1965 Guild M-20 0-Size Guitar
Update 2022: this guy came back in trade so I've updated the post where necessary and added a new video and photos. Now back to it...
Oh, this poor M-20! It was a "salvage find" for its owner and arrived here badly needing a neck reset and already refinished -- in poly and using a brush. However -- despite all that? Aside from a long, open back seam... not bad.
I'm a fan of Guild's '60s small-body guitars. This M-20 is pretty comparable to a Martin 0-15 (solid mahogany 0-size body plus lightweight x-bracing) from the same time, though not as refined and with a woodier, more-direct, more-Gibson sort of sound. The necks on these are always slim and fast, too, and feel much more modern than a lot of guitars from the time -- save the narrow 1 5/8" nut widths they tend to have. Folks with smaller hands love these guitars and I love 'em too -- they're comfy and quick and easy to couch-potato with. Because the size is in-between an 0 and 00 Martin, you get a little more warmth than an 0 but not as much total punch as a 00.
This guy plays spot-on and is ready to go.
Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, fill and recut of the saddle slot, a new bone saddle, removal of "aftermarket" bridge bolts and pearl covers at the bridge to hide the holes, a replacement half-set of correct tuners from my parts-bins, "correction" of the finish via steel-wooling smooth and then buffing it up (it now looks more or less like the finish on a '60s Harmony H65), and setup. Interestingly, within a few weeks over here, the "wide open back seam" had closed-up flush, so I had to "repair" it by adding some extra cleats so, hopefully, it won't be a problem in the future. Update, here -- it came back this time needing a taller saddle and that center seam filled slightly, though it's stable and good to go. It had been dried-out a bit out west.
Top wood: solid mahogany
Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
Bracing type: x
Bridge: rosewood
Fretboard: rosewood
Neck wood: mahogany
Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 52w-12 or close to it
Neck shape: slim C
Board radius: 12"
Truss rod: adjustable
Neck relief: straight
Fret style: medium-lower
Scale length: 24 5/8"
Nut width: 1 5/8"
Body width: 13 7/8"
Body depth: 4 1/8"
Weight: 3 lbs 3 oz
Condition notes: it's been refinished, half the tuners are (correct) replacements, the bridge has been a bit modified, and... please read the above description and check the pics closely.
It comes with: no case, sorry!
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