Long-scale F20 info?

I got my 1976 F20 (ser. 138877) “Betty Lou” in nearly new condition in Dec 2006 from Millburn Music in NJ. It’s a curious instrument. I’m posting this as I’m curious as to the origin story of these long-scales. I’ve only seen one other one IRL like mine, similar year, identical pickguard. It sounds like a 12-fret Martin or Gibson dread or jumbo, and is super duper loud with a giant neck. I like that the bridge is so far down on the body, like a 12-fret Anybody know anything about these? What the thoughts were behind it, what they look like inside, etc? I’m also curious because the unusually figured fingerboard wood absolutely does not match the bridge, and looks and feels like Brazilian. It would make no sense to do that but I’m curious if that was ever a thing.

For a good chunk of the last 15 years-ish this was my main guitar, esp for travel and recording, but shd has definitely been through it, including me literally falling into a giant firepit at Kerrville one year (I don’t drink anymore, thankfully!). I’ve more or less retired her at this point - not because she’s falling apart but just very worn down and not as stageworthy as my 99 F30R. Every scratch on her is from me. Two years ago I replaced the original Grovers (which were square-shaped buttons) with these drop-in 18:1s, as the originals were truly worn out.

When I have the dough and find the right person to do it, I want to give her a proper neck reset/refret and maybe replace the bridge with an NOS piece (it was shaved down a few years ago by a tech who meant well when the action was too high but I don’t like it!).

Betty Lou looks good, Mya!

According to the bible, the increase to 25-1/2" scale occurred in 1976, so you have a version that isn't typical... I don't know how long it continued to be made after 1977...

If you're really interested in details, try to pick up a copy of Hans Moust's "The Guild Guitar Book" (a..k.a.,"the bible").

Thanks @chazmo ! Yeah, I knew they were pretty odd…I went on a deep dive on @GAD’s catalog pages today to see what they told me…what’s funniest to me is that so few of the pics in the 65-80 catalogs match what was actually produced that I’ve seen in the F30 and F20 realms. I’ll try to find a copy, I know it’s out of print but at this point I have to admit that I’m a Guild girl all the way and get it, since what, 60% of my collection of axes are made in Westerly…

In the mid ’70s, I bought a new long scale F-20. I’ll dig out an old Polaroid pic & post it later tonight. Loved the size, but it was a little too thin on the bass end, so it got traded in on a new F-30. Wonderful that you’ve enjoyed yours so much since ‘06!

The pickguard almost looks black, but it was tortoise.

bobouz said:

The pickguard almost looks black, but it was tortoise.

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According to what I read in the bible, yours must've been '76 or newer too, Bob. Your PG looks original too, Bob, unlike Mya's.

I had a 74 F-20 that was the same as yours. long scale, huge neck, same pickguard, big sound hole...sounded like a dread, not really like a small body F-20. Sold it to someone here

chazmo said:

According to what I read in the bible, yours must've been '76 or newer too, Bob. Your PG looks original too, Bob, unlike Mya's.

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Yes Charlie, I should have said I bought it new in the mid to late ‘70s, as the later style label confirms. Can’t at all remember for sure which year, but I definitely know it was a long scale (I was quite keyed into that at the time, having already owned a few short-scale Gibsons).

Yeah, I can confirm that this is, as far as I know, the original guard (the guitar was literally mint from the original owner), and the other I have seen IRL (and one online actually) has it too.

It’s funny that yours had the plate tuners- mine definitely didn’t! I’ve never seen them anywhere but on my guitar and there were no other screw holes. They’re Grovers with Kolb-style buttons; I’ll try and post a pic

chazmo said:

Betty Lou looks good, Mya!

According to the bible, the increase to 25-1/2" scale occurred in 1976, so you have a version that isn't typical... I don't know how long it continued to be made after 1977...

If you're really interested in details, try to pick up a copy of Hans Moust's "The Guild Guitar Book" (a..k.a.,"the bible").

Click to expand...

Looking at the sometimes not accurate dating chart, it looks like the F20 was discontinued after the 1986 model year, and then it shows some serial numbers from 1990-1992, but who knows if that's accurate. The F20 that I used to own that had an odd serial number that Hans told me was a "prototype" for the re-release in 1994.



It had a 1 11/16" nut, 25.5" scale, and arched back. @ladytexan's rare '86 maple has similar specs, so sometime between when @MyaByrne's guitar was made, until 1986, the switch to an arched back was made. I sold that guitar to @southernGuild in Oz, and regretted it, but there was no way to repatriate it, so I always had that model on my radar. Never did find a suitable one, as there's likely not very many of them. I am now quite happy with my Oxnard M40 (F20), even after not expecting to like it much with its short scale and solid back.

F20s sure have had a confusing history.

These are the originals.

MyaByrne said:

Yeah, I can confirm that this is, as far as I know, the original guard (the guitar was literally mint from the original owner), and the other I have seen IRL (and one online actually) has it too.

It’s funny that yours had the plate tuners- mine definitely didn’t! I’ve never seen them anywhere but on my guitar and there were no other screw holes. They’re Grovers with Kolb-style buttons; I’ll try and post a pic

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Thanks!

I'm far down the proverbial rabbit hole with respect to F20s . . . including pickguards. I like this one!

I still have this catalog, which iirc was from 1980. It was the first time I’d come across the F-20 or F-30 in an arched-back version: