Guild CV-2

[West R Lee]

Porp,

Welcome to the site. I just wanted to add that all of my bound guitars have a small gap in the binding at the heel................all of them. Just where the binding strip meets. Is the binding issue more than that?

West

 

[superporpoise]

Porp,

Welcome to the site. I just wanted to add that all of my bound guitars have a small gap in the binding at the heel................all of them. Just where the binding strip meets. Is the binding issue more than that?

West

It is very small, and is at both the heel and the top. It's probably about the same as yours...

Is this typical, though? Especially with a brand-new guitar? I don't have much experience with Guilds, but my friends' Taylors/Santa Cruz/Martins/Collings don't have this issue...

 

[Dr. Spivey]

Hey sp, that was a great deal.

Musicians Friend, Music123, and Guitar Center (as well as Harmony Central) are all owned by the same company.
They often clear out guitars for Fender, and typically they sell a bunch of them with small defects.

If you are otherwise satisfied with it, I'd get her set up and ignore the binding, or let Fender warranty it.

 

[West R Lee]

Porp,

Welcome to the site. I just wanted to add that all of my bound guitars have a small gap in the binding at the heel................all of them. Just where the binding strip meets. Is the binding issue more than that?

West

It is very small, and is at both the heel and the top. It's probably about the same as yours...

Is this typical, though? Especially with a brand-new guitar? I don't have much experience with Guilds, but my friends' Taylors/Santa Cruz/Martins/Collings don't have this issue...

:wink: Well I'm not sure.....um ah......I haven't bought a new one in 30 years. It really doesn't sound like much to me. If you'd like I'll post a picture of my DV72 or DV73 or D55....they've all got a small gap near the heel in the binding, not on both ends though. For the record, sounds to me like you got a pretty sweet deal.

 

[Jeff]

Well, I'm not 100% sure what to think. I got it, and it sounds good, and for the most part it looks good but there are definitely some imperfections:

1. Gaps in the ivoried binding at the top and bottom of the guitar as shown



2. The fretboard planes up a little, and the action is pretty high (I can lower that of course)



What should I do. Musicians Friend is sold out of these, so I can't replace it. I have the full warranty, so I could talk to Guild about it. Obivously I could get the action lowered, but will the neck be a problem? And is there any way I can fix the binding? Should I be worried? I only spent $960, and I do have the full warranty. And the guitar looks and sounds good otherwise. Let me know what you all think!

The price you paid was sweet, I paid the same for my CO1 about two years years ago with no warranty. If it was me I'd not sweat the cosmetic stuff.

The action however is a different story. Guild Contemporary bolt on necks are not quite quick disconnect, easy to adjust systems like Taylors, My CO1 has the same issue, action is too high. I've had it tweaked twice now & it's still not much fun to play up the neck, a shame because it's an exceptionally sweet sounding guitar, I'm of the opinion the problem with mine is more the top than the neck, pretty good belly, particularly for a new guitar. I've been meaning to take it in to Brady & talk about having a Bridge Dr installed. Can't decide what to do, put a K & K mini in the G37 or Bridge Dr for the CO1. Hmmm..Mebbe I should put a bridge DR and a K&K in the CO1.

If it was me I'd play your CV for a while, if she's a winner & you feel the love, but has issues, call Fender. If they do you like they did me & refer you to your local network of Guild authorized repair facilities, ask them which ones have knowledge of the Graphite neck system on the Contemps. Things might be different in your town but no one out here has a clue.

 

[chazmo]

Definitely a great day, SP. FYI, I replied to your post on AGF. Good luck, and welcome!

 

[zplay]

Well, I'm not 100% sure what to think. I got it, and it sounds good, and for the most part it looks good but there are definitely some imperfections:

1. Gaps in the ivoried binding at the top and bottom of the guitar as shown



2. The fretboard planes up a little, and the action is pretty high (I can lower that of course)



What should I do. Musicians Friend is sold out of these, so I can't replace it. I have the full warranty, so I could talk to Guild about it. Obivously I could get the action lowered, but will the neck be a problem? And is there any way I can fix the binding? Should I be worried? I only spent $960, and I do have the full warranty. And the guitar looks and sounds good otherwise. Let me know what you all think!

