Maybe we've been wrong about those TRC's for all these years?

While perusing Han's book recently, something jumped out at me on pg. 80 of the first edition of the softcover version, on the headstock of a '68 George Barnes AE Custom.
Looked for all the world like a Gibson shaped TRC cover with their orientation.
(Not that there's anything wrong with that, heh heh)
A Google image search just now would seem to indicate it wasn't the only one.
(Apologies for the size)

Only difference is that the one in Hans book had a light colored (gold?) TRC.
I've seen light (white?)TRC's from the mid-60's such as on one of Jeff Beck's F-body 12-strings and what had to have been a '64 or '65 dreadnought 12-string that was in a video from a TV show.
Impossible to deduce at the time if it was a D40 or D50, image quality was just too blurry, but stuck in my memory 'cause it was so rare, possibly a one-of-a-kind, had to have been a special order or possibly a prototype exploration for a dreadnaught 12 counterpart for the the brand new F212/312.
I seemed to remember it was Harry Nilsson's first band with a brother (or 2?) and the song titled was something about their father, but couldn't find it again on a couple of image searches here a couple of years later.
Great write-up about that Acoustilectric here, btw, and they seem to know their stuff:
http://www.pantherguitars.com/sold-...rnes-guild-acousti-lectric-model-jazz-archtop
Lots of photos and a letter from George's daughter who's posted here herself a couple of times.
Anyway, maybe we need to cut some slack to all those sellers who insist on offering Guilds with disoriented TRC's?
Na-a-a-a-h-h-h................
:friendly_wink:

I personally don't have a problem with transdirectional TRC's.

ɥʇᴉʍ pǝʎɐld ǝq oʇ ǝpɐW

Ralph

F312 said:

ɥʇᴉʍ pǝʎɐld ǝq oʇ ǝpɐW

Ralph

Click to expand...

Left.
ER, Right.
(btw, good to hear from you Terry!
Which way's it pointin'?!
:glee

adorshki said:

Only difference is that the one in Hans book had a light colored (gold?) TRC.

Click to expand...

It looked like brass or aluminuium. But Hans also wrote on page 80: "The custom truss rod cover is not original and was added later".
He shows the original version on page 172 by the way with a standard metal and shield TRC on the lower left side.

And for sure that plastic TRC you posted is 100% a Gibson one and is also not original to that George Barnes model.

This one seems to be a different original version:

adorshki said:

I've seen light (white?)TRC's from the mid-60's such as on one of Jeff Beck's F-body 12-strings and what had to have been a '64 or '65 dreadnought 12-string that was in a video from a TV show.
Impossible to deduce at the time if it was a D40 or D50, image quality was just too blurry, but stuck in my memory 'cause it was so rare, possibly a one-of-a-kind, had to have been a special order or possibly a prototype exploration for a dreadnaught 12 counterpart for the the brand new F212/312.
I seemed to remember it was Harry Nilsson's first band with a brother (or 2?) and the song titled was something about their father, but couldn't find it again on a couple of image searches here a couple of years later.

Click to expand...

That was Jeff beck during his time at the Yardbirds in 1965. At that time it could have been a F-212 or a F-312. Dreadnought 12 string is impossible in 1965 I'd say. But who knows. In general it took Guild about 9 years more for that. (1974)





I have no idea what this egg shaped TRC was...


In recent times Jeff Beck toured with a F-512:




Ralf

SFIV1967 said:

It looked like brass or aluminuium. But Hans also wrote on page 80: "The custom truss rod cover is not original and was added later".
He shows the original version on page 172 by the way with a standard metal and shield TRC on the lower left side.

Click to expand...

Ah, missed that, was so focused on noting the model so I could do an image search, thanks!

SFIV1967 said:

And for sure that plastic TRC you posted is 100% a Gibson one and is also not original to that George Barnes model.
This one seems to be a different original version:

Click to expand...

Yeah I was wondering about that myself, somehow the engraving on that "#11" didn't seem correct, either.

SFIV1967 said:

That was Jeff beck during his time at the Yardbirds in 1965. At that time it could have been a F-212 or a F-312. Dreadnought 12 string is impossible in 1965 I'd say. But who knows. In general it took Guild about 9 years more for that. (1974)

Click to expand...

Nope, absolutely 100% guaranteed Guild dreadnought 12, rooftop logo clearly visible, and that same light colored TRC was what sealed it for me.
And TV show clip was '65.
I tried a couple of different search terms but apparently it wasn't Nilsson.
Definitely a moderately well-known solo artist later on, it must have been his first band which was the original reason it had been pulled down from YouTube by the poster, and the Guild sighting turned out to be a bonus and subject of surprise due to the year.
"Trust me on this one."
This is one of those that stuck with me because it WAS so unusual, never seen anything like it before or since, and as I mentioned, the era would have coincided perfectly with the introduction of the F212/312; and we know how flexible they were about custom orders.
Tommy Smothers' D50 specials, for example:
D50's with F50 necks.
Is it really such a jump to see them putting an F-212 neck on a dreadnought, with an appropriately braced top and neckblock?
Why it took 'em so long to actually make a production model after that, who knows?
Maybe it was all they could do to meet the demand they already had for the F-bodies of both types, until dreadnoughts started passing 'em up in the overall market?
:friendly_wink:

Looks like that same 12 string F-212 with the DeArmond soundhole pickup from Jeff Beck was also played by Chris Dreja sometimes, but in an interview he didn't mention a Guild.



Ralf

SFIV1967 said:

Looks like that same 12 string F-212 with the DeArmond soundhole pickup from Jeff Beck was also played by Chris Dreja sometimes, but in an interview he didn't mention a Guild.

Ralf

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Right, Dreja had to play it when Beck needed to play the solos for "Heart Full of Soul", live.
But except for new members who may not know, we've known for a long time about Jeff's early use, probably the first recordings of Guild 12's.

adorshki said:

Left.
ER, Right.
(btw, good to hear from you Terry!
Which way's it pointin'?!
:glee

Click to expand...

Straight. . .:loyal:

adorshki said:

Nope, absolutely 100% guaranteed Guild dreadnought 12, rooftop logo clearly visible, and that same light colored TRC was what sealed it for me. And TV show clip was '65. I tried a couple of different search terms but apparently it wasn't Nilsson.

Click to expand...

I also searched tons of old pictures but couldn't find anything on that topic.
Ralf

SFIV1967 said:

I also searched tons of old pictures but couldn't find anything on that topic.
Ralf

Click to expand...

It was a video of the (US) television show performance, can't remember he name of the show either, just that I think the song title was something about "my father".

Heart full of soul was on a Guild?

;-)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1qZBFiOLU

Guildedagain said:

"Heart full of soul" was on a Guild?

Click to expand...

Yes, that is where the picture came from when Chris Dreja played Jeff Beck's F-212. But Al was looking for a Guild dreadnought prototype.



Ralf

Guildedagain said:

Heart full of soul was on a Guild?

;-)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1qZBFiOLU

Click to expand...

It also came in useful for subbing for the harpsichord (played, btw, by Brain Auger on the single) when performing "For Your Love".