F-30 review

[GGJaguar]

Check out the demo Trevor Menear did for Guild.

That demo is pretty accurate representation of how my F-40 Trad sounds. Be aware that it's a full-size jumbo (17") not a small jumbo (15 or 16") and it feels like a big guitar. If you want an F-30 because it's small (especially if you have shoulder problems), the F-40 Trad is not a good choice.

 

[plaidseason]

That demo is pretty accurate representation of how my F-40 Trad sounds. Be aware that it's a full-size jumbo (17") not a small jumbo (15 or 16") and it feels like a big guitar. If you want an F-30 because it's small (especially if you have shoulder problems), the F-40 Trad is not a good choice.

I grumble enough about the renamed models and reassigned model names in Oxnard, but when they get it right with a build, they seem to get it really right. My Oxnard M40 continually thrills me. I will be holding onto this guitar.

 

[Boomstick]

That demo is pretty accurate representation of how my F-40 Trad sounds. Be aware that it's a full-size jumbo (17") not a small jumbo (15 or 16") and it feels like a big guitar. If you want an F-30 because it's small (especially if you have shoulder problems), the F-40 Trad is not a good choice.

I've never actually played or seen a F-40 in person, new or old but all of the demos pretty consistently sound like it's a little bit more balanced version of a D-40, sort of like comparing a rosewood D-55 to a rosewood F-55. So now I'm interested to try one.

As for the size, I play a F-50 normally and as a big guy the size isn't a problem. Something smaller might fit in my truck easier, that's the only real benefit.

But they probably should bring back the F-30. It's ever so slightly larger than a Martin OOO, but doesn't sound at all like a smaller guitar at all.

 

[chazmo]

I've never actually played or seen a F-40 in person, new or old but all of the demos pretty consistently sound like it's a little bit more balanced version of a D-40, sort of like comparing a rosewood D-55 to a rosewood F-55. So now I'm interested to try one.

As for the size, I play a F-50 normally and as a big guy the size isn't a problem. Something smaller might fit in my truck easier, that's the only real benefit.

But they probably should bring back the F-30. It's ever so slightly larger than a Martin OOO, but doesn't sound at all like a smaller guitar at all.

Boomer, just beware that, as GG indicated, the modern F-40 body style is not at all what the < 2014 (pre-Oxnard, that is) body used to be. Guild recycled the name for a guitar that is a jumbo. The old F-40 was not that.

 

[Boomstick]

Boomer, just beware that, as GG indicated, the modern F-40 body style is not at all what the < 2014 (pre-Oxnard, that is) body used to be. Guild recycled the name for a guitar that is a jumbo. The old F-40 was not that.

Yeah I'm aware. Also every older one I've seen for sale was also maple. But the new version sounds fantastic in the demos.

 

[chazmo]

Yeah I'm aware. Also every older one I've seen for sale was also maple.

I'm not sure if that's universally true, but certainly most are maple.

 

[Boomstick]

I'm not sure if that's universally true, but certainly most are maple.

I'm pretty sure they made mahogany ones too, or I think I read that somewhere but I haven't even seen one listed online for sale.

 

[plaidseason]

I'm pretty sure they made mahogany ones too, or I think I read that somewhere but I haven't even seen one listed online for sale.

Yes. Tacoma and New Hartford made quite a few mahogany F40 Valencias.

The New Hartford ones I've heard, are particularly nice.

Here's one . . .

Guild USA F-40 Valencia | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

 

[Boneman]

Ooh that’s nice

 

[HeyMikey]

Yes. Tacoma and New Hartford made quite a few mahogany F40 Valencias.

The New Hartford ones I've heard, are particularly nice.

Here's one . . .

Guild USA F-40 Valencia | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

I wish those F-40 Valencia’s had had a 1-3/4 nut width because it would be the perfect guitar for me.

 

[banjomike]

Origin of the Guilds sold while Fender owned the company is very confusing.
During the 1990s, Fender had it's own Japanese shop, which made Fender acoustics and electrics, along with banjos and mandolins.
Fender also bought the Tacoma guitar factory, which was built by Samick, a Korean maker. Around the same time, many of the Fender guitars that had been made in Japan earlier, also went to Samick, which also took over the Japanese banjo and mando production.

The Westerly factory's acoustic guitar production was nearly stopped for a time, and Guilds were supposedly made in Tacoma longside the Tacoma guitars, but then at the end of the 1990s, the acoustic production was re-started in either Westerly or New Hartford again.

Throughout all this Yamaha also was working with Fender, and the Guilds returned to the Westerly factory, Fender began construction on a Chinese factory that took over the Korean production.

To muddy the waters a little more, Fender also purchased Gretsch, which also issued some acoustic guitars made either in Japan, Korea, or China. And let's not forget the Mexican factory Fender owns; it took over the manufacture of the Dobro guitars after Fender bought out Dobro.

