John Hartford and a Guild

Rayk

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Looks like F40 or GF models Alllllll !? Lol
 

Rich Cohen

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Could be a F-50. Rayk, I don't think it could be a GF 30 because the headstock logo is wrong, and that model didn't have the special inlaid fingerboard.
RC
 
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idealassets

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Good song, must be an old video because he is my mom's age, but looks a lot younger there.

I didn't think a GF40 or GF50 was a bluegrass guitar, but apparently it is now. What's going on in this song with that beat? Apparently he mastered the art of clogging on a wooden board to amplify the sound, and keep a beat while singing and playing guitar!
 
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adorshki

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Could be a F-50. Rayk, I don't think it could be a GF 30 because the headstock logo is wrong, and that model didn't have the special inlaid fingerboard.
RC

Except it's a flatback maple (you can see the bracing as he flips it over his head at the start) and having just spent a little time searching for pics, I think it's actually a pretty rare GF60M due to G-shield and bound neck.
Also note headstock isn't wide like F50's were, although still appears not quite as narrow as later snakeheads.
Sure looks looks just like GF60 on Westerly Guild Guitars, and note that '87 list said there was a maple version of it:
gf60.jpg

Also should have diamond-shape inlays but video's so out of focus that can't be confirmed or denied.
Even then it's possible it got a one-off board, you know how that went.
And though there were F47M flatback maples with block inlays I don't think those ever got G-shields.
Or maybe J Hartford just said: "You made D50's with F50 necks for Tommy Smothers. Can you make me an F47M with a G-shield on the headstock?"
And they said: "Sure. You want the horseshoes on the pickguard?"
Which leads us to:

Good song, must be an old video because he is my mom's age, but looks a lot younger there.

I didn't think a GF40 or GF50 was a bluegrass guitar, but apparently it is now.
Let's not forget the F47 was introduced as the "Bluegrass F47" in '64 to replace the F40 on which both those guitars were based, although to be fair it was a 'hog body.
I noticed this morning there's a pic of a very young Ry Cooder playing one in Hans' book.

EDIT: WHOOPSIE after all that I forgot to look at F44's, could be one-o' those, too:
F44-1.jpg
 
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GardMan

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Looks like it has pearl block or ab wedge in pearl block fret markers, so that eliminates the models with slotted diamonds. Has a snakehead stock, so ~87 or later.
 

adorshki

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Looks like it has pearl block or ab wedge in pearl block fret markers, so that eliminates the models with slotted diamonds. Has a snakehead stock, so ~87 or later.

Right but the only flatback maple F-bodies with G-shields , and a snakehead I can find are the F44 or GF60M.
I think the video's so blurry they look like blocks but aren't really, or else it's a one-off neck.
Also snakeheads actually first appeared on the Gruhn designed F44/F46 and D64/D66 which Mark Dronge asked him to design in '84.
Walrus' got an '84 D64 with a snakehead.
 

hansmoust

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Looks like it has pearl block or ab wedge in pearl block fret markers, so that eliminates the models with slotted diamonds. Has a snakehead stock, so ~87 or later.

Right but the only flatback maple F-bodies with G-shields , and a snakehead I can find are the F44 or GF60M. I think the video's so blurry they look like blocks but aren't really, or else it's a one-off neck.

It's the quality of the footage! John is playing an F-44 in that video.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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bobouz

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Always really liked John Hartford's singing and playing.

That was a treat - Thanks!
 

Rayk

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Yaaay F44 thanks Hans , I was close lol
 

idealassets

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Always really liked John Hartford's singing and playing.

That was a treat - Thanks!
Yes, this is great. I never heard of this singer before, so I thank aamapes for posting it. I grew up on rock music, but my preferences have changed a bit after playing a few Guild acoustic guitars. Now I appreciate the likes of say, Richie Havens and the other folk music orientated players a lot more.

But I have to divulge that most of the well paying rock bands that I was in would have instantly canned me if I ever mentioned anything such as "I nomitate a few songs by for example, John Denver that we should add to our set lists..."
 

idealassets

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It's the quality of the footage! John is playing an F-44 in that video.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
Thank you Hans. Now why didn't I get out my Guild book and find that out myself? I have found that many folks out there don't like a know-it-all, especially when I used to say things such as "Why that's on page (whatever page) in Han's book". You know "throwing the book at them" or something. So I like to leave myself open to learning some of it as I go.
 

killdeer43

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I posted another John Hartford video (Going to Work in Tall Buildings) a while back, playing the same guitar.
Hans gave the same answer then so it's confirmed with this one.

Big John Hartford fan here, :victorious:
Joe
 

bobouz

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Yes, this is great. I never heard of this singer before,

If you ever heard Glen Campbell sing Gentle On My Mind, you were hearing a John Hartford song. Of course, Hartford recorded it as well, and I always preferred his version.
 

adorshki

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Thank you Hans. Now why didn't I get out my Guild book and find that out myself? I have found that many folks out there don't like a know-it-all, especially when I used to say things such as "Why that's on page (whatever page) in Han's book". You know "throwing the book at them" or something. So I like to leave myself open to learning some of it as I go.

F44's came out after the period covered in the book so it wouldn't have helped.
 
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