The meek F50 and the Legendary J200

[Cypress Knee]

Hi Folks,

I know this is heretical, but I used to only play Guilds. But here is where I have gone these days:

Auditorium: Martin Norman Blake Rosewood 000-28 style
Concert: Hoffman sapele
Jumbo: Guild '73 F50R
Hog Dred : '46 Gibson Southern Jumbo
Rosewood Dred: Carlo Greco handbuilt
12 String- I have a '73 F 512 that needs work, but right now the nod goes to a a 99' F J56-12.

Everything else is expendable - that include the 73 512, the 68 pearwood D44, the D 60 mismarked prototype, and the GFR 60.

CK

 

[Dennis M]

And then there's just the bold...:

ooohhh a 12-fret jumbo. Nice. Is it shortscale? :lol:

Mmmmmmmmm . . . just what is it?

Oh, and what is an F-44?

Dennis M

 

[learner]

Staying on the veer: I think the main reason my "tactometer" has declined is now that I'm older I'm less willing to waste the time beating around the bush. The clock's ticking!

 

[chazmo]

That is a Larsen, Dennis. This is known as "Big Boy". I think it's the widest of the Prarie State line of guitars (it's got a 22" lower bout). The Larsons built some seriously big Prarie States, this one perhaps the biggest. I used to think the Guild F-body jumbos were big, but the Prarie States put that in perspective.

I don't know of anything even remotely as large as Big Boy built since the Larsons, but Hans Brentrup (a luthier I've met on AGF and UMGF) is building a replica of their 18" Prarie State. Fascinating project: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... p?t=190648

As for an F-44.. Hmm, I don't have my old testament handy... Maybe someone will chime in on that.

 

[Ridgemont]

HEY ridge,

Thanks for posting the question. As you know I've tended towards the smaller bodied guitars of late ( in fact I reckon if they get any smaller next I'll be playing a UKE...), but Saturday night we went to see a guy by the name of Adam McGrath, lead singer of Lytellton band "The Eastern"( no I havent been able to find a link to a video clip), who played an Epiphone copy of a Gibson Jumbo. It was so cool it got me thinking about Jumbo's and big guitars so on Sunday when the wife went out, I put a strap on the D55 and had a great thrash. I'd gone away from playing the D55 as I usually played sitting down and it was just too big, but with a strap on standing up it was fine !!!

I suppose you are looking for one to fingerpick, whereas I'm a Strummer (Hi Joe !!!), but I'd really have to play one first to see how they fit. Quite confusing all the different models though, also the GAD's of similar designation seem to be a different size again.

Cheers, Ian

No problem. It is mainly curiosity. The only jumbo I have ever played and loved was the F50. Of course I have never tried anything really high end like a Froggy Bottom. The jumbos do sound great, but the F50 I tried weighed quite a bit. One heavy son of a gun which makes me wonder about playing for an extended period of time. Right now the heaviest guitar I have is a toss up between the D25 and the GAD30R, with the GAD winning out (in terms of playing time) due to comfort. And the GAD has the most comfortable 1&3/4" neck I have ever played. Very similar to a OM-21 and the low profile Taylor necks. My current collection is centered around finger picking/fingerstyle and if I were in the mood for heavy strumming, I'd pull out the D25. Maybe one day I would look for a maple jumbo to diversify, but right now it is just curiosity.

 

[Ridgemont]

Hi Folks,

I know this is heretical, but I used to only play Guilds. But here is where I have gone these days:

Auditorium: Martin Norman Blake Rosewood 000-28 style
Concert: Hoffman sapele
Jumbo: Guild '73 F50R
Hog Dred : '46 Gibson Southern Jumbo
Rosewood Dred: Carlo Greco handbuilt
12 String- I have a '73 F 512 that needs work, but right now the nod goes to a a 99' F J56-12.

Everything else is expendable - that include the 73 512, the 68 pearwood D44, the D 60 mismarked prototype, and the GFR 60.

CK

You know, it you take value out of the equation, Guild may not always win in terms of a persons personal tastes for that particular type of guitar. I think your collection is a great example of that. The guitars I have are great, and while they are gaining sentimental value, I would consider an exchange/upgrade if something better came along and had the financial recourses to accommodate the transition. Maybe an extreme example, but I would be willing to trade in my GAD30R for an OM-21 Special if: 1) its playability was comparable, 2) its tone/sound/volume was vastly superior and 3) the added benefits of the Martin were worth the jump in price. Now would I trade in my F30 for a recent 000-18? Well, there would a definite jump in price and the playability is comparable, but I am not fond of the 000-18 tone so no I would not do a trade in. Now if something else came along? Maybe.
I like your collection. Like many others here, you have found your ideal guitar for every category...Guild or not.

 

[capnjuan]

... As for an F-44.. Hmm ..

Hi Charlie; from Beesley's Guitar History, Volume 5 (pg 35) ... high-end maple F40:

Post-dates Vol 1.

