Just curious about Guild cutaway on ebay

hansmoust

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
9,201
Reaction score
3,504
Location
Netherlands
I have a Blond JF30 C. Single cutaway, one piece maple, arched back. Not sure what sort of pickup is in it. I purchased it on the Heritage Auction site some years ago. There is no info on this guitar, anywhere. I spoke to Gil Diaz on the phone and he told me the record keeping in Westerly went awry for a few years in the latr 80's after he left the company. I'm pretty sure it was made in '87 and only about 250 were ever built between '87 and'88. it is somewhat similat to the one Stan Lassiter is playing but it has a round soundhole and rounded cutaway. There is not a picture on the web or any info that I can find. I spoke with Hans once about it and I think he said he'd only ever seen a picture of one. Any info would be appreciated. This may be the grail.

Hello Jim,

Welcome to the forum! I remember we corresponded several years ago when you were in the process of buying that guitar. This is what I wrote to you at the time:

The JF-30C was the cutaway version of the JF-30, which became an option in 1988 and stayed on the list for another year. I haven't seen that many; probably about half a dozen.

That was at least 5 years ago. I've seen about another half a dozen since then. They are somewhat rare, but apart from the cutaway they are similar to the regular JF-30. I do not know where the number of 250 comes from, but I would think the total number is a lot smaller than that.

Give me the serial number of the one that you have and I will tell you when it was completed.

Here's the body of a sunburst one from 1988:

JF30CSb_frontbody.jpg



Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

rwmct

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
121
Reaction score
8
Location
New England
Hi Emmyloujake; The Blue Book of Acoustical Guitars (2005 edition) doesn't list an F45 and neither does Hans Moust's The Guild Guitar Book. Guild usually tacks on a 'C' for cutaway; like it did with your guitar. What makes you think the guitar in the auction isn't an F30C? ... lots of bozos on eBay. :evil: cj

I was reading through this thread and saw the above about an F30C. Did Guild make an F30 cutaway? I saw a thread on another forum where somebody said he was buying an F-30 and the guitar in question had a cutaway. It did not look like an OM size guitar to me but I can never tell from photos, and when you add a cutaway the guitars always look odd to me.

Edit: looking at the pic on the other forum, I think he has a JF-30C. But as I say, I have trouble identifying guitars from photos.
 
Last edited:

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
Was watching this on ebay recently... the seller had to list several times and lower his reserve before it
finally sold for $857. I thought it was a really cool guitar - considered bidding, but didn't.
Kinda dismayed at what seemed like a lack of interest, perhaps the cutaway just looks weird to folks shopping regular Jumbo JF30s,
but I'd have it... and also interesting to read it's somewhat rare - thanks Hans!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-Guild-...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
s-l1600.jpg
 
Last edited:

12 string

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2007
Messages
1,513
Reaction score
412
Location
CA
Guild Total
5
Wow, just wow!

Hi John!

Miss you.

' Strang
 

rwmct

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
121
Reaction score
8
Location
New England
That is the same guitar I was talking about. A guy on the Gear Page bought it. If he posts here, maybe he will tell us how it is. Looks good (unless that is a control knob I see sticking out of the side. I hate it when they cut holes in the sides of guitars).
 

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
rwmct -

Ad says "Fishman Prefix preamp professionally added by previous owner."
But did that replace stock Guild electronics?

s-l1600.jpg
 

swiveltung

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
425
Reaction score
79
Location
Pac NW
rwmct -

Ad says "Fishman Prefix preamp professionally added by previous owner."
But did that replace stock Guild electronics?

I bought the guitar. Haven't received it yet. As I understand it, these didn't come with electronics. Should receive the guitar this week and will report back. Evidently 1988 was the last year before Guild sold to Randall Corp. I hope this one is as nice as my other Westerly or the F47 I had. . I've been looking for a bigger body Westerly RI Guild for a while and final pulled the trigger on this one . I like the long scale, 1-11/16 nut, cutaway and big box. :>)
 

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
Dang, cougar... HAD to link to it, didn't ya? :biggrin-new:

34 min to go... $350?... how could anyone go wrong with this?

Good lord, I don't need another... :devilish:
 
Last edited:

Bonneville88

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
1,255
Location
St. Louis, MO
Guild Total
40
adorshki... I hit it several times... too good to pass up... but somebody wanted it more...
I cut my throttle and banked toward home when it got past $5
 

swiveltung

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
425
Reaction score
79
Location
Pac NW
Was watching this on ebay recently... the seller had to list several times and lower his reserve before it
finally sold for $857. I thought it was a really cool guitar - considered bidding, but didn't.
Kinda dismayed at what seemed like a lack of interest, perhaps the cutaway just looks weird to folks shopping regular Jumbo JF30s,
but I'd have it... and also interesting to read it's somewhat rare - thanks Hans!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-Guild-...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
s-l1600.jpg
I bought this guitar. Been playing it a bit now so thought I would provide some feedback on it. It's pretty darn nice for sure. Balanced tone unplugged. Big bottom end for sure. Maybe just a bit less cut than I like on the highs. (probably just needs fresh strings) (My other big box is rosewood /spruce top, but not cutaway and not a Guild.) Nut width and fingerboard are what I expected from the time period (and one reason I bought it) Plays easy, although the strings are bigger than my old hands like (I think 014-056) I'm thinking of moving down a touch on the string size, maybe... if it's not an issue. I probably should have bought more of a small body, but hard to find what I want in a Westerly. My Songbird is great playing but as you know not a real toneful guitar by comparison. Anyway, loving it right now. The preamp is great.
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,789
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Ad says "Fishman Prefix preamp professionally added by previous owner."
But did that replace stock Guild electronics?

I bought the guitar. Haven't received it yet. As I understand it, these didn't come with electronics.
Somehow missed this the first time around.
Guild did use the "Prefix Pro Blend" on the last generation of F65ce's, (used Prefixes on all of 'em) but they were Guild-labeled. I have one.
Don't think that version of it was actually available when that JF30 was built, so suspect you're right, added later.
But as you said in your NGD post, it's a nice unit.
And I agree, the .014-.056 would likely be too heavy for it, it probably shipped with .012-.053 pb lights.
Those might even let the top move a little more freely, besides lowereing stress on the neckset.
 
Top