F-30 LTG Member Review

Scratch

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How long have you owned the F-30: Westerly model is on my wish list...
Year & specific model:
Purchased new or used:
Price paid:

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality
Looks
Projection
Bass
Mids
Highs
Sustain
Playability/comfort
Dependability
Fingerstyle
Flatpick
Strum

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor):

Favorite Strings (one selection only):

Would you buy another if lost/sold:

Overall Assessment:

Most Appreciated Characteristic:
Least Appreciated:
Favorite F-30 Story/Moment:

Other observations/comments:
 

dogberry

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Re: F-30 LTG Owner Review

How long have you owned the F-30: Almost two years
Year & specific model: 2001 F30R
Purchased new or used: Used
Price paid: $850

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 9 -- It's heavy, heavier than my Tacoma D-40, and I don't think the pickup and battery can account for the weight.
Looks 8 I don't particularly like the looks of the volume and tone knobs, mounted on the side of the upper bout, but I don't really care, that wasn't an important factor in my decision to buy
Projection 9 -- for its size. It doesn't project like my D-40 or F212, but, duh.
Bass 10 -- love the sound of rosewood
Mids 10
Highs 10
Sustain 9 -- see comment on projection
Playability/comfort 10
Dependability10
Fingerstyle 10
Flatpick 10
Strum 10

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor):Good. Has a repaired crack in the top. Only reason it cost so little. I don't hear a crack when I play.

Favorite Strings (one selection only): Pearse 80/20 Lights

Would you buy another if lost/sold: In a heartbeat -- if I could find one. I like the short scale, and Guild isn't making them with the short scale. Westerly models aren't easy to find. I might have to go to a Martin 000-18 if I lost the F30.

Overall Assessment: Since I got it, the D-40 and F212 have been terribly neglected. I love this guitar, play it all the time.

Most Appreciated Characteristic:
Least Appreciated:
Favorite F-30 Story/Moment:

Other observations/comments: One of my main reasons for pursuing this model is that it has a short scale, and, I think, a 1 11/15" nut.. I'm 5'6", first thing in the morning, shorter by the end of the day, so I don't have big hands or real long fingers. This guitar is great to play. I play country blues (John Hurt, Libbie Cotten, Gary Davis, etc) and the short scale has a nice sound for that style. It also does more than hold its own when plugged in and strummed for open mic nights, etc.
 

Ridgemont

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Re: F-30 LTG Owner Review

How long have you owned the F-30: I have owned my F30 for ~5 months.
Year & specific model: 1998, F30 NT
Purchased new or used: Used
Price paid: $550

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:9

Build quality: 10, heavy for size and very sturdy
Looks: 8, simple and not overstated. The unique graining on the spruce top adds character.
Projection: 7, Not as loud as my normal scale (25.5’) guitars of similar size.
Bass:10
Mids: 10, Emphasized thanks to mahogany b/s
Highs:10
Sustain:
Playability/comfort: 10, Thick neck gives something to hold onto and small OM size allow for playing everywhere
Dependability: 10
Fingerstyle: 10
Flatpick: don’t really do much of that.
Strum: 7, The short scale puts less tension on the strings making it difficult for heavy strumming.

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Excellent condition, no finish checking either

Favorite Strings (one selection only): DR 80/20 Lights (EDIT: I now use GHS Bright Bronze Lights...See below for intonation issue)

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes, but as Dogberry said, the short scale is a plus and will be difficult to find as the new ones are normal scale.

Overall Assessment: Great small guitar for fingerpicking. I wanted a small spruce/hog OM/000 size guitar for general all around playing. I played several 000-18s and they just didn't possess the character I wanted. The Guild tone in my mind is just so smooth and pleasing to the ears. My F30 possesses that quality. It is not too overpowering in projection which is a plus for singing/playing, and it picks up great on a microphone for recording. Overall it is a great all purpose guitar especially for fingerpicking the blues. It is my desert island Guitar.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: Smooth even hog/twangy tone from a guitar that is as comfortable as it is easy to play.
Least Appreciated: It could project a little more.
Favorite F-30 Story/Moment: The F30 is the guitar that got me interested in Guild. It was mainly my interest in John Hurt and early country blues that paved the way for my Guild interest. I went through a few other Guild guitars before I was able to get my dream Guild (with the help of Treem).

