Tacoma-built F30

[Frosty]

During a road trip this week I stopped into a guitar shop to poke around. I got the chance to play a few Martin guitars, including an "authentic" and a couple of signature instruments. Also a very nice Goodall and a couple of Bourgeois and Huss and Dalton. Nice looking guitars, all of them, and pricey. I think the least expensive was a used guitar priced over $3k USD.
The shop also had a few new Guild guitars and a few GAD models.

Truth is, the guitar that sounded the best to me was a Tacoma F30. Mahogany back/sides and Adirondack top - the guitar sounded fabulous - warm and balanced tone, my favorite. And it costs only a few dollars more than the major break job I just had done on my old Subaru but a fraction of the price of the others. Maybe the F30 had a more plain appearance than some of the others, but for someone looking for a concert-sized guitar I think it represents a tremendous value. I might have brought it home but... did I mention that brake job?

Another truth, now that I think about it... the Tacoma F30 sounded better than the Hoboken edition I sold a few years ago. It was a looker, but I was never inspired by it's tone. Here's the eye candy:

 

[Jeff]

Frosty,

I agree with your praise of the Tacoma F 30. I was lucky enough to hold 3 different Tacoma F 30's as they came thru local shops.

They didn't hang around very long, sold pretty darn quick, way faster than the D55 they got in with the original shipment.

 

[zplay]

I'll second that, Frosty. There was/may still be an F-30NT at my local shop that was a Plain Jane to be sure, but blew me away with its responsiveness and volume. I wasn't sure I liked the neck as much as those on other Guilds there, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about little number. Attractive price too.

 

[Metalman]

I'll throw my hat in the ring on the Tacoma F-30. Excuse me - Tacoma-built Guild F-30!

Very nice guitar. Set up right, it could be a real inspiring guitar. And that is what they should do. Inspire us to play!

What's that you say, Frosty; the new one sounded BETTER than the older F-30 you had a while back? Now that is interesting.

I thought the neck on the F-30 was a little thick, but so is my '99 F-30R. I like the feel on the thicker neck. Gives me something to really grab!

 

[Frosty]

What's that you say, Frosty; the new one sounded BETTER than the older F-30 you had a while back? Now that is interesting.

Not the first time I have favored a Tacoma-built model over a Westerly-built model. It's all about the individual guitar, and I would hesitate to make a general statement.

I thought the neck on the F-30 was a little thick, but so is my '99 F-30R. I like the feel on the thicker neck. Gives me something to really grab!

When I feel curmudgeonly, I speak ill of things like low-profile, so-called "fast" necks. An ergonomic disaster IMHO. The F-30 I played had a decent profile, which contributes to the playability of a 1 11/16" nut... IMHO. :wink: Guild has carved some of the best necks. I was picking my Hoboken F-20 this weekend and that is a gem of a guitar, with a very comfortable neck profile. I also recall a Westerly F-50 from... '72, I think. A neck profile worthy of an expensive archtop, like maybe it was carved by someone who used to build Epiphone archtops before they signed on with Al Dronge.

 

[zplay]

I thought the neck on the F-30 was a little thick, but so is my '99 F-30R. I like the feel on the thicker neck. Gives me something to really grab!

When I feel curmudgeonly, I speak ill of things like low-profile, so-called "fast" necks. An ergonomic disaster IMHO. The F-30 I played had a decent profile, which contributes to the playability of a 1 11/16" nut... IMHO. :wink: Guild has carved some of the best necks. I was picking my Hoboken F-20 this weekend and that is a gem of a guitar, with a very comfortable neck profile. I also recall a Westerly F-50 from... '72, I think. A neck profile worthy of an expensive archtop, like maybe it was carved by someone who used to build Epiphone archtops before they signed on with Al Dronge.

Definitely agree about the carve, including a fairly substantial profile, having a lot to do with the comfort on a neck with 1 11/16" nut. I'm finding that I'm liking the profile on my F-47 more and more and that this is the first guitar with a narrow nut width I've been able to do fingerstyle on in a while.

I thought there was a little variation between profiles of the -47 and -30, but I guess I'll just have to go back(heavy sigh) to the shop and try to confirm that. - It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it!