B30 NT here in McKinney CL

fronobulax

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Not sure the price is a screaming deal but... Shipping is likely to be close to $100 unless someone has access to options that are not always available to the general public. Looks to have a split bridge which I tend to think of as a B-50 feature so I need to adjust my thinking.
 

Westerly Wood

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Not sure the price is a screaming deal but... Shipping is likely to be close to $100 unless someone has access to options that are not always available to the general public. Looks to have a split bridge which I tend to think of as a B-50 feature so I need to adjust my thinking.

so a split bridge is worth more? possible the seller has mis-labeled the model #?
 

fronobulax

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I am expecting to be corrected by Hans but...

The split saddle, and I misspoke calling it a bridge, was a well intentioned but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to improve intonation. On my B50 the E and A are about 10 cents off between the 12th fret octave and the harmonic. The D and G are spot on. I think Hans said that was consistent with his experience as a luthier working on B50s. I think that would be worse with a straight saddle.

Guild eventually phased out the split saddle in favor of a more conventional single saddle.

While the B50 and B30 were both in production for some period of time, eventually the specs for the B30 were tweaked and the B50 dropped in favor of the B30.

My recollection, which is incorrect, was that the split saddle had been dropped before the introduction of the B30. Clearly it was not.

My personal belief is that the B50 is preferable to the B30 because it is larger and marginally louder in an acoustic only setting. While the B50 can be amplified (and mine does have an aftermarket PU installed) the ergonomics of playing it are awkward enough that it would never be my first choice if I were allowed or expected to use an amp.

Anyway I think the B50 may command a slight price premium over the B30.

There is at least one LTG owned B50 that was bought for under $1000 recently enough that I'd consider $1000 a better starting point today than $1500. Even if the low priced instrument needs a neck reset that is $400 or $500 more. So if I were in the market I would expect to pay $1000-$1200 if I were assured and convinced it did not need a neck reset and if the cosmetics were very good by my definition (which is mild wear and tear but no abuse or I'll recognize it when I see it). My opinion on the subject is worth very little since I am not in the market for a B30, nor am I putting my B50 up for sale at my opinionated price :)
 
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