F30 HR came and goes back .

Rayk

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Ok yeah so here we go again .
Lots about this guitar I did not know .
Fun facts , lower bout 15 “ did not measure the upper and as mentioned yes it’s a thinner body then the other f30’s

Over all shape was clean considering age .

I asked about neck angle and saddle height and mentioned pics not showing the right angle to see it clearly . Hey sent me some just like the others for the most part that we’re posted making hard to see .

The top has some bellying or pull up not sure what the factory specs were as far as it’s design having a slight curve or being totally flat .

Saddle is 3/32 or less before hitting the bridge .
Straight edge rests 1/8 below bridge .

So I mentioned the issues and I got lecture of being in business for 100 yrs ( boy he’s old )
And his tech guy is Taylor, Fender and something else approved and has been doing repairs for over 50 yrs

Tech guy is how old ? K so screw the age part what matters is it passed his 50 yrs of experience as being all good .

Well not sure what you you all think but it’s going back.

Another notch in the learning belt .
 

adorshki

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Another notch in the learning belt .

Scale length? Nut width? Audio?
(just yankin' yer chain, buddy!)
RE slight bellying: as I understand it ALL flattops are built with some slight degree of top radius, but I don't recall ever seeing a spec published for any of the Westerlys.
I think top radii are given in feet as opposed to inches like fretboards, just to give an idea.
3/32" of saddle showing on a late Westerly sounds like it's already been lowered as much as it could be, though.
Methinks maybe the shop believes the "all good for its age" clause is assumed by all buyers of vintage instruments and thus need not be reiterated to death?
Me, I'm with you: Reiterate me to death, please.
Understand the short stay and better luck on the next one.
I'd really like to see you give a CO-1 or 2 a good going over.
:playful:
 
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adorshki

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What does the HR stand for?
Hand Rubbed finish.
An NC gel that was applied by hand and no buffing for gloss.
Most commonly seen on DV52, DV6 and D4 which were all introduced that way and then given high gloss options later on.
Oh waitaminnit, with all the discussion about that finish in another thread recently, was that a joke?
Y'got me.

:tongue-new:
 
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Rayk

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Gotta be Hard Rock.

No oh no , no hard rock on this model lol I give it a F rating even if new .

However the HR finish is thin and certainly would benefit other models tone and volume .

I can say if this f30 is worth 700.00 my cv-1 one should be worth twice that Mric or whatever you call it or not ! Lol
 
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Rayk

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Scale length? Nut width? Audio?
(just yankin' yer chain, buddy!)
RE slight bellying: as I understand it ALL flattops are built with some slight degree of top radius, but I don't recall ever seeing a spec published for any of the Westerlys.
I think top radii are given in feet as opposed to inches like fretboards, just to give an idea.
3/32" of saddle showing on a late Westerly sounds like it's already been lowered as much as it could be, though.
Methinks maybe the shop believes the "all good for its age" clause is assumed by all buyers of vintage instruments and thus need not be reiterated to death?
Me, I'm with you: Reiterate me to death, please.
Understand the short stay and better luck on the next one.
I'd really like to see you give a CO-1 or 2 a good going over.
:playful:

Their asking to much for them Al . Guild pricing is a little out of whack since I signed on .
But I been looking at them , thing is if I buy one I want to be able sell it without taking a loss .
For guitars I want as keepers NH built is tops on the list any others unless a rarity in tone is a perk the others just a curiosity and learning curve .
 

twocorgis

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Any properly built older guitar should have a little belly, otherwise it probably won't have great tone. My friend Dana Bourgeois, and possibly best luthier alive, describes it in this very succinct article. Building a fine guitar is really a high wire act.
 

davismanLV

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Building a fine guitar is really a high wire act.
It's the truth, Sandy. People want finely built, light and responsive guitars that are built like TANKS and can withstand life in HELL. It's not gonna happen. There is a happy medium but for everything you gain, you give up SOMETHING.
 

Rayk

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Any properly built older guitar should have a little belly, otherwise it probably won't have great tone. My friend Dana Bourgeois, and possibly best luthier alive, describes it in this very succinct article. Building a fine guitar is really a high wire act.

Yup but the saddle height and 1/8’dtop in neck angle don’t add up . Add that 1/8th to the saddle height and break angle is still poor .

Either way neck reset would cost the as much as the guitar did and that is certainly not worth it .

Wait !? You’re fruends with Dana ? I want in on that he’s the one that turned me on to African black wood and cedar tops . ;)
 

twocorgis

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Yup but the saddle height and 1/8’dtop in neck angle don’t add up . Add that 1/8th to the saddle height and break angle is still poor .

Either way neck reset would cost the as much as the guitar did and that is certainly not worth it .

