Who has the oldest Guild in the Forum????

[onewilyfool]

I saw a ' 61 Guild advertised in our local Craigslist.....and was wondering to myself.....who has the oldest (I guess Hoboken) Guild in the forum??? Anyone with #1?

 

[FNG]

Gotta be Hans...

 

[killdeer43]

I saw a ' 61 Guild advertised in our local Craigslist.....and was wondering to myself.....who has the oldest (I guess Hoboken) Guild in the forum??? Anyone with #1?

This should be a fun thread to watch.
Dang, I'm out of the running already! :lol:

Joe

 

[Guild Beginner]

I know there are some old ones around here. My CE100DP is a '60, but BillyDLight plays a '58 like he could find another one at a Guitar Center by the weekend. JP has something from around then too, I believe.

 

[sfIII]

I believe that honor goes to Jay Pilzer. He has told me he has one of the first Guilds ever made.

 

[chazmo]

Not me. I do have a very early F-50R, but that was built in Hoboken in 1967. You have to go back to the NYC Guilds from the '50s.

 

[dklsplace]

I have a '60 Aristocrat & a '50's something X-350 project. But I know there are some New York labeled instruments among the members here.

 

[Graham]

JK has some early 50s stuff I recall seeing in his sig.

 

[fronobulax]

Not me, although if the question was oldest Guild still/continuously owned by the original purchaser I might make the top 25.

 

[bek]

I'm with fronobulax, here. My older one is not that old, but I've had it since day one.

 

[stig]

I only go back to 1968. Not that I'm complaining... :mrgreen:

 

[James Knox]

I'll play:

I have a 1959 Ghost Label M-20, serial number 1369.

Peace,

James

 

[Nels]

I'm the second owner of a Guild MkII, serial number 76271. According to the table of serial numbers on the factory website, this makes it a 1958 guitar.
I'm sure someone can top this.

 

[hansmoust]

I'm the second owner of a Guild MkII, serial number 76271. According to the table of serial numbers on the factory website, this makes it a 1958 guitar.

Hello Nels,

You probably looked at ser. # 7627 instead of # 76271. There were no Mk II guitars in 1958 yet.
Your guitar is from 1973.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[john_kidder]

I do have three New York guitars - a '53 X50 and a '53 X-350, as well as a '54 (or thereabouts) X-400 (or thereabouts). The X400 is one of the guitars Hans describes in the bible that were made from a a mixed batch of early necks and later bodies, so it might have actually come out in '55 or '56. And it had various mods made since then, so it doesn't really count as an original guitar anyway (sure plays and sounds like a dream, though). And my very first Guild, that got me started on all this, is a '57 M20.
I'm sure there are others on the board with first year Guilds as well.

 

[Tunes]

And my very first Guild, that got me started on all this, is a '57 M20.
I'm sure there are others on the board with first year Guilds as well.

Man - this got me thinkin'. I was built in '57. Well technically that was when I was hatched, I guess the building part happened sooner. It is amazing how long well built guitars last. I got more than a few nicks and dings. :lol: :lol:

OK - back to the serious part of this thread...

 

[Nels]

I'm the second owner of a Guild MkII, serial number 76271. According to the table of serial numbers on the factory website, this makes it a 1958 guitar.

Hello Nels,

You probably looked at ser. # 7627 instead of # 76271. There were no Mk II guitars in 1958 yet.
Your guitar is from 1973.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Hans,
Thanks for your reply. I'm a bit confused -- the serial number "76271" is stamped on the back of the headstock and also handwritten on the label inside the guitar. The label (which looks much older than the labels on my two 1978 Guilds) also says it is a "MK II". I'd be happy to send you closeup photos if you'd like!
Regards,

Nels

 

[chazmo]

I'm the second owner of a Guild MkII, serial number 76271. According to the table of serial numbers on the factory website, this makes it a 1958 guitar.

Hello Nels,

You probably looked at ser. # 7627 instead of # 76271. There were no Mk II guitars in 1958 yet.
Your guitar is from 1973.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Hans,
Thanks for your reply. I'm a bit confused -- the serial number "76271" is stamped on the back of the headstock and also handwritten on the label inside the guitar. The label (which looks much older than the labels on my two 1978 Guilds) also says it is a "MK II". I'd be happy to send you closeup photos if you'd like!
Regards,

Nels

Nels, Hans is the expert when it comes to dating the guitars and tracking the details like this. I think he means that your guitar, serial number 76271 is from 1973. What you saw listed for 1958 can't be relevant for a Mk II. FYI, the factory website is notoriously inaccurate.

 

[Qvart]

Hans,
Thanks for your reply. I'm a bit confused -- the serial number "76271" is stamped on the back of the headstock and also handwritten on the label inside the guitar. The label (which looks much older than the labels on my two 1978 Guilds) also says it is a "MK II". I'd be happy to send you closeup photos if you'd like!
Regards,

Nels

The style of label Guild used changed a few times, including between '73 and '78, which could explain the differences you are seeing.

Also, look at the label and see if it says Hoboken, NJ or Westerly, RI. I'm guessing it says RI.

And yes, Hans is the man. You will find other occasions to pick his brain!

 

[Brad Little]

Funny, I was thinking of a similar topic. Who has the oldest Guild 12-string? Mine is serial number 38357 from 1964 (and I'm the sole owner).
Brad