Won't you help me find my brother...

[JF6512West]

Hi all,

Greetings, this is a great site! I posted recently in the LTGBay section (WTB), but here is my introduction and some pics of my JF6512. I find the tone of this guitar to be simply amazing. Check out the flame! The top is super as well, with really nice silking in the spruce. Not sure if nice looking wood makes any difference beyond good looks, as some of the best sounding guitars I have played have been "dogs" in terms of appearance. I even had an old Martin with knot shadows in the spruce and big wide grain, but it sounded awesome. Still, I think pretty Guilds take the cake.

Anyhow, I am looking for a 6 string version of my 12 in maple, and hope to be able to locate one here. Based on some research, it appears as if the JF-65s are bigger than the F50s, and maybe sound bigger as well? Any input or advice on the differences would be appreciated beyond the obvious (age, rosette etc.). Most importantly, lease let me know if you have one that you are thinking of letting go, or if you know of any out there worth checking out.

Also, any ideas as to why some of these have maple necks vs mahogany?

Follow this link for pics of the JF65-12 (no, not for sale). I think it is a very late Westerly build (2001?), but am sure someone here can correct me if I am off on the date.

http://claspics.com/288/547501

All the best.
-Peter

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Looks like There are a few right here. Keep reading the posts and you will find some. West R Lew has one.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21245

 

[twocorgis]

Based on some research, it appears as if the JF-65s are bigger than the F50s, and maybe sound bigger as well? Any input or advice on the differences would be appreciated beyond the obvious (age, rosette etc.).

Peter,

First of all, welcome here!

As for your question, the F50 and JF65 are the same guitar with the same 17" lower bout, though the JF65 had an Abalone rosette that wasn't present in earlier Westerly F50s. Later F50s from Corona, Tacoma, and New Hartford have the Abalone. My '75 F50R has a plain rosette. Hans may correct me here, but I'm pretty sure that's right.

 

[adorshki]

HI Peter, and welcome aboard! Since you're kinda new here you might not be up to speed on the Private Messaging system ("PM"). Go to the upper right corner of the page and select the User Control Panel then select Private Messaging from the left hand side of that page.
I STRONGLY suggest you contact our member West R Lee ("Westerly", get it? :lol: ) about his JF65.
Jim is one of the staunchest advocates of the Westerly guitars we have here, and he don't mess around with no c--p when it comes to his instruments.
Good Luck! In the last couple of years I've seen two or 3 "mated pairs" like you're trying to build, they make an absolutely gorgeous impression. 8)

 

[charliea]

My '95 JF65-12 has a maple neck. Peter's is mahogany. Does anybody know when Guild made the switch?

 

[hansmoust]

Follow this link for pics of the JF65-12 (no, not for sale). I think it is a very late Westerly build (2001?), but am sure someone here can correct me if I am off on the date.
-Peter

My '95 JF65-12 has a maple neck. Peter's is mahogany. Does anybody know when Guild made the switch?

Hello Peter,

Currently I'm on the road, so I need to make this very brief. Your JF-65-12 is from the year 2000 and the change from 3-pc. maple/mahogany necks to 3-pc. mahogany/maple necks was made a little before your JF-65-12 was made.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[JF6512West]

Thanks to all for the info, much appreciated. BTW, learned something new on the Westerly Guild site, apparently the F50 is 4.8" deep, while the JF65 is 5" according to the spec sheets.

 

[West R Lee]

Thanks to all for the info, much appreciated. BTW, learned something new on the Westerly Guild site, apparently the F50 is 4.8" deep, while the JF65 is 5" according to the spec sheets.

:shock: ANOTHER WEST! :shock:

West

 

[jcwu]

Thanks to all for the info, much appreciated. BTW, learned something new on the Westerly Guild site, apparently the F50 is 4.8" deep, while the JF65 is 5" according to the spec sheets.

Oh, what's .2"? That's what I keep telling myself.

 

[adorshki]

Thanks to all for the info, much appreciated. BTW, learned something new on the Westerly Guild site, apparently the F50 is 4.8" deep, while the JF65 is 5" according to the spec sheets.

Oh, what's .2"? That's what I keep telling myself.

I'm not gonna go there, I'm not gonna go there.....
I'm gonna go here instead:
There's a thread in which Chazmo, IIRC, mentioned that the bucks they used in Westerly to make the sides varied in depth themselves. Add the sanding before backs/tops were installed and you could have close to 1/2" variance between to examples of the same model, at the extreme range of tolerances.
Also note that the specs on Westerlyguildguitars are for a given model year, the catalog being cited is frequently noted, and we know the specs changed during production on many models. So there's two possible reasons for the variance, besides the possibility that the JF65's were actually spec'd as deeper bodies.

 

[West R Lee]

Aslo noted by cjdplayer on his tour of the New Hartford factory that body depths could vary faily dramatically, not to mention neck angle and saddle height.

West

 

[adorshki]

Aslo noted by cjdplayer on his tour of the New Hartford factory that body depths could vary faily dramatically, not to mention neck angle and saddle height.
West

I think that's actually the thread I was thinking of. Search is being uncooperative again today. :?

 

[hansmoust]

Thanks to all for the info, much appreciated. BTW, learned something new on the Westerly Guild site, apparently the F50 is 4.8" deep, while the JF65 is 5" according to the spec sheets.

Hello West2,

Take a look at this older posting from a couple of years ago:

http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7696&p=80280&hilit=collars#p80280

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl