1973 Guild F-30 Small Jumbo Guitar

While this "specs out" in width as a 000-size, it's about as deep as a dreadnought at the endpin and has a much curvier body shape, so it's really more like a J-185 or "mini jumbo" shape. This is the '70s, Westerly-made era of the F-30 and that's a distinct change in proportions from the short-scale, 000-type F-30 of just a few years prior. It also features a long scale length, giving it a snappier and brighter tone. I think of this era being a perfect match for flatpickers and rock-strummers while the earlier era of Guild F-30s being more of a match for fingerpickers and country-blues types.

Anyhow, it's ready to go after much work and sounds and plays spot-on. The materials are all solid and good stuff, it has the cool (big) Guild pickguard, and there's just enough aging and wear throughout that it feels "friendly" in the lap.

Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, bridge pinhole relocation, new saddle, cleaning, and setup.


Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany

Bracing type: x

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret:
3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: slim-medium C

Board radius: 14"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-lower


Scale length: 25 5/8"

Nut width: 1 21/32"

Body width: 15 3/8"

Body depth: 4 7/8"

Weight: 4 lbs 7 oz


Condition notes: it's all-original save the new bone saddle. There's one tiny hairline crack at the soundhole near the fretboard extension but that's been cleated behind it. There's average wear and tear throughout the body via finish weather-checking, random small nicks, dings, and scratches, and handling. There's a bunch of pickwear on the top net to the fretboard extension but we all know that looks killer, right? Overall it's fairly clean, though, compared to many of these old Guilds. I filled/redrilled the pinholes  so that the back-angle on the (taller, new) saddle would be more appropriate. Because the neck joint is a dovetail with very shallow angles, I also double-bolted the joint during the reset work just for added peace of mind. They're visible on the inside at the neckblock if you're looking. Pics of the dovetail below...


It comes with: a funky old chip case from the '60s or '70s.


















Here's the joint during reset:


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