Guild F-30NT Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1968), made in Hoboken, NJ, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
The often very fine sounding Guild flattops of the 1960's are surprisingly hard to find these days, despite being a popular choice in their day. This is a 1968 natural-top F-30, the midline, mid-size model in Guild's line. The F-30 stood in the company's line above the all mahogany M-20 (famously regarded as the "Nick Drake" guitar) and F-20, the same size and shape with a spruce top. The somewhat larger F-30 is more similar in size to a Martin 000, and is a smooth finger-or-flatpicking guitar with a vibrant midrange sound which works equally well as a strummed chord machine. This is an extremely well-built and responsive guitar, much lighter than Rhode-Island made 1970's Guilds and easily on par-or better- compared with similar size Martin or Gibson offerings from the same era.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). Very fine condition overall-the only change is the bridge has been lowered slightly in front of the pins as is common with many of these. The finish has only very slight signs of wear, and is amazingly bright and unfaded or checked. The plastic headstock veneer has shrunken slightly all around (giving the appearance of a bound headstock!) but has less lifting than many. Quite the cleanest of these we have ever had; and a fine playing, good sounding one as well. Excellent + Condition.
