Gruhn/Walker Designed/Developed Guild Acoustics

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,789
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Long time away, but a conversation about Gruhn-designed Guilds is going to bring me back.

I have five - GF60RCE, GF60M, D66, Studio 24 and a Nightbird II. Used to have an F44, wish I still did, and a lovely F46 that I sold to a friend and still get to play occasionally.

It had been my understanding from conversations with Hans, Jay Pilzer (is Jay, "The Guild Guy" still around?), and Jerre Haskew (then President of Guild) that Gruhn was hired to develop the "best production guitars in America", and that Kim Walker realized those designs first at the custom shop and then inside Guild. Think I have that right - if not I'm sure Hans will comment.
Jay retired and closed New Hope a while back, coupla years I think.
According to Gruhn in that article I linked, he was first approached by Guild to do the F44 and F46 and 2 dreadnoughts in '84, which led to them inviting him to design the Nightbird.
The note about Haskew doesn't conflict with that and clarifies just when and how he joined 'em, assuming it's correct.
ML Bob's recap in post 38 seems to confirm timing you mention about Kim Walker's tenure..
Oh yeah, welcome back, and I'm very curious about that GF60rce you mention:
Is it long or short scale?
 
Last edited:

john_kidder

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
3,103
Reaction score
6
Location
Ashcroft, BC, Canada
Beesley ays 'all acoustics unless otherwise noted are 25 5/8" ', has no special indication of a particular scale for the GF series (both GF60s are in Vancvouver right now, I'm in Ashcroft, can't measure.
 

GuildFS4612CE

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
3,350
Reaction score
490
All the GF's I've seen were long scale...John, welcome back and feel free to tell me I'm wrong after you get back to Vancouver...enjoy your stay at your ranch.
 

tommym

Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Messages
894
Reaction score
315
Long time away, but a conversation about Gruhn-designed Guilds is going to bring me back.

I have five - GF60RCE, GF60M, D66, Studio 24 and a Nightbird II. Used to have an F44, wish I still did.....

Why are you missing the F44 if you still have a GF60M? Just wondering.

Tommy
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,789
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Beesley ays 'all acoustics unless otherwise noted are 25 5/8" ', has no special indication of a particular scale for the GF series (both GF60s are in Vancvouver right now, I'm in Ashcroft, can't measure.

THANK YOU sir (and Jane).
I suspected as much but wasn't able to find that spec on our favorite Westerlyguildguitars site.
I've recently become enamored of the F40 body but I'm hoping to find a 24-3/4 scale with a 1-11/6 nut.
Alas I may be looking for a Unicorn.
But since I'm also looking to add rosewood to the family, that one caught my attention.
 
Top