Guild F-20 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1966), made in Hoboken, NJ, serial # AG-592, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck; spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
The often extremely fine sounding Guild flattops of the 1960's are surprisingly hard to find these days; examples this nice are far from common! This is a early-1966 sunburst-top F-20, the smallest body size in the company's line up. The F-20 was the next model up from the all mahogany M-20 (famously regarded as the "Nick Drake" guitar) and is the same size and shape but with a spruce top instead of all-mahogany construction. This is very a smooth little finger-or-flatpicking guitar, with a vibrant midrangey sound, and also works well as a strummed chord machine.
The fairly dark reddish-orange sunburst finish seen on this guitar is a standard option but less often seen than a plain natural top. This is an extremely well-built little guitar, much lighter in construction than 1970's Guilds and easily a match in sound for similar Martin offerings from the same era. This is a fine recording or gigging guitar, a very nice example of one of the best small body flat tops of the 1960's.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/16 in. (10.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a surprisingly loud and punchy sounding little guitar with a nicely dry woody tone, with some typical wear overall but a very a nice player. It is a relatively clean guitar; there are a numbers of dings, dents and scrapes mostly to the top and a deeper worn-through spot on the treble side but no large areas of finish loss. The guitar has no cracks, the bridge has been artfully cut down a bit but there are no other repairs or modifications and this is an excellent player with a nice bright sound. Excellent - Condition.
