Guild F-50 Navarre 50s vs 60s

[Gotham]

Hi!

I’m looking to buy a Guild F-50 from the 50s or 60s.

Can anyone the difference between Guild F-50s from the 50s and the 60? What changes were made to the wood, and construction? Which do you guys prefer?

I’m new to the forum. I have a 1968 StarFire II bass, and a 1975 F-512.

Thanks!

 

[twocorgis]

Hi!

I’m looking to buy a Guild F-50 from the 50s or 60s.

Can anyone the difference between Guild F-50s from the 50s and the 60? What changes were made to the wood, and construction? Which do you guys prefer?

I’m new to the forum. I have a 1968 StarFire II bass, and a 1975 F-512.

Thanks!

Welcome to LTG @Gotham!

I can't comment about 50s vs. 60s F50s, and there are both maple and rosewood versions. The oldest I've played was my old '75 F50R(osewood).

I can however comment on '68 Starfire II basses, and yours looks pretty sweet! Here's mine.

1968 Guild Starfire II Bass

Explore this photo album by Twocorgis on Flickr!

flic.kr

 

[Gotham]

Welcome to LTG @Gotham!

I can't comment about 50s vs. 60s F50s, and there are both maple and rosewood versions. The oldest I've played was my old '75 F50R(osewood).

I can however comment on '68 Starfire II basses, and yours looks pretty sweet! Here's mine.

1968 Guild Starfire II Bass

Explore this photo album by Twocorgis on Flickr!

flic.kr

That bass is amazing? Is it factory black? Or walnut that faded.

My 75 F-512 sounds great, but is quite heavy. For a 6 string F-50, I want to buy a lighter one.

 

[twocorgis]

That bass is amazing? Is it factory black? Or walnut that faded.

My 75 F-512 sounds great, but is quite heavy. For a 6 string F-50, I want to buy a lighter one.

"Greenie" is most definitely emerald green!

If you want a lighter build F50, stick to Hoboken (hard to find), or New Hartford builds. I love my New Hartford F50ce Standard, and they can be had at a reasonable price if you're patient.

 

[chazmo]

Hello Gotham,

There was quite a bit of evolution in the F-50 model in the '60s in Hoboken. There were a few early '60s F-50s that were solid maple backs, but almost all of them have arched, laminated backs. There were also some mid-'60s F-50 rosewoods that were laminated, arched backs, but then after that experimentation the F-50Rs were solid rosewood backs.

The basic body shape never changed much through that era, although the width and depths of the upper and lower bouts did change in small amounts. An F-50 of any era, other than the anomalous ones I mentioned, will be a Sitka spruce-topped, maple laminated back ~17" jumbo.

You're not going to find a ton of the '50s era F-50s around. There just aren't many. There are a lot more (though not a ton) around from the '60s.

These guitars have gotten kind of pricey, Gotham. $2,500 and up in playable condition. I guess it depends on what you're expecting.

Hope that helps!

 

[awagner]

A Gui

I’m looking to buy a Guild F-50 from the 50s or 60s.

The rosewood version (F50R) was not introduced until the mid to late '60s, so I assume you are looking for maple.

In good condition, a 1950s F50 would likely fetch north of $7,000, and one from the 1960s at least $4,000, so you might want to take that into account.

 

[Gotham]

A Gui


The rosewood version (F50R) was not introduced until the mid to late '60s, so I assume you are looking for maple.

In good condition, a 1950s F50 would likely fetch north of $7,000, and one from the 1960s at least $4,000, so you might want to take that into account.

When did they switch? And is there an overlap? That seems about right for the price if it’s a straight guitar

 

[chazmo]

The F-50 rosewood, F-50R was not a switchover, Gotham. It was a separate model, and was introduced in the mid-60s.

 

[Walter Broes]

I think a 50's F50 won't be very easy to find