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  #1  
Old 09-21-2017, 03:17 AM
Dronfield Dronfield is offline
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Default USA built Guild M-40

Hi

I currently play a Guild Westerly M-140 (Chinese built), but have been looking at the new US built Ren Ferguson M-40 and wondered if anyone had any experience of this model?

Looking at the Guild website, the specs are very similar between the two models except country of manufacture, and the M-40 has a nicer case - both are South African mahogany (Sipo/Sapele).

I notice that whilst both have C shaped necks, the M-40 has 12" neck radius compared to 16" on the M-140 - this sounds quite significant, will it be very noticeable upon playing the guitar (assume 12" is less deep than 16")?

Can't find many comments/reviews on the Internet re the M-40, so wondered if anyone had tried one?

I was originally looking at the new Martin 00-18 as I like this body size, but the string spacing at the bridge is the rather narrow 2 5/32" - I play purely fingerstyle.

Cheers

Rich
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  #2  
Old 09-21-2017, 05:05 AM
Athens Athens is offline
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Default M40

You may gut also a want to post this on the Let's Talk Guild web site. Lots of people there who are very very knowledgeable about Guild.
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  #3  
Old 09-21-2017, 05:33 AM
la palma C la palma C is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dronfield View Post
I notice that whilst both have C shaped necks, the M-40 has 12" neck radius compared to 16" on the M-140 - this sounds quite significant, will it be very noticeable upon playing the guitar (assume 12" is less deep than 16")?
Just to clarify, the 12" and 16" measurements refer to the fretboard radius. It is not a measurement of the curvature of the back of the neck, but rather the top of the fretboard.

A smaller radius has more curvature, while a larger radius is more flat. For reference the 16" radius on your current guitar is consistent with the radius that Martin uses. The 12" radius on the newer Guild is consistent with Gibson acoustics (the Ren Ferguson connection?).

If you are looking for the difference it is detectable, but I don't find the difference between a 12" and 16" fretboard all that noticeable during normal play. If you are comfortable with the flatter board on the M140, you would likely feel right at home with the slight additional curvature on the newer M40.
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Old 09-21-2017, 05:39 AM
Dronfield Dronfield is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by la palma C View Post
Just to clarify, the 12" and 16" measurements refer to the fretboard radius. It is not a measurement of the curvature of the back of the neck, but rather the top of the fretboard.

A smaller radius has more curvature, while a larger radius is more flat. For reference the 16" radius on your current guitar is consistent with the radius that Martin uses. The 12" radius on the newer Guild is consistent with Gibson acoustics (the Ren Ferguson connection?).

If you are looking for the difference it is detectable, but I don't find the difference between a 12" and 16" fretboard all that noticeable during normal play. If you are comfortable with the flatter board on the M140, you would likely feel right at home with the slight additional curvature on the newer M40.
Hi

Many thanks La Palma C for that clear explanation - really appreciated.

I had been reading Internet comments re the radius variations, but could not fully understand the real impact and how noticeable the difference would be.

Cheers

Rich
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Old 09-21-2017, 08:34 AM
la palma C la palma C is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dronfield View Post
Hi
Many thanks La Palma C for that clear explanation - really appreciated.
No problem! Glad to be of help
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  #6  
Old 09-21-2017, 06:19 PM
JohnW63 JohnW63 is offline
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Some folks never notice the difference. I've got more guitars than I need, and I have no idea what the fretboard radius's are on any of them. I now under stand the Guild likes the 12", and has for a long time. Since I have some Guilds, both US and overseas made, those are probably 12". It just doesn't feel that much different to me.
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Old 09-22-2017, 12:01 AM
Dronfield Dronfield is offline
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Hi

Thanks all for the contributions.

I was trying to understand the difference between the 2 models, and guess that the USA one is hand built with probably better woods and has a satin finish.

The other thing that stood out re the specs was the fretboard radius, which had initially due to the numbers seemed significant to me - clearly not really the case.

Cheers

Rich
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Old 09-22-2017, 12:02 AM
Thrillhouse Thrillhouse is offline
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I can't help but just wanted to say I really want to play one. Gotta wait til they have been out a while and start coming up used I guess.
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  #9  
Old 09-22-2017, 02:29 AM
Dronfield Dronfield is offline
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Hi

On the Internet / forums there are actually far more reviews / comments re the new M-20, all mahogany model.

Same body size as the M-40, but all Mahog with no binding/bling - looks cool and very similar to the Martin 15 series, but with more finger style friendly specs.

These guitars are on offer with a couple of dealers here in the UK, so may look at that model instead.

Cheers

Rich
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  #10  
Old 09-23-2017, 09:47 PM
mtdmind mtdmind is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnW63 View Post
Some folks never notice the difference. I've got more guitars than I need, and I have no idea what the fretboard radius's are on any of them. I now under stand the Guild likes the 12", and has for a long time. Since I have some Guilds, both US and overseas made, those are probably 12". It just doesn't feel that much different to me.
I don't notice any real difference either. But I observe from Guild's catalog from the 70s that their dimensions are closer to the Martin's 16" radius.
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  #11  
Old 09-23-2017, 10:06 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnW63 View Post
Some folks never notice the difference. I've got more guitars than I need, and I have no idea what the fretboard radius's are on any of them. I now under stand the Guild likes the 12", and has for a long time.
Historically Guild was all over the place, with the 6 strings tending towards a 12-14" and the 12-strings flatter at a Martin-like 16" but they definitely departed quite a bit.

I find a 12" hard to play cleanly, and much prefer 16-17"
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  #12  
Old 09-24-2017, 01:14 AM
Dronfield Dronfield is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiberty View Post
Historically Guild was all over the place, with the 6 strings tending towards a 12-14" and the 12-strings flatter at a Martin-like 16" but they definitely departed quite a bit.

I find a 12" hard to play cleanly, and much prefer 16-17"
Hi

That's interesting - my current guitar is 16" which i find very comfortable and so I think I may look to stick with that profile, through a Martin.

The folk on Lets Talk Guild were raising issues re the M-20 finish and potential factory issues (plus Ren Fergusson has now left the company), which has given me additional concerns re buying this model.

May now revert to plan A which was a future purchase of a Martin 000-18/ 000-18GE or possibly the 000-28EC.

Cheers

Rich
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  #13  
Old 09-24-2017, 10:13 PM
JohnW63 JohnW63 is offline
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For the cost of one of those Martin's you could score a really NICE ,used, USA made Guild...or two.
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2009 G & L Tribute "Legacy"
1975 Ovation Legend
1986 Ovation 1758 12 String
2007 Walden G2070
2008 Guild D55 Prototype
1998 Guild Starfire IV
2016 Guild Newark St. X-175 Sunburst
1996 Ovation 1768-7LTD " custom "
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  #14  
Old 09-24-2017, 11:46 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnW63 View Post
For the cost of one of those Martin's you could score a really NICE ,used, USA made Guild...or two.
Very true. Used US built Guild Dreadnoughts seem way underpriced on the used market. An F-20 or F-30 (or M-20 etc) will cost hundreds more than Guild's dread size models.
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Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01
Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking
Breedlove American Series C20/SR
Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA
Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212

https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music
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