Guild M-20 (Made in USA) - Page 3

stevem5000 · #31 02-16-2018, 11:50 PM

KenL...I agree...1 3/4 is really the best neck width...but 2" like on a classical is
too wide...Funny...you get used to something and then changing it just kinda
"throws things off"...
I'm going to sell my F20...look for another parlor...

My local music store has this little bugger...

https://musicfolk.com/product/washburn-parlor/

From the body style etc I'm thinking it just might be a pre-1900 year...Braz Rosewood back and sides...been back to play it about 4 times now...rings like a bell...sings like an angel...I'm in love...but it's just too expensive for me...

AndrewG · #32 02-17-2018, 08:39 AM

I owned the M-120 for a couple of months; very small sounding, boxy and muddy, and sounded like a very damp guitar. Beautiful looker with the gloss finish but that's as far as it went. Caveat; this was a solitary example so probably not representative. I haven't tried the US made M-20.

HHP · #33 02-17-2018, 08:50 AM

I've owned two, a Hoboken model and a Westerly. I recall a very slim neck, like 1 5/8, nicely made but lightly built. I've seen more than a few with a lot of top bellying behind the bridge. They sounded pretty good but tended towards boxiness with not much headroom for volume.

For what the old ones sell for, I can't imagine one of the recent 0 models from Martin wouldn't be superior.

AgentKooper · #34 02-17-2018, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHP

For what the old ones sell for, I can't imagine one of the recent 0 models from Martin wouldn't be superior.

Why not one of the new M-20s? The specs look nearly identical to the Martin 14 fret 0s.

Mr Fingers · #35 02-17-2018, 08:56 PM

The original, true Guilds from NJ (Hoboken, wasn't it?) and RI (Westerly) are typically fine instruments of sound design and excellent execution. I've owned several, both acoustic and electric. As for anything after that, I have no interest whatsover, as Guild became merely a brand, owned by various corporations (Cordoba, currently, I think) all of which took different approaches to redesigning, re-imagining, reviving, you name it. Yes, Ren Ferguson worked for one of these "Guilds" for a while -- just enough to really confuse the issue even more. I do not myself find anything of real interest or genuine value in the "new Guilds" and would adopt the 10-foot-pole system until the company settles down, if it ever does. If a particular instrument was right in my hands for testing and was great, that's one thing -- though resale will not be good regardless -- but that's not gonna happen. I've been sorely disappointed i the demise and awkward half-baked half-revivals of Guild. RIP.

3notes · #36 02-17-2018, 09:02 PM

I was just going to open a thread on the Guild that I played today at GC. Used. F130. I was floored by how nice it played. And very warm. $450. If it's still there in 2 weeks, it might not be there 3.

Loved that guitar.

JohnW63 · #37 02-17-2018, 11:45 PM

Mr Fingers,

While Guild has been moved from Coast to Coast, the over all quality and sound has changed very little. You'll find fans of all of them, from Hoboken, to Westerly to Corona and Tacoma and New Hartford. Oxnard is still very new to making them, and we Guild fans are in a wait and see how well they do, mode, right now. I wouldn't hesitate telling anyone interested to buy a Guild made in any of the former places. I hope I can extend that to the Oxnard ones, once they really get rolling.

stevem5000 · #38 02-18-2018, 01:09 PM

My buddy has an M-120...I've played it a number of times...swapping out with my F20...comparing...the M-120 has a 1 3/4 nut...my F20 does not...I much preferred playing the M-120...

As far as tone...loudness and stuff...I found the tone of the M-120 quite pleasing...and overall volume maybe slightly less than the F20...The low end was a little light...but I thought the mids and highs were very good...

I'm planning on selling my F20...and the M-120 might be the replacement...

rwmct · #39 02-18-2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

The original, true Guilds from NJ (Hoboken, wasn't it?) and RI (Westerly) are typically fine instruments of sound design and excellent execution. I've owned several, both acoustic and electric. As for anything after that, I have no interest whatsover, as Guild became merely a brand, owned by various corporations (Cordoba, currently, I think) all of which took different approaches to redesigning, re-imagining, reviving, you name it. Yes, Ren Ferguson worked for one of these "Guilds" for a while -- just enough to really confuse the issue even more. I do not myself find anything of real interest or genuine value in the "new Guilds" and would adopt the 10-foot-pole system until the company settles down, if it ever does. If a particular instrument was right in my hands for testing and was great, that's one thing -- though resale will not be good regardless -- but that's not gonna happen. I've been sorely disappointed i the demise and awkward half-baked half-revivals of Guild. RIP.

Every factory that Guild has had in the U.S. has its fans, because they all have made wonderful instruments. The idea that everything made after Westerly is suspect is simply nuts.

kitarkus · #40 02-19-2018, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwmct

Every factory that Guild has had in the U.S. has its fans, because they all have made wonderful instruments. The idea that everything made after Westerly is suspect is simply nuts.

Agree completely. There is certainly a mystique about the NYC, Hoboken, and Westerlies though. I own a Hoboken M-20 that I simply love and would not part with. I've had Westerlies....all of them good guitars....but some of them very heavy. I recently stumbled across a New Hartford D-40...all gloss...all bone...all solid for an insanely low price and can attest that the New Hartford Guilds are lightly built and fantastic. My personal experience was lesser with some of the Corona, CA built Guilds, however, my sampling of Corona built Guilds is relatively small.

The 'standard series' guitars that came out of New Hartford are imo some of the best bargains in all of the used guitar market. They are superbly built good sounding guits using above 'standard' materials all around. Please don't tell anyone....I like the prices just where they are

Br1ck · #41 02-19-2018, 07:44 PM

Westerly made Guilds are in no way all created equal. Just as Martin and Gibson were beefing up their guitars in the mid to late 70s, so was Guild. This was a reaction from an increase in warranty claims. Seems my generation subjected guitars to harsher treatment and repair costs were escalating. My 1970 D 35 is much lighter than a 1978. And just like Martins, they don't sound as good to me.

That Guild resurrected the use of Westerly is just unfortunate for consumers in that it muddies the waters, which is really the intention. Suffice to say any newish Guild that is a Westerly is an import.

As far as the new M 20s, you need to just go play one and decide for yourself.

Guild has continued their tradition of inconsistency with model numbers.