The price you paid was sweet, I paid the same for my CO1 about two years years ago with no warranty. If it was me I'd not sweat the cosmetic stuff.

The action however is a different story. Guild Contemporary bolt on necks are not quite quick disconnect, easy to adjust systems like Taylors, My CO1 has the same issue, action is too high. I've had it tweaked twice now & it's still not much fun to play up the neck, a shame because it's an exceptionally sweet sounding guitar, I'm of the opinion the problem with mine is more the top than the neck, pretty good belly, particularly for a new guitar. I've been meaning to take it in to Brady & talk about having a Bridge Dr installed. Can't decide what to do, put a K & K mini in the G37 or Bridge Dr for the CO1. Hmmm..Mebbe I should put a bridge DR and a K&K in the CO1.

If it was me I'd play your CV for a while, if she's a winner & you feel the love, but has issues, call Fender. If they do you like they did me & refer you to your local network of Guild authorized repair facilities, ask them which ones have knowledge of the Graphite neck system on the Contemps. Things might be different in your town but no one out here has a clue.

Supe, I couldn't agree with Jeff more! Don't sweat the binding, but I would have a trusted luthier sight down the fretboard and look at the action, pronto. My CV-2C's fretboard extension looks just the same as yours in the side-on picture you took: there is lift up/separation right at the end close to the soundhole. I think mine is stable now, but I'm not sure of that, as I think it came up a bit after i first got it(15-16 months ago). Also, mine also has some bellying behind the bridge, but not too bad. I had enough saddle above the bridge to allow for nice action all the way up the neck, but there's not much saddle left. This is what you want a good tech to look at and determine for you.
Also, I'd say forget about finding anyone, including a Fender repair person, who knows anything about this neck assembly. When i sent a CV-1C back for this, Fender just sent me a new one. But, at this point, there are probably no replacements available.

But, ..... along with all the worrisome stuff is the fact that I love this guitar and i believe it to be the best all-rounder I've found in about 10 years of guitar-buying. - Not saying that others don't exist and the F-47s are very nice, but this certainly is a unique guitar. And the price you got was great.

 

[superporpoise]

Thanks a bunch for all of the responses! I'm definitely going to take it to a luthier early this week and have him take a look. The place is officially sanctioned by Fender to do warranty work on Guilds as well, so all should be good. Thanks again!

 

[superporpoise]

Well, I returned it to Musician's Friend today. The luthier said the neck was pretty bad. Now on the lookout for a F-47 or Taylor GS6!

 

[Jeff]

Well, I returned it to Musician's Friend today. The luthier said the neck was pretty bad. Now on the lookout for a F-47 or Taylor GS6!

Hey Supe,

Thanks for posting this thread up, caused me to take my CO1 to Brady today. He gave me the same sad news, needs the neck angle adjusted. I pointed out the plastic neck block & he perks up big time, "Hey, this is one of those Tacoma Built guitars" he says & took a closer look, took him about 5 minutes to check the thing out & says "Want me to fix it for you?" Brady seems to think the system is similar enough to Taylors & other makers with bolt on necks that he won't have much trouble,


Estimated what I think is a reasonable price for a neck reset, $150 with a new saddle. I left it with him, probably be several weeks before he gets to it.

I'm jazzed, my CO1 is a sweet little guitar, well worth fixin.

 

[zplay]

Well, I returned it to Musician's Friend today. The luthier said the neck was pretty bad. Now on the lookout for a F-47 or Taylor GS6!

Hey Supe,

Thanks for posting this thread up, caused me to take my CO1 to Brady today. He gave me the same sad news, needs the neck angle adjusted. I pointed out the plastic neck block & he perks up big time, "Hey, this is one of those Tacoma Built guitars" he says & took a closer look, took him about 5 minutes to check the thing out & says "Want me to fix it for you?" Brady seems to think the system is similar enough to Taylors & other makers with bolt on necks that he won't have much trouble,


Estimated what I think is a reasonable price for a neck reset, $150 with a new saddle. I left it with him, probably be several weeks before he gets to it.

