'55 F 30 Aragon

richardp69

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Looks like the thread was closed but I wanted to say the guitar arrived safe and sound and it is a very cool piece.

Don't ever let somebody tell you old wood doesn't matter because they would be wrong.. I've had numerous F 30's over the years, some Mahogany and some Rosewood. Prior to picking this one up I had two on hand, the 60th Anniversary Koa (beautiful guitar) and a 1975 Mahogany. I'd never really bonded with the F 30's except for those two (which I still have) and both are wonderful IMHO.

This 1955 I got from John outperforms every one I've ever had. It is punchy with boatloads of volume (important for me) and has that really balanced, warm tone/sound you'd expect from a nice Mahogany guitar. It's in surprisingly nice condition given its age (I wish I could say the same).

Let me also say that if you ever have a chance to deal with John go forth with no fear. Exceptionally nice guy, responsive and fun to talk with. I traded my vintage X-175 for this one. It was really cool as well but I just don't have the love for electrics that I do for acoustics. I think we both ended up happy with the trade.
 

fronobulax

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Looks like the thread was closed

As a matter of policy the Mods will close a FS/FT thread when the instrument is sold or withdrawn for sale. Doing so helps eliminate problems caused by people finding a 3 year old thread and getting annoyed that the guitar is no longer available. It also helps keep the thread focused on the instrument for sale which has caused concerns if he instrument is listed elsewhere or resold later.

Curiously, the first guitar Mrs. Fro bonded with was her F30 Traditional from NH. The ergonomics were a big thing but there are a couple of locals who want first dibs, if she ever sells. based on the sound. I find this somewhat ironic because her gigging is usually accompanying choirs or congregations and she always goes for the big sound and volume of the D25-12.

Nice to have informed anecdotes about aging. Thank you.
 

davismanLV

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Can you feel the envy from there??? That's a super nice guitar and I'm glad it's all you hoped it would be, and then some!! Congrats Richard!! :encouragement:
 

richardp69

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As a matter of policy the Mods will close a FS/FT thread when the instrument is sold or withdrawn for sale. Doing so helps eliminate problems caused by people finding a 3 year old thread and getting annoyed that the guitar is no longer available. It also helps keep the thread focused on the instrument for sale which has caused concerns if he instrument is listed elsewhere or resold later.

Curiously, the first guitar Mrs. Fro bonded with was her F30 Traditional from NH. The ergonomics were a big thing but there are a couple of locals who want first dibs, if she ever sells. based on the sound. I find this somewhat ironic because her gigging is usually accompanying choirs or congregations and she always goes for the big sound and volume of the D25-12.

Nice to have informed anecdotes about aging. Thank you.

Oh, I wasn't complaining Frono. It's a sound policy for sure.
 

richardp69

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Sorry all. Hans just set me straight and now I remember John telling me the same thing. But, alas, I'm an old man and forget things I'm afraid.

This is a Maple F 30, not Mahogany. No wonder I like it so much. That info kinda makes my day. Now I have a Mahogany, KOA and Maple version of the F 30. "Don't Git No Gooder".

Sorry for the error.
 

geoguy

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Congrats, Richard, it sounds like you found a winner!

Now you just need to find a nice rosewood F30 to round out that collection . . . :devilish:
 

HeyMikey

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Richard

Congrats! Very cool piece of history. Say, what is the neck at the nut width on yours? Is it the 1-5/8 or 1-11/16? I’ve always admired the old F30 models but alas they always seem to have tiny necks.

Mike
 

sailingshoes72

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According to the Guild Guitar Book, both the F-30 (1954) and the F-20 (1956) were introduced with maple back and sides. Both guitars got mahogany back and sides in 1959. From the photos in the for-sale listing, this 1955 F-30 appears to have an arched back (no braces on the back).

geoguy said:
Now you just need to find a nice rosewood F30 to round out that collection . . .

I completely agree with this sentiment!

... by the way 1955 is a birth year guitar for me.
 

docfishr

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Dang! I just sold a nice Rosewood F-30 traditional series that would have rounded out Richards collection. Oh, I forgot (cause I'M old too), Richard already owned it once upon a time. I bought it from him several years back. Hmmmm!

Congrats, Richard, it sounds like you found a winner!

Now you just need to find a nice rosewood F30 to round out that collection . . . :devilish:
 

GuildInAtlanta

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In your post you explained you owned many F30's and your impressions.

"Prior to picking this one up I had two on hand, the 60th Anniversary Koa (beautiful guitar) and a 1975 Mahogany. I'd never really bonded with the F 30's except for those two (which I still have) and both are wonderful IMHO."

Could you share your thoughts on the sonic differences between the three you currently own and why you like them?

I'm very curious to hear how a 65 year old maple F30 (the 1955) compares to a 45 year old mahogany (the 1975) and a 7 year old Koa (the 2013).
 

