Westerly F40 With Double Pickguards

[Dadaist]

Has anyone ever owned or seen a vintage F40 with double pickguards? Saw one today, and was just curious if this was:

1. Someone who owned an F40 and was a big Richie Havens fan, and also had a matching D40.
2. Was actually offered by the factory.

There's enough collective Guild ownership here that if it was ever made in Westerly someone here would know about it.

David

 

[Brad Little]

I can't speak to the F-40, but my F-50 has double pickguards that I think are original.
Brad

 

[Dadaist]

I can't speak to the F-40, but my F-50 has double pickguards that I think are original.
Brad

John Denver had a custom F50R with double pickguards. I imagine that a number of
F50s were ordered that way and your guitar is more than likely a factory "addition".
Brad, does the double pickguard seem to diminish the the sound, if you've been able to
compare it to a regular F50?

David

 

[Brad Little]

John Denver had a custom F50R with double pickguards. I imagine that a number of
F50s were ordered that way and your guitar is more than likely a factory "addition".
Brad, does the double pickguard seem to diminish the the sound, if you've been able to
compare it to a regular F50?David

I know a little about the original owner, although I never met him, and considering the music he played, I don't think John Denver would have been an influence in his guitar purchase. It may have just been available in the shop. I've only played a couple other F-50s, and then they were new in shops, and they didn't seem much different.
Brad

 

[timbo2]

I ordered an F512 (I think it had a different nomenclature at the time) from the factory through my local dealer in 1976. When I asked if I could get double pick guards ( I used to play very HARD) the factory complied at no charge - I'm guessing a bunch of folks did the same. The sound of that instrument was amazing BTW, the best I ever owned.

 

[Dadaist]

I ordered an F512 (I think it had a different nomenclature at the time) from the factory through my local dealer in 1976. When I asked if I could get double pick guards ( I used to play very HARD) the factory complied at no charge - I'm guessing a bunch of folks did the same. The sound of that instrument was amazing BTW, the best I ever owned.

It's interesting that they included an additional pickguard at no cost. Besides Richie Havens,
and John Denver, I've come across a number of videos of Bonnie Raitt playing a double-pickguard F50R. The double-pickguard F40, a '79, that started this thread appears to have come from the factory this way also.

Double pickguards were very popular with the Country Artists of the '50s on into the 70s.
The Everly Brothers played those jumbo Gibsons (J-180s?) where the plastic covered most of the top of the guitar...and were then painted black. Then there's Elvis's Tooled Leather Martin D28...., that Martin has now reissued.....Elderly has one with a MAP for only....$9199.

 

[adorshki]

It's interesting that they included an additional pickguard at no cost. Besides Richie Havens,
and John Denver, I've come across a number of videos of Bonnie Raitt playing a double-pickguard F50R. The double-pickguard F40, a '79, that started this thread appears to have come from the factory this way also.

My Richie Havens D40 came with the extra guard unmounted so the original purchaser could decide whether to mount it or not. Just a left-handed guard with the adhesive masked off, so must have been VERY economical to apply in the factory. Classy touch to make it "No Charge"

 

[Dadaist]

It's interesting that they included an additional pickguard at no cost. Besides Richie Havens,
and John Denver, I've come across a number of videos of Bonnie Raitt playing a double-pickguard F50R. The double-pickguard F40, a '79, that started this thread appears to have come from the factory this way also.

My Richie Havens D40 came with the extra guard unmounted so the original purchaser could decide whether to mount it or not. Just a left-handed guard with the adhesive masked off, so must have been VERY economical to apply in the factory. Classy touch to make it "No Charge"

That they'd give you the option on the second guard is kind of interesting.......but, if you wanted that real Richie Havens look, you'd slap it on. Right?

Timbo2's F512 in 1975 would have come from the factory, not with the "double faced tape" that they use now, but some sort of very serious glue to hold those guards on for the next forty-five years and beyond. That said, I imagine, you had to have someone prep and glue that guard on.

Anyone notice how "thin" the pickguards are today compared to thirty plus years ago?

David

 

[adorshki]

That they'd give you the option on the second guard is kind of interesting.......but, if you wanted that real Richie Havens look, you'd slap it on. Right?

Oh yeah, wanted that look AND the extra protection! :lol: Done about a week after I brought it home.

That said, I imagine, you had to have someone prep and glue that guard on.

Nope, since it was only a week old, just cleaned the area with some alcohol, and spent about 10 minutes making sure I knew exactly where I was going to lay it down on the first try, 'cause let me tell you, I wasn't gonna take any chances with trying to reposition the thing if I didn't get it right the first time, and it's a good thing, cause whatever was on it from the factory was REAL high-tack stuff. All I had to do was peel off the backing and lay it down. The soundhole curve wasn't PERFECTLY matched to the rosette but because I had figured that out beforehand I knew exactly where to center it, it looks as good as factory installed. Still tight, 6 years later.

 

[Dadaist]

That they'd give you the option on the second guard is kind of interesting.......but, if you wanted that real Richie Havens look, you'd slap it on. Right?

Oh yeah, wanted that look AND the extra protection! :lol: Done about a week after I brought it home.

That said, I imagine, you had to have someone prep and glue that guard on.

Nope, since it was only a week old, just cleaned the area with some alcohol, and spent about 10 minutes making sure I knew exactly where I was going to lay it down on the first try, 'cause let me tell you, I wasn't gonna take any chances with trying to reposition the thing if I didn't get it right the first time, and it's a good thing, cause whatever was on it from the factory was REAL high-tack stuff. All I had to do was peel off the backing and lay it down. The soundhole curve wasn't PERFECTLY matched to the rosette but because I had figured that out beforehand I knew exactly where to center it, it looks as good as factory installed. Still tight, 6 years later.

Just have to ask, but immediately after you put that second guard on, did the guitar revert,
magically, to Open D tuning, and you felt were compelled to play and sing Just Like A Woman", Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands and Freedom?j

David

 

[adorshki]

Just have to ask, but immediately after you put that second guard on, did the guitar revert, magically, to Open D tuning, and you felt were compelled to play and sing Just Like A Woman", Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands and Freedom?j
David

:lol: :lol: :lol: The real answer, however, is I don't do open tunings, it's against my religion :lol: ....even though I was old enough to attend the premier of the Woodstock movie in high school and Mr. Havens was a particularly major influence on my decision to stick with acoustic guitars...truth to tell I didn't know his axe of choice was a D40 'til I joined here...it's my D25 that REALLY could have used that 2nd guard! :lol: