Guild model "designations" - how many on your guitar?

walrus

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Just a random thought.

I'm using "designations" for the initials Guild has after certain models. What's the most "designations" Guild ever had on a Guitar model? What made me wonder is Acornhouse's post about the D25e at GC, bought by drc, where there was a discussion about what the "e" meant:

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?198271-D25e-299


My '11 F-30RCE has 3 designations. R - Indian rosewood, C - cutaway, E - electronics. There has to be guitar models with more - let's hear 'em!

walrus
 

fronobulax

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Not sure I understand the question. For example a B4CE is a Bass, Cutaway, Electronics. So two, maybe three designations (because there was a F4CE guitar). But every "B4" made had a cutaway and electronics so does it have zero? If the label says "B4CE BLK" we add one for the color designation. What about the labels that have an error, in the sense that some internal identifier got used instead of the catalog identifier? What about instruments that had no label but did have a catalog designation?

You have (in a good way because I am enjoying this) punched two of my buttons. I am a reformed software configuration manager so I am very concerned with assigning useful and unique identifiers to things. I also like to know why questions are being asked because that knowledge helps me provide a more useful answer or suggests different question.

Maybe we should look for the greatest number of characters in the model line on any style lable that has a "model" line?

:)
 

hansmoust

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Maybe we should look for the greatest number of characters in the model line on any style lable that has a "model" line?

If you want to do this right then you should only count the ones or groups that would have a meaning by themselves:

To make this clear:

NT means 'Natural Top'; that's just 1 designation, not 2.

CH SB means Cherry Sunburst; that would be 2.

GSR is 'Guild Special Run'; that would be 1 as well. So F 47 GSR KC would be 3.

Etc. etc.

But hey, your logic is as good as mine!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

SFIV1967

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The Orpheums had a lot handwritten on their labels. Just two examples: "12 Fr. S.H. 12 RW", "000 SH RW 12".
Other examples: "F-47CE HR", F-47MCE". Anyway, on normal models it seems to be 3 as maximum like in RCE or MCE or "F-47CE HR".
On Orpheums one can argue what is right. "12 Fr. S.H. 12 RW" and "000 SH RW 12" are basically 4 designations. That's probably it, I don't think we find one with 5.
Ralf
 

GAD

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M-80-CS-DC-NB

M80 Chrome Solidbody Double Cut Nature Boy

http://www.gad.net/Blog/2016/11/02/guild-1975-m80/
 

walrus

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I was not counting the model number. And then I was counting "letters" - apparently different from "designations" according to Hans, which makes sense given his examples.

So using the "Hans method" my F-30 RCE still works as "3" because each letter is a different meaning. I think...

walrus
 

adorshki

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The Orpheums had a lot handwritten on their labels. Just two examples: "12 Fr. S.H. 12 RW", "000 SH RW 12".
Other examples: "F-47CE HR", F-47MCE". Anyway, on normal models it seems to be 3 as maximum like in RCE or MCE or "F-47CE HR".
On Orpheums one can argue what is right. "12 Fr. S.H. 12 RW" and "000 SH RW 12" are basically 4 designations. That's probably it, I don't think we find one with 5.
Ralf

Were any of 'em Sunbursts?
:friendly_wink:

Edit:
When I first saw the thread title I thought it was going to ask:
"How many different model numbers has your guitar's basic construction formula been known as?"
And then there's the corollary:
"How many different construction formulae has Guild used for a given model number?"
:tongue-new:
:glee:
 
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SFIV1967

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Were any of 'em Sunbursts?
Boring... doesn't even show on the lable. My sunburst 12 string shows: "000 SHM 12". So less than the natural versions! And a F-47MCE in sunburst also shows no ATB even if it is. I have the feeling if too many letters were on the label they simply skipped the ATB designation...
Ralf
 

adorshki

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Boring... doesn't even show on the lable. My sunburst 12 string shows: "000 SHM 12". So less than the natural versions! And a F-47MCE in sunburst also shows no ATB even if it is. I have the feeling if too many letters were on the label they simply skipped the ATB designation...
Ralf

I didn't know, but was sure you would!
And asked more for humorous intent than anything else.
 

davismanLV

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And before GSR, like around 1994 they just used S. As in my D65S (Special Run of 20 for Guitar Center). Apparently they were more succinct in the old days..... LOL!! :encouragement:
 

adorshki

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And before GSR, like around 1994 they just used S. As in my D65S (Special Run of 20 for Guitar Center). Apparently they were more succinct in the old days..... LOL!! :encouragement:

"S" or "Spec" just meant "Special", without any reference to whether it was a "run" or how many were built, at least, during the period covered by the Guild Guitar Book.
More commonly they were just one-off special orders like Tommy Smothers' D50 Specials, and they weren't even always labeled as such (and I think it was problaby more common for electrics that flat-tops, but we've seen at least one double-pickguard flattop labeled as a "Spec", for example.
Sure yours is a legitimate "special" due to the detail variations (I only remember the headstock) but I think it's only coincidental that they actually built 20 of 'em for GC.
They built a run of D26's for 'em too but since they got their own model number they weren't labeled as "D25S"'s.
I also think it's coincidental that Guitar Center got 20 of 'em, in Westerly the build increments were normally batches of 8if it was actually a "run" and not a on-off.
So maybe they built 24 but only 20 of 'm got shipped.
In New Hartford the minimum requirement for special build like the proposed LTG Special was 20, for whatever reason.
So again I think it's just coincidence, I don't "S" was used to mean "Special Run" in Westerly.
They used "Limited Edition" (whether it was truly limited or not, as Hans has said about the F65ceRB's, for example, they weren't truly "limited", but they'd only build 'em when thy got ordered)
We've also seen "Limited Edition" on the TRC of a D25 fitted out with Gold hardware (and white binding? Somebody here owns it, Cherry-finished)
Ok, done.
:friendly_wink:
 
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davismanLV

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Al, could be it just means "Special" although they did a run of them and the number is 20 because the labels say so. Mine is 11/20. So that's some additional information that might help. Maybe not. Sorry if I used the wrong term......
 

adorshki

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Al, could be it just means "Special" although they did a run of them and the number is 20 because the labels say so. Mine is 11/20. So that's some additional information that might help. Maybe not.

Ah, forgot about that, but it does tend to confirm that they're making plain that there were 20 of this "Special" version of D65.
Waitaminnit...it's coming back to me now, you got a Cert of Authenticity, right?
What does it say?
(Seem to recall it says something like "This is #11 of 20 D65 Specials built for GC")
Sorry if I used the wrong term......
NO apologies necessary.
Was just trying to clarify why NH's "GSR" was a different animal than Westerly's "Special"
In NH the GSR's were built purely "on speculation":
"We're gonna make 20 of these high-level builds (plus or minus production fallout/overs) and put 'em up for sale, and then that's it.
Get 'em while you can"
Instant collector's items.
In Westerly "Special" just meant it was built or ordered with a spec or detail not found on the standard production model, but they were always based on production models.
 
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dreadnut

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My son's DV-52 is AB for "Antique Burst" and HG for "High Gloss." circa Westerly 1999.
 

mavuser

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there are some wonky ones that are possibly one offs left to the label author and the power of the pen. have seen an M-80 designated M-80-SB-CS-DC (DC totally not standard- appears to mean “double cut”)

a1970 “M-20 cherry Pol.” which appears to mean “polished” (as in HG as opposed to satin). never seen another like that

but the best are the ones that straight up say “Cherry” when it is actually Sunburst, or “SB” when it is actually cherry. hey, u had a 50 percent chance of being correct. ill take those odds any day of the week!
 

adorshki

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there are some wonky ones that are possibly one offs left to the label author and the power of the pen. have seen an M-80 designated M-80-SB-CS-DC (DC totally not standard- appears to mean “double cut”)

Still topped out at 4 total model options on label.
:glee:

but the best are the ones that straight up say “Cherry” when it is actually Sunburst, or “SB” when it is actually cherry. hey, u had a 50 percent chance of being correct. ill take those odds any day of the week!

Love it.
 
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