D30Man

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Most excellent sir.. Whether in the syrup or guitar variety you can't go wrong with maple!
 

richardp69

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Well, this type question is always tough for me to answer or at least provide a good answer. I mean, we all hear things differently and I'm not sure how to best or easily describe the sometimes small nuances and variations in tone. But, here's what I can feel comfortable saying.

-The '55 F30 and the 60th Anniv. both have huge voices, I mean huge voices. Surprisingly so, at least to me. More volume than some Dreads I own.

-The '55 may have a bit more pronounced mids and trebles than the 60th Anniv. which I guess you might expect from the Maple version but not by a whole lot.

-The 60th Anniv. to my ear for sure has more lower end prominence than either the '75 or the '55

-The '75 has a more balanced tone across all tonal regions, kind of like you might expect with a good Mahogany F 30. I've owned and tried numerous F 30 Mahogany guitars and this one by far is the best of the best I've tried.

-The 60th Anniv. is true eye candy and is almost a work of art in my opinion.

-The '55 is just old and I can relate to that pretty easily. I just sit and wonder how many folks have played this guitar and what type music did they play. I think it would work well across all genres.

Both the 60th Anniv. and the '55 have good set ups and pretty decent strings on them. The '75 has not yet been set up (for me) and the strings are likely years old. I think once I get a set up and a fresh set of strings on it, the '75 will really come to life. It's pretty responsive now but I just feel it will get even better.

Sorry if ya'll were expecting more, or a big revelation or something more eye popping but this is likely the best I can do.

All three of these F 30's will be with me for a while.
 

walrus

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Well, this type question is always tough for me to answer or at least provide a good answer. I mean, we all hear things differently and I'm not sure how to best or easily describe the sometimes small nuances and variations in tone. But, here's what I can feel comfortable saying.

-The '55 F30 and the 60th Anniv. both have huge voices, I mean huge voices. Surprisingly so, at least to me. More volume than some Dreads I own.

-The '55 may have a bit more pronounced mids and trebles than the 60th Anniv. which I guess you might expect from the Maple version but not by a whole lot.

-The 60th Anniv. to my ear for sure has more lower end prominence than either the '75 or the '55

-The '75 has a more balanced tone across all tonal regions, kind of like you might expect with a good Mahogany F 30. I've owned and tried numerous F 30 Mahogany guitars and this one by far is the best of the best I've tried.

-The 60th Anniv. is true eye candy and is almost a work of art in my opinion.

-The '55 is just old and I can relate to that pretty easily. I just sit and wonder how many folks have played this guitar and what type music did they play. I think it would work well across all genres.

Both the 60th Anniv. and the '55 have good set ups and pretty decent strings on them. The '75 has not yet been set up (for me) and the strings are likely years old. I think once I get a set up and a fresh set of strings on it, the '75 will really come to life. It's pretty responsive now but I just feel it will get even better.

Sorry if ya'll were expecting more, or a big revelation or something more eye popping but this is likely the best I can do.

All three of these F 30's will be with me for a while.

This "comparison" seems like a pretty good answer to me, Richard, thanks! Interestingly, although it's rosewood, IMHO my '11 F-30 has the balanced tone you mention about your '75 mahogany.

And I love this quote, which could also apply to me and my '58 Gibson ES-225T:

"The '55 is just old and I can relate to that pretty easily. I just sit and wonder how many folks have played this guitar and what type music did they play."

walrus
 

jfilm

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Well, this type question is always tough for me to answer or at least provide a good answer. I mean, we all hear things differently and I'm not sure how to best or easily describe the sometimes small nuances and variations in tone. But, here's what I can feel comfortable saying.

-The '55 F30 and the 60th Anniv. both have huge voices, I mean huge voices. Surprisingly so, at least to me. More volume than some Dreads I own.

-The '55 may have a bit more pronounced mids and trebles than the 60th Anniv. which I guess you might expect from the Maple version but not by a whole lot.

-The 60th Anniv. to my ear for sure has more lower end prominence than either the '75 or the '55

-The '75 has a more balanced tone across all tonal regions, kind of like you might expect with a good Mahogany F 30. I've owned and tried numerous F 30 Mahogany guitars and this one by far is the best of the best I've tried.

-The 60th Anniv. is true eye candy and is almost a work of art in my opinion.

-The '55 is just old and I can relate to that pretty easily. I just sit and wonder how many folks have played this guitar and what type music did they play. I think it would work well across all genres.

Both the 60th Anniv. and the '55 have good set ups and pretty decent strings on them. The '75 has not yet been set up (for me) and the strings are likely years old. I think once I get a set up and a fresh set of strings on it, the '75 will really come to life. It's pretty responsive now but I just feel it will get even better.

Sorry if ya'll were expecting more, or a big revelation or something more eye popping but this is likely the best I can do.

All three of these F 30's will be with me for a while.

I have a '56 F-20 with maple back and sides, and for a small guitar, it is very loud, much louder than the '70 F-20 I used to have.
 
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