I might have a chance at a 1975 F50 jumbo

jkcornwell · Jan 1, 2018

Hi LTG community,

I would be interested in any thoughts any of you may have about this Guild F50 jumbo. Based on the serial number, it appears to be a '75. The top and back each appear to be one-piece(!) maple. The binding is cracking and it appears that someone attempted a repair near the 12the fret. The finish on the top shows many cracks, but the wood itself appears to be in good shape. It plays great though it could use a set-up.

The current owner says he got it from his uncle, who said it had belonged to John Denver. (The uncle is said to have bought it at a JD concert??).

Considering it's over 40 years old, and solid maple (I believe), I feel like its something I might like to acquire. Any thoughts?

Also, does anyone have any idea if it's possible to find out if this really did belong to John Denver?

Thanks!

Jason

JohnW63 · Jan 1, 2018

Unless someone kept track of the guitars and serial numbers that John used, I don't think there is any way to prove he owned it. I find the idea that he would be selling guitars at a concert a really LOOONG stretch. I wouldn't consider that has a reason to pay any more for it. No proof. It could be the story is he bought this one after SEEING John play one in a concert. Who would go up to a performer and say, " Great show, man ! Would you be willing to sell that guitar to me ? " . The ONLY way I could see this making sense is if the Uncle was a musician, playing WITH JD, either as part of his band or an opening band, and he got to play it and talked JD into selling it to him, after the tour was over.

Other should happen along to give you a better idea what a 1975 F-50 would be worth, with plenty of finish checking.

I would also think checking the string height and neck angle would be a really good idea.

Nuuska · Jan 2, 2018

Hi

The top is spruce - sides and back are maple. On second last picture the string height looks right. Looks like it is ready to play.
Have you played it? Or are the pictures from the seller? Except for finish checking it looks like fine guitar.

Are you looking for an instrument to play - or are you looking for one to collect?

In my book the John Denver part is fairytale - unless some evidence pops up.

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

JohnW63 said:
Unless someone kept track of the guitars and serial numbers that John used, I don't think there is any way to prove he owned it. I find the idea that he would be selling guitars at a concert a really LOOONG stretch. I wouldn't consider that has a reason to pay any more for it. No proof. It could be the story is he bought this one after SEEING John play one in a concert. Who would go up to a performer and say, " Great show, man ! Would you be willing to sell that guitar to me ? " . The ONLY way I could see this making sense is if the Uncle was a musician, playing WITH JD, either as part of his band or an opening band, and he got to play it and talked JD into selling it to him, after the tour was over.

Other should happen along to give you a better idea what a 1975 F-50 would be worth, with plenty of finish checking.

I would also think checking the string height and neck angle would be a really good idea.

I totally agree - I didn’t pay a premium for the JD story, but the sound is amazing despite the need for new strings and an adjustment. In fact I’m blown away by how good the neck feels. So easy to play!

Thanks for the input!

chazmo · Jan 2, 2018

Jason,

Welcome aboard! That's a great way to start your love affair with Guilds. The F-50 is a truly iconic instrument.

Couple of things. First, the soundboard is Sitka spruce (not maple). And that's a bookmatched pair, not one-piece. The back of your guitar is the arched, laminated maple for which the F-50 is famous.

Your guitar looks to be in very good condition. The cracks you show in that picture of the bottom end of the soundboard are surface crazing of the nitrocellulose lacquer, probably due to thermal stress or possibly impact (more likely the former). It might be good, though, to have a luthier look for any lose braces or maybe help you with a setup.

Anyway, GREAT way to start with Guilds. Very beautiful. Again, welcome aboard!

killdeer43 · Jan 2, 2018

WELCOME TO LTG!
As others have said, the top is spruce and this is a great intro into the wonderful world of Guild. :encouragement:

Keep us posted,
Joe

Cougar · Jan 2, 2018

jkcornwell said:
....The finish on the top shows many cracks, but the wood itself appears to be in good shape. It plays great though it could use a set-up..... Any thoughts?

