Questions about Aragon, Bluegrass variations

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Hi,
I've seen a lot of F30s and D40/50s that look like they should be "Aragon" or "bluegrass" but the label inside doesn't list the designation. What's the deal? Is Guild generally not very good about adding the designation or are there standard F30s out there with the G under Guild on the headstock and tortoise binding, and D40s with chesterfield logos, etc?

Is there any surefire way to know what it really is?

Thanks!
 

Neal

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Any mahogany F-30 before 2010 is an Aragon. And any D-40/50 prior to 2010 is considered a "Bluegrass" (in addition to a bunch of other '60's and '70's Guilds, even the F-47).

Long about 2006 at Tacoma, Guild redesigned the F-30 (Aragon), F-40 (Valencia), D-40 (Bluegrass Jubilee) and D-50 (Bluegrass Special), with an Adirondack top and tortoise binding. The F-30 and F-40 received the small "G" on the headstock, while the D-40 and D-50 retained the Chesterfield.

At New Hartford, Guild came out with the Standard Series (2010-2013), a stripped-down version of these high-end models, with sitka tops, white binding and a simple Guild "tent" logo on the headstock (The Standard Series are fine guitars in their own right!). During this time, Guild continued to produce the Aragon, Valencia and Bluegrass models, which retained their higher-end appointments.

As for labeling, Guild has never been very consistent regarding how models were designated, a lot depending on simply who wrote the label on any particular day. One person might add the moniker (Aragon, Bluegrass, etc.) and another might not.

All Standard Series should have the designation "STD" on the label, if that helps.
 

fronobulax

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The best approach would be to use the serial number to get an approximate timeframe of manufacture. That will lead to catalog specs which, while not always accurate, will let you know what the model designation was at the time. Guild was not known for consistency in model names and designations so not only do you have different designations for similar specs in different times, but there are always the odd instruments where the label designation is flat out wrong.

If you are interested in the authenticity of a particular instrument LTG members are pretty good at looking at pictures and pointing out things that are consistent or inconsistent with particular models and times. If you are looking for something consider posting what you are looking for and folks can help you refine your search to a timeframes/factories.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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Guild built guitars and used what ever model numbers fit their need at the time of production.
Why would they worry about what we are wondering now?
Had Guild still been in the same family hands today, as it was at birth, things may have been different.

With so many different owners and changes of location, I can see why it is now hard for us to keep up with all the changes.
 

Westerly Wood

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Hi,
Is Guild generally not very good about adding the designation or are there standard F30s out there with the G under Guild on the headstock and tortoise binding, and D40s with chesterfield logos, etc?

Oh you nailed it...Welcome to the LTG. Guild's labeling is part of its charm. I believe my label was done in crayon...
 

txbumper57

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All Standard Series should have the designation "STD" on the label, if that helps.

I don't know if I would want a guitar that had "STD's" on the label, LOL!!:triumphant:

TX
 

AcornHouse

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The brief period of late 90s Westerly F-30s were not Aragons, for whatever reason.
 

adorshki

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Any mahogany F-30 before 2010 is an Aragon. And any D-40/50 prior to 2010 is considered a "Bluegrass" (in addition to a bunch of other '60's and '70's Guilds, even the F-47).
Bit of an oversimplification because there were Richie Havens D40's with spruce tops started in Corona and continued in Tacoma (don't recall if those made it into New Hartford)
The real history is that when Guild was starting in the '50's all the acoustic models had a name associated with the model number, Spanish provinces dominated: "F50 Navarre", "F40 Valencia", "F30 Aragon" , and the F20 was a Troubador while the M20 was the Economy M20 and there was even an M30 Del Rio.
When flat-top dreadnought D50's and D40's were introduced in '63 they got "Bluegrass Special" and "Bluegrass Jubilee" as their names. D25 came out as "Bluegrass D25" in '68.
Guild gradually dropped the use of the names in marketing literature during the '70's (in fact the '72 price list doesn't show 'em at all) and they weren't used again until they revived the "Valencia" as a Custom shop model in '97.
But the "Bluegrass" name wasn't revived until Tacoma and then it DID differentiate guitars with Adi tops, a first for Guild.
So while the "names" were never really "officially discontinued", Guild didn't use 'em themselves for around 20 -30 years and I wouldn't actually say guitars built from the late '70's to Tacoma should really be considered to be "Name" models if Guild didn't use the name themselves.
Hi,
I've seen a lot of F30s and D40/50s that look like they should be "Aragon" or "bluegrass" but the label inside doesn't list the designation. What's the deal? Is Guild generally not very good about adding the designation or are there standard F30s out there with the G under Guild on the headstock and tortoise binding, and D40s with chesterfield logos, etc?

Is there any surefire way to know what it really is?

Thanks!

HI Sesop, welcome aboard!
As you can see the real answer is "When was it built?"
Even D40's had their chesterfields come and go during the '70's for example, and we saw a special run of F30's with G-shield headstocks during that time as well.
 
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Neal

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Thanks, Al. I forgot about the Richie Havens D-40!

Always at least one exception to the rule with Guild models.

BTW, I don't recall any Richie Havens D-40's built at New Hartford.
 
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