also not particularly crazy about preamps that are cut into the side of the guitar, though my gibson SWD is like that. I am particularly fond of F50Rs (they're Rosewood; "regular" F50s are Maple). Also, the later JF55 is identical to the F50R, other than an added Abalone rosette around the sound hole, so you can look for one of them as well.

Here's an '84 that looks nice. It's priced on the high side, and the reserve hasn't been met. That's more than I paid for my excellent condition '75.

Here's a '92 that's ending in 7 hours. It looks to be missing a chunk of binding out of the headstock, which shouldn't be too hard to fix. It doesn't have any stings on it in the listing, which makes it hard to assess the neck set. Seller has a seven day return policy though.

That's all I can see right now. These pop up pretty often though, so there will be more. Welcome here! You'll like it!

Yes I am not happy about the electrics either and I think they look garrish. Even those little buttons on Taylors look wrong to me. So since you were mentioning prices can you give me a range of what I should expect to pay for a J 50? Also what is the difference between a J 50 and a J 55? I am guessing it is cosmetic?

 

[idealassets]

A Guild F50r is the first Guild I bought a few months ago from a dealer's website. I play with bare finger picking often. The neck is "meatier" than a dreadnaught and the strings seem a little farther apart also. I have made it fit my songlist and musical style. It is particularly distinct with individual string soundings when picking, and boomier on strumming.

No locals own a Guild (that will change). Also no locals own a jumbo of any make. Most of the balladiers play Gibson and Martin dreadnaughts. My area is "dry" in this regard, and I am the first to own a Guild that I know of anywhere close.

Unfortunately I have only gigged with my F50r one time for about 200 folks. I only played 5 songs, and was up front about 20 minutes, I don't think anyone present knew what I played, except the music host, and she told me "Oh you play a Guild, really cool!.

I know my guild is "meant to be played", but since I have bought it, it is more like "Meant to be carefully fingerpicked, admired, looked at a lot,and treated like a baby". Guidlare not known to be "pretty" guitars, but sorry folks for me they are especially classy and the "bling" is right on for my tastes.

Best of success,
Craig

 

[twocorgis]

Yes I am not happy about the electrics either and I think they look garrish. Even those little buttons on Taylors look wrong to me. So since you were mentioning prices can you give me a range of what I should expect to pay for a J 50? Also what is the difference between a J 50 and a J 55? I am guessing it is cosmetic?

As I said, the JF55 is identical to the F50R, other than an added Abalone rosette around the sound hole. Other than that, they're one and the same. I just found a nice one used at my local Guitar Center for $1000, and all it needed were new machine heads (the originals were severely pitted, but still worked well). It's with Mr. West R Lee in Tejas now, and I don't think he's giving it up. :wink:

 

[Brad Little]

There is something wrong about that guitar. The label says F-50, but the neck says NOT F-50 unless it is a replacement neck or a very unusual guitar. Every F-50, with the possible exception of the pre-mid-60s, that I've seen has the G shield head stock and MOP and Abalone inlaid neck with two ivoroid stripes running the length of the neck. It may still be a nice guitar, but I doubt it's an F-50, regardless of what the label seems to say. Oh, and if it were an F-50, there would be F-50R on the label, F-50 without the R is a maple body. Again, it's not likely to be Brazilian RW, either, that was pretty much a thing of the past by the 70s.
Brad

 

[Brad Little]

Some more problems, F-50s have gold tuners, the label is positioned parallel to the strings. I've never seen a Guild label positioned like that, but doesn't mean they didn't do it at some time. Even the serial number on the back of the head is not clearly a G (nor is it clearly an O). Just not right overall, to me.
Brad

 

[twocorgis]

Good catch Brad, and right you are. I've never seen a F50R with a Gruhn headstock, dot inlays, or an unbound neck. I've also never seen one without the G shield logo for that matter. All that, combined with a somewhat questionable looking electronics install all amounts to a definite pass on this one.

 

[Dadaist]

The GF-50 on SF CL that you're contemplating was talked about in this thread last week.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22260


The Seller has it for sale, at the moment, on Ebay, the auction ending in four hours. Here's what I know about it from common knowledge and a few emails back and forth.

The Guy seems to think that just because someone at Westerly forgot (it was a Friday/Wednesday/Monday?) to put a "G" on the paper label...it's an F-50, though underneath it is a GF serial number which matches the one on the headstock. I tried in vain to tell Him....He bought it and had the "barndoor" for the EQ cut into the south part of the guitar. Right there you turned a $1200 guitar into a $600 guitar.....I'd pass on this guitar, personally...too many issues. BTW, the last time I checked, it was up to $610 on Ebay with 11 bidders. A bit less than the Seller's asking price on Craigslist.

He also thinks that it "may be" Brazilian Rosewood, because someone told Him that's what it "looks" like. It's possible.....but highly unlikely. Asked Him if He had any provenance, say from Guild....or somebody besides the Twenty-Something at Guitar Center who said it was Brazilian....it kind of goes along with the whole F-50 thing.

This guitar is not the same size as a F-50.....being only 16" across the lower bout as opposed to 17" for the Jumbo. If you really want the JD look and sound, nothings going to take the place of an F-50 in Rosewood.