Welcome to the boards, JK! It looks like that could be a good one. I wouldn't pay a penny extra for the reference to John Denver, though.

mavuser · Jan 2, 2018

John Denver's Guilds are well documented as rosewood, not maple. It is very unlikely this Guild was purchased from John Denver, and if it was, his reason for selling would be because he never, ever, played it!

with that said, it is certainly "similar to the Guilds that John Denver performed with in concert."

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

Thanks very much for all the comments! Yes, I realized my mistake too late about saying the top & back we’re maple. But wow it sure looks like a single piece on the back.

I’m planning to take it to a reputable guitar shop this week and have them give me their opinion.

BTW - I traded my 2006 Hagstrom Super Swede (les paul copy) for this. I teally liked the Hagstrom, but I was just blown away by the feel and sound of this.

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

mavuser said:
John Denver's Guilds are well documented as rosewood, not maple. It is very unlikely this Guild was purchased from John Denver, and if it was, his reason for selling would be because he never, ever, played it!

with that said, it is certainly "similar to the Guilds that John Denver performed with in concert."

That is good information. Thanks very much!

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

Cougar said:
Welcome to the boards, JK! It looks like that could be a good one. I wouldn't pay a penny extra for the reference to John Denver, though.

Thanks for the warm welcome

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

killdeer43 said:
WELCOME TO LTG!
As others have said, the top is spruce and this is a great intro into the wonderful world of Guild. :encouragement:

Keep us posted,
Joe

Thanks! I had no idea how wonderful these vintage Guilds are!

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

chazmo said:
Jason,
IK
Welcome aboard! That's a great way to start your love affair with Guilds. The F-50 is a truly iconic instrument.

Couple of things. First, the soundboard is Sitka spruce (not maple). And that's a bookmatched pair, not one-piece. The back of your guitar is the arched, laminated maple for which the F-50 is famous.

Your guitar looks to be in very good condition. The cracks you show in that picture of the bottom end of the soundboard are surface crazing of the nitrocellulose lacquer, probably due to thermal stress or possibly impact (more likely the former). It might be good, though, to have a luthier look for any lose braces or maybe help you with a setup.

Anyway, GREAT way to start with Guilds. Very beautiful. Again, welcome aboard!

Thanks very much for the warm welcome and the info!

D30Man · Jan 2, 2018

Welcome aboard! Definitely a great way to break into Guilds! Yeah I wouldn't put a lot of stock in the Denver story. Wouldn't matter to me either way and wouldn't inspire me to pay a penny more than market value. We had a guy here in Dallas who had a D4 on CL for like 8 months and was asking $700 because George Strait had signed it. I know a little different scenario. Needless to say it did not sell fast and in Texas of all places where Strait is a king. I sent the guy an offer of $300 and told him I wouldn't give a cent more because I was going have to figure out a way to get the signature off of it.. I digress. Congrats on an awesome Guild and I hope you enjoy it!

D30Man · Jan 2, 2018

And to digress and slightly veer a bit more, why is everyone hung up on Nick Drake playing a Guild? Wasn't it found it that he just posed with it in a picture and that it wasn't actually his guitar? Correct me Al if you are still out there. With cats like Denver, Havens, Garcia, Stevie Ray, Tom Petty etc. having been Guild guys why the importance of the Drake connection? I just realized a lot of dead guys played Guilds... Also one of my fave songwriters, James McMurtry - son of author Larry McMurtry - is a Guild jumbo guy, so that doesn't hurt either. I might add Willie was a Guild man until his got stepped on. Then he found trigger and well the rest is history.

Nuuska · Jan 2, 2018

D30Man said:
And to digress and slightly veer a bit more, why is everyone hung up on Nick Drake playing a Guild? Wasn't it found it that he just posed with it in a picture and that it wasn't actually his guitar? Correct me Al if you are still out there. With cats like Denver, Havens, Garcia, Stevie Ray, Tom Petty etc. having been Guild guys why the importance of the Drake connection? I just realized a lot of dead guys played Guilds... Also one of my fave songwriters, James McMurtry - son of author Larry McMurtry - is a Guild jumbo guy, so that doesn't hurt either. I might add Willie was a Guild man until his got stepped on. Then he found trigger and well the rest is history.

