1964 F30 Good Buy?

[clbraddock]

I came across a local 1964 F-30 Aragon (refinished). It’s had a neck reset and refret and the action is actually excellent. It also has a couple cracks that have been glued and cleated. Has a good sound to it. Is $1,699 a decent price for something like that? Should I be concerned about the cracks and/or do they affect the sound much? I liked the guitar, but don’t urgently need another guitar - so that’s why I’m curious about if that is a good buy or if I should just buy a different F30 someday down the road.

 

[jedzep]

Hmmm, I'd say in the ballpark if you're a H'boken era 000 guild fan (like me), I'm not a fan of that (replaced?!) bridge style, but with nice vintage tone and reset, there are plenty of plusses.

 

[clbraddock]

You don’t think that’s the original bridge?

 

[jedzep]

Others in the know may dispute my guess, but here's my '63. I thought this style didn't change until near 1970.

 

[adorshki]

You don’t think that’s the original bridge?

Guranteed it's not. Early F30 bridges didn't have "wings" and drop-in saddles didn't come in til '67.
'64 catalog:

 

[adorshki]

Others in the know may dispute my guess, but here's my '63. I thought this style didn't change until near 1970.

Actually '76 catalog still shows that bridge style. First "modern" bridge I see is on the '83 archbacks:

Granted there's a few years missing and the '76 and '80 catalogs look like the same "generic" image. So it might have happened earlier.

 

[clbraddock]

Interesting. I’m learning about cut through saddles for the first time. I never knew that was a thing until now

 

[clbraddock]

Here is the badge on this one

 

[adorshki]

Interesting. I’m learning about cut through saddles for the first time. I never knew that was a thing until now.

And not to imply that replaced bridge's a "bad thing", except to originality purists. The price does seem to be skewed for "originality", though, so there's that.

 

[adorshki]

Here is the badge on this one

According to this chart I'm seeing a '65.
https://guildguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/history_of_your_guild.pdf
It was built before they implemented the alpha-numeric s/n's during '65. I can't recall ever seeing them do an s/n system change (or just about anything, for that matter) on the calendar new year date.

 

[Westerly Wood]

I think it is a good price for a 1964 F30 in good condition.

 

[clbraddock]

Is that the price a more original one would go for, or a good price for one that’s been refinished, repaired cracks, replaced bridge, etc?

 

[adorshki]

Is that the price a more original one would go for, or a good price for one that’s been refinished, repaired cracks, replaced bridge, etc?

The repairs certainly add value, but the bridge technically would be a deduct in a formal appraisal. I'm thinking more in the 12-14 range, but I don't follow the market very much. Also, does it have a case?

Other issues seem to affect the market as well: When a guitar's out of production (like domestic F30's) it tends to raise the price, but if Guild announces a revival (not the case here), sellers seem to want to unload more quickly before their "scarcity" advantage is gone.Simply having been built in Hoboken is more than enough for lot of folks here, though.

Sounds like you tried it and liked it, but just want to be sure you're not "overpaying"? Everything being as you described, and with a case, I'd have no worries at $1400. Others may be better informed about current market, though.

 

[Norrissey]

Here is the badge on this one

I'm not 100% sure that is a 1964 label, it might be a 1970. I would double check with @hansmoust

 

[adorshki]

I'm not 100% sure that is a 1964 label, it might be a 1970. I would double check with @hansmoust

First number for '70 after change back to pure numeric system was 46696. 45006 would have been early '65 before the change to alpha-numeric s/n.
https://guildguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/history_of_your_guild.pdf

Edit and for @clbraddock 's insight, Guild did use Hoboken labels well into the Westerly era, (there's a good case to be made for it being due to Al Dronge's philosophy of letting no good part go unwasted), then reverted to a "no location" label for couple of years before Westerly labels finally showed up ca '72 IIRC. Thus Norissey's question.

 

[jedzep]

My feeling is that an all original '64 in good+ playing condition would push toward 2K. I don't know the details of this one's neck, but some versions had slightly wider finger boards. The ones that don't have too narrow a nut and string spacing (1 5/8") for me to play. I got lucky with mine and was able to squeeze on an 1 3/4" nut.

 

[bobouz]

Actually '76 catalog still shows that bridge style. First "modern" bridge I see is on the '83 archbacks:

Granted there's a few years missing and the '76 and '80 catalogs look like the same "generic" image. So it might have happened earlier.

The catalogs were way off. The small-jumbo shaped F-30 first appeared in late 1972, so by that time, both the earlier bridge and the 000 body shape were already in the rear view mirror.

 

[adorshki]

The catalogs were way off. The small-jumbo shaped F-30 first appeared in late 1972, so by that time, both the earlier bridge and the 000 body shape were already in the rear view mirror.

Thank you sir. I knew catlog pics have been an ongoing issue, thus my "caveat" about the catalog images.

 

[bobouz]

Thank you sir. I knew catlog pics have been an ongoing issue, thus my "caveat" about the catalog images.

Without a doubt, catalog updates were not a top priority. The small-jumbo F-30 was one of four Guilds I purchased new back in the day. When browsing the available catalog, I got to the F-30 and went, What The Heck!

 

[Br1ck]

The only real reason to buy a guitar is if you can't not. If you can bring yourself to leave a shop, my inclination is that it was just another really good guitar. My method is not nearly as fun, but that guitar you buy every five to ten years will be a keeper.