F40 Lovers Unite!!

adorshki

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Recently Cordoba announced the revival of the F40.
Some of you may recall I strenuously object to the use of the F40 model number on what is actually based on the F48 Navarre by Cordoba's own description.
F48's were actually slightly de-blinged F50's with 'hog backs, they still had the 17" lower bout that defines an F50.
F40's were defined by their 16" lower bout F-body configuration.
Over the past few months in particular I've come to appreciate the special characteristics of that body size and how versatile it actually was in Guild's arsenal.
I'm now thinking it may have given rise to more variations on a body than any other model in Guild's history, except maybe dreadnoughts?
I'm gonna set the tone with some posts from a recent thread that veered into the differences between F40's and F50's:

Been following this thread. The original "Bluegrass" F-47 was introduced in 1964, it replaced the discontinued F-40. It had the same appointments as the F-40. The difference was a change to mahogany back and sides. Previously the F-40 had an arched maple back and maple sides. The F-40 was reintroduced in 1973 as a "Bluegrass" model ( I don't know if the reintroduced model had maple or mahogany B & S). The F-47 was discontinued in 1975.
YES thank you "Shoes" !
I did look that up this AM but forgot to update the thread.
Also realized it must be an F47 at Woodstock because F48 didn't exist yet, a-a--a-a-nd:
VERY early F40s actually did get G-shields but still not quite as fancy a headstock as the F50's.
F47's only ever got chesterfields, through '75 at least.
Not sure when it was re-introduced but it did get revived, and the versions I've seen all have chesterfields.
Revived F40 got arched maple back like the original




Tacoma produced maple and rosewood F-47's, and I think West Hartford continued them, yes?

Don't know about Corona....
Connecting the dots between price lists posted on Westerlyguildguitars.com and other known history, I think they lasted at least until '83 or '84, when Gruhn was approached to design 4 new models, 2 dreads and 2 F bodies, which begat the F44 and F46 seen on the '86 list.
On 87 list we see the introduction of the "GF" 's, all of which have the definitive 16" lower bout that makes me think these filled the F40 niche in the offering, in all 3 tone woods with both flat and arched back options in 'hog and maple.
It looks to me like the most extensive offering of F40 variants they ever listed at once.
F45ce was also present in '85 at least as Acornhouse can attest, and I think that lead to F47 coming back in early '90's, but when you look closely it looks like all those "F--CE" a/e cutaway guitars are based on the F40 "16 lower bout F body.
Note this quote from the '96 Guild catalog:
"Guild has designed the ideal guitar for those who are looking for a natural sound plugged or unplugged. The F-Series acoustic-electrics are unmistakably Guild. The classic Guild Valencia body shape continues in these modern guitars."
While the 47 specifically is absent from the '96 and 97 catalogs, it was present on the 2001 list, and was offered in Corona as well.
And Tacoma and New Hartford.
Tacoma even used it as the platform for one of the Contemporary models, and Corona offered a Masterbuilt F47 and New Hartford offered limited editions of 'em AND the F40.
And the Nashville Custom Shop released the Valencia, the Firebird, and the 45th Anniversary, all tracing their roots to the original F40 Valencia.

SO.....not to steal the thunder from our new members' find, but the 16" lower bout F40 is actually a Guild staple that they've revived in many forms over the years.
All this started dawning on me when I started realizing that over the last 3 or 4 years my F65ce has become my go-to for comfort while playing, and that I'd be interested in finding out if a deeper F40 body with a shortscale might turn out to be my dream guitar.
It is a bit of a unicorn right now because I haven't seen one with a 1-11/6 nut on the shortscale.....
SO, F40 owners, whaddaya love about your F40 or one of its many progeny?
The most versatile and overlooked flat-top in Guild's history?
And my new favorite underdog guitar.
 
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Sal

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My 1960 F40 has a 1-11/16" nut with a scale length just over 25.5.

What I love:
Plays great, sounds great. The maple back and sides are a nice contrast to my other mahogany body flat-top. The maple really seems to work well with this body size and the guitar has a pleasant full sound though not as warm as hog. I think this helps the guitar sit well in a mix with other acoustics.

The size and shape of the F40 body is very comfortable to me. My D25 feels big. I'm sure I'd feel the same way about a jumbo.

I love the feel of the neck profile, it's a lot like my strat. The three ply neck construction is attractive. Also, the solid block fretboard inlays are a unique feature for a flat-top. Just the right amount of bling for me.

The open book headstock with a chesterfield is my favorite Guild headstock.

The tuners Guild used during this period have a button that is ballooned / puffy in the middle. I'm not sure how to best describe that but they are really comfortable to work.

My particular F40 got a cloud bridge that I don't think was standard for the F40s.

I think the burst treatment to the back and sides is really striking against the yellow maple.

It's my main "downstairs" guitar. I keep a different guitar on a stand upstairs, so there's always an acoustic within reach. All around a very unique guitar.

