SOLD - Vintage Guild F-40 Valencia Concert Steel String – USA 1962

SOLD

This is one of the first Guild F-40 Valencia's built at the Hoboken facility near New York. Guild started production of flattop guitars in 1954, and by the 1960s, Guild had mostly left its archtop origins behind. Of its early F-body guitars, the Guild F-40 was introduced that first year it is a particularly collectible model.

Features -

• Small body narrow waist concert body style
• Solid spruce top
• Maple back and sides
• Round soundhole
• two-stripe rosette
• Multi-ply body binding
• Three-piece Mahogany/Maple neck
• 14/20-fret bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard
• Seven pearloid block inlays
• Blackface headstock with pearl G shield and logo inlay
• New three-per-side chrome tuners
• Brazilian Rosewood bridge with white pins
• Tortoise shell celluloid pickguard
• Sunburst finish
• 16" body width
• 4.25" body depth
• 25.5" scale

This guitar is in excellent structural condition. This one may have had a neck reset some time ago, but there is no evidence of the work showing – it’s a good job.

The body shows no cracks, splits or other damage. No problem with the binding either – holding together well.

The original Waverley tuners are intact and working fine. The frets show some wear down low but overall have lots of life left.

The lovely arched back has been hand carved and is in great shape, especially given there is no internal bracing there. Quite a feat of modern guitar design for the early 60s.

The original bridge is actually in the right place, and intonation is good.

It has a Gibson style open-book headstock with a lovely detailed Chesterfield inlay, presenting in great shape.

The action is medium low and she plays comfortably in all positions with a rich and sweet sound – quite unique to Guild jumbos.

This fine guitar was purchased from Holland a few years ago, an arrived with all CITES papers and certificates.

Comes in its original Guild branded hard case in good condition.

More pics to come ...