1958 Goya (Levin) G-30 Classical Guitar

It's hard to overstate how well-made these Levin-built, Goya-branded classical guitars are. This one's on the early side at '58 and it's lightweight, super-lightly braced, a little wider than your average classical, and has a tremendous voice. It's full-sounding but accurate and clean.

This one's a particularly-pretty example and features ridiculously-flamed solid maple on the back and sides, wood binding, a complicated rosette, pretty headstock centerstrip, fancy purfling throughout, and a quick and easy neck to get along with.

Compared to the company's more-common "folk-style" classicals (roughly 00/standard classical size, models G-10 through G-15), their bigger brethren like this one are both wider in the lower and upper bouts and also have a longer, more "pro-style" scale length. This gives them plenty of power and a bigger sound than their smaller stablemates.

The G-30 was the most expensive Levin-built classical at the time and would only get "demoted" from that position in the early '60s when the rosewood-backed, G-40 model was introduced. I prefer the maple G-30, though, as it has a much more distinctive sound -- it's full without being boomy and clean without being boring and the overtones and sustain stack-up nicely.

Suffice to say, this one came in with various repairs needing to be done, but now that it's happy and healthy it's a spot-on player with a good, tall saddle and it's ready to roll. I did all the repairs on this one myself.

Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, new bone saddle, cleats for hairline cracks on the top, cleaning, and setup.

• Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz
• Scale length: 25 5/8"
• Nut width: 2"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C/oval
• Board radius: flat
• Body width: 15 1/8"
• Body depth: 3 3/4"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid flamed maple
• Bracing type: fan
• Bridge: rosewood
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: mahogany w/maple center strip
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: medium-tension nylon
• Truss rod: non-adjustable aluminum rod
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-lower

Condition notes: overall it looks glorious. The finish has weather-check throughout (fine-line), there is a little discoloration right where the heel meets the body, and there are a few repaired hairline cracks on the top of the guitar (I've taken photos with enough glare to show them). One tuner button (high E) is replaced but it's pearloid like the others. I added side dots. The saddle is a replacement but it's an improvement (bone) over the original (plastic). There's a little mucked finish right at the endstrip but it's hard to see.

It comes with: a hard case.

Consignor tag: DDA