Nancy
Junior Member
I was looking for some information on my F30 NT when I found this web site and read through one thread. I couldnt find the original thread that inspired me to register but here is the history of my Guild.
I had been working little piano bars when I was 17 (with a doctored birth certificate as the legal age then was 21) when one day my agent called and asked me if I played the guitar. Well of course I did but only behind closed doors and without a pick even. He said that a US bluegrass band had lost their girl singer and would I help him out. I tried to beg off but agents could be pretty persuasive/intimidating in those days so I said I would take the bus 80 miles out to Statford Ontario where the gig was. I didn't even have a car yet. In fact I didn't have a guitar either and had to dash down town to Thomas Organs on Yonge st. Toronto, and buy one. They had many names and models of which I knew nothing about so I just tried them all. The Guild was the one that caught my ear the sweetest. They were very nice to me and let me put 200. down and take it with me (wow have things changed). When I got to the gig the two fellows were horrified that I didn't know how to hold a pick and barely knew the basic chords however they were impressed with my guitar. They weren't sympathetic or patient and by the end of the two weeks I could strum to Cumberland gap etc. as fast as they wanted to take it. BUT the inside of my new guild was covered in blood spatter from the torn fingers and knucles of my right hand. I played that guitar until 1967 when in desperation I traded it to my stepfather for his old car. I've been told this story vaguely sounds like cole miner's daughter as I had been married at 15 and had two children by the time I bought that first guild. The marriage was breaking up and I knew if I offered my husband a car in trade for the kids I would be sure to keep my children. So in effect the Guild was sacrificed for a very worthy cause. Now my stepfather was a musician in the many bars and taverns in Ontario but he didn't take very good care of his instruments. In fact, he liked to do leather tooling and fashioned a full front for the guild and glued it on!!!. Years came and went and finally in 1975 a fan who had seen me on some tv show playing a non descipt guitar invited me to Longe and Mcquade to purchase a Martin (his insistance). My new husband and I kept in touch with this kind man who died only a few years leter. My stepfather played the guild for as long as I can remember. I had many good managers in my career but the last one, Ian Stuart, had a flare for the unexpected kindnesses one only hears about. He had heard the tale of my Guild for a car for my kids and just this Chritsmas handed me a beat up cardboard case and inside was my original Guild. BUT...he had been gently sanding it down for the past 8 years!!!! and as he told me, he just couldn't afford to have it refinished professionally. I was flabberghasted. There inside was the blood spatters. It was minus bridge, machine heads, pic guard and NO finish at all. It was dry as a bone but not a crack or gouge marred the body. Today, I played it for the first time in 38 years. We are lucky to have a fine music store in the small I live in now, who do extensive repairs on guitars. I know it greatly dimished the resale value but I will never sell it again so I had it done in a blood red finish with black Grover heads and the frets redone as well. It looks dynamic and sounds even sweeter than I remember. The serial number is A1-929. Please don't groan when you read of my refinishing it. It was necessary and I'm happy as a clam, reunited with Guild. If anyone would like to see it post me back and I'll try to put up a picture of it as soon as I can pry myself away from it to get my camera.
I had been working little piano bars when I was 17 (with a doctored birth certificate as the legal age then was 21) when one day my agent called and asked me if I played the guitar. Well of course I did but only behind closed doors and without a pick even. He said that a US bluegrass band had lost their girl singer and would I help him out. I tried to beg off but agents could be pretty persuasive/intimidating in those days so I said I would take the bus 80 miles out to Statford Ontario where the gig was. I didn't even have a car yet. In fact I didn't have a guitar either and had to dash down town to Thomas Organs on Yonge st. Toronto, and buy one. They had many names and models of which I knew nothing about so I just tried them all. The Guild was the one that caught my ear the sweetest. They were very nice to me and let me put 200. down and take it with me (wow have things changed). When I got to the gig the two fellows were horrified that I didn't know how to hold a pick and barely knew the basic chords however they were impressed with my guitar. They weren't sympathetic or patient and by the end of the two weeks I could strum to Cumberland gap etc. as fast as they wanted to take it. BUT the inside of my new guild was covered in blood spatter from the torn fingers and knucles of my right hand. I played that guitar until 1967 when in desperation I traded it to my stepfather for his old car. I've been told this story vaguely sounds like cole miner's daughter as I had been married at 15 and had two children by the time I bought that first guild. The marriage was breaking up and I knew if I offered my husband a car in trade for the kids I would be sure to keep my children. So in effect the Guild was sacrificed for a very worthy cause. Now my stepfather was a musician in the many bars and taverns in Ontario but he didn't take very good care of his instruments. In fact, he liked to do leather tooling and fashioned a full front for the guild and glued it on!!!. Years came and went and finally in 1975 a fan who had seen me on some tv show playing a non descipt guitar invited me to Longe and Mcquade to purchase a Martin (his insistance). My new husband and I kept in touch with this kind man who died only a few years leter. My stepfather played the guild for as long as I can remember. I had many good managers in my career but the last one, Ian Stuart, had a flare for the unexpected kindnesses one only hears about. He had heard the tale of my Guild for a car for my kids and just this Chritsmas handed me a beat up cardboard case and inside was my original Guild. BUT...he had been gently sanding it down for the past 8 years!!!! and as he told me, he just couldn't afford to have it refinished professionally. I was flabberghasted. There inside was the blood spatters. It was minus bridge, machine heads, pic guard and NO finish at all. It was dry as a bone but not a crack or gouge marred the body. Today, I played it for the first time in 38 years. We are lucky to have a fine music store in the small I live in now, who do extensive repairs on guitars. I know it greatly dimished the resale value but I will never sell it again so I had it done in a blood red finish with black Grover heads and the frets redone as well. It looks dynamic and sounds even sweeter than I remember. The serial number is A1-929. Please don't groan when you read of my refinishing it. It was necessary and I'm happy as a clam, reunited with Guild. If anyone would like to see it post me back and I'll try to put up a picture of it as soon as I can pry myself away from it to get my camera.
