Excellent condition featuring 16" wide body, Sitka spruce top, flamed maple back and sides, decorative backstripe and soundhole rosette, multiple bindings on the top and back body edges, elongated Guild tortoiseshell grain pickguard, rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, two piece flamed maple neck, bound ebony fingerboard with pearl notched diamond inlays, multiple bound snakehead peghead, black peghead overlay with Guild and G-shield pearl inlays, single ply plastic truss rod cover, three on a side chrome plated tuners, serial number and Made in USA stamps on the back of the peghead, ivoroid heel cap, B-Band pickup with endpin jack and external controls mounted on the bass side upper bout, metal strap button on the heel of the neck, and original hard shell case.
This 1986 Guild F-44 sounds and plays fantastic. It is set up with relatively low action and is very easy to play. This guitar produces complex maple tones with a great blend of clarity and low end. This Guild was constructed extremely well and has a fantastic fit and finish. This model was produced by the Guild guitar company from 1984-86 and is scarcely available. These guitars were made in Guild's Westerly, Rhode Island factory and this model was designed by master luthier Kim Walker and Gruhn's Guide co-author George Gruhn. Early examples of these guitars are stamped on the label with George Gruhn's name, but this guitar was made after his name was removed from the labels. This is a very good playing and sounding example of this model. I have played two or three others, including the prototype, and this one holds its own. The maple back and sides on this particular guitar are exceptionally curly and attractive. If you're looking for a collectable and extremely playable superbly built Guild acoustic guitar, this may be the one for you.
