Guild Mark 50M and Mark 50R...a little challange...

SFIV1967

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O.k., so here is a little challange about two guitars I was not aware about until recently. But I have never seen a picture of any of them.

I recently read from Ted Beesley that Guild made in 1985 two classical guitar models with dreadnought (!) body as special “Jose Feliciano” models.
The model names were Mark 50M with maple body and Mark 50R with rosewood body. Yes, Mark 50 ! Both had a slotted headstock like a normal classical guitar.

Now Hattedfrau, West, Scratch, Al, rampside and others have talked about the great classical guitar player Jose Feliciano many times before. But no mention about any signature Guild guitars for him at LTG so far...

So I got curious and started to search a bit. First for those who don't know: A video with Jose Feliciano:





He was born blind just in case one wonders. He played with a lot of great musicians over time, just one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_LpWY9Yu7s

Now where is the Guild connection? In an interview in 2012 he was asked: “You had your own signature guitar at one point, right?"

and answered:

"I did, but I don't play those too much. Those guitars are made for beginners. I wanted to put guitars into people's hands that were affordable, because if you want to get a good guitar these days, it costs a hell of a lot of money.

If he was referring to the Guild models I don't know.
But the only other Jose Feliciano signature model I am aware of was made by Kirk Sand, and it was also a kind of dreadnought, but I don't think it was a "beginners" model...
(Kirk Sand is known to Guild for his input into the Guild Doyle Dykes DD-6NC nylon model).


Jose Feliciano said in an interview in 2015 : “As for 12-strings, I don’t care what anyone else comes out with, to me, Guild makes the best 12-string acoustic guitar.” Nice reference to Guild by such a special guitar player!

But again, no mention of the Guild Mark 50 models...


I am not going to ask Hans as this might be part of Volume II, so instead I am going to ask our combined LTG force here if somebody ever heard of or even saw pictures of the mentioned Guild "Mark 50M" or Mark 50R" Jose Feliciano guitars?
Well, if Hans doesn't plan to have the info in Volume II he is more than welcome to share his insight here.

I am just curious...

Ralf
 

twocorgis

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Very interesting Ralf, and this is the first I've heard of these. I hope Hans chimes in.
 

walrus

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Interesting puzzle! The Beesley book says "specifications were not available for this model". One wonders if any were actually built...

walrus
 
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