0b4Xpvb.jpg
 
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sailingshoes72

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Great photo! And great review! Thanks for posting. :encouragement:

That's a beautiful guitar. I like the shaded sunburst on the maple sides.
 

hansmoust

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My particular F40 got a cloud bridge that I don't think was standard for the F40s.

0b4Xpvb.jpg

Hello Sal,

While your guitar has a bridge that is much more gracious than later '70s bridges it's not what's usually referred to as the 'cloud bridge'. The typical 'cloud bridge' has an extra 'dip' in the center of the belly as you can see in the next photo:

D50_cloudbridge.jpg


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

bobouz

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Guild's F-40 and Gibson's J-185 are both 16" bodies, and they are my two all-time favorites.

The J-185 was first released in 1951 (me, too!), and is a 24.75" short-scale, with a 1-11/16" nut (newer versions are typically just a hair wider, but still under 1-3/4"). Mine is a natural finish 2012, and if I could keep only one acoustic, it wins the contest.

My F-40 was made in 1974, and has a natural top with deep red sides & back. It's in excellent condition, and I feel extremely fortunate to have come upon it a few years ago. Back in 1979, I had ordered a new sunburst F-40. When it arrived, the sunburst was much darker than the catalog photograph, and the nut width was wider than what I prefer. It was the first & last guitar I ever ordered, and was a lesson learned. This '74's overall neck profile is similar, but not as wide, and it ends up being super comfy in every way.

Al, imho, you're absolutely on the right track!
 

Sal

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Thanks for the clarification Hans! I've seen earlier and later F40s with a simple bridge design so I thought mine might have gotten a stray f50 bridge.
 

GardMan

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F - Stands for "Folk" right?
What's the main difference between the F40 and a D40?
I am not as well versed in the F models, but the D-40 was a spruce-topped flat back mahogany body dreadnaught with Chesterfield headstock and dot fret markers. The F-40s that I am aware of had spruce tops, arched maple backs, Chesterfield headstock, abalone block fret markers, and of course, the narrower "waist" of the F body shape.

I A/B'd a '74 F-40 and against my '74 G-37 once... both with arched maple backs. IMO, they were very similar in tone... smooth and bright with great note separation for fingerpicking.
 

walrus

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Great photo, Sal - love how the F-40 is "casually" leaning against the wall!

walrus
 

Rampix

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Add me to the group of F40 lovers. I found my '79 used in a guitar shop in Reno in the 90's. I have no idea about its prior history, but it had been played hard. Lots of finished cracking, a handful of dents and spots with missing finish, a shrinking pickguard and accompanying crack, a couple of cracks on the neck binding...a player for sure and oh what a sound. I've always kept it properly humidified and maintained, but due to the condition when I got it I haven't babied it like my other guitars. My F40 has always been the one to go almost anywhere I've gone. Road trips, camping, winter cabins, it has seen a lot of country and made a lot of friends along the way. I've used plenty of different strings on her over the years, but lately the Martin Retros have been my favorite.

As to the tone, it is superb. It sits in next to my HD28V beautifully. The arched maple compliments the rosewood dread tone in a wonderful way. It was almost embarrassing one time when I was in a duo with a Martin D28-12 string. All of the tone compliments were coming to me and the old Guild...even from the Martin player!

Here are a few of pics of the old girl.

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Rampix

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Thanks killdeer, I appreciate your comment. BTW-that looks like a very nice collection in your signature.
 

adorshki

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Thanks killdeer, I appreciate your comment. BTW-that looks like a very nice collection in your signature.

And another thanks from me for posting pics here. As I mentioned in that other thread, I l-o-o-o-ve that 'burst.
Oooh, it's got dot markers on the binding, too!
I just noticed, and this is almost hilarious, the label's upside down!
Usually it's the TRC.
Talk abut "personality".
:glee:
 

Rampix

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Thanks Al, and since you like case candy, here is one more.

25894761528_e221888c90_b.jpg
 

bobouz

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Rampix - I could look at pics of that one all day!

Like I mentioned when you posted pics before, that's exactly what I wanted my F-40 to look like when I ordered it in sunburst back in the late 70s. Unfortunately, the one that arrived had a burst that faded quickly & sharply to black (which I've never cared for), and then to top it off, the neck was wider than on my other Guilds - another big no-no.

I was able to make a satisfying correction with my current F-40, but I still drool excessively at the sight of your sunburst version. Geez, now that I think about it, I've been lusting after that model for approx forty years!
 

sailingshoes72

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Wow! Just Wow! That is a beautiful guitar. And it doesn't show any of the "road worn" quality in the photos. I really like the figure in the grain of the rosewood bridge. It is interesting how different the sunburst finish appears under the different lighting conditions.

I gotta ask... what kind of guitar is the yard gnome playing? :biggrin-new:
 
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Rich Cohen

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Well, I think Cordoba is trampling on the F-40 and the ghost of the F-48 in this case. Most folks won't know the difference, but we LTGers are wise to Cordoba's shenanigans, and all of us who know and love both the F-40 and F-48 know otherwise. They must be gamblining...the F-48 had a very short run of 3 years before its lack of commercial success was acknowledged. Let's see what happens....
 
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