JF50 and F50. What's the difference?

Pardon the new guy on the block here but lately I've been a bit confused over this one. I've Googled both of these names recently and came up with what appears to me to be the same shaped Jumbo sized guitar. The only variations I've seen were that of the headstock and fretboard inlays but so far nothing to differentiate between JF50 and F50. I know I'm missing something.

Hi Toby.

I actually have no idea what the JF-50 model is. It's the JF-65 which is the later-Westerly nomenclature for the F-50.

You're not missing anything. What happened is that in the late '80s (I think) George Gruhn took over Guild operations in Westerly and started renaming things to make more "sense." If you have a chance, pick up George Gruhn's Vintage Guitar Guide, and he presents a rather elaborate listing of features etc for the renamed models.

I pity Hans Moust, who has been working on vol II of the gold-standard reference Guild Guitar Book, which would presumably cover all this stuff. If you don't have volume I, that's a must have, Toby.

Hi Chaz,

Thanks. I'll be sure to look into those books.

Here's just one of the web sites that list the guitar as a JF-50, hence my confusion.

http://www.maindragmusic.com/blog/1987-guild-jf-50-jumbo-acoustic/

Just Googled Gruhn's book. Take a look at what he has to say regarding Prefixes:

http://books.google.com/books?id=M-3HoVgxFBIC&pg=PA395&lpg=PA395&dq=guild+jf+50&source=bl&ots=l6khSjMvUf&sig=5TvOHt0z80BGt_KMwSwsg_GLKC0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QLo5Us3VBpP84AOu9YHQCQ&ved=0CJEBEOgBMA0#v=onepage&q=guild%20jf%2050&f=false

So, there you go... that's rosewood, Toby. And, I don't think that's a 17" jumbo, though it's hard to tell from the pix... Definitely not analogous to the F-50... if anything, closer to an F-50R, although again I'm not sure about the body size.

The snakehead headstock is a clear reminder that this is a Gruhn-era instrument. Lot of creativity during that period, but trying to make sense of the model names is difficult.

Toby,
There are many urban legends around about Guild guitars, especially a guitar that someone owns, and all the facts he states about it. It seems to me that some folks actually prefer to believe a legend about a guitar, even after the straight facts are told.

In maindragmusic there is not an image of the ID tag, so the seller might be wrong about what model it is. Additionally, the older Guild ID tags were hand written in with ink, or pencil, and hard to read due to poor penmanship, or were smudged and look like a different number. If that weren't enough I have seen tags where the model number was written in wrong, or even cases where a letter looked like a number due to poor penmanship. For example a "J 565-12" on ebay that was actually a JF65-12. It had an image of the tag that did have a space and was visible as J 565-12.

The JF-50 actually looks like a JF-55. the rosewood version of the JF65. Perhaps the seller is mixing up 2 different guitar model numbers, or the tag may have been filled out wrong by an absent minded Guild factory worker.

It is my dubious honor to have noticed all things when looking at many ebay listings, and blogs out and about.

Craig

MY APOLOGIES. a Guild JF50 model was made in 1987 and 1988, so that may be what this guitar is.

Craig

Hi Toby!

I'll take some measurements and post them tonight, but I think the JF50 is the JF 55 / 65 without the bling. No fingerboard trim, dot inlays, etc. After the JF50 was discontinued the JF55/65 was introduced with more trim and the fret inlays Again, nothing's certain with Guild in this time period, but I think that's accurate.

I'll measure the bout and post tonight.

chazmo said:

So, there you go... that's rosewood, Toby. And, I don't think that's a 17" jumbo, though it's hard to tell from the pix... Definitely not analogous to the F-50... if anything, closer to an F-50R, although again I'm not sure about the body size.
The snakehead headstock is a clear reminder that this is a Gruhn-era instrument. Lot of creativity during that period, but trying to make sense of the model names is difficult.

Click to expand...

There's a GF50 on Westerly Guild guitars with a snakehead headstock, spec sheet says 16" bout, betcha that's what it really is. Model is so obscure it might explain why it's "misidentified", assuming that's what it is.
Agree with Chaz, never heard of JF50, only JF30.
Also confirming F50 became JF65 (maple back) and F50R became JF55 (Rosewood), both of which had full F50 "bling".

PTC Bernie said:

I think the JF50 is the JF 55 / 65 without the bling. No fingerboard trim, dot inlays, etc. After the JF50 was discontinued the JF55/65 was introduced with more trim and the fret inlays Again, nothing's certain with Guild in this time period, but I think that's accurate.

Click to expand...

That's close enough!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Toby, emailed you a picture regarding this.

PTC Bernie said:

Hi Toby!

I'll take some measurements and post them tonight, but I think the JF50 is the JF 55 / 65 without the bling. No fingerboard trim, dot inlays, etc. After the JF50 was discontinued the JF55/65 was introduced with more trim and the fret inlays Again, nothing's certain with Guild in this time period, but I think that's accurate.

I'll measure the bout and post tonight.

Click to expand...

Hi Bernie,

Great! It's always good to know these things but the bottom line for me is playing the guitar both in the studio and on the stage. I'm much more about performing and teaching then I am about these details.

Thanks.

PTC Bernie said:

Toby, emailed you a picture regarding this.

Click to expand...

Got it. Thanks Bernie!!

Toby,

Dave Van Ronk played a pair of mid-60's F50 Rosewood jumbos...I think thats all you need to know, LOL!

...wonder where they are today?...

Bill Ashton said:

Toby,

Dave Van Ronk played a pair of mid-60's F50 Rosewood jumbos...I think thats all you need to know, LOL!

...wonder where they are today?...

Click to expand...

I love the sound of him playing those on Youtube.