F40 Valencia questions , Al ?

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
K I’m lazy today so I’m asking instead of researching it so Al what’cha know ? Lol

I don’t much about this model other then my CV-1 which is kind of one or is one ?

So New Hampshire made them and I think they Adirondack tops hog back and sides now are the all that way or did the ever make a Rosewood model ?

Also do all the models over the years share the same build specs as far as dimensions ?

Thanks 😁
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
K I’m lazy today so I’m asking instead of researching it so Al what’cha know ? Lol

droogs.jpg

I don’t much about this model other then my CV-1 which is kind of one or is one ?
I have a Tacoma price list at home ('08, I think) that specifically states it's based on the F40 body so I for one consider them to be in the F40 family or "derivatives" as I say for short.
16" lower bout F-body.
They don't get enough respect and yet it's one of Guild's most enduring and flexible designs.


So New Hampshire made them
New Hampshire you say?
Hardly.
fight.jpg




and I think they Adirondack tops hog back and sides now are the all that way or did the ever make a Rosewood model ?
Tacoma actually offered the 'hog body/adi top formula first.
The NH regular production were 'hog sides/Adi tops.
The GSR version was Cocobolo sides/Englemann top. Closest you could get to rosewood out of NH, IIRC.
Sa-a-a-y...Didn't you have an F47 Koa for a while? I consider that to be F40 family too.
Original "Valencia" from early '50's was maple archback/ sitka top and was replaced by F47 ca '64 (?). (I researched it recently for "F40 Lovers Unite" but have forgotten already.)
F47's were 'hog bodied.
IN '84 George Gruhn "remodeled" ("re-defined"?) the Guild 16" lower bout F body and gave us F44, followed by the first rosewood F40 derivative I know of, the F46.
In '87 price list the GF series appears which offer all 3 tonewoods and 2 of 'em with choice of arch or flatback, but I think the GF50/GF60r was flatback only.
87PL2.jpg


Late '80's begat the "Fxxce 's ", such as the F45ce Acornhouse recently acquired and which were quickly followed by a host of wood combos/body depths based on F47's, and which also begat the F47Rce.
Guild said this about those:
"The F-Series acoustic-electrics are unmistakably Guild. The classic Guild Valencia body shape continues in these modern guitars."
Let us not forget the GV series as covered in this thread:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?191235-I-couldn-t-help-myself-really-I-could-not
The first time I heard of the Valencia was in the '97 Guild Gallery when they introduced a Nashville Custom Shop model of it.
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/guitars/valencia.html :
valencia.JPG

Flatback maple/AAA sitka top:
valencia2.JPG


Also do all the models over the years share the same build specs as far as dimensions ?
The earliest ones had a slight difference in radius of bouts compared to later ones but not sure when that actually started.
THE Gruhn era GF50 outline was littler more "voluptuous", compared to black '97 Valencia above:
gf50.JPG

16" lower bout F-body is the definition of the F40 and that never changed.
Except for some variation in depth between models and years ranging from about 4-1/2" to 5" with the F65ce being the extreme outlier at 3-1/2" deep, they would all fit in the same case that came with a 1959 F40 Valencia.
F65ce actually got it own case.
With 5 (count 'em 5) latches.
All photos courtesy westerlyguildguitars.com



Thanks ��[/QUOTE]
 
Last edited:

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
Thanks Al , yes I have the F47GSR but it does not carry the same feel my CV-1 has .

I bought it as a investment and will be putting it up for sale I’m not really a collector type . I have more a play it or sell it attitude . 😁
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Al, glad to see a fellow Stanley Kubrick groupie here on LTG :victorious:


Flouride2.jpg


You and me against the godless masses, eh, Clydetower?

Thanks Al , yes I have the F47GSR but it does not carry the same feel my CV-1 has .

I bought it as a investment and will be putting it up for sale I’m not really a collector type . I have more a play it or sell it attitude . ��

Couldn't remember if you'd already sold it or not but I did recall you mentioning it wasn't on your keeper list.
Kind of surprising to me, but you got very particular ears..when you say "feel", do you mean literally, like the neck feel, or more figuratively like the sound difference.
I'm thinking of that neckblock/spider system that was supposed to make tops ring more on the Contemporaries.

Lyndon%20lens.jpg
 
Last edited:

ClydeTower

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
585
Reaction score
7
Location
Montreal
Flouride2.jpg


You and me against the godless masses, eh, Clydetower?


Yep. Most of em don't take a dump without a plan.


Or my personal favorite:

"Oh bliss, bliss and heaven... Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh... And then, a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now... I knew such lovely pictures"
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
Flouride2.jpg


You and me against the godless masses, eh, Clydetower?



Couldn't remember if you'd already sold it or not but I did recall you mentioning it wasn't on your keeper list.
Kind of surprising to me, but you got very particular ears..when you say "feel", do you mean literally, like the neck feel, or more figuratively like the sound difference.
I'm thinking of that neckblock/spider system that was supposed to make tops ring more on the Contemporaries.

