Recommendations for a cutaway

[dougdnh]

I'm on a quest, looking for a Guild cutaway acoustic. I'm an old rock guitarist looking for something to strum on my couch, I play mostly blues, old rock, a little jazz & bosa nova, so I'm not a finger picker. I currently have an old Taylor 314ce - nice guitar, but doesn't float my boat - too big, too bright. I also have a PRS SE Angelus which is closer to what I want but still not my ideal.
My wish list -
15 -15 1/2 lower bout
not too bright sounding
shorter scale
made in North America
1 3/4 nut
no sunburst or mahogany
under $1000 used
Does Guild have anything I can hunt around for?

 

[Guildedagain]

Pretty tall list. I'd say a number of Guilds but when you say no Mahogany and 1 3/4" nut I wouldn't have a clue, but knowing Guild they probably made it, though it may not fall into the under $1k category. You can usually have just about anything you want if you can afford it.

If you hadn't said no Hog and 1 3/4" nut and you like Blues and old Rock I would have recommended the dirt cheap F4CE I just snapped up, it's great for blues, old rock, jazz. Definitely not too bright, thin, hollow and pretty light.

Impressively light at 4lb 13oz with uncut strings.

 

[SFIV1967]

For sure the LTG enablers will find you something!
The 1 3/4" nut is the difficult thing as many models had a smaller nut. Anyway, when you said "no sunburst or mahogany" did you mean no mahogany top or no mahogany back and sides? Because mahogany is "not too bright sounding". The Taylor 314ce has Sitka spruce and Sapele. What is the wood combination on your PRS SE Angelus?

Ralf

 

[dreadnut]

D5CE, for sure. Rosewood, many deluxe accoutrements, arch back, solid spruce top, scalloped bracing, ebony bridge, ebony fingerboard...

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwj-n5uPqNPtAhXO8MAKHTeiCTsYABACGgJpbQ&sig=AOD64_0ZJktHYf30YMWEU2lpWGZsQc3SJw&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwi3xZaPqNPtAhWWGc0KHTR2BrAQww8IrAc&adurl=

 

[F312]

F30, but I can't steer you on what years you would have to watch for, and you may have to come up with a little more bread. Does anyone say bread anymore?

Ralph

 

[wileypickett]

If you're looking at current Guilds, no idea.

Among old Westerly models, one of the best sounding cutaways, IMO, is the D40C, supposedly the first acoustic dreadnaught made with a cutaway. (Is this really true?!)

Not sure about the nut width, but I suspect 1 & 11/16".

 

[dougdnh]

Thanks for the tips so far. I meant to say no mahogany top. Mahogany sides & back are fine! My Angelus has mahogany sides & back. Spruce or cedar tops are fine. Not looking for a dread - had a few - not my thing. Realize my wish list is not hard and fast, I could live with a slightly narrower neck. My issue with this is that I lost 1/4" of my left index finger to a table saw 7 years ago. I can still play fine, but that stumpy index finger sometimes is a problem. The price point is definitely < $1000 used however. My biggest problem is I live in a rural area, so trying out guitars is not easy. Over the years I've bought and sold several guitars on the internet with no problems- however I'm a lot more familiar with electrics than acoustics.

 

[HeyMikey]

The only model I can think of with 1-3/4 nut potentially <$1000 is a New Hartford made F30 Standard model. No cutaway. Here is one.

edit: correction they do make a cutaway

Guild USA F-30 Aragon | Reverb

Initially released with a Maple body, the orchestra-sized F-30 Aragon was a popular Guild flattop during the folk movement of the '50s and '60s. The modern F-30 uses mahogany and is made with either a natural or sunburst finish.This model (from 2007 forward) is the third iteration of the F-30.&nb...

reverb.com

 

[blakeb2193]

The Guild F47ce has two different style cutaways, depending on what factory it was built in. I think most of the F47s have 1 3/4 nut width. You would have to spend closer to 1100-1300. They were built with Rosewood, maple, mahogany, and koa, back and sides. Here are some example pictures of some F47s i have had.

 

[adorshki]

I'm on a quest, looking for a Guild cutaway acoustic. I'm an old rock guitarist looking for something to strum on my couch, I play mostly blues, old rock, a little jazz & bosa nova, so I'm not a finger picker. I currently have an old Taylor 314ce - nice guitar, but doesn't float my boat - too big, too bright. I also have a PRS SE Angelus which is closer to what I want but still not my ideal.
My wish list -
15 -15 1/2 lower bout
not too bright sounding
shorter scale
made in North America
1 3/4 nut
no sunburst or mahogany
under $1000 used
Does Guild have anything I can hunt around for?

