Questions about the Guild F-30

adorshki

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Moved from other thread...


I’m looking into hog backed F30s with a 1-3/4 nut. Not interested in the F30R or 1-11/16 Aragon at this point. My questions center on “general” differences in 1) sound, 2) playability and 3) quality/consistency from the different time periods or factories.

For example, did the dimensions, bracing, necks, wood sub species or other key materials change over the years that make a noticeable difference?

Are there generally recognized periods or factories to seek out or be wary of?
(copied and amended from another thread)
Bracing is a very cloudy issue here, even Hans makes no mentions in his book, I could only guess at reasons why, but I can just about guarantee there's going to be a bracing difference between the short and long scale versions because of different bridge placement if nothing else.
Another issue is that unless you know for sure an instrument is "as built", how can you tell if those shaved or even scalloped braces you see with an inspection mirror are actually unmodified?
A note on 1-3/4 nut, corroborrating Acornhouse's input:
You're going to have to ask every seller specifically because during Westerly at least, we know Guild put off-spec nuts on models virtually on a whim. Or maybe to fill a special order, and not all of those were labeled as such.
There's been many reports of that although I don't recall one about F30's specifically. It's most commonly reported on dreadnoughts.
Best advice? You want a 1-3/4" nut with a 'hog back?
Get a New Hartford F30 Standard and don't look back.
They've got virtual unanimous owner approval, with possible exception of maybe one guy who decided the F30 tone just wasn't his cup of tea?
Oh yes, nut widths could even have been 1-5/8 on a shortscale neck in Hoboken build era.
And neck profiles have also been reported to vary over time, but as a broad generalization I seem to recall a greater percentage of ""thicker" profiles from earlier production (Hoboken and early Westerly) than later.
My personal belief is that variation in profiles from year to year was intentional simply to ensure they were "covering all the possibilities" for potential buyers.
Another reason for slighter variations from a generally thicker or thinner "target" profile is that in Westerly at least, every single neck was given final shaping by hand, on a belt or cone sander.
So no 2 are actually identical except by chance.
Final note:
Avoid Corona F30's at all costs.
They'd be counterfeits.
Corona didn't make F30's.
:friendly_wink:
 
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adorshki

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Ok so all NH Standards, (not the Traditionals?) and maybe some random Westerly will have a 1-3/4 nut. That limits things bit. Thanks.
In a word, yes, for F30's.
The F30 Aragon was the "Traditional" model from New Hartford.
But even Hoboken could have put out some 1-3/4 nut examples.
They did it for sure on some '64 D40's and D50's and even put flatter fretboards on 'em to appeal to the bluegrass market.
An intentional run with those specs.
But no identifying marks. You'd have to measure to know.
Wouldn't surprise me at all to find out some F30's were done that way too, for the exact same reason.
Think Mississippi John Hurt, fingerpicking.
Paul Simon, too.
 

HeyMikey

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Damn, and I thought for a nanosecond that I had it all figured out! I will definitely steer clear of any craigslist Corona F30 deals.

I’ve asked three F30 sellers about nut width and not one has answered the question. So it’s nice to know that NH std is good to go. Just as bad is trying to get them to lay a straight edge down the neck to the bridge. Though they are always eager to repeat that the guitar plays and sounds great
 
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adorshki

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I’ve asked three F30 sellers about nut width and not one has answered the question. So it’s nice to know that NH std is good to go. Just as bad is trying to get them to lay a straight edge down the neck to the bridge. Though they are always eager to repeat that the guitar plays and sounds great
Amateurs.
Meh.
:biggrin-new:
 

AcornHouse

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One other option, beloved of our own Killdeer, is, if you want even wider, to use an F-112 (same size as an F-30), and switch it to a 6-string. That has a 1-7/8” nut.
 

F312

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One other option, beloved of our own Killdeer, is, if you want even wider, to use an F-112 (same size as an F-30), and switch it to a 6-string. That has a 1-7/8” nut.

Didn't some come with 1-13/16"
 

adorshki

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Didn't some come with 1-13/16"
I thought that was the standard 12-string spec myself but apparently some very early ones were even wider.
There's that legendary Guild variety again.
Don't like the one you're holding now?
No worries!
Try another!
 

AcornHouse

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Could be 1-13/16”. I wasn’t using my best ruler; I’d just come home; I was surrounded by felines...you get the picture.
 

adorshki

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Could be 1-13/16”. I wasn’t using my best ruler; I’d just come home; I was surrounded by felines...you get the picture.

At least some early F212's were built with 52mm (almost a full 2" classical width) nuts.
It's what got Ralph Towner attracted to the brand.
So knowing Guild one has to consider the possibility that F112's could have gotten something pretty wide too.
But I'm pretty sure Joe's is a 1-13/16 version.
Although he cut a new nut to get the strings centered on it.
For that matter we've had reports of getting "narrow" nuts replaced with something with just enough wider spacing to still fit and yet offer that nth of extra spacing that made a guitar more playable for the owner.
Marcellis did it with his F65ce which came with 1-5/8 nuts.
 

adorshki

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One on reverb right now that fits your specs:

https://reverb.com/item/11041127-guild-f-30-recent-natural

walrus
Think that listing might be wrong about the nut width.
I don't think the Tacoma F30's got 1-3/4 nuts. I think only the CO-1 and -2 did.
Think I confirmed that when I was researching for accuracy, before I mentioned 'em earlier in this thread.
Ahhh, here we go, Tacoma catalog page:
f-30%20-%201_zpsyhojdhe6.jpg

In case it's too small to read, description calls out 1-11/16 nut on F30 Aragon
 
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walrus

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Think that listing might be wrong about the nut width.
I don't think the Tacoma F30's got 1-3/4 nuts. I think only the CO-1 and -2 did.
Think I confirmed that when I was researching for accuracy, before I mentioned 'em earlier in this thread.
But just advising to call and check first, if it's of interest.

I'm assuming the seller measured it, but agreed - a photo of said measurement may be in order...

walrus
 

adorshki

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I'm assuming the seller measured it, but agreed - a photo of said measurement may be in order...

walrus

See my edited post with Tacoma catalog page...
Since seller called it "recent" at 12 years old I suspected all they really did was use the first set of specs that popped up.
For a New Hartford.
Amateurs.
Meh.
:highly_amused:
 

HeyMikey

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No offense to anyone that has done it but having fallen in love with my F112 I could never convert one to a 6 string. Nope, couldn’t do it.
 
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