Gruhn/Walker Designed/Developed Guild Acoustics

richardp69

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Hey folks. Has anyone out there ever put together a list of Guild acoustics designed and/or developed by George Gruhn or Kim Walker? Or, does anyone have knowledge of a link anywhere on the net that I could access for such information? It's most likely been discussed before on this forum but I can't recall seeing it.
 

GardMan

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Don't know the whole story... but I believe Gruhn had a hand in the design of the GF models from around '85-'87 (whenever Gruhn was @ Guild, I can never keep it quite straight), plus the D-6X dreads (D-60/62/64/66) from the same period. Tho' in some respects, any Guild acoustic with a "snake-head" headstock was (in a sense) influenced by Gruhn (tho' perhaps not sonically).
 

adorshki

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My memory of reads in the archives pretty much conforms to what Dave said.
I do recall a "Walker" D60 that was different from the "regular" D60, and I seem to recall his having a large hand in design of the Nightbird? But that's an electric.
I also recall a guitar we saw in the last 4 or 5 months that had "Designed by George Gruhn " on the label, "IIRC", or was that another D60 or D66?.
Anyway, just trying to add some details to the overview.
 

walrus

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See my avatar. I think the the "Co-designed with G. Gruhn" label is the "most rare" version of the Gruhn designs, but really Hans should answer this one!

walrus
 

walrus

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The picture on the left of every post near the member's name. Mine has my D64 label.

walrus
 

Neal

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Retro Rocker, the shape of the headstock changed circa 1986-7 from the wider "paddle head" to a tapered "snake head" shape (except for some of the flagship models like the D-55 and F50).

Guild returned to the paddle head in 2001 at Corona and never looked back.

Neal
 

marcellis

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Retro Rocker, the shape of the headstock changed circa 1986-7 from the wider "paddle head" to a tapered "snake head" shape (except for some of the flagship models like the D-55 and F50).

Guild returned to the paddle head in 2001 at Corona and never looked back.

Neal

I prefer the Walker narrower headstocks.
 

SFIV1967

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George Gruhn was at Guild from 1984 to 1988. Kim Walker was there from 1986 to 1994 as far as I was able to find.

Gruhns's Guide to Vintage Guitars, 3rd edition page 395:
"In 1984 Gruhn designed a new group of models...introduced the narrower "snakehead" peghad...Dreadnought styles were numbered in the 60s, F-style...were numbered in the 40s."

F-42/D-62 mahogany
F-44/D-64 maple
F-46/D-66 rosewood

So he only mentiones those 6 models as "his design".

Also the following were designed when Gruhn was there:

Studio 24/S-60 Studio
Nightbird
Nightingale
Songbird


I don't know which models Kim Walker started to design or co-design, but the whole GF series was also designed when Gruhn was there, however he does not claim the design in his book. I actually think they only came out when he just left.

GF-25/GF-25C mahogany
GF-30/GF-30C maple
GF-40 mahogany
GF-45CE (renamed F-45CE with snakehead, not sure if hog or maple)
GF-60R/GF-60M

So I think some are "designed by", some "co-designed with", still waiting for Hans' second book...

Some info about Kim Walker here: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...esident-of-Guild-1986-1991-The-KIM-WALKER-ERA!!

Ralf
 
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adorshki

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Guild returned to the paddle head in 2001 at Corona and never looked back.
Actually I've seen very early Corona D40's with snakeheads, and about 3 years ago we saw some mystery necks/headstocks offered as genuine parts on eBAy that were snakeheads with chesterfields, something I'd never seen before.
Hans later identified 'em as Corona F47 necks.
A quick Google search brings up this listing on Elderly, id'd as ca '02 F47RCE with Corona label:
http://elderly.com/items/20U-9644.htm
with this this pic:

20U-9644_headstock-front.jpg


So Retro, a "snakehead" is simply narrower at top than bottom, like the head of a snake, and was a departure from Guild's traditional wider-at-the-top outline when introduced.
I kinda like 'em.

StrangeloveRipper1-300x199.jpg


Unfortunately, Retro, we can see the Gibson TRC Trolls have got to this one, too.
TRC's upside down.
It's a worldwide plague that we here on the forum have pledged our very lives to combat unto the death.
Gibson themselves disavow any sponsorship or knowledge of the activities and identities of this nefarious clan who desecrate our precious acoustic headstocks by preverting them to the Gibson orientation.
 
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FNG

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I've only seen one F-42 on an eBay auction and I've never seen a D-62.
 
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George Gruhn was at Guild from 1984 to 1988. Kim Walker was there from 1986 to 1994 as far as I was able to find.

Gruhns's Guide to Vintage Guitars, 3rd edition page 395:
"In 1984 Gruhn designed a new group of models...introduced the narrower "snakehead" peghad...Dreadnought styles were numbered in the 60s, F-style...were numbered in the 40s."

F-42/D-62 mahogany
F-44/D-64 maple
F-46/D-66 rosewood

So he only mentiones those 6 models as "his design".

Also the following were designed when Gruhn was there:

Nightbird
Nightingale
Studio 24/S-60 Studio

I don't know which models Kim Walker started to design or co-design, but the whole GF series was also designed when Gruhn was there, however he does not claim the design in his book. I actually think they only came out when he just left.

GF-25/GF-25C mahogany
GF-30/GF-30C maple
GF-40 mahogany
GF-45CE (renamed F-45CE with snakehead, not sure if hog or maple)
GF-60R/GF-60M

So I think some are "designed by", some "co-designed with", still waiting for Hans' second book...

Some info about Kim Walker here: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...esident-of-Guild-1986-1991-The-KIM-WALKER-ERA!!

Ralf

Does the GF-55 fit into this group?
 

PTC Bernie

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For a while I owned an old JF50 that belonged to Jere Haskeww. It was a Kim Walker creation. Nice guitar, it just wasn't a match for me.
 

mavuser

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Does the GF-55 fit into this group?

yes it does, but that one may have come later after Gruhn left Guild and is more "inspired" by his series. that one does not have the snakehead headstock or the nightbird inlays (which the GF-60R has, I believe). The GF-55, and JF-55, have the traditional paddle headstock and standard inlays like on the cover of Hans' book (or a D-55...)

the JF-30 I believe was done under Gruhn's oversight as well. debuted in 87, and has the snakehead.

also there is this-

GF= Grand Folk ("mini jumbo," 16 inch bout)
JF= Jumbo Folk ("jumbo" 17 inch bout)

Also there is a Nightbird "GG" (George Gruhn...). There is a picture or two of Hans Moust holding his black one, floating around here somewhere
 

mavuser

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Hey folks. Has anyone out there ever put together a list of Guild acoustics designed and/or developed by George Gruhn or Kim Walker? Or, does anyone have knowledge of a link anywhere on the net that I could access for such information? It's most likely been discussed before on this forum but I can't recall seeing it.

does your GF-50 have an unbound rosewood fretboard with dots? or is it the nightbird inlays and/or binding and/or ebony? also are the back and sides maple or rosewood? thanks!
 
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