I see a number of F-50s for sale in and around Northern California; just wait, and the right one will come along.

David

 

[theflyingturtle]

The GF-50 on SF CL that you're contemplating was talked about in this thread last week.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22260


The Seller has it for sale, at the moment, on Ebay, the auction ending in four hours. Here's what I know about it from common knowledge and a few emails back and forth.

The Guy seems to think that just because someone at Westerly forgot (it was a Friday/Wednesday/Monday?) to put a "G" on the paper label...it's an F-50, though underneath it is a GF serial number which matches the one on the headstock. I tried in vain to tell Him....He bought it and had the "barndoor" for the EQ cut into the south part of the guitar. Right there you turned a $1200 guitar into a $600 guitar.....I'd pass on this guitar, personally...too many issues. BTW, the last time I checked, it was up to $610 on Ebay with 11 bidders. A bit less than the Seller's asking price on Craigslist.

He also thinks that it "may be" Brazilian Rosewood, because someone told Him that's what it "looks" like. It's possible.....but highly unlikely. Asked Him if He had any provenance, say from Guild....or somebody besides the Twenty-Something at Guitar Center who said it was Brazilian....it kind of goes along with the whole F-50 thing.

This guitar is not the same size as a F-50.....being only 16" across the lower bout as opposed to 17" for the Jumbo. If you really want the JD look and sound, nothings going to take the place of an F-50 in Rosewood.

I see a number of F-50s for sale in and around Northern California; just wait, and the right one will come along.


Thanks for taking the time to carefully explain what was going on in that ebay auction. You are right, the right one will come along.

David

 

[micklevanon]

I'll add my 2 cents, that guitar just looks wrong for what it purports to be. That said, if you're looking for the holy grail, for me it's a particular 77 F50R that I can't afford. Best playing, best sounding acoustic I've ever played in my life. It is entirely effortless. And it has the proper G shield on the headstock, inlays on the fretboard and the railroad tracks inside the fret board bindings! Take your time and look. AS someone who was hit with the bug in the last 6 months, I know what you're going through.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

... the label is positioned parallel to the strings. I've never seen a Guild label positioned like that, but doesn't mean they didn't do it at some time...

Brad, I can't speak for others, but that is how the oval label is positioned on both my 1976 jumbos, as well as my 1980 jumbo - parallel with the strings.

Christopher

 

[dane]

The heal cap is also missing. Not that it matters on this Frankenstein.

Dane

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

There is something wrong about that guitar. The label says F-50, but the neck says NOT F-50 unless it is a replacement neck or a very unusual guitar. Every F-50, with the possible exception of the pre-mid-60s, that I've seen has the G shield head stock and MOP and Abalone inlaid neck with two ivoroid stripes running the length of the neck. It may still be a nice guitar, but I doubt it's an F-50, regardless of what the label seems to say. Oh, and if it were an F-50, there would be F-50R on the label, F-50 without the R is a maple body. Again, it's not likely to be Brazilian RW, either, that was pretty much a thing of the past by the 70s.
Brad

The only Gruhn 12 string I've seen a picture of had a plain dot neck if I recall correctly. I believe a member of this board actually has one. There would then be the possibility that this was originally destined to be a 12 string and for whatever reason wound up leaving the factory as a 6 string...or not.

Has anyone asked Hans what he might have in his data base about this one? Would think this might interest him. :wink:

 

[Dadaist]

There is something wrong about that guitar. The label says F-50, but the neck says NOT F-50 unless it is a replacement neck or a very unusual guitar. Every F-50, with the possible exception of the pre-mid-60s, that I've seen has the G shield head stock and MOP and Abalone inlaid neck with two ivoroid stripes running the length of the neck. It may still be a nice guitar, but I doubt it's an F-50, regardless of what the label seems to say. Oh, and if it were an F-50, there would be F-50R on the label, F-50 without the R is a maple body. Again, it's not likely to be Brazilian RW, either, that was pretty much a thing of the past by the 70s.
Brad

The only Gruhn 12 string I've seen a picture of had a plain dot neck if I recall correctly. I believe a member of this board actually has one. There would then be the possibility that this was originally destined to be a 12 string and for whatever reason wound up leaving the factory as a 6 string...or not.

Has anyone asked Hans what he might have in his data base about this one? Would think this might interest him. :wink:

Guys.......this guitar never was or had aspirations of being any sort of F-50. This is a 1988 GF-50...six string. Guild wasn't making a "F-50" in 1988, they were making JF-50s.
Same guitar....different prefix. It's a simple omission by whoever wrote the label.

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I had exchanged several emails with the Seller. It was my opinion that the Seller didn't know an F-50 from an F-30 or a GF-50 for that matter. The winning bidder on Ebay who spent $745 may or may not be a little surprised when He finds what He actually purchased.

David

 

[Brad Little]

... the label is positioned parallel to the strings. I've never seen a Guild label positioned like that, but doesn't mean they didn't do it at some time...

Brad, I can't speak for others, but that is how the oval label is positioned on both my 1976 jumbos, as well as my 1980 jumbo - parallel with the strings.

Christopher

I'll have to check mine and see if my memory is playing tricks, I just don't remember one positioned that way, but I guess they did some.
Brad