Methinks you are SOL, sir.

Methinks the F30R would fit the size/bodywood spec, but methinks also thou canst not get an F30R cutaway with a shortscale, although they were available with 1-3/4 nut from Tacoma and New Hartford.

Don't recall any F30-sized non-'hog body with cutaway earlier than that, but Ralf (and of course Hans) might.

Guildedagain's suggestion of an Fce type body (based on 16" lower bout F40 outline) could work, except nothing larger than 1-11/16 nut ever installed on those.

I sympathize because I'm reminded of my own pipe dream guitar: An F47R with a shortscale and 1-11/16 nut. Only ever seen 'em reported with the spec 1-5/8 nut.

 

[Tom O]

If your list is not too hard and fast Try a new OM-240ce. No 1 11/16 nut , regular scale lenght, and MIC. the Chinese Guild are sound surprisingly good. But the OM-240CE is less than $500, It is the right size you want.

 

[walrus]

Methinks the F30R would fit the size/bodywood spec, but methinks also thou canst not get an F30R cutaway with a shortscale, although they were available with 1-3/4 nut from Tacoma and New Hartford.

+1. My '11 NH F30RCE is a cutaway, 1 3/4 nut, but not short scale.



walrus

 

[dougdnh]

That OM-240ce is pretty much what I'm looking for, but I was hoping to find something similar that's USA made. My biggest need is a 15-151/2 bout. I can live with a longer scale or 1 11/16" nut. I did have a Mexican made AO-5ce that was nice, but I could never get the action right, and sound wise it was 'ok'.
I just saw that F30RCE pop up - that may be the ticket.

 

[D30Man]

+1. My '11 NH F30RCE is a cutaway, 1 3/4 nut, but not short scale.



walrus

I had this same guit in burst ( NH F30CE ) and it was a nice instrument just struggle cozying up to the 1 3/4 nut. However it fits your bill.

 

[D30Man]

That OM-240ce is pretty much what I'm looking for, but I was hoping to find something similar that's USA made. My biggest need is a 15-151/2 bout. I can live with a longer scale or 1 11/16" nut. I did have a Mexican made AO-5ce that was nice, but I could never get the action right, and sound wise it was 'ok'.
I just saw that F30RCE pop up - that may be the ticket.

Correction mine was an RCE as well. That ticks off all your boxes I believe. I personally am not a fan of the newer MIC 200 series lineup. They feel cheaper to me than the earlier GAD series and tone quality is not the same. Just my opinion and we all know what opinions are like..

 

[HeyMikey]

+1. My '11 NH F30RCE is a cutaway, 1 3/4 nut, but not short scale.



walrus

Good lord. I have the same guitar and forget about it being a cutaway. To my defense it is packed away in hiding as it is not part of the “4 maximum” guitars that I “own”. These are great guitars and can sometimes be found close to the $1000 ish range depending on condition.

 

[walrus]

Good lord. I have the same guitar and forget about it being a cutaway. To my defense it is packed away in hiding as it is not part of the “4 maximum” guitars I that I “own”. These are great guitars and can sometimes be found close to the $1000 ish range depending on condition.

It's the only acoustic I own. It gets played a lot!

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

My F30R is not cutaway, but is short scale. Somewhere between a 1 and 11/16 and 1 and 5/8. Depth is thinner than to normal F30s. It’s not for sale of course but is super comfy on a couch or chair. I can play on a train, I can play it in the rain. I can play it on a house and with a mouse, on a boat, by a moat. I can play it here, or there, really anywhere. In a tree, by the sea.

I wish you luck with the search. Guild definitely made your guitar you seek, it’s just finding it.

 

[D30Man]

My F30R is not cutaway, but is short scale. Somewhere between a 1 and 11/16 and 1 and 5/8. Depth is thinner than to normal F30s. It’s not for sale of course but is super comfy on a couch or chair. I can play on a train, I can play it in the rain. I can play it on a house and with a mouse, on a boat, by a moat. I can play it here, or there, really anywhere. In a tree, by the sea.

I wish you luck with the search. Guild definitely made your guitar you seek, it’s just finding it.

You can play it hanging upside down from a tree or you can play it with an upside down TRC..

 

[dougdnh]

Thanks guys - I'll begin my search - after digging out from the 32' of snow we got nailed with Wednesday night!