Guild F30- what's the bracing there?

[Larry Mal]

Hi all- last time I posted here I ended up buying a great New Hartford D-40 and I said at the time that it wouldn't be long before I wanted another Guild.

So, I'm looking at a Westerly F-30 from 1998 or so. Does that have scalloped bracing or straight?

I am a little leery of straight on such a model because I had a Martin 000-18 that had straight bracing and it frankly never really sounded all that good to me, so I traded it for a Gibson J-45 in one of the best trades I've ever made.

Clearly, there's a different scale length and different guitar maker at play here, still, I have to say I'd probably buy the thing tonight if I knew that it had scalloped bracing. I would think about it if it doesn't.

Any other thoughts are of course always appreciated. It's a good price and in good shape, might need a little work, nothing major.

Oh, and thanks as always!

 

[midnightright]

The two I had from that period (‘98/‘99); one a F-30, the other an F-30R, both had 1 1-/16” nuts. Short scales 24.9” ? And I forget the bracing patterns. One had a VERY chunky neck - to the point where my Capo would fly off at about the 4th or 5th fret; & the other was like a 000-18 (before the current rendition—forget if that’s referred to modified low oval, but it could also have been said to be similar to a 000-15 or 000-16. One sounded as incredible as any instrument as I’ve owned. The other nearly dead as can be (lifeless in tone). Sorry I couldn’t answer your question properly , I could venture a guess but I’d hate to speculate. Hopefully something was informative at least in one persons personal experience. These seem to be fewer and farer between than many other models of this era, and same model of other eras.

 

[Larry Mal]

Very helpful, thanks!

 

[midnightright]

If you’re still wondering, perhaps you could ask the seller to take a good look inside—& if they don’t know what they’re looking for, take a picture with a flashlight & mirror of some sort. Otherwise, if they do & they can’t photograph it or whatever, maybe they could just feel around and tell you from there (if their description is spot on)?

 

[[J.K.]]

The two I had from that period (‘98/‘99); one a F-30, the other an F-30R, both had 1 1-/16” nuts. Short scales 24.9”

I thought the Westerly F-30s of that period were 25.5" scale? I'm curious now...

 

[midnightright]

Maybe I’m remembering incorrectly—happens much more frequently lately—but with the last one, a ‘98 F-30 that the shop had mislabeled a ‘94, I’m pretty certain I was correct. This isn’t because of my ability to correctly remember or have memorized off the top of my head the specs; but rather, how prior to it’s arrival I had been playing a 000-15M almost exclusively: (nearly every day for about a year and a half). And the difference was immediately noticeable & apparent - to my left arm. I’d kind of compare it to the difference beteeen a strat & a les pajl (w/how it feels in the length of your left arm while playing: I have rather short arms, so perhaps this is more noticeable...)

 

[adorshki]

Hi all- last time I posted here I ended up buying a great New Hartford D-40 and I said at the time that it wouldn't be long before I wanted another Guild.

So, I'm looking at a Westerly F-30 from 1998 or so. Does that have scalloped bracing or straight?

I thought the Westerly F-30s of that period were 25.5" scale? I'm curious now...

25-5/8" to be exact, but late '90's F30's were 24-3/4 scale.
Not sure what's meant by "straight" bracing (unshaved?), but an F30 from that period wouldn't have "scalloped" bracing, see pg 10 here for Guild's bracings of the period:
https://www.gad.net/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Guild-1999-Winter-Gallery.pdf

 

[[J.K.]]

25-5/8" to be exact, but late '90's F30's were 24-3/4 scale.

That's interesting. What's the general consensus on the tonal quality of the late-90s F-30s?

 

[adorshki]

That's interesting. What's the general consensus on the tonal quality of the late-90s F-30s?

Never owned one but don't think I ever heard anybody knock 'em.
Late Westerly is generally regarded as a real high point for 'em for both sound and build quality.

 

[midnightright]

One thing I heard — & this is going of extraordinary foggy memory from likely over a decade ago — was that it was suggested perhaps by some, that since they didn’t make that many of them (in that body size), they may not have been as good or consistent with them as some of the other more popular models: (I don’t know if they were considered “reissues” per se?).

And yes, I’ve always taken straight bracing to mean non-scalloped; something you’ll hear Martin lovers, among others, consistently refer to as something that is preferable in one direction or the other. For instance, the new(er) ever popular revamped or imagined D-18 has that kind, whereas the previous incarnation going back a great many years, I believe did not. I’ve heard some state that it increased bass response (all other things being equal, which theynever truly are!).

 

[midnightright]

I’m not sure if the scalloped bracing was off the table for Martin with that particular model since the pre-war era or not; but the change to it (or back to) was sometime around 2012, I think...

 

[AcornHouse]

That's interesting. What's the general consensus on the tonal quality of the late-90s F-30s?

I have 2 of them, one mahogany, one rosewood. I like them, but I don’t have a 60s one to compare. (I need short scale.) I did have NH one briefly, and they can hold their own against it.

 

[Bonneville88]

Fwiw - just sold this '98 F30.

Measurement from nut (on fretboard side) to middle of 12th fret was 12 3/8".
If I understand the math, that'd be a scale length of 24 3/4".
Apologies, didn't look at the bracing inside this particular instrument.
Among other things, one feature I found somewhat surprising was
the narrow-feeling body - at its deepest, measured at the
bottom of the guitar, about 4 1/16".
Measured at the neck heel area, +/- 3 5/16" deep.

 

[davismanLV]

That'd be considered short scale, wouldn't it Bonneville? I'd say it would. That's a nice guitar! Why'd ya sell it, just out of curiosity?

 

[davismanLV]

On page 15 of that link, Taj Mahal says about his F30 "This thang drives like a Volvo." :-(

Tommy

Wonder what that means, exactly? Like, it's super known for it's safety features and longevity? Stumped on that one....

 

[bobouz]

Didn’t realize those late ‘90s F-30s were short scale - good to know!

 

[Bonneville88]

Tom... heh... me too - hard to think any Guild as a Volvo!

Why'd I sell it... I got unexpectedly into F30s awhile back, and then just really wanted to
try different ones. Ended up with several Westerlys and two New Hartfords.
One of the Westerlys, think it's an '80, has the "small jumbo" body, all the others have
what I consider the "authentic" F30 body. It's a handsome instrument - pic attached - and a great
player, but it doesn't play, sound, look or feel similar to the smaller, thinner F30 body style that
preceded and then succeeded it.

After awhile, I found myself mostly going between the small jumbo '80 and the
one of the New Hartfords, an F30R burst. So I realized I'd mostly done what I wanted
to do as far as F30s - except - still looking out for a nice Hoboken with
the 1 11/16 nut, as the 1 5/8" would be a no go.

And I guess I just like enjoying, experiencing and comparing instruments for awhile
and eventually sending them on for others to try. The endless variety of
voices the different guitars have - and the different music they
mysteriously and serendipitously inspire - remains compelling.

 

[davismanLV]

Wow, that's a beauty!! Yesterday I sold my first guitar. Not meaning it was the first guitar I owned but the first time I've ever sold one. I only had six, for cripes sake, so ..... I've only ever bought, not sold. Until yesterday. So now we'll see how I do. There's still more guitars in the house to sell, but they're not mine, so.... I'll assist but no heavy lifting.

 

[Bonneville88]

Thanks! And congrats on the sale!

 

[Bonneville88]

Tommy - I hear you! My left hand sorta breathes a sigh of relief when I'm playing
any Guild with a 1 3/4" nut.
Where can I see some pics of the '73?