mavuser
Enlightened Member
also Sal just to be clear i am talking about Hoboken "shape and size" vs. Westerly "shape and size." not a date that production moved cities. many "Hoboken shape and size" F-30s were made in Westerly...
thanks for the link.There are high-end cases, of course, like Hiscox, Calton, and Geib. If you can afford to really baby your guitar, that's the way to go.
If you're not ready to get a second mortgage to pay for a case, the best bang for the gear buck is the Canadian company TKL. They'll happily tell you which of their cases fit your M-30: TKL guitar cases
I'm looking for suggestions for a decent quality hard case that will fit my guitar and won't beak the bank.
Guild provided higher end flattops with arched top cases during late Westerly at least, and other periods as well (both my F56ce and my Corona D40 came with the "deluxe" arched top cases as part of the price), the arch makes 'em stronger, less vulnerable to top impacts.I think this is a pretty good fit for the M-30... a little snug on the lower bout but a snug fit may be a more secure fit... were only talking about 1/16"
this has a little more wiggle room in the lower bout, but it's heavier, arch top that is not ideal for a flat top guitar, and Tolex over wood that IMHO is not as durable as a molded plastic case.TKL Concept™ 2.9 OM / 000 Pro-Form® USA Molded Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.www.tkl.com
8h street music in New Jersey is a short ride and they carry this brand. I texted their site to see if they have either item in stockTKL LTD™ Arch-Top OM / 000 Limited Edition™ Hardshell Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.www.tkl.com
that is a Westerly case u can tell by the shape, but the Guild logo/badge on the side really gives it away. The Hoboken F-30 will not not fit in there. An M-30 also would likely not fit.
If you need to know more just read this thread (particularly post #64)- https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/f-112-questions.194962/
and if u still are not on board, simply buy the case and buy a Hoboken F-30, and let us know if they are a match!
hahaa go outside and wait by the mailbox- it's on it's way!!Thanks for the links mavuser and I hope you know I’m not being argumentative, just wanting to fully understand like you. As you mention many "Hoboken shape and size" F-30s were made in early Westerly… meaning that many cases that came out of early Westerly would have the earlier shape and size too. So I’m not fully on board cuz if you’re just making visual assessments I think the craigslist case I posted doesn’t have the lines and bulbous proportions of the later Westerly F30s. Also, the craigslist case looks pretty shallow like a Hoboken. Also, Crisdb’s measurements come real close to the seller's measurements. Also, the seller even refers to it as a 000 shaped case and if this is the local guy I think it is he buys and sells a lot of Guild guitars. He would not compare a Westerly shape to a 000. But here’s an idea; how about you send me an M30 and I’ll go visit my friend and check it out. Cheers!
If you have the time to wait, the older Guild orchestra cases used for the GAD series come up every now and again- They should fit the M-30 as the GAD F-130 had the dimensions of the Hoboken F-30s before the design change to the sort of mini-jumbo shape. I have the concert size case in this style that I use for my '57 F-20- it fits perfectly. There is an older style as well that came with the first run of GAD guitars, for sale on reverb but shipping from Spain so super expensive. The tweed looks sort of nice, but these cases are not as sturdy than as the black ones that replaced them. Anyway, I found mine locally, it came with the GAD M-120, which I later sold and kept the case. You're more likely to find a guitar for sale that has the case with it, and you could do what I did. The GADs are pretty awesome in their own right for the price (used in the $400-600 range typically), in case you want to add to your collection while you're at it!still looking but in the meantime I have an Alvarez AF70CE with a case that fits the Guild like a glove.
Thank you for all the input... it helped me a lot.
My used D-35 came with an after-market plastic case, and the case never shut right because it was warped. And it had a bash hole.Guild provided higher end flattops with arched top cases during late Westerly at least, and other periods as well (both my F56ce and my Corona D40 came with the "deluxe" arched top cases as part of the price), the arch makes 'em stronger, less vulnerable to top impacts.
Re wood vs plastic maybe it's the "purist" in me but "plastic" just never felt right to me. Maybe it was the cases I've seen not being well-shaped either.
Oh yeah BTW TKL was a major Guild case supplier for many years.