Guild M-20 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1965)
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Item # 10144
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Guild M-20 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1965), made in Hoboken, NJ, serial # 40218, dark mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
The often very fine sounding Guild flattops of the 1960's have become much more sought after in recent years, but still represent the best value in a vintage American solid-wood flat top out there. The M-20 was Guild's least expensive guitar in the 1950's and '60's and while not a rare model per se has become one of the company's most desired vintage instruments in recent years. Highly influential English singer/songwriter Nick Drake is often believed to have played an M-20 and so the model is linked in the popular imagination to his legend, but even apart from this the guitar itself has much to recommend it.
A small body all-mahogany guitar, the M-20 has a different tonal character from any other Guild and excels particularly as a fingerpicking instrument. This mid-60's model is very lightly built; the neck is slim and comfortable, somewhat in between typical Martin and Gibson spec. of the period. Arguably this is a better guitar of this type than either of those companies produced in 1965.
With no binding and only the plainest inlay the M-20 has a very austere look but a surprisingly expansive sound. This M-20 dates to early 1965 and is somewhat rarer than the more typically encountered late 1960's/early '70's models made in Westerly Rhode Island, with a thinner finish and more responsive feel. This is a lovely little guitar, a superb playing example of an instrument we consistently receive many requests for.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 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.).
This is a really great sounding little guitar, with a recent neck set is a truly excellent player. There are some small dings and dents to the finish overall, with a couple of deeper dings in an odd spot in front of the bridge. There is hardly any pickwear to the top except around the lower edge of the soundhole. The back shows scrapes, dents and minor loss along the edges. The back of the neck is partially worn to the wood and feels great. The headstock facing has hardly shrunk up at all, the tuners are the original Waverly strips with plastic buttons.
The guitar remains all original with no alterations other than the work to make it play to a modern standard. There are no cracks anywhere. The neck reset is very cleanly done, not an easy task on these 60s Guilds and the action is low and supple. The frets have been recrowned and show no wear, the bridge is a perfect replica with plenty of height. This is not only one of the cleaner M-20 we have had, but one of the best sounding we have heard with plenty of volume and a really powerful ring! It resides in a later but correctly sized 1970s Guild-branded case. Excellent - Condition.
The often very fine sounding Guild flattops of the 1960's have become much more sought after in recent years, but still represent the best value in a vintage American solid-wood flat top out there. The M-20 was Guild's least expensive guitar in the 1950's and '60's and while not a rare model per se has become one of the company's most desired vintage instruments in recent years. Highly influential English singer/songwriter Nick Drake is often believed to have played an M-20 and so the model is linked in the popular imagination to his legend, but even apart from this the guitar itself has much to recommend it.
A small body all-mahogany guitar, the M-20 has a different tonal character from any other Guild and excels particularly as a fingerpicking instrument. This mid-60's model is very lightly built; the neck is slim and comfortable, somewhat in between typical Martin and Gibson spec. of the period. Arguably this is a better guitar of this type than either of those companies produced in 1965.
With no binding and only the plainest inlay the M-20 has a very austere look but a surprisingly expansive sound. This M-20 dates to early 1965 and is somewhat rarer than the more typically encountered late 1960's/early '70's models made in Westerly Rhode Island, with a thinner finish and more responsive feel. This is a lovely little guitar, a superb playing example of an instrument we consistently receive many requests for.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 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.).
This is a really great sounding little guitar, with a recent neck set is a truly excellent player. There are some small dings and dents to the finish overall, with a couple of deeper dings in an odd spot in front of the bridge. There is hardly any pickwear to the top except around the lower edge of the soundhole. The back shows scrapes, dents and minor loss along the edges. The back of the neck is partially worn to the wood and feels great. The headstock facing has hardly shrunk up at all, the tuners are the original Waverly strips with plastic buttons.
The guitar remains all original with no alterations other than the work to make it play to a modern standard. There are no cracks anywhere. The neck reset is very cleanly done, not an easy task on these 60s Guilds and the action is low and supple. The frets have been recrowned and show no wear, the bridge is a perfect replica with plenty of height. This is not only one of the cleaner M-20 we have had, but one of the best sounding we have heard with plenty of volume and a really powerful ring! It resides in a later but correctly sized 1970s Guild-branded case. Excellent - Condition.