Lyndon%20lens.jpg

Let me get back to you I have to pull it out and see but it could mostly be the Koa just not sounding right to what my ears want right now .lol

Dong get me work otherwise it’s a wonderful guitar for sure .
 

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
The shape of the maple Westerly F-40 released in '73 is different from those shown above.

My personal favorite since the '70s!
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
The shape of the maple Westerly F-40 released in '73 is different from those shown above.

My personal favorite since the '70s!

Wouldn't it be same shape as Rampix's posted over in the "F40 Lovers In Unite" thread?:

22788704637_3b745bbd0b_b.jpg


Still kinda flat on bottom but a little rounder in the curves, especially the upper bout?
 
Last edited:

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
Wouldn't it be same shape as Rampix's posted over in the "F40 Lovers In Unite" thread?

Yes, that's it. And as much as I like my '74, his also features my all time favorite finish.

Excuse me while I clean up this spot of drool!
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
Wouldn't it be same shape as Rampix's posted over in the "F40 Lovers In Unite" thread?:

22788704637_3b745bbd0b_b.jpg


Still kinda flat on bottom but a little rounder in the curves, especially the upper bout?

I like that color :)
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
There’s a gf50 for sale on verb 1990 for 1900 with dings and dents I don’t know enough but it feels just we bit high ?
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
There’s a gf50 for sale on verb 1990 for 1900 with dings and dents I don’t know enough but it feels just we bit high ?

I think that's been commented on before if it's the one I'm thinking of.. Arizona? No good shots of action height?
Seem to recall comments it looks like a likely candidate for a reset?
Yeah I think $1900's probably high too but I'd consult a Vintage Guitar Bluebook to verify my suspicion.
The old saw comes to mind: Just because it's rare doesn't mean it's particularly valuable.
If I was truly in the hunt I'd probably be looking for a Tacoma F40 or even a CV (no MIRC's though. If they ain't virgin I want 'em at least to have been "A" stock with a real s/n on the label), for being young enough to have a lot pf good years left and because of the virtually universal positive feedback about Tacoma-builts here.
If it was hanging in a shop I'd give it a fair try even though I think I want a 24-3/4 scale, and as far as I can tell they only put those on the F45ce, and a couple of other pre-'94 Fxxce's
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
I think that's been commented on before if it's the one I'm thinking of.. Arizona? No good shots of action height?
Seem to recall comments it looks like a likely candidate for a reset?
Yeah I think $1900's probably high too but I'd consult a Vintage Guitar Bluebook to verify my suspicion.
The old saw comes to mind: Just because it's rare doesn't mean it's particularly valuable.
If I was truly in the hunt I'd probably be looking for a Tacoma F40 or even a CV (no MIRC's though. If they ain't virgin I want 'em at least to have been "A" stock with a real s/n on the label), for being young enough to have a lot pf good years left and because of the virtually universal positive feedback about Tacoma-builts here.
If it was hanging in a shop I'd give it a fair try even though I think I want a 24-3/4 scale, and as far as I can tell they only put those on the F45ce, and a couple of other pre-'94 Fxxce's

Cv is a good choice I understand the A stock but if money is an issue I’d consider the Mirc as their are some good ones also the neck mounting issue runs both A or B stock from the pics I’ve seen .

Anyway I can’t complain about mine at all it’s still my go to guitar , go figure ? Maybe it’s a bond of “we’re both rejects “ do we gravitate towards each other lol

Random though on the F40 has me wondering how it would compare to the NH F30 I had to send back ? It sure did sound good and I keep on thinking about it lol
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
Let switch topics for a sec . Does Guild have a letter grade for back and side woods ?
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,323
Reaction score
6,497
Guild Total
2
Let switch topics for a sec . Does Guild have a letter grade for back and side woods ?

like F30R or F50R that designated rosewood. I dont know of many others...
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,172
like F30R or F50R that designated rosewood. I dont know of many others...
No sorry I mean wood grade . Tops are rated AAA or AAAA I believe as far Guild specs go that I’ve seen but you don’t really see a grade for back and sides .
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
No sorry I mean wood grade . Tops are rated AAA or AAAA I believe as far Guild specs go that I’ve seen but you don’t really see a grade for back and sides .
I don't recall ever seeing B/S woods graded like tops were, and only recall seeing "AAA" as the highest grade.
According to their grading scale, which as you may recall is seen by some here as being more stringent than a lot of other makers.
I've posted it before but in case you missed it, in Westerly's case at least, thank Willie Fritsch:
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/articles/woodselection.pdf
One of their advantages was that they were small enough to go directly to suppliers, bypassing brokers and mass lots of possibly sub-par wood.
I don't think their volume requirements changed so much even after Westerly that that was discontinued.
If anything volume went down after Westerly.
Judging by reports of New Hartford top quality it appears their grading standards remained intact.

Custom Shop material may have been higher graded, I just don't recall seeing "AAAA" though.
 
Top