Guild F-20NT Troubador Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1965), made in Hoboken, NJ, serial # 40719, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; laminated mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, chipboard case.
The often very fine sounding Guild flattops of the 1960's are surprisingly hard to find these days; examples this well preserved are far from common! This is a 1965 natural-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. This is a smooth little finger-or-flatpicking guitar, with a vibrant midrangey sound, and also works very well as a strummed chord machine.
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. The guitar has survived with some small repairs but no significant damage and just some light play wear. An extremely nice recording or gigging guitar, a nice example of one of the nicer 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 1/8 in. (10.5 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.). Overall very nice playing condition. There is a single repaired spruce grain crack to the top just on the top edge of the pickguard that is solid but visible, and a slight repaired split through the bridge pins. While there a few noticeable dings overall the finish is in very good condition, without much wear or checking. The top of the bridge has been lowered slightly, very typical for this model. The action is fine and the guitar plays well with a very punchy and even sound. Excellent Condition.
