F20 question

I have a 70’s f20. It doesn’t have a label inside but “guild” is stamped into the back brace. There is also an ink marking stamped into the brace looks like “02”. Is the lack of a label and the 02 indicate that it is a second?

Yes, that would be a second, but the lack of label is more likely weak glue.

Welcome. What AcornHouse said. But I would wonder about the back of the headstock. A factory first would have a serial number stamped there and there might be evidence that it was removed or obscured.

The serial number is clear on the back of the head stock. I was thinking that it would be removed or obliterated

prossi said:

The serial number is clear on the back of the head stock. I was thinking that it would be removed or obliterated

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It often is, but sometimes it is not reasonable to expect consistency from Guild because it isn't there. From the manufacturer's point of view the primary reason to mark something as a second is to prevent warranty claims, especially a claim to fix something they had decided not to fix when they made it a second. So the stamped 2 is sufficient for this purpose. Perhaps the missing label was deliberate although I don't recall a prior example.

prossi said:

The serial number is clear on the back of the head stock. I was thinking that it would be removed or obliterated

Click to expand...

Not for a "second" at that time.
Never saw that until Corona era ('01-'04) guitars.
And there was a period in early-mid '70s' when missing labels are most common, probably weak glue as Acornhouse said.
BTW welcome aboard Prossi!