1986 Guild F-44

Stuball48

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Well, what do yo think? My unprofessional solution is not wholly disagreeable to me, but it should still be done professionally at some point. Ian up at Lark Street Music can do it, but he's swamped for the next three months, so these will do until then. They are 5/16" plugs painted amber and will pop right out. I didn't glue them in.
Works for me and you get to play it the next three months or may leave it like that.
 

davismanLV

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For some reason I like the plugged holes better than left open. Not sure why, but especially if they're tight (not too tight) and removeable I'd say good enough!!
 

Andrew79

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Well, what do yo think? My unprofessional solution is not wholly disagreeable to me, but it should still be done professionally at some point. Ian up at Lark Street Music can do it, but he's swamped for the next three months, so these will do until then. They are 5/16" plugs painted amber and will pop right out. I didn't glue them in.
That looks like a very reasonable and not-unattractive temporary solution to me. Nice job.
 

CLMacPherson

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Those Gruhn era guitars are just fantastic. I'd love to find a decent D-60 to try out, but I've never seen one come up locally.
 

CLMacPherson

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I'm located in Idaho. The nearest city with any noticeable activity is Spokane, Wa.
 

plaidseason

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I have one too. And it's the one guitar I'll never sell!

When I bought my house in 2008, I sold (and yes I miss it) my Guild F30rls instead of the F44. The F30rls was magnificent. But my F44 is kind of soulmate. It's amazing guitar, and any time I let someone play it, they rave about.

Somewhere I have the Frets magazine review from way back when. If I can find it, I'll post it.
 

grayhermit

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I have some pretty amazing guitars hanging around the house these days, but I find myself playing the F-44 as much as any of them. My wife is our vocalist, and I back her up a lot. She comments on the F-44 every time I use it. It just has the smoothest, most even sound that is incredibly well suited for vocal back up.
 

grayhermit

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Still enjoying the F-44. So much so, I've decided to do some needed work and keep this one in fold. Getting a neck set, but the other big item that needs attention is the bridge plate. I'm curious if any of the Guild enthusiasts on this board have ever seen this. I've attached two pics of the plate. As you can see, the pin holes are at the very front. It's so far forward that the saddle is at the extreme front edge of the plate or maybe not over it all. It's very close. Too close, in my opinion. I just can't imagine this being by design. Now, the X-brace does appear to be farther back than you see on most guitars, but even so, it seems a plate the right size placed in the right spot should not be too much of a problem. I've decided to have the plate removed and a correctly sized replacement installed. My guy will also use a thinner piece of maple for the job. You can see how thick the current plate is and that's why I'd rather replace it completely instead of adding a correctly sized extension to the front of the plate as a couple of guys have suggested. Perhaps someone here has had a similar experience. If so, please chime in. I'd like to hear about it.
 

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bobouz

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My motto: If it's structurally stable & you like the tone, leave it alone! There are a slew of generalizations about best practices in guitar construction, but the wood in your instrument does not know or care about those generalization. Imho, they represent positive reference points to look for when assessing an instrument, but that's it, and each piece must then be assessed on it's own merit. If those generalizations completely drove our actions, there wouldn't be a single 1970s Guild left on the planet with a rosewood bridgeplate!

When you start to tinker with a key component like the bridgeplate, you will most likely alter the sound to some extent. Then the unknown raises it's head: Has the resulting change moved in a direction that you find more pleasing, or less pleasing - compared to what the guitar is doing for you now?

If you're unhappy with some aspect of the tone or have structural issues that must be corrected, by all means, tinker to your heart's content & maybe you'll realize a degree of improvement. But if you love it the way it sounds right now, consider that the original bridgeplate has been on there for 35 years, and is probably a very happy camper. If significantly modified, a portion of that lovely tone may disappear down an altered rabbit hole. I once had it happen with a sound I truly cherished, and it took me approximately forty years to once again come across the same model with that exact tone. Glad I lived long enough to hear & own version 2.0. It puts a smile on my face every time!
 

grayhermit

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Thanks for your perspective. It's accurate and appreciated. I have already considered your points in making this decision, and I realize there is an element of risk when changing a component as fundamental as the bridge plate. Bridge plates that are worn out get changed all the time, but not only are we changing it, we're moving it and thinning its mass, and I think therein lies the risk (or hopefully, the reward). But I, and my very experienced luthier, feel we're going to improve the guitar. Will we? I will let you know as soon as I get her back.
 

bobouz

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Best of luck to you as the project moves forward - hoping you will be well rewarded!
 

grayhermit

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The old bridge plate has been removed and new one made. The pics tell the story of just how misplaced the original bridge was. Plus, the new one is about half as thick as the original. I'm really getting anxious to play her. Work should be done soon.
 

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