Dating a Guild Mark III... fake?

[camcam]

Hi gang,

I'm a Guild lover/owner going back to 2004, but this is my first post. The reason being that I just received a, from what I'm told, Mark III from the early 70s. The onus is on me for not checking the serial number first, but now I'm worried that something ain't stirring the Kool Aid.

The SN is CC 1742. You all probably know this runs past the documented classical numbers, but Guild is good for bad documentation, so that isn't too detrimental to the cause.
What has me worried is that there is no stamped headstock. There is a literal stamp on the interior neck heel block that matches the label, but that doesn't immediately alleviate my concerns. Also, the rosette doesn't seem to match other Mark III model images that I've quickly searched.

Thoughts, questions, concerns...did I get taken?

Cheers, community.
CAM.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome. If you flashed that label, all by itself, at me I'm not sure I would have said "late '60's" and would have guessed earlier. But if Guild could use Hoboken labels for guitars made in Westerly, they could use real old labels on a low production model. The Guild on the bracing looks spot on. Rosette doesn't bother me and I am pretty sure the Mark series did not have a stamped headstock.

The rosette similarities to this Mark VI are noted.

The thread (source of the above) at https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/mark-guitar-rosettes-decals-or-inlays.208215/ might be of interest while waiting for a better answer (or for me to pull out Mrs. Fro's Mark IV).

 

[Heath]

Yes, I’m looking at a Mark IV that does not have a stamped headstock. Wasn’t what they did on their classical guitars. That label looks legit too, could the serial number be a sloppy CC1142?

 

[camcam]

Immediate thanks to fronobulax and Heath, you two legends. I must be mistaken that all acoustics had stamped headstocks. And the Hoboken label didn't jibe. I'm sure this was made in Westerly, but no matter. I know Guild liked to use up all labels that may be lying around.

 

[fronobulax]

Yes, I’m looking at a Mark IV that does not have a stamped headstock. Wasn’t what they did on their classical guitars. That label looks legit too, could the serial number be a sloppy 1142?

A sloppy 1142 dates to the early '50's which predates the Mark series. Thanks for the confirmation about the lack of a headstock stamp.

 

[Heath]

A sloppy 1142 dates to the early '50's which predates the Mark series. Thanks for the confirmation about the lack of a headstock stamp.

If I’m reading the chart right, CC1142 dates it to 1968.

 

[camcam]

Yes, I was trying to convince myself that it was an 1142 at first, but the serif font stamp on the inside heel block is a clear "7."
I could not get a clear photo of it, however.

 

[hansmoust]

Hello camcam,

Welcome! That particular Mark III was completed during the year 1970.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[AcornHouse]

Interesting that they didn’t have headstock stamps at this period. That must have changed shortly after because my now former Mark IVp does indeed have a headstock stamp, for which I am grateful because the label was long gone before I got it.

 

[camcam]

Interesting that they didn’t have headstock stamps at this period. That must have changed shortly after because my now former Mark IVp does indeed have a headstock stamp, for which I am grateful because the label was long gone before I got it.

I've heard that the III was the last "beginner" model and the IV was the delineation between "beginner" and "serious," so, perhaps the stamps began with the IV and carried on throughout until the VII.

 

[camcam]

Hello camcam,

Welcome! That particular Mark III was completed during the year 1970.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Thank you much for the confirmation. One day I hope to find your book used at a reasonable price, sir!

 

[Heath]

I've heard that the III was the last "beginner" model and the IV was the delineation between "beginner" and "serious," so, perhaps the stamps began with the IV and carried on throughout until the VII.

The IV I have hear from 1964 does not have any headstock stamp.

 

[camcam]

The IV I have hear from 1964 does not have any headstock stamp.

The plot thickens.

 

[hansmoust]

There's no plot! Only very early '60s Mark guitars had a serial number on the back of the headstock. Serial numbers in that location were re-introduced on Marks during the first half of the '70s!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl