LG sized Guilds

[wontox]

I’ve been looking for a used small body guitar and today looked at a ‘68 Gibson LG for $750. The guitar was in great shape, but the sound was a little small and rather unremarkable as well. Maybe I don’t know what to expect here...I think I saw a previous thread here about L-sized Guild guitars before so excuse me if I’m being redundant (and you can say that again) but did or does Guild make an LG size guitar, and is the sound necessarily correspondingly smaller than that of a concert or dread size? I guess I’m expecting a guitar that is small and easy to wield with a slightly plinky but resonant sound. The old Gibson struck me as an inexpensively built instrument, almost like a large ukelele.

Wontox

 

[twocorgis]

I’ve been looking for a used small body guitar and today looked at a ‘68 Gibson LG for $750. The guitar was in great shape, but the sound was a little small and rather unremarkable as well. Maybe I don’t know what to expect here...I think I saw a previous thread here about L-sized Guild guitars before so excuse me if I’m being redundant (and you can say that again) but did or does Guild make an LG size guitar, and is the sound necessarily correspondingly smaller than that of a concert or dread size? I guess I’m expecting a guitar that is small and easy to wield with a slightly plinky but resonant sound. The old Gibson struck me as an inexpensively built instrument, almost like a large ukelele.

Wontox

My advice is to never buy Gibson acoustic without playing it first. The fact that this one is a '68 places it just before the dreaded Norlin era. Being that you played this one and it didn't move you, it's time to go on to the next one. Better yet, look for a nice Guild F or M20. The F20 that I sold to SouthernGuild was/is easily better than any small-bodied Gibson I've ever played.

 

[wontox]

Can anyone post pics of the small Guilds Two Corgis mentioned?

Thanks, Wontox

 

[twocorgis]

Can anyone post pics of the small Guilds Two Corgis mentioned?

Thanks, Wontox

Courtesy of weterlyguildguitars.com, a nice F20

The M20 is same but all Mahogany. Sweet little guitars, but impossible to find an aftermarket case for. Make sure the one you buy comes with a good one.

 

[wontox]

Thanks Sandy,

I guess if one comes around I'd like to take a look.

Wontox

 

[twocorgis]

Thanks Sandy,

I guess if one comes around I'd like to take a look.

Wontox

The F/M20s have a very small body (13 3/4" lower bout) and a short (24.75") scale. They have an arched back, so they project very well for their size. I loved mine, but I'm a big guy, and it got uncomfortable to play after a while. YMMV of course.

 

[Jeff]

Can anyone post pics of the small Guilds Two Corgis mentioned?

Thanks, Wontox

Sure, my wife gave me this 1957 F20 for Christmas about 6 years ago. It's my all time keep for life guitar.

"F-20 Troubador" is the official model, introduced in '56 with solid spruce top, maple back & sides. '59 or so the specs changed to solid mahogany back & sides. "Economy M20s are the same size with solid mahogany, top, back & sides. Significantly smaller than LG's I've played.

Mine has a flat maple laminate back. Fun little guitar, loud & articulate, my daily player. Skinny little neck with a 1 5/8 fretboard, feels a bit like a violin neck. Should you run across a Martin 00 15 it's close to F20 size, Martin is maybe 3% - 5% bigger & won't fit in an F20 case.

For perspective; 1st pic is the F20 sitting atop a Dreadnaught case, 2nd pic next to a D25 dreadnaught.

 

[twocorgis]

Can anyone post pics of the small Guilds Two Corgis mentioned?

Thanks, Wontox

Sure, my wife gave me this 1957 F20 for Christmas about 6 years ago. It's my all time keep for life guitar.

"F-20 Troubador" is the official model, introduced in '56 with solid spruce top, maple back & sides. '59 or so the specs changed to solid mahogany back & sides. "Economy M20s are the same size with solid mahogany, top, back & sides. Significantly smaller than LG's I've played.

Mine has a flat maple laminate back. Fun little guitar, loud & articulate, my daily player. Skinny little neck with a 1 5/8 fretboard, feels a bit like a violin neck. Should you run across a Martin 00 15 it's close to F20 size, Martin is maybe 3% - 5% bigger & won't fit in an F20 case.

That Hoboken Burst of your sure is a beauty Jeff. Maple too; must be a story behind that acquisition. 8)

 

[Jeff]

[. Maple too; must be a story behind that acquisition. 8)

I suspect the maple models have a noticeably different voice compared to mahogany. I don't know for sure, I've never played a mahogany model other than the GAD copies.