 

[jgwoods]

Since then I bought a J-185, short scale, strums and fingerpicks great, its a real winner and I'm keeping it along with my GSR F-40.
I haven't played the Guild Jumbos. I wouldn't buy another J-200 and much as I love the J-185 the deep body does make it a little hard on the shoulder. It's easier than the J-200, easier than a dreadnought, but not as easy as the Guild. Now if Guild would make a short scale model...

Interesting. In all honesty, I hear more bad things about the J200 than good...but that may be because I hang around the Guildies. I did not know that about the J185 (shortscale, deep body). Sound like something I would try. As far as the Guild small bodies go, they are quite comfortable even the deeper body of the F47s are pretty easy.

I have not had too much shortscale experience until recently with my F30. Who would have thought that only ~1/2" would make such a big difference.

F30s are short scale? Gibson builds long and short- 25.5" and 24.75"; Martin does long and short too with their short scale being 24.9". I didn't know Guild built any. Current spec on the F-30 is a long scale.

 

[FNG]

And then there's just the bold...:

ooohhh a 12-fret jumbo. Nice. Is it shortscale? :lol:

Mmmmmmmmm . . . just what is it?

Oh, and what is an F-44?

Dennis M

http://westerlyguildguitars.com/guitars/f44.html

A "mini-jumbo" designed by Kim Walker and George Gruhn when they worked for Guild. The F-44 and it's rosewood sister the F-46 are some nice guitars.

 

[Ridgemont]

F30s are short scale? Gibson builds long and short- 25.5" and 24.75"; Martin does long and short too with their short scale being 24.9". I didn't know Guild built any. Current spec on the F-30 is a long scale.

Well they vary, and others (especially Hans) will know when each version was made. My '98 is a shortscale, but the new ones out of NH are long (25.5). I have played both and liked both. I have to admit that I was not expecting shortscale when Treem sent it to me, but it was a great surprise! I do not know the actual length (I will measure when I get home), but it seems a tad over 1/2" relative to my GAD30R and D25 so I suspect it may be similar to a Martin.

 

[adorshki]

As for an F-44.. Hmm, I don't have my old testament handy... Maybe someone will chime in on that.

I'm thinking he actually meant the pearwood D-44 Cypress Knee mentioned in his listing. Pearwood version of D40, I think. There's a D44m (maple) shown on Westerlyguildguitars.

 

[adorshki]

Staying on the veer: I think the main reason my "tactometer" has declined is now that I'm older I'm less willing to waste the time beating around the bush. The clock's ticking!

I'm gonna be 55 in March and today I finally realized, much to my relief, that all those signs I keep seeing on the highway are SPEED limits...whew, reprieved....

 

[taabru45]

Staying on the veer: I think the main reason my "tactometer" has declined is now that I'm older I'm less willing to waste the time beating around the bush. The clock's ticking!

I'm gonna be 55 in March and today I finally realized, much to my relief, that all those signs I keep seeing on the highway are SPEED limits...whew, reprieved....

Are you still beating around the bush? :wink: :lol: :lol: Steffan

 

[Ross]

I'm gonna be 55 in March and today I finally realized, much to my relief, that all those signs I keep seeing on the highway are SPEED limits...whew, reprieved....

There are advantages to using the metric system. Here in Canada the highway signs read "maximum 100" :lol:

 

[adorshki]

Staying on the veer: I think the main reason my "tactometer" has declined is now that I'm older I'm less willing to waste the time beating around the bush. The clock's ticking!

I'm gonna be 55 in March and today I finally realized, much to my relief, that all those signs I keep seeing on the highway are SPEED limits...whew, reprieved....

Are you still beating around the bush? :wink: :lol: :lol: Steffan

Man that's the one place where you SHOULD waste your time!

 

[adorshki]

I'm gonna be 55 in March and today I finally realized, much to my relief, that all those signs I keep seeing on the highway are SPEED limits...whew, reprieved....

There are advantages to using the metric system. Here in Canada the highway signs read "maximum 100" :lol:

I wanna play at your house. :lol:

 

[capnjuan]

As for an F-44.. Hmm, I don't have my old testament handy... Maybe someone will chime in on that.

I'm thinking he actually meant the pearwood D-44 Cypress Knee mentioned in his listing. Pearwood version of D40, I think.

Hi Al; see if this helps ... I don't know what Chazmo meant (Beesley, pg. 25):

 

[chazmo]

CJ, Al, yeah sorry for the confusion... I was responding to Dennis M's post where he asked me about Big Boy and he asked about an F-44... I had no information to offer on the F-44. THanks, guys.

 

[FNG]

CJ, Al, yeah sorry for the confusion... I was responding to Dennis M's post where he asked me about Big Boy and he asked about an F-44... I had no information to offer on the F-44. THanks, guys.

And they made you a moderator? :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:

I keed, I keed...

 

[capnjuan]

CJ, Al, yeah sorry for the confusion... I was responding to Dennis M's post where he asked me about Big Boy and he asked about an F-44... I had no information to offer on the F-44. THanks, guys.

I understood you Chazzam ... but it's Al birthday ... maybe he got an early <burp :wink: > start ... I hadn't put Beesley back on the shelf anyway.