Other observations/comments: (EDIT: additional comment (6/29/11)) Since I bought this guitar, I have noticed its strength. It is small with heavy straight braces which, I believe, provides to very good clarity in the bass notes. The guitar does not sound full at all, but when finger picked, you can hear the bass notes just as clear as the hight trebles. All notes ring through with this intense woodiness.
 
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Guild Total
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Re: F-30 LTG Owner Review

How long have you owned the F-30: 35 years
Year & specific model: 1975 F-30
Purchased new or used: New
Price paid: $325.00 (with case)

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 9
Looks 8
Projection 8
Bass 8
Mids 10
Highs 10
Sustain 9
Playability/comfort 10
Dependability 10
Fingerstyle 10
Flatpick 8
Strum 8

Condition (Mint/Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor): Good

Favorite Strings (one selection only): Elixer

Would you buy another if lost/sold: Yes

Overall Assessment: This guitar has been with me since I ordered it from my local muisc store when I was in high school.
It has been a faithful lifelong companion. I could not imagine life without it. It is a great fingerstyle guitar, but doesn't like to be pushed hard acousiticly (that's what pickups are for). I now keep it tuned in in Open G
Most Appreciated Characteristic:
Least Appreciated:
Favorite F-30 Story/Moment:
I played it at a open mic night in the late 1980's and I was asked about my "vintage Guild"
Other observations/comments:
 

Ridgemont

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Intonation issue on an F30. Solution FOUND.

Long story short: I had an intonation issue with my D-string which fretted sharp. I had DR Rares on the guitar and was told about intonation issues with DRs. I changed to GHS PBs of similar gauge and the problem was solved. Here is a link:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26298&p=285586#p285586
 
G

Guest

Unregistered
User deleted by their request
about 35 yrs f30-nt
A1-1089
paid $50.00
 

Bernie

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Apr 10, 2018
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Occitania
How long have you owned the F-30: about 2 months
Year & specific model: 2011 New Hartford F-30 Std (standard)
Purchased new or used: New
Price paid: about $1400

Owners rate 1 (least appreciated) to 10 (most appreciated) in following categories with comments as desired:

Build quality 10
Looks 8,5
Projection 9,5
Bass 9,5
Mids 9,5
Highs 9,6
Sustain 10
Playability/comfort 10
Dependability: Can't really tell (too early), but from how it looks and with first Guild exp. about 9,5/10
Fingerstyle 10
Flatpick 9,8
Strum 9,5
Condition : New

Favorite Strings (one selection only): Light it seems (haven't tried others though)

Would you buy another if lost/sold: definitely yes, at approximately same price and condition (usually buy from what's available at an affordable piece for me...)
Overall Assessment: Fantastic and just perfect for me.

Most Appreciated Characteristic: balance/volume/playability ratio
Least Appreciated: No onboard electronics (got to get some ! :courage: )
Favorite F-30 Story/Moment: The time I realised how good it was (still on...)

Other observations/comments: would have liked an OM-28, but it's not as powerful I think(too slim), and more expensive, (and mahogany does record better than rosewood it seems. Then not the slightest regret so far

edit 05/31/2018 : I must have over-rated a bit this guitar, as I've had it for a short time then, and since I paid such a low price for my country that I got a lithe overwhelmed with enthusiasm...Take out between 0.1 or 0.2 (trebles) and 0.4 or 0.5 (?) out on every mark, as the guitar is not as good as some really outstanding very high-end guitars, such as those with Brazilian rosewood body, ivory bridges or fossilised mammoth ivory saddles and nuts, made by fancy luthiers or top-brands using AAAA grade woods and hide-glue maybe, and building each guitar individually or so on...Wouldn't be fair enough to them. Still the guitar remains my favourite so far, after more than 3 months' use and I do not play my other very excellent steel-strings guitars anymore for now...
 
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