Guild M-20 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1965)
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Item # 11035
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Guild M-20 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1965), made in Hoboken, NJ, serial # 41923, dark mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black chipboard case.
This Guild M-20 has definitely seen some use along the way over the last 57 years, but still represent an excellent value in a vintage solid-wood flat top. 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 more sought-after vintage instruments in recent years. The highly influential English singer/songwriter Nick Drake is linked to this model in the popular imagination, 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, especially for a Guild! 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 were producing in 1965.
With no binding and only the plainest inlay the M-20 has a very austere look but a typically expansive sound. This M-20 dates to early 1965 and is 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 sound. This one has some noticeable wear and repair but remains a lovely little guitar, a nice playing and great sounding example of an instrument we 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.).
OK, this is not the cleanest of these we have had but a really great sounding little guitar, with some adventures behind it played in quite a bit showing wear and repairs but an excellent player. There are noticeable scratches, dings and dents to the finish overall; the back especially shows some heavier dings and scrapes with more finish loss and disturbance from what looks like a sticker removal. As with all these unbound guitars the heaviest wear is along the edges but there is less pickwear to the top than some. The finish on the back of the neck is well worn down to the wood with some minor dings and dents. The guitar remains all original with no alterations other than work to make it play well.
Repairs include an area of the top just above the soundhole where it looks like a bash long ago caused a couple of cracks to the mahogany and a long scrape mark. This has been solidly sealed up but with no overfinsh so all are plainly visible. The forward tip of the X-brace underneath was re-glued as well. There is a visible mahogany grain crack on the treble side of the top near the waist through the bottom end of the pickguard, again sealed up with no overfinish. The guard itself has shrunken somewhat and been off and ere-glued and has a somewhat lumpy appearance as a result.
There are several smaller grain cracks to the back, all sealed but visible, and a couple of deep scrape marks. The lower side also has a small grain split in the waist area. The G string tuner shafts id slightly bent but still fully functional. The vinyl headstock facing has shrunk up just a bit as is typical with Guilds but less than many of this period. The original bridge has been lowered a bit but still has plenty of height; it may have lifted long ago but if so was neatly reglued. This is obviously a well played and somewhat indifferently cared for M-20 for a time at least, but remains an excellent comfortable player and IS one of the best sounding we have heard with plenty of volume and a really powerful ring! Very Good + Condition.
This Guild M-20 has definitely seen some use along the way over the last 57 years, but still represent an excellent value in a vintage solid-wood flat top. 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 more sought-after vintage instruments in recent years. The highly influential English singer/songwriter Nick Drake is linked to this model in the popular imagination, 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, especially for a Guild! 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 were producing in 1965.
With no binding and only the plainest inlay the M-20 has a very austere look but a typically expansive sound. This M-20 dates to early 1965 and is 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 sound. This one has some noticeable wear and repair but remains a lovely little guitar, a nice playing and great sounding example of an instrument we 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.).
OK, this is not the cleanest of these we have had but a really great sounding little guitar, with some adventures behind it played in quite a bit showing wear and repairs but an excellent player. There are noticeable scratches, dings and dents to the finish overall; the back especially shows some heavier dings and scrapes with more finish loss and disturbance from what looks like a sticker removal. As with all these unbound guitars the heaviest wear is along the edges but there is less pickwear to the top than some. The finish on the back of the neck is well worn down to the wood with some minor dings and dents. The guitar remains all original with no alterations other than work to make it play well.
Repairs include an area of the top just above the soundhole where it looks like a bash long ago caused a couple of cracks to the mahogany and a long scrape mark. This has been solidly sealed up but with no overfinsh so all are plainly visible. The forward tip of the X-brace underneath was re-glued as well. There is a visible mahogany grain crack on the treble side of the top near the waist through the bottom end of the pickguard, again sealed up with no overfinish. The guard itself has shrunken somewhat and been off and ere-glued and has a somewhat lumpy appearance as a result.
There are several smaller grain cracks to the back, all sealed but visible, and a couple of deep scrape marks. The lower side also has a small grain split in the waist area. The G string tuner shafts id slightly bent but still fully functional. The vinyl headstock facing has shrunk up just a bit as is typical with Guilds but less than many of this period. The original bridge has been lowered a bit but still has plenty of height; it may have lifted long ago but if so was neatly reglued. This is obviously a well played and somewhat indifferently cared for M-20 for a time at least, but remains an excellent comfortable player and IS one of the best sounding we have heard with plenty of volume and a really powerful ring! Very Good + Condition.