1971 Goya (Levin) GG163 "Goliath" Dreadnought Guitar

This latter-era, Swedish, Levin-made, Goya guitar is a "more-modern" take on their 1960s Goliath models. It's a D-18-alike but with a bit more of a Gibson-ish sound profile (woodier, plainer) and with solid maple back and sides which give it a bit more clarity and out-front attack. It's x-braced, good-looking, quick-necked, and stylish. I have my own '60s version hanging-around in storage that I desperately need to get fixed-up and running... and I've owned a few of these over the years and liked them every time.

This particular guitar belongs to Camp Killooleet up in Hancock, VT (a musical, retro-style summer camp run by members of the Seeger family) and folks who know Manny (who works here fixing violin-family instruments these days) also know that he spends several months out of the year, every year, working at the camp. This year he's Assistant Director and his role has greatly-expanded but before he left he fixed-up a bunch of the camp's very-cool collection of oddball guitars.

This Goya, however, was one he brought-in to get spruced-up after camp started in earnest and he left it for the crew to get fixed-up. Jose did that -- giving the neck a reset (thankfully they're bolt-ons), a level/dress of the frets, and some good bridge work. These came with 6 individual plastic saddles that "screw into" the bridge for height adjustment. The design sucks, unfortunately, and so Jose filled the old holes, cut a new saddle slot, and fit a new, bone saddle in its place. Yip!

As you can hear in the video, the reward was in how great this thing sounds and plays after work. I love me some Levins...!