Looking for my old M65 3/4 Freshman

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Aloha from Hawaii! New member here, and I am hoping someone can help me.
I'm searching for my first guitar that I stupidly sold as a teenager. I know it's a long shot, but it's worth a try.
In September of 1978, my parents bought me my first guitar. My pal at school offered me his Guild guitar, and a no name tube amp, in a package deal for $50!
With what I know now, it was a late 50s, natural finish, Guild M65 3/4 Freshman.
It had the script logo, ghost sticker, 1 Franz soapbar pickup, harp tailpiece, and metal round topped knobs. From what I can tell, it was a very early one, from probably '58, or '59.
I played this guitar for a while, then ended up trading it, plus a Strat copy, and a LP copy, for a 65 Gibson Melody Maker with 2 humbuckers. As a young kid trying to be Jimmy Page, a 3/4 scale hollow body guitar was not practical for what I was going for.
Not too many years later, I grew to deeply regret selling my first guitar. Now that both my parents are gone, it aches even more. I get tears in my eyes, thinking about that guitar. I always tell young players who are serious about the instrument, "Never sell your first guitar!"
I have searched all over the Internet for this guitar, with no luck. The closest I've come is a vintage shop in Florida that had one almost identical. But, it had the original pickguard (mine didn't), original case (I had no case), and it was in better shape than I remember mine being in.
I've seen a few blonde Freshmans similar to mine, but always with slight differences. Mine had the metal, round topped knobs, which I've rarely ever seen on any Freshmans, in any finish.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of my old guitar, nor did I ever think to write down the serial number.
I traded it to a record store called "Hungry Ear" in Kailua, Hi. The owner, Luke, was a great guy. It was a record store, but he being a player, he always had guitars for sale, as well.
When I asked Luke about the guitar years later, he could not recall who eventually bought it.
Years later, I did buy a sunburst Freshman on ebay, hoping to fill that void. Structurally, it was just like my original one, but of course, a different color, and had different knobs. It was a sweet guitar, but it wasn't MY guitar, so I consigned it at Emerald City Guitars in Seattle, and the great Bill Frisell ended up buying it!
Sorry for the long winded thread, but it would mean the world to me if I could find my first guitar again. I know it's a long shot, but I would be appreciative of any help I can get.
If possible, I'd be willing to buy it back from whoever may have it. And, yes, I will pay more than the $50 I paid for it in 1978, lol!
I've been playing since 1978, and still continue to do weekly gigs. This is the guitar that parents bought for me that started me on this journey. Just thinking about that guitar reminds me of the little house we lived in near the beach, and the excitement of falling in love with rock n roll guitar, in a time in my life that brings me comforting memories.
If anyone has any idea of its whereabouts, I'd be deeply grateful.
Thank you,
Fraish
 

SFIV1967

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Welcome to LTG!
Great story and a few questions come up.
When you say 3/4 size you really mean the 19 fret neck and not the normal 22 fret neck?

I only ask because this below example from late 1958 matches all your descriptions in general (plus the pickguard which was missing on your one) but is a full size model, not the 3/4 model:

1632689534008.png

Ralf
 
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Welcome to LTG!
Great story and a few questions come up.
When you say 3/4 size you really mean the 19 fret neck and not the normal 22 fret neck?

I only ask because this below example from late 1958 matches all your descriptions in general but is a full size model, not the 3/4 model:

1632689534008.png

Ralf
Hi, Ralf!
That is exactly what mine looked like cosmetically, minus the pickguard. I believe that is the same one that was in the Florida shop. Was that a full scale M65? For some reason, I thought it was a short scale. Mine was definitely not the full sized model. I didn't know that there were 19 fret models. Mine seemed very small, and I've seen them referred to as "3/4 Freshman".
I will have to look into that more, but I know mine (and the sunburst one I bought later) were smaller guitars.
Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it
 
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Hi, Ralf!
That is exactly what mine looked like cosmetically, minus the pickguard. I believe that is the same one that was in the Florida shop. Was that a full scale M65? For some reason, I thought it was a short scale. Mine was definitely not the full sized model. I didn't know that there were 19 fret models. Mine seemed very small, and I've seen them referred to as "3/4 Freshman".
I will have to look into that more, but I know mine (and the sunburst one I bought later) were smaller guitars.
Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it
Hey, Ralf. Looking at pictures online, I'm certain that mine was a 19 fret model. I've seen those referred to as "Freshman 3/4" so that's what I call it. Not sure what the scale actually was, but mine had 19 frets, for sure. Thanks for the clarification.
 

SFIV1967

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Sometimes people referred to them as 3/4 size due to the body size but the "real" 3/4 size was the one with the 19 fret neck (later 20 frets) and the "full size" had the 22 frets.

Our member "The Guilds of Grot" shows them both next to each other, here the 22 fret on the left and the later 20 fret neck version on the right. The body size was always the same.

1632690801095.png

Ralf
 
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Sometimes people referred to them as 3/4 size due to the body size but the "real" 3/4 size was the one with the 19 fret neck (later 20 frets) and the "full size" had the 22 frets.

Our member "The Guilds of Grot" shows them both next to each other, here the 22 fret on the left and the later 20 fret neck version on the right. The body size was always the same.

1632690801095.png

Ralf
Thanks, Ralf. Mine was a 19 fret, for sure. So, the "3/4" refers to the 19 fret models. Good to know.
Mine had the metal knobs, like the one in the first photo you sent. I've rarely ever seen those knobs on any M65s.
 

SFIV1967

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The 1960 catalog already showed them both with the clear plastic knobs, so the metal knobs were really only on the earlier models.

1632692407245.png

Ralf
 
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The 1960 catalog already showed them both with the clear plastic knobs, so the metal knobs were really only on the earlier models.

1632692407245.png

Ralf
Yeah, I'm thinking '58, or '59. The sunburst I bought later was a '60, and it had funky looking black knobs.
 

walrus

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Welcome, Fraish, and good luck in your quest! A long shot, but an interesting tale!

walrus
 
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Never too late. And ya just never know. Even if it ain't here now it might pop up. This place is funny like that. :)
Welcome aboard!

And great introduction story!
Thank you, Adorshki!
 
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