What is the diff btwn JF30 and F50 other than decoration?

[RubiCheck]

I can't tell the diff: they're both jumbo, spruce top, maple back/sides... the f50 has a fancier fretboard...any other differences?
Thanks!

 

[adorshki]

JF30's got a AA spruce top, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge. F50's triple-A spruce with ebony fretboard & bridge. JF30's essentially an economy F50. Yeah, they did stuff like that all the time at Westerly. And specs may vary by model year! :lol:

 

[RubiCheck]

Thanks. Is there generally regarded to be much difference in the sound between these two? I know it's specific to each guitar, but generally speaking?

 

[adorshki]

Thanks. Is there generally regarded to be much difference in the sound between these two? I know it's specific to each guitar, but generally speaking?

Probably only as much as the fingerboard and grade of top wood would account for. The JF30 body was originally released in 12-string form, so that might have been part of the reason for wanting to initiate a more economical body. It's possible there were differences in the bracing too, I can find info that the JF30 had shved bracing but I can't find a spec for F50.
Westerlyguildguitars.com has lots of info but be aware sometimes specs changed on the instruments shown and the date of the specs isn't always noted.

 

[jazzmang]

Thanks. Is there generally regarded to be much difference in the sound between these two? I know it's specific to each guitar, but generally speaking?

Probably only as much as the fingerboard and grade of top wood would account for. The JF30 body was originally released in 12-string form, so that might have been part of the reason for wanting to initiate a more economical body. It's possible there were differences in the bracing too, I can find info that the JF30 had shved bracing but I can't find a spec for F50.
Westerlyguildguitars.com has lots of info but be aware sometimes specs changed on the instruments shown and the date of the specs isn't always noted.

My catalog here shows that the JF-30 has standard bracing and the JF-65 (which is very similar to the traditional F50 moniker) has shaved bracing. Of course, Guild did change things quite a bit, so who knows! :wink:

 

[adorshki]

My catalog here shows that the JF-30 has standard bracing and the JF-65 (which is very similar to the traditional F50 moniker) has shaved bracing. Of course, Guild did change things quite a bit, so who knows! :wink:

Just out of curiosity what's the date on that one? I was comparing specs between my '96 catalog and the '97-98 in the Guild Gallery and noticed many little changes too, like s4ce necks and s-100 Polara nut width vs what's on Westerlyguildguitars, the body style changes on F4/F5 from Bluesbird style to F65 style...seems like that period had a lot of transitions. I think the Westerlyguild site has catalog verbiage and spec sheet from a relatively early version of JF30.
Even the catalogs can be slightly out of synch with production or planning as we've seen. Example, my "96 catalog has a picture of a D25 with a "25th Anniversary D25" headstock logo, out of synch by about 3 years! And the Guild Gallery has a picture of Slash from Guns'n'Roses playing his Crossroads custom shop model with what I believe can only be an F65ce type neck, it has the narrow headstock with the white strips inlaid in the fretboard and radius'd corners at the bottom of the neck and all the abalone, but the write-up says it has a Bluesbird neck. None of the Bluesbird necks pictured in that catalog have a G-shield/abalone or white binding or radius at the bottom of the fretboard.... :roll:
Incidentally, the first time I saw that picture of Slash I said to myself : "See! They'll build one for just anybody!" :lol:

 

[jazzmang]

My catalog here shows that the JF-30 has standard bracing and the JF-65 (which is very similar to the traditional F50 moniker) has shaved bracing. Of course, Guild did change things quite a bit, so who knows! :wink:

Just out of curiosity what's the date on that one? I was comparing specs between my '96 catalog and the '97-98 in the Guild Gallery and noticed many little changes too, like s4ce necks and s-100 Polara nut width vs what's on Westerlyguildguitars, the body style changes on F4/F5 from Bluesbird style to F65 style...seems like that period had a lot of transitions. I think the Westerlyguild site has catalog verbiage and spec sheet from a relatively early version of JF30.
Even the catalogs can be slightly out of synch with production or planning as we've seen. Example, my "96 catalog has a picture of a D25 with a "25th Anniversary D25" headstock logo, out of synch by about 3 years! And the Guild Gallery has a picture of Slash from Guns'n'Roses playing his Crossroads custom shop model with what I believe can only be an F65ce type neck, it has the narrow headstock with the white strips inlaid in the fretboard and radius'd corners at the bottom of the neck and all the abalone, but the write-up says it has a Bluesbird neck. None of the Bluesbird necks pictured in that catalog have a G-shield/abalone or white binding or radius at the bottom of the fretboard.... :roll:
Incidentally, the first time I saw that picture of Slash I said to myself : "See! They'll build one for just anybody!" :lol:

This one's the Winter 97-98 one. I have a later one somewhere around here...

 

[jazzmang]

Ah. Interesting.

The Summer '98 catalog says both the JF-30 and JF-65 have Jumbo X bracing (which would be a standard, non-shaved bracing, if I had to guess)

Also, the JF-30 has a rosewood fretboard and bridge, whereas the JF-65 has an ebony fretboard and bridge.

 

[tjmangum]

JF30's got a AA spruce top, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge. F50's triple-A spruce with ebony fretboard & bridge. JF30's essentially an economy F50. Yeah, they did stuff like that all the time at Westerly. And specs may vary by model year! :lol:

This JF 30 would beg to differ on the fretboard and bridge.

From 1999 Westerly.
tj

 

[hansmoust]

This JF 30 would beg to differ on the fretboard and bridge.

From 1999 Westerly.
tj

Hello tj,

Your JF-30-12 with the ebony fingerboard & bridge should be a little later than 1999. I believe it is from the year 2000. It probably doesn't have a ink-stamped neck block date, now does it?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[tjmangum]

This JF 30 would beg to differ on the fretboard and bridge.

From 1999 Westerly.
tj

Hello tj,

Your JF-30-12 with the ebony fingerboard & bridge should be a little later than 1999. I believe it is from the year 2000. It probably doesn't have a ink-stamped neck block date, now does it?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Thanks Hans for the correction. Neck block is stamped "July 25, 2000". Now I'm going to have to dig around and see which Guild I do have from 1999.
Best wishes,
tj

 

[adorshki]

More and more it seems to me that Guild built guitars a lot like some of the automakers made cars. Mustangs derived out of Falcon parts, Corvette motors reserved for Corvettes for a couple of years before being allowed into other chassis...running production changes on a model....you could order a special combination of options...and why not? It was great!
It makes sense when you think about it, because in fact the basic businesses are very similar.