Hello

Leo Kottke played Ovation - for about three minutes - he commented it : What a tub!
He also played Guild F512 - maybe the F50R and F212CE - he liked Guild.
He played Steinberger bass thru Gallien Krueger stereo amp into two Marshall 4x12 cabs - he liked that, too . . .

In all cases it sounded Leo Kottke

When I was playing those same guitars and bass it sounded different.

jkcornwell · Jan 2, 2018

Nuuska said:
Hello

Leo Kottke played Ovation - for about three minutes - he commented it : What a tub!
He also played Guild F512 - maybe the F50R and F212CE - he liked Guild.
He played Steinberger bass thru Gallien Krueger stereo amp into two Marshall 4x12 cabs - he liked that, too . . .

In all cases it sounded Leo Kottke

When I was playing those same guitars and bass it sounded different.

I can’t stop laughing! “What a tub!” That’s hilarious!

...I love my Ovation tho...

bobouz · Jan 2, 2018

jkcornwell said:
I realized my mistake too late about saying the top & back we’re maple. But wow it sure looks like a single piece on the back.

Yes, the outer layer you are looking at is one piece, but the arched back is laminated (like plywood) as opposed to being one solid piece of maple. The front consists of two bookmatched halves, taken from the same piece of solid spruce and glued at the center seam. The sides btw, are indeed solid maple.

Looks like a winner of a guitar - enjoy!

adorshki · Jan 2, 2018

D30Man said:
And to digress and slightly veer a bit more, why is everyone hung up on Nick Drake playing a Guild? Wasn't it found it that he just posed with it in a picture and that it wasn't actually his guitar?
Correct me Al if you are still out there. With cats like Denver, Havens, Garcia, Stevie Ray, Tom Petty etc. having been Guild guys why the importance of the Drake connection?

The thing is, Volkswagen used "Pink Moon" as a commercial theme many years back, which led to folks looking up Nick Drake, which led to many views of Bryter Layter album cover, which led to "What kind of guitar is that?" Which led to an ever-widening circle of believers in an internet myth.
It didn't help that some journalist claimed to have actually seen him playing the Guild at a show in New Orleans 30 years before he wrote the article...suspect that's a case of "reconstructed memory."
(I never used to believe in that until it started happening to me)
I'm actually fuzzy on the "real story" myself now, but I believe it was actually given to him by Clapton when Drake moved into a house Clapton was vacating?
And that the photographer just had him use it for the photo session because it was handy.

D30Man said:
I just realized a lot of dead guys played Guilds...

I think technically they were still alive when they played 'em, but Keith Richards might be the exception that proves the rule.

D30Man said:
Also one of my fave songwriters, James McMurtry - son of author Larry McMurtry - is a Guild jumbo guy, so that doesn't hurt either. I might add Willie was a Guild man until his got stepped on. Then he found trigger and well the rest is history.

Larry's one of my all-time favorite writers so it was heart-warming to see his kid plays a Guild for me, too.
Welcome to the nuthouse, JK!

D30Man · Jan 3, 2018

adorshki said:
The thing is, Volkswagen used "Pink Moon" as a commercial theme many years back, which led to folks looking up Nick Drake, which led to many views of Bryter Layter album cover, which led to "What kind of guitar is that?" Which led to an ever-widening circle of believers in an internet myth.
It didn't help that some journalist claimed to have actually seen him playing the Guild at a show in New Orleans 30 years before he wrote the article...suspect that's a case of "reconstructed memory."
(I never used to believe in that until it started happening to me)
I'm actually fuzzy on the "real story" myself now, but I believe it was actually given to him by Clapton when Drake moved into a house Clapton was vacating?
And that the photographer just had him use it for the photo session because it was handy.

I think technically they were still alive when they played 'em, but Keith Richards might be the exception that proves the rule.

Larry's one of my all-time favorite writers so it was heart-warming to see his kid plays a Guild for me, too.
Welcome to the nuthouse, JK!

Aaaaaaaah. Thanks for the clarity Al. I knew the Drake story was something along those lines. Yeah big fan of Larry too. I have only read Lonesome Dove but I have enjoyed many a movie for which he was the screenwriter.

I might have a chance at a 1975 F50 jumbo

jkcornwell

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