geoguy
Senior Member
Whoa.
Is it still returnable? If yes, my advice would be to do so immediately.
Is it still returnable? If yes, my advice would be to do so immediately.
I have an early '72 with the mini-jumbo body: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?197374-Questions-about-the-Guild-F-30The 15" small-jumbo shaped F-30 was not produced in '71. It's first appearance was for the '73 model year (but a few were manufactured towards the end of '72).
The 15" small-jumbo shaped F-30 was not produced in '71. It's first appearance was for the '73 model year (but a few were manufactured towards the end of '72).
Yep. I remember that, I was the guy who explained that Guild glued the guards to the tops with NCL and was surprised when you were able to take that one off with heat.There is some weirdness with the top and pickguard, the pickguard is barely off the top, has melted into the top, it looks like pigment from the guard bled into the paint, and that was only the beginning of the weird...
Does anybody remember my D4-12 with the pickguard issues, the exploding pickguard? Summer of 2016 I think it was, I'll never forget it... The guitar is gone, I did the pickguard but never posted it, stepped away from the forum for a while. The pickguard material was original from Hans, and I finally got the gumption to trace it, cut it, glue it. I wasn't happy with it when it was done, some crap got under it during the gluing process, but I left it alone, and six months later, it all shrunk and you could not tell it from an original.
However I have major history with old Guild pickguards and this one looks like it's been through something, but I don't know what.
Right, it's supposed to hit top of bridge, not the saddle.Neck angle seems horrible, with a rule hitting the top edge of the bridge, rather than the top of the saddle, which is pretty healthy actually.
AHA!So... this is a really weird guitar.
How could it be this dried out and have no cracks, ever, the guitar has no cracks in the top.
There are some horrible glue dribbles inside, down where the guitar rests on your knee, looks like somebody spilled a whole pot of glue ;-)
The neck block is very clearly stamped F112.
You've probably seen Hans confirm those exist, but I didn't think they got s/n's.. unless maybe it was destined to be a second?The neck serial number matches the guitar.
I think maybe this guitar was put together by a Guild employee from pieces laying around the shop?
"IIRC" at that time the case was sold separately so that's not strange.Why does an F30 have a chipboard case, is that common, or normal?
It wouldn't surprise me, even if it was only a matter of having built the old style for a while before they finally stopped using the old bucks and moved 100% to the new style.I have an early '72 with the mini-jumbo body: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?197374-Questions-about-the-Guild-F-30
Were both variations of the F-30 being produced in the same year?
The first ones that I've documented so far appeared towards the end of the year 1971
I agree.The wavey top is a concern, but if it otherwise has remained structurally sound & will accept a proper setup, it may indeed be worth hanging on to. Visually, this is one my all time favorite models - just a beautiful shape & execution overall.
I think by that time Guild had actually stopped calling 'em Aragons, but I see sellers using the "names" on models that were never marketed that way more and more often now.Just throwing this out since ya all got me looking , geez it's like a drug��
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Guild/Vintage-1978-F-30-Aragon-Natural-OHSC-Acoustic-Guitar.gc
Huh did not know Aragon had the the jumbo shape ??
Having been there myself you have my sympathy, but in post #28 he says:That's not fair footage ! And according to Hans it was late 70's and I did not have to go back and look .
It was the Aragon name that confused me as I was thinking there was two different models
Tacoma apparently revived the old names
GA, good luck with your new acquisition.
It happens all the time that dried out guitars *don't* crack. But in lieu of that, you'll almost certainly get geometry changes like warping in the top (belly, etc.), Usually combined with temperature extremes, you'll get neck block shift, which is ultimately going to require a neck reset or a bridge shave...
Anyway, I recommend you take the strings off (or just totally slack them) and case and humidify this guitar for maybe a week or two. As in over-humidify, that is. Not dripping wet, mind you but don't let your damp-its / sponges get hard. This will give you a starting point to see what this axe really needs.
Before you do that, though, you should use a light source and a mirror and really inspect for cracks and separated braces while it's dry. That'll let you know if you missed anything (which you might have). Often a thuddy or buzzy guitar could have bracing problems.