Well...I've had this little F-30 for most of a month now and I absolutely love the guitar. I'd shown the head stock scar prior. Now I've also observed now that the top center lower bout has a slight but obvious belly to it....while the area in front of the bridge between the sound hole seems absolutely flat. If I described such an 'issue' to a prospective buyer....they would probably balk....but I gotta tell you....this thing sounds like a MUCH more expensive, perfect, vintage guitar. The bridge appears perfect. The action is better than perfect. I have abundant saddle remaining. The notes really really really ring and sustain...it produces a balanced and very woody vintage mahogany tone that I don't believe you can obtain without age....and it plays more similarly to an electric guitar than it does a steel string acoustic. If this is "bellying"....then please allow all of my guitars to belly in this fashion. For all of the cosmetic "wrongs" with this guitar....it does all things that a guitar should do so 'right'.
If I've ever owned a true 'keeper' guitar...this is it.....warts and all. During my long quest for a good sounding 'small body' guitar at a reasonable price....I overlooked the F-30 entirely. I have very limited experiences with F-30's so I cannot speak from experience, however, I'd find it hard to believe that I could pick up 10 different "F-30's" and have a similar degree of play-ability and sound quality compared to this 1974 F-30. I am very surprised that the Seller was willing to part with this guitar....but he did have a long list of very expensive pre-war Martins in his arsenal. Lucky me. I do have a somewhat difficult time calling this F-30 a "small body guitar". This is not a small 0, 00, 000, or even OM. As most of you know....this is a size/shape all its own....I'd call it a mini jumbo shape/size. It is deep bodied...and at about 15" lower bout. That said....the shape is much more comfortable ( to me ) when compared to a dread. This guitar absolutely does not produce dread deep bass.....but once you start playing it....you won't miss any depth of tones.
Again...I implore you all...later when I inevitably....for whatever dumb GAS involved reason....think of selling this guitar...I will rely on you kind people to remind me that I am behaving irrationally. I'm thankful that my libido never compelled me to dump women in the way that I've been known to dump high quality guitars. Beautiful women walk by and I might just glance and move on. When I see a guitar....I flirt and take my wallet out of my pocket immediately. I'll stick with guitars.