Mark 5 Pics

[Brad Little]

Here's a Guild that a lot of you probably have never run across. It wasn't too common, but ranks with some of the better classical guitars I've played over the years. I got it new in 1975, trading a late 40s Epi Zephyr Deluxe Regent even up:
Here's the label:

The top, catalogues all say spruce, but I'm pretty sure this one is cedar:

Indian Rosewood back:

The tuning machines. These are not original, I had them upgraded because the rollers on the original always turned on the core and had to be realigned whenever I changed strings. Still, nice looking tuners.

I've got some pics of my F-50 and F-212 I may post, too, although I know they are more common than the Mark 5.
Brad

 

[adorshki]

Pretty little girl. I started on classical. Still have my 2nd and 3rd ones. 8)

 

[killdeer43]

That's a real beauty, Brad.
Looks like you've taken good care of it for 34 years! Wow!
I've never heard one before so how does it sound?

Joe

 

[Brad Little]

I've never heard one before so how does it sound?
Joe

I spent a year and a half in a classical guitar degree program around 1980-81. There were three Ramirez 1A guitars among the students and the guitar teacher and the Mark V more than held its own in playability and sound. It's a very balanced sound with good sustain, maybe a little less bright than those Ramirez guitars, but they were spruce top.
Brad

 

[killdeer43]

Ramirez = stiff competition, for sure.
To think that it held its own speaks additional volumes for the quality of Guild across the board. :wink:

Thanks,
Joe

 

[chazzan]

nice classical- looks a lot like my 1979 Mark IV, but the rosette and the back stripe are fancier- I bet the top is cedar- looks just my cedar top.

for the folk/ world music/ethnic music play the Guild classicals sound Great- can't beat the price either..........

how is the intonation? on my Mark ii is is perfect, the Mark IV needed to have the saddle slot widened and a wide bone compensated saddle put in to make it play in tune.

enjoyed the pics

 

[cjd-player]

That looks like a very quiet guiar.
Have you ever tried playing it with strings on? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Brad Little]

how is the intonation? on my Mark ii is is perfect, the Mark IV needed to have the saddle slot widened and a wide bone compensated saddle put in to make it play in tune.
enjoyed the pics

The only intonation problems I've experienced have been due to an occasional bad string.

Does the Mark IV have the Spanish Foot or a regular dovetail?

Brad

 

[Brad Little]

That looks like a very quiet guiar.
Have you ever tried playing it with strings on? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I started playing it like that when our baby was born so as not to wake her up. She's 16 now, so maybe it's time to put them back on!
Brad

 

[cjd-player]

I started playing it like that when our baby was born so as not to wake her up. She's 16 now, so maybe it's time to put them back on!
Brad

Sixteen years! :shock:

You must be the best classical air guitarist on the planet. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[drive-south]

It's interesting that the label says "made in USA". I'm surprised it doesn't specify Westerly.

I've never played classical and never had much interest in classical guitars, but lately I've been thinking I need to add a classical to the Guild stable. If not Guild, my next choice would be Alvarez-Yairi. AY makes a very respectable student-grade classical.

drive-south

 

[Brad Little]

It's interesting that the label says "made in USA". I'm surprised it doesn't specify Westerly.drive-south

I'm working from memory, but I think it's addressed in Hans book and had something to do with the transition from Hoboken to Westerly. My F-50 is a year newer, from 1976, and has Westerly on the label:

My Artist Award, also from '75 like the Mark V, has the same label as the F-50. It's possible I've mis-dated the Mark, but info here:
http://www.guildguitars.com/resources/guild_dating.php
seems to indicate I'm right.

Brad

 

[chazzan]

the Mark IV has a regulal dovetail- so does the Mark II per my luthier and Hans............ so far neither classical needs a neck set (they are both from the late 70's)

 

[Brad Little]

the Mark IV has a regulal dovetail- so does the Mark II per my luthier and Hans............ so far neither classical needs a neck set (they are both from the late 70's)

Thanks. I knew that the Mark II had one, but wasn't sure on the Mark IV. The V, VI and VII all had the Spanish Foot.
Brad