Wait !? You’re fruends with Dana ? I want in on that he’s the one that turned me on to African black wood and cedar tops . ;)

I had the honor of meeting Dana a couple of times, and he is a gentleman. He also builds some really great guitars like my '97 Slope D. The beauty of Dana's guitars is that he realizes the inevitability of neck resets, and builds his guitars with bolt-on necks (like Bill Collings). I've had to do a neck reset on mine, and it cost less than $200 and took three days. Try that with a Guild!
 

sixx

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No oh no , no hard rock on this model lol I give it a F rating even if new .

However the HR finish is thin and certainly would benefit other models tone and volume .

I can say if this f30 is worth 700.00 my cv-1 one should be worth twice that Mric or whatever you call it or not ! Lol

Well that's no good, brother. It's either got it or it ain't. You've been around the block enough to tell the difference between the two. Life's too short...
 

Rayk

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I had the honor of meeting Dana a couple of times, and he is a gentleman. He also builds some really great guitars like my '97 Slope D. The beauty of Dana's guitars is that he realizes the inevitability of neck resets, and builds his guitars with bolt-on necks (like Bill Collings). I've had to do a neck reset on mine, and it cost less than $200 and took three days. Try that with a Guild!

Yeah bolts are stepping up into the light for sure . My Custom by Ben Wilborn has a bolt on .

I’m surprised more manufacturers aren’t getting board or are they and I just don’t know it yet ?
 

Rayk

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Well that's no good, brother. It's either got it or it ain't. You've been around the block enough to tell the difference between the two. Life's too short...

Actually I’d be surprised if this model offered any mojo at all from the start .

I had a couple thin body acoustics but they where built with electronics. Plugged in they sounded ok unplugged forget it , the F30 HR are the forget it models . LOL
 

PittPastor

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The beauty of Dana's guitars is that he realizes the inevitability of neck resets, and builds his guitars with bolt-on necks (like Bill Collings). I've had to do a neck reset on mine, and it cost less than $200 and took three days. Try that with a Guild!

For the difference in price, tho, you can pay for a lot of neck resets, to be fair... You could buy 3 Guilds for the price of a Bourgeois, leave two unstrung and when one needs the neck reset, switch to the other...

Or if you really hate the idea of paying for a neck reset, you can get a Riversong -- neck reset proof...



I'd actually consider getting one of these, but I think they are a little high priced for the tone. The technology tho is really interesting. I'm guessing in the end he's going to make more on his patents than he will on his guitars.
 

PittPastor

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Yeah bolts are stepping up into the light for sure . My Custom by Ben Wilborn has a bolt on .

I’m surprised more manufacturers aren’t getting on board or are they and I just don’t know it yet ?

IDK, can't see Martin doing it. But maybe I'm mistaken. It took them until -- what 1985? -- to put in a truss rod If I Recall Correctly.
 

Rayk

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For the difference in price, tho, you can pay for a lot of neck resets, to be fair... You could buy 3 Guilds for the price of a Bourgeois, leave two unstrung and when one needs the neck reset, switch to the other...

Or if you really hate the idea of paying for a neck reset, you can get a Riversong -- neck reset proof...



I'd actually consider getting one of these, but I think they are a little high priced for the tone. The technology tho is really interesting. I'm guessing in the end he's going to make more on his patents than he will on his guitars.


You may pay twice as much and for that you’ll have one heck of a guitar !
 

merlin6666

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Their asking to much for them Al . Guild pricing is a little out of whack since I signed on .
But I been looking at them , thing is if I buy one I want to be able sell it without taking a loss .
Wow I had no idea that was even possible. I tend to buy low, but would never expect to get back what I have invested in a guitar if I sell it, not even close.
 

txbumper57

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IDK, can't see Martin doing it. But maybe I'm mistaken. It took them until -- what 1985? -- to put in a truss rod If I Recall Correctly.

Martin has had hybrid Bolt on Mortise and Tenon neck joints on some of their guitars for years now. Personally I am not a fan and prefer the traditional glued dovetail joints but I also don't mind spending the money to have a neck reset done on a Guitar that I love. If I have to have a reset done in 20-30 years then so be it, it is just part of the game as far as I am concerned.

Would I buy a used guitar that needs a neck reset not knowing how it would sound and play ahead of time? Probably only under special circumstances taking into consideration the rarity of the guitar and the materials it is built with. For example lets say a late 60's Guild Brazilian Rosewood F50R or F50 "Special" popped up needing a neck reset and the sale price reflected the work that needed done. I would probably jump all over it, LOL!

TX
 

txbumper57

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Sorry to hear about the bad luck with this F30 Ray. When I first started buying guitars online I had to go through the growing pains of actually determining the condition of the guitar in the photos as opposed to the condition the seller says the guitar is in. That is probably the major reason I got so good at finding most of the issues in photos before the purchase was made. It is a learning experience and the best thing you can do is make sure whatever you purchase has a ironclad return policy. Best of luck in your search and I hope you find the one you are looking for.

TX
 
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