It all sounds wack, but actually makes sense in some ways. Fender is such a widely popular world-wide guitar brand that shuffling the acoustics around from factory to factory could have kept the production going on guitars that were big sellers at relatively low international price levels. As long as the build quality was very similar, all their diverse factories were always guitar-oriented, so their family of brand names could have gone on guitars made by any of them, potentially.

I have a couple of old friends who ended up working for Fender, both former Gibson guys like me. I think I'll call them to get an insider's knowledge of who made what when. One was the first head luthier for Tacoma guitars, and the other is Ren Ferguson, who might know some different stuff, as he went to work for Fender much later.

 

[GGJaguar]

Fender also purchased Gretsch

Technically, Fender doesn't own Gretsch. They have a business agreement with Gretsch for the production, marketing and distribution of Gretsch guitars. This makes it appear that they own Gretsch, but they don't.

 

[chazmo]

Around the same time, many of the Fender guitars that had been made in Japan earlier, also went to Samick, which also took over the Japanese banjo and mando production.

Mike, I just want to clarify that you're not talking about any Guild or Tacoma brand instruments, right?

 

[chazmo]

Ren Ferguson

Ren was responsible for a massive amount of change and good stuff in a short period when he became Fender's Guild guy, but that wasn't until around 2012, Mike, which was about 4 years after New Hartford had started making the transformation from Ovations to Guilds.

 

[plaidseason]

Mike, I just want to clarify that you're not talking about any Guild or Tacoma brand instruments, right?

I'm entirely confuzeled by this myself!

 

[spoox]

"And let's not forget the Mexican factory Fender owns; it took over the manufacture of the Dobro guitars after Fender bought out Dobro."
???
Gibson bought OMI/Dobro in '93. Another brand they've ruined--Fender couldn't have done worse.

 

[SFIV1967]

The Westerly factory's acoustic guitar production was nearly stopped for a time, and Guilds were supposedly made in Tacoma longside the Tacoma guitars, but then at the end of the 1990s, the acoustic production was re-started in either Westerly or New Hartford again.

Throughout all this Yamaha also was working with Fender, and the Guilds returned to the Westerly factory,

Mike, you mixed up some things. That's not what happend.

FMIC bought Guild in 1995 but did not change the factory location, so Guild guitar production continued in the old Guild factory in Westerly by the Guild workers. There was no "nearly stopped" time or return during Westerly production as far as I know.

In 2001 FMIC decided closing the Westerly factory towards end of 2001 and moved all production in the FMIC Corona workshop, where a dedicated Guild area was opened. So all Guilds were made in Corona, CA now mostly by existing FMIC workers from late 2001 to 2004.

Only in 2004 FMIC bought the Tacoma, WA factory (not before).
Now FMIC again decided moving the Guild production from Corona into the Tacoma, WA factory. At that time production of electric models stopped and only acoustic models were built there, now by former Tacoma workers.

With the move of US production to Tacoma FMIC introduced the low cost GAD (Guild Acoustic Design) line for Guild which were built in the GREE (Grand Reward Eduction & Entertainment) factory in Hui Yang city in China.

In 2008 FMIC acquired KMC (Kaman Music Corporation) in New Hartford, CT where Ovation and Hamer guitars were built and moved Guild production from Tacoma, WA into New Hartford. That was the time when in 2012 Ren Ferguson joined FMIC and started creating the Guild Orpheum line in New Hartford.

In 2014 FMIC decided getting out of that business and closed the New Hartford factory. FMIC however was looking for a buyer for Guild and found CMG (Cordoba Music Group) as buyer. CMG had a little workshop in Oxnard, CA and CMG acqired a large building next door and moved the factory from New Hartford to Oxnard. Ren Ferguson also joined Guild under CMG and was in charge building up the entire Guild factory in Oxnard before he retired. (in fact he did help two other Guitar brands in Germany afterwards before moving back to Montana to start his own guitar production).

A few Guilds were also built in the FMIC Ensenada, Mexico factory. The production of the Guild DV-4 and DV-6 started around the time when the factory in New Hartford/CT started in 2008. In 2012 the new Guild Arcos line was introduced, replacing the DV models, and production for Guild in Ensenada stopped in 2014 when CMG bought Guild from FMIC.

CMG also changed the "GAD" line to the "Westerly Collection" line, those were and are also built in the GREE factory in China.

So since 2014 FMIC has nothing to do anymore with Guild and Guild continues to be owned by CMG until today.

CMG was aquired by YGG (Yamaga Guitar Group, Inc.) based in Calabasas, CA in 2023.
However CMG continues as is as a daughter company (division) of YGG and Guild still belongs to CMG along Cordoba Guitars, DeArmond and Humicase. Guild production is unchanged in Oxnard, CA as of today.

And if you wonder about electric models which were re-introduced in 2013, you can find out the factories here.
Mind that also the New Hartford factory built a few Guild electric guitars until 2014. (GSR and American Patriarch models).

Hope that cleared this up.

Ralf