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-   -   How good is Guild Madeira A30M ? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266004)

hueyhy 09-18-2012 12:42 AM

How good is Guild Madeira A30M ?
 
don't know much about guitars, I have a Taylor big baby now but looking for some full-sized guitar.
Found one Guild Madeira A30M (1976, one owner) on my local craigslist. But I have no idea what this guitar is worth.
Is it a much better guitar than my big baby taylor? (the A30m is in mint condition, or assume it to be if not)
Will it be a great deal if it's under $500? (with hard case)

Just wanna get some sense. Because that model is too old and I can't find much unbiased comments. (saw some comments from A30M owners but seems very emotional, and they seems to think A30Ms are good even compared with those Martin which priced 1~2 grands
Is that true?

Thanks a lot!

hueyhy 09-18-2012 10:37 PM

Bump~~~~~~

Tanque Verde 09-18-2012 11:25 PM

Some guitar manufacturers have a separately labeled discounted line of guitars:
Gibson . . . Epiphone
Martin . . . Sigma
Guild . . . Madeira

Across makers, these less-expensive labels may be pretty good introductory quality or may be of lesser quality. These budget-line guitars are often built to similar specs, but as I understand it--get separate opinions to confirm my understanding--in different factories with lesser quality woods and perhaps with lesser quality controls.

Few people who know guitars would consider a Sigma in the same rank as a Martin, or a Madeira in the same rank as a Guild. That being said, you will find some guitarists who really love their Sigma or Madeira.

I've never studied or played a Madeira, so I can't speak to the A30M. But I watch my local craigslist and I've never seen a Madeira listed for $500. Usually half of that or less.

P.S. For any acoustic guitar of that vintage, be on the lookout for cracks, neck and fret issues, and repair work.


OTHER MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE POSTERS SHOULD CHIME IN AND CORRECT ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ABOVE.

Tanque Verde 09-18-2012 11:37 PM

PPS: For five hundred bucks, you could buy a new guitar that you'd likely consider an upgrade from your BBT. A short list of options, but there are others, would include a Voyage Air VAD or a Yamaha 700 series.

rdm321 09-19-2012 12:55 PM

Go to the Guild forum, letstalkguild.com and search for Madeira.

IMHO, it would have to be exceptional condition to be worth $500.

jseth 09-19-2012 02:21 PM

Madeira was Guild's "other, cheaper" line, as has been noted here...

NO WAY is it worth $500... I'm sorry, it's just not; I don't care how old it is or how great the condition is...

There are far better guitars out there for $500, both new and used... keep looking and playing everything you see...

brad4d8 09-19-2012 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseth (Post 3183146)
NO WAY is it worth $500... I'm sorry, it's just not; I don't care how old it is or how great the condition is...

I'm a big Guild fan, and I agree. I wouldn't go over $200-250 tops, and that's if it's in good shape. As others have pointed out, some pretty good new guitars for $500.
Brad

hueyhy 09-19-2012 08:45 PM

Thanks guys. Really useful information.
I'll keep on with my big baby then.

robj144 09-19-2012 10:53 PM

If you want a cheap Guild for around $500, get a GAD Guild. Here's one, for instance:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...coustic-guitar

Pickin'Pete 11-09-2013 02:05 PM

Madiera A30M
 
I've had my Madiera A30M for about 40 years now.It sounds better to me each year, but it's no Taylor or Martin. I bought it for about $175 in 1972, so inflation alone would mean that a guitar of similar quality would be over $800 now, but then, used, that would drop to well below $500. Even after 30 years spent in alternate tunings, I don't see any bridge separation or neck warping. The action is a little high, but I fingerpick and don't play leads, so that's not a problem for me. It has a nice bass end, and is fairly bright at the top.
If you see one for $250, grab it! By the way, over the years I've owned well over a dozen other guitars, including Ovations, Fenders, Yamahas, and I don't know how many other brands. They're all gone now, but I just can't seem to bring myself to sell the Madiera.

Aviator 06-15-2014 11:24 PM

I have a Madeira
 
I like it a lot. Blonde... looks great, nice binding and trim, inlays. solid, easy neck that stays in tune. can't find any faults with it. has a nice sound too. and it's beautiful. It immediately gets attention as soon as I take it out of the case.

for me, it all comes down to the sound, not the name on the label. If I can get 95 percent of the sound quality of an expensive guitar for 10 percent of the cost, that's a good deal for me. I'm not a performer. but I would not hesitate to take my Madeira onto small venue.

there are a LOT of very underrated older guitars. Look up Diastone. many were made in Japan, with fine woods, carefully and slowly assembled. and if kept dry and proper temperature, those older guitars have some really nice sounding wood. In some few cases, they were able to use special woods that are rare or very expensive now.

JTFoote 06-16-2014 05:56 AM

I had a Madeira back in '82, given to me by my ex-wife as a replacement for a Yamaha that had been stolen when I was in the Army. She probably paid about $100.00 or so for it. I recall that it was a pretty darned good entry level guitar, and I played it for about three years before trading it.

I wrote a lot of songs with that Madeira, and when I traded it, the bass player I was working with really mourned the loss, and fussed at me for several years afterwards, because he had really liked the sound of it. I traded it for a $400.00 Les Paul Standard, plus cash. Wish I still had that one, too.!

I remember that I never had it set-up, and it was ready to play, right off the rack. It was seven years later, when I bought a Guild GF-55, that I finally had a guitar good enough in tone and playability to adequately replace it. The Madeira might have been part of the Guild budget line, but it really was a good guitar, and better than the price would indicate

I'd not pay $500.00 for one, but I might pay half that if it was in pristine condition, just to have one again. Personally, I'd rather have a Madeira that was in great shape than a modern Taylor Big Baby, but that's just me, fondly remembering those days when I was really learning to play, and doing it on that guitar. I should have kept it, and trading it is one of my few regrets of that era.

I miss it more than I do the ex-wife. ;)

... JT

billgennaro 06-16-2014 09:07 AM

I owned a Guild Madeira in 1976, my first guitar, and it was pretty much a terrible instrument in every way I can think of. If you are going to upgrade I'd wait until you can afford something a little better than that. Of course, it could've just been my one guitar, as its the only Madeira I've ever come across.

Bill


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