Smaller guitar body for shoulder discomfort?

Bonneville88

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Walrus,

Apologies if this is a BTDT or already discussed - was playing this F25 CE-SB
just a few minutes ago. 16" lower bout, arch-back, body is 3" D, reasonably light.
Plays like buttah. Ordinarily I stay away from narrow-ish nut widths but this guitar
plays so effortlessly I barely notice - it has what I'd describe as a "fast" neck,
approaching an electric feel.
Kinda similar to playing my S4CE (Songbird w/satin finish) but feels like my left hand isn't
extended out as far as it is on that guitar.
Not much volume though if it's not plugged in.

 

adorshki

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Walrus,

Apologies if this is a BTDT or already discussed - was playing this F25 CE-SB
just a few minutes ago. 16" lower bout, arch-back, body is 3" D, reasonably light.
Plays like buttah. Ordinarily I stay away from narrow-ish nut widths but this guitar
plays so effortlessly I barely notice - it has what I'd describe as a "fast" neck,
approaching an electric feel.
Ooooh! That's a pretty rare bird!
Kind of like a 'hog-bodied version of my F65ce, didn't realize they were only 3" deep.
Also didn't realize those had the full 2-octave fretboard like the F45ce Acornhouse acquired a couple of months back; those were intentionally crafted to feel like electric necks with 24-3/4 scale and 1-5/8 nut (for Jeff's edification)
Kinda similar to playing my S4CE (Songbird w/satin finish) but feels like my left hand isn't
extended out as far as it is on that guitar.
Doesn't the Songbird neck join at the 16th fret, compared to that 14th fret join on the F25ce?
Not much volume though if it's not plugged in.
(Again, more for Jeff's benefit,) yes, we've heard that about early "Fxxce's", suspect that's at least part of the reason they went long (25-5/8) scale in late '94 (at least that's when F65ce's did).
But don't think they made F25's in long scale, think they became F4ce's.
 

Bonneville88

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Al, appreciate the comments & observations.

Re 16th vs 14th fret - that would explain the different ergos - will check it out.

It is a sweet guitar. Didn't really know what to expect when I stumbled
on to it, but worked out a deal and glad I did. This and the Songbird and I
guess some of the other acoustic-electric cutaway non-dread guitars occupy an interesting place in
Guild history. Also have an F15CE-M that's been away getting worked on, all-hog,
another sweet, interesting acoustic-electric Guild. I'm guessing the
body depth is same or similar to Guild dreads of the period.

JFGKIJJ.jpg
 

adorshki

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Al, appreciate the comments & observations.

Re 16th vs 14th fret - that would explain the different ergos - will check it out.

It is a sweet guitar. Didn't really know what to expect when I stumbled
on to it, but worked out a deal and glad I did. This and the Songbird and I
guess some of the other acoustic-electric cutaway non-dread guitars occupy an interesting place in
Guild history.
Yes, I started "getting a clue" about 'em when I discovered the Westerlyguildguitars website.
That actually led me here.
I was just looking for background about my F65ce, was it rare and desirable, that kind of stuff.
Over the years I learned about the little evolutionary details of 'em, but the single common denominator's that 16" lower bout, my beloved F40 body shape.
Took me a while to realize S4ce/Songbird's actually a different parentage and shape, they derived from Gruhn's Nightbird design and have a smaller lower bout besides the whole "routed from a single chunk of 'hog" body.

Also have an F15CE-M that's been away getting worked on, all-hog,
another sweet, interesting acoustic-electric Guild.
Have you seen David Byrne playing his in Stop Making Sense?
It gets cited here periodically.
I'm guessing the
body depth is same or similar to Guild dreads of the period.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, close, typically 4-1/2" for "full depth" Fxxce's vs 5" for dreads.
I think the "shallow (3") bodies" were always intended to be primarily played plugged in, not sure if the deeper bodies were intended to satisfy a demand for "decent" unplugged volume or simply give a better plugged-in tone, if not both.
Still, never had any volume complaints about my F65ce.
It actually went toe-to-toe with the D40 until the '40 finally started opening up.
It just took me 2 years to learn how to play it after a lifetime of dreads....
:biggrin-new:
 

walrus

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I appreciate all the info! I definitely want a good - or great! - sound unplugged. And the body on these "Fxxx" models are not a lot smaller (if at all) than my D64.

Same with the F40. I've been oogling an F-47M on Guitar Center's site, but the lower body is the same as a dread. I think it's going to have be an F-30 if I'm going to take the plunge.

walrus
 

adorshki

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I appreciate all the info! I definitely want a good - or great! - sound unplugged. And the body on these "Fxxx" models are not a lot smaller (if at all) than my D64.
Well, lower bouts're actually same as F40's: 16" vs 15-3/4" on a dread, and we all know how critical 1/4" can be.....it's the narrow waist that does it for me and a "shallow" one might add to that comfort.
But as known to some of you I refuse to play in anything other than classical position on anything other than my little blue foot stool.
Wearing my California Roach Stompers.
:biggrin-new:

I think it's going to have be an F-30 if I'm going to take the plunge.
walrus
Well, ya gotta uh......stand up for whatcha want!!!.
:smile-new:
 

walrus

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Picked up a mint 2011 F-30 RCE yesterday. Played it for a few hours today with no shoulder discomfort, but I need a few weeks to really decide about it. So far, I'm impressed.

walrus
 
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