I'm jazzed, my CO1 is a sweet little guitar, well worth fixin.

Wow Jeff, this is starting to get real interesting! Man, if your tech is able to do a reset, that would be just great news for everybody with a Contemporary. Good luck with that C01!

 

[superporpoise]

Well, I returned it to Musician's Friend today. The luthier said the neck was pretty bad. Now on the lookout for a F-47 or Taylor GS6!

Hey Supe,

Thanks for posting this thread up, caused me to take my CO1 to Brady today. He gave me the same sad news, needs the neck angle adjusted. I pointed out the plastic neck block & he perks up big time, "Hey, this is one of those Tacoma Built guitars" he says & took a closer look, took him about 5 minutes to check the thing out & says "Want me to fix it for you?" Brady seems to think the system is similar enough to Taylors & other makers with bolt on necks that he won't have much trouble,


Estimated what I think is a reasonable price for a neck reset, $150 with a new saddle. I left it with him, probably be several weeks before he gets to it.

I'm jazzed, my CO1 is a sweet little guitar, well worth fixin.

Awesome! Let us know how it goes!

 

[chazmo]

A reset on a Contemporary model (bolt on) is not difficult at all. Any competent luthier should be up to it.

 

[zplay]

A reset on a Contemporary model (bolt on) is not difficult at all. Any competent luthier should be up to it.

Chazmo, do you know of anyone who's actually had one done?

 

[fungusyoung]

Sorry, guys... but I have to ask.

Wasn't the Contemporary Series only started in the Tacoma era? If so, why should any of these guitars need neck re-sets already :?:

 

[chazmo]

zplay, no I don't, but bolt-ons are easy to reset.

fungie, good question... seems like a quality control problem.

 

[zplay]

Yeah, I agree with the quality control or design execution theories: perhaps they put them into production before they had all of the kinks worked out or had assemblers properly trained.
I think a clue to this lies in something stated on a thread here about the CT production and why the Contemps are not (yet) in the queue: the production manager said something along the lines of the Contemps being more difficult to assemble. Of course, you wouldn't ordinarily expect that of a typical bolt-on.

 

[Jeff]

Sorry, guys... but I have to ask.

Wasn't the Contemporary Series only started in the Tacoma era? If so, why should any of these guitars need neck re-sets already :?:

Fungus,

Don't think for a minute your thoughts haven't crossed my mind a time or two. In my darkest moments I contemplate the Contemps being to Guild (Fender) what the Edsel was to Ford & the most efficient way out was to stamp the existing units "Used" & move on.

 

[superporpoise]

Yeah, I agree with the quality control or design execution theories: perhaps they put them into production before they had all of the kinks worked out or had assemblers properly trained.
I think a clue to this lies in something stated on a thread here about the CT production and why the Contemps are not (yet) in the queue: the production manager said something along the lines of the Contemps being more difficult to assemble. Of course, you wouldn't ordinarily expect that of a typical bolt-on.

Yeah... this is what I'm thinking. That's why I ultimately didn't want to keep it; I want a guitar that will last forever (or at least for a while) and buying a new one that arrived with a significant problem just didn't seem like the best strategy for me. It was a gorgeous and good-sounding guitar, though.

 

[zplay]

Yeah, I agree with the quality control or design execution theories: perhaps they put them into production before they had all of the kinks worked out or had assemblers properly trained.
I think a clue to this lies in something stated on a thread here about the CT production and why the Contemps are not (yet) in the queue: the production manager said something along the lines of the Contemps being more difficult to assemble. Of course, you wouldn't ordinarily expect that of a typical bolt-on.

Yeah... this is what I'm thinking. That's why I ultimately didn't want to keep it; I want a guitar that will last forever (or at least for a while) and buying a new one that arrived with a significant problem just didn't seem like the best strategy for me. It was a gorgeous and good-sounding guitar, though.

Probably a wise move on your part; certainly a safer one.
Actually, I do expect my CV-2C to last quite a while, though I realize I might have to put some money into it along the way .... perhaps sooner than for the traditional dovetail joins, though who knows .... . For me, the guitar is good enough to warrant this.

Anyway, good luck with your search.