Guild JF-30 Production Date/Serial Number question?

I recently purchased a supposedly 1996 Guild JF-30 maple sunburst with serial number AJ 301296. According to the website serial number number lists, the guitar is a 1996 model.
However, the neck block corner has an April xx, 2000 date ink stamp!
The guitar has the later Guild oval label with matching serial number and RI address. Also came with original hardshell case - TKL type with gold Guild script logo on lid.

I have read that some Corona made Guilds had Guild RI labels, is that true?
I fear this may be one of them. The guitar is mint and there are no problems that I have noticed.

I wrote previously about a 1987 Guild D-15M I had with date of "6-67" stamped below the serial number. That model was not made in 1967 and should have been stamped "6-87". I also had a 1973 Guild D-25 Cherry with NO serial number on the headstock, with original finish!

What is the accepted production date - serial number, or the neck block ink stamping?

Is it possible that the neck block date is another typo being four years off ?

Regards,
Perry

Serial number on soundhole label is the official date as far as i know

Mine is the same way. I have AJ 301308, with a June 2000 stamping on the neck block. I think the neck block would be the most accurate date. When did they move to Corona, I thought it was like 01? I think we have Fender Westerly's. I've seen alot of Coronas that have a Fender stamp on the headstock and we don't have that(which is good). I'm sure someone knows more about this.

BTW, our guitars are so close they're prolly made out of the same freak'n tree!!! Does your spruce have bear claw? Mine does, I think they were using the last of the wood in RI.

Perry said:

I recently purchased a supposedly 1996 Guild JF-30 maple sunburst with serial number AJ 301296. According to the website serial number number lists, the guitar is a 1996 model.
However, the neck block corner has an April xx, 2000 date ink stamp! Is it possible that the neck block date is another typo being four years off ?

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3hundy said:

Mine is the same way. I have AJ 301308, with a June 2000 stamping on the neck block. I think the neck block would be the most accurate date. When did they move to Corona, I thought it was like 01? I think we have Fender Westerly's. I've seen a lot of Coronas that have a Fender stamp on the headstock and we don't have that(which is good). I'm sure someone knows more about this.

Click to expand...

Hello Perry and 3hundy,

Both your guitars are from the year 2000. I noticed these serial number irregularities as well and it was one of the things I was able to figure out while going through the original production ledgers at the Guild factory in Westerly, around the time they closed their doors.

It turns out that during the year 1999 a mistake was made by the person who was responsible for keeping track of the serial numbers. Because of that mistake the serial numbers for the JF-30 ‘dropped’ down with 2000 and consequently all the serial numbers after that were numbers already used during 1995 and 1996. This means that all these guitars have duplicate serial numbers and the easiest way to tell one from the other is by looking at the neck block date.

Unfortunately, this not only happened just to the JF-30 serial numbers.
It happened to the serial numbers of several other models as well although not all at the same time. All that information will be in the new 'updated' serial number list.

Perry said:

What is the accepted production date - serial number, or the neck block ink stamping?

Click to expand...

The serial number is the accepted way to find out the production date. However, for a better understanding of Guild serial numbers, you also might want to read this posting:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4480

Perry said:

I have read that some Corona made Guilds had Guild RI labels, is that true?

Click to expand...

That is absolutely not true!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

Hi Hans & 3hundy,

HANS - Thanks for your quick reply. I am sure you do not remember, but I met you at the 1994 Arlington vintage guitar show. Purchased your excellent Guild book directly from you with autograph. It has been a valuable reference. Looking forward to your next Guild book. Thanks for clarifying my serial number question. I am also grateful my guitar is made in RI as labelled.

3hundy - Yes, our JF-30's are very close. Think mine had June 18 (or 21) 2000 date on the neck block. Hans included a link to his earlier posting explaining how Guilds were made in batches, left partially completed, then finished later when ordered. Our two guitars were probably made in same batch, or at least finished at the same time.

The spruce top has VERY fine even grain, not much bear claw, or the sunburst finish is hiding it. The maple has moderate flame. Guitar has larger neck than most other Guilds I have. I prefer this neck profile to some of the small neck 1980's and 1990's D-models that I had and sold.

Regards,
Perry

Perry.

You have a PM.

Coastie

hansmoust said:

The serial number is the accepted way to find out the production date. However, for a better understanding of Guild serial numbers, you also might want to read this posting:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4480

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The post noted above has come up several times and has been extremely useful. Any way it could be made sticky? Perhaps a new area - "Hans on Serial Numbers"?

I have a similar JF-30 of the same series...AJ301373....Mine has no date stamped on neck block or elsewhere that I can find. Mine had been unsold in a local music store until I bought it in Nov. '03., when it 'called my name'! What a great guitar. I have several acoustics(mostly Gibson)...But this one ranks at the top in tone and playability. It is drop-dead beauty as well. Nice to know its a 2000..Rod

retrorod said:

I have a similar JF-30 of the same series...AJ301373....Mine has no date stamped on neck block or elsewhere that I can find. Mine had been unsold in a local music store until I bought it in Nov. '03., Nice to know its a 2000..Rod

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Hello Rod,

Yes, in this case a very late model 2000.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

High. I just bought a D50ce. I played and owned lots of others, 2 taylors 510ce and 614ce got rid of them, played Breedlove, Martin.........looking for good 2-3K guitar. I own to other Guilds d40 (1968) and Jf55 12 string....All I can say is nothing sound like a guild.

So can anyone help with production schedule (serial numberCVP000475) to date my D50ce.

tj4102 said:

High. I just bought a D50ce. I played and owned lots of others, 2 taylors 510ce and 614ce got rid of them, played Breedlove, Martin.........looking for good 2-3K guitar. I own to other Guilds d40 (1968) and Jf55 12 string....All I can say is nothing sound like a guild.

So can anyone help with production schedule (serial numberCVP000475) to date my D50ce.

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Hello tj,

Welcome! Your D50CE was made in 2002 in Corona, CA.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

3hundy said:

Mine is the same way. I have AJ 301308, with a June 2000 stamping on the neck block. I think the neck block would be the most accurate date. When did they move to Corona, I thought it was like 01? I think we have Fender Westerly's. I've seen alot of Coronas that have a Fender stamp on the headstock and we don't have that(which is good). I'm sure someone knows more about this.

BTW, our guitars are so close they're prolly made out of the same freak'n tree!!! Does your spruce have bear claw? Mine does, I think they were using the last of the wood in RI.

Click to expand...

My JF-30 has the serial number AJ 301308! Am I the proud owner of your old guitar or is there something mysterious going on here….?

Sure you have the 2000 year and not the 1996?

I have AJ301179

I just purchased a JF30-12 from an original owner, which he never played it. I have the original purchase receipt from the music store, from March 2005. It was the last new one out of the box at the store. He didn’t know what the actual year was. Maybe end of 2003 at the end of US production for the JF30? I have everything that came with the guitar including a 2003 Guild catalog with that guitar in it. SN CTT000526. It has a Fishman matrix pickup. And it seems the later JF30-12s had mahogany necks in lieu of maple. 2003 catalog has three piece mah/ma/mah

Bob, I think your JF30-12 was made in Corona, CA, not in Westerly.

Wow, serious necro-thread revival here! So, yeah, the neck specs changed when Westerly production ended. Some of the tiger-stripe maple necks from those '90s JF-30s were spectacular. Heavy, though.

How do I know if it’s -96 or -00?

Pasi said:

How do I know if it’s -96 or -00?

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Neck block date

That's a JF-30 from 1996.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Wow. That was fast. Thank you.