Curious about my 90s Guild JF4 NT

[Mr_Christopher]

I bought it new back in the 90s. I love the neck shape, it almost feels like a slim Les Paul neck. Perfect for dudes who perch their thumb over the fretboard. I mostly play electric and I always used Martin phos/bronze strings and over time I became disappointed in the lack of clarity and tone. It sounded muffled to me. Anyhow about a decade ago I got a Martin 000 (one of the auditorium models) and planned to sell the Guild but my wife cautioned me not to. Said she thought I might regret doing that. So I kept it.

Later a friend gave me a set of Elixir strings and holy cow I fell back in love with the guitar. It was a dramatic change of tone. Literally every time I play it these days I thank my wife for discouraging me from selling it. Funny that I found a very old post here last night where someone with the same guitar gave the opposite story, said Elixirs made it sound flat but the Martin strings brought it back to life. Funny how our ears hears different tones lol.

Anyhow I'm having a Baggs pick up (the fancy one) installed this weekend and found myself curious about the naming standard for the guitar. What does the J4F mean and also NT? I figure the J means jumbo.

I paid $575 for it and I see they now go for $1,100 to $1,400 or so. Might be the only guitar I have ever owned that increased in value lol.

I realize this is a lot of text for a simple question, but let's face it. Who doesn't like reading a Guild love story?

Thanks and sorry I don't have a picture to share. I'll add one tonight!

 

[SFIV1967]

NT means "Natural Top", in contrast to for instance ATB for Antique Burst.
J=Jumbo
F=Folk (means no Dreadnought) or as the 1954 catalog called it "Flat Top Guitars"
The 4 was simply a number for the style/material/appointments of them.

Correct it should have been named JF-4 NT, sometimes on labels they spelled them different. I attach you a advertisement from that time.

Ralf

 

[Mr_Christopher]

NT means "Natural Top",in contrast to for instance ATB for Antique Burst.
J=Jumbo
F=Folk (means no Dreadnought)

Correct it should have been named JF-4 NT, sometimes on labels they spelled them different. I attach you a advertisement from that time.

Ralf

Thank you so much!

 

[SFIV1967]

I just realized that the 1954 catalog called "F" as simply "Flat Top Guitars".

Ralf

 

[chazmo]

I paid $575 for it and I see they now go for $1,100 to $1,400 or so. Might be the only guitar I have ever owned that increased in value lol.

I realize this is a lot of text for a simple question, but let's face it. Who doesn't like reading a Guild love story?

Thanks and sorry I don't have a picture to share. I'll add one tonight!

Pix.... YES!

Value... Yeah, most guitars have gone up quite a bit in the used market over the past two years. I don't know about $1.4K, but certainly more than you paid for it.

And, finally, really glad you're enjoying your JF-4.

 

[adorshki]

I just realized that the 1954 catalog called "F" as simply "Flat Top Guitars".

Ralf

Because they didn't have dreadnaughts yet, most likely? And because the archtops/electrics were Al Dronge's primary love, and their model numbers were much more categorical? So: "Oh yeah, we have Flattops, too."