The wife, God love her, found it in the newspaper classifieds... Surprised me with it on Christmas eve. $350 & not much of a bargain. Bridge pulling loose & binding falling off. Strings were so far off the fretboard I could barely play a C chord. Had the bridge reglued & played it the way it was for several months. Grew fond of the little bugger, did some research, found out what it was & had several sources tell me it was well worth fixing, so I did. Coulda' bought a brand new Martin 0015 for about the same investment . Neck set, new frets, new bridgeplate, stabilized the binding issues & some other cosmetic patches. About a year ago, took it in to Brady for a tweak & hardwired the Fishman. Total investment now, including a new case... ... never mind.





.

 

[wontox]

What great pics and story re: your '57 F20. Beautiful top and I like the white binding. Seems some of the smaller old guitars were built with no binding, at least the two Gibsons and one Martin I've seen. The comparison pic with the dread says a lot. Glad to hear you were able to swing the restoration.

Wontox

 

[twocorgis]

[. Maple too; must be a story behind that acquisition. 8)

I suspect the maple models have a noticeably different voice compared to mahogany. I don't know for sure, I've never played a mahogany model other than the GAD copies.

The wife, God love her, found it in the newspaper classifieds... Surprised me with it on Christmas eve. $350 & not much of a bargain. Bridge pulling loose & binding falling off. Strings were so far off the fretboard I could barely play a C chord. Had the bridge reglued & played it the way it was for several months. Grew fond of the little bugger, did some research, found out what it was & had several sources tell me it was well worth fixing, so I did. Coulda' bought a brand new Martin 0015 for about the same investment . Neck set, new frets, new bridgeplate, stabilized the binding issues & some other cosmetic patches. About a year ago, took it in to Brady for a tweak & hardwired the Fishman. Total investment now, including a new case... ... never mind.

Great story Jeff, and it sounds a bit like my experience with the DV52. Suffice it to say that when you see one for $400 it's too good to be true. :roll:

 

[Ridgemont]

I am hesitant to say that an LG and an F20 are the same. I have played a few LGs and the lower bout seems much larger than 13&3/4 inches. I would place an LG more like a 00 whereas the F20 is more like an 0-sized guitar.

 

[wontox]

It makes sense that the LG models were student instruments; the '68 LG 3 I recently played was built inexpensively; unsanded braces, no binding, simple black stripe around soundhole, adjustable hollow plastic saddle, matte finish, cheap case, cheap strip tuners. Not a great example of guitar art.

Wontox

 

[adorshki]

It makes sense that the LG models were student instruments; the '68 LG 3 I recently played was built inexpensively; unsanded braces, no binding, simple black stripe around soundhole, adjustable hollow plastic saddle, matte finish, cheap case, cheap strip tuners. Not a great example of guitar art.
Wontox

All that for only $750.00? :shock: :lol:

 

[twocorgis]

It makes sense that the LG models were student instruments; the '68 LG 3 I recently played was built inexpensively; unsanded braces, no binding, simple black stripe around soundhole, adjustable hollow plastic saddle, matte finish, cheap case, cheap strip tuners. Not a great example of guitar art.

Wontox

Indeed. The F/M20s are considered entry-level over at Guild, but the details are much nicer. I know a lot of fans of the old LGs, but I never really got it I guess. They seem really low quality compared to the F/M20s. Here's the one I sold to SouthernGuild

It's a simple beauty. 8)

 

[Jeff]

Guild's updated Website has some player endorsements. Danny Flowers has two featuring an M20.

http://www.guildguitars.com/index.php/g ... stage/P10/

 

[wontox]

All that for only $750.00? :shock: :lol:

Yeah, forty-some year old Gibsons have some cache somewhere. In my book, it's a 2-3 hundred dollar guitar, like an old better-built Kay or Harmony in great shape w/case. Recently met a guy who paid $850 for a '62 Silvertone jumbo ( "17 bout) with a laminated top and screwed-on pickguard. Yow.

Wontox

 

[adorshki]

All that for only $750.00? :shock: :lol:

Yeah, forty-some year old Gibsons have some cache somewhere. In my book, it's a 2-3 hundred dollar guitar, like an old better-built Kay or Harmony in great shape w/case. Recently met a guy who paid $850 for a '62 Silvertone jumbo ( "17 bout) with a laminated top and screwed-on pickguard. Yow.
Wontox

Yow indeed. That's absolutely a "nostalgia" premium. :?

 

[wontox]

Nostalgia premium, good phrase, Al.

That $850 Silvertone is not a very good-sounding guitar, BTW, either, muddy and not very loud for such a gigantic body. The slotted zinc-plated hardware store screws which appear to be original factory fasteners securing the pickguard must be what make it so irrestistable.

Wontox

 

[adorshki]

Nostalgia premium, good phrase, Al.
Wontox

Don't know if you're aware of the backstory with Silvertone: http://www.searsarchives.com/brands/silvertone.htm
And just to be fair, not all Silvertones are created equal:
http://www.vintagesilvertones.com/