New Member, New To Guild, And New D-20

[bobouz]

First Guild? Stick around here a while & we can help you rectify that! Congrats on a beautiful guitar & Enjoy.

 

[Wellington]

Something so appealing about that straight forward no frills D-20 workhorse reputation.

 

[GF60]

Hi Bob. Welcome to LTG. This is the best place to get Guild information. Like a few others, I am also on the UMGF [0018vfan]. So I'm very familiar with your acoustic guitar journey. And because of you, I've been looking at the D-20...Thank you very much!

 

[bcalvanese]

Day 5, and still loving this guitar. It's great when all the notes ring out the way they should with no duddyness (unless I screw up). It does feel a little stiff to play, but I found out it has a longer scale length (25 5/8") than other guitars I've owned, so that may be the reason. Well that and the fact that my hand is still out of shape from not playing, but I am starting to get my calluses back now. I put a set of Martin Retro Custom Lights (11-52) on it, and it sounds amazing with these strings.

I also tightened the truss rod about 1/8th of a turn to get the neck a little flatter, and between that and the guitar settling in the proper humidity, the action is now 5/64" and 3/64", which is just where I like it, so no need to adjust the saddle at all.

I forgot to mention about the case too. It's a very nice case "and" it has a built in humidifier in the lid with a sponge that can be wet. I never saw a case like that before, and think it is cool.

 

[chazmo]

Awesome that you're making the guitar "yours" now so you're totally comfortable with it. By all reports, they are terrific.

Having said that, you've now opened the door to a bunch of future Guilds flowing into your house. We are enablers here, by nature, so be forewarned!

The case is a HumiCase, which is a nice feature that Córdoba introduced when they took over Guild. I don't know where you live, @bcalvanese , but I wouldn't necessarily rely on the case alone to keep your guitar humidified through dry weather. Keep an eye on it!! I'm in Massachusetts and I've now got my room humidifier going through the winter here.

 

[Wash]

Beautiful guitar
Neil Young plays a similar looking 1959 M-20.

 

[bcalvanese]

Awesome that you're making the guitar "yours" now so you're totally comfortable with it. By all reports, they are terrific.

Having said that, you've now opened the door to a bunch of future Guilds flowing into your house. We are enablers here, by nature, so be forewarned!

The case is a HumiCase, which is a nice feature that Córdoba introduced when they took over Guild. I don't know where you live, @bcalvanese , but I wouldn't necessarily rely on the case alone to keep your guitar humidified through dry weather. Keep an eye on it!! I'm in Massachusetts and I've now got my room humidifier going through the winter here.

Thanks @chazmo ,

I am very compulsive when it comes to acoustic guitars, and have returned so many guitars at GC, that they have this poster hanging in their stores...



I get ribbed a lot on the UMGF, and it's all in fun.

I have owned and returned many Martins, Taylors, Larrivees, and others. I have purchased brand new Martins that were on the verge of needing neck resets right out of the box, so back they went. I am also big on duddy notes, and if I hear duddy notes on chords that I normally play, it ruins the whole playing experience for me, and back it goes. I understand the nature of acoustic guitars, and that the notes do not ring out as true on the upper frets, but they should still ring out enough to not sound duddy.

I can tell that this D-20 was built and setup very well, and the notes ring true all the way up the neck, so I assume they take the time to tune each top individually. When ever I get a new guitar, I do a pretty thorough inspection. I check the inside with a mirror and flashlight. I check the neck with a straight edge to make sure it not only clears the top of the bridge, but clears it equally on both sides to insure it is level with the bridge. I check the string centering on the neck to insure everything is in correct alignment, and i check the normal setup stuff too. I can tell the care that was taken in a guitar, and this one is top notch.

This is the only Guild I have ever owned, but if this care holds true across all Guild guitars, I can see a D-55 in my future...

As far as humidity goes, I live in SE Pennsylvania, and I keep my room humidified/dehumidified at 40-60% humidity all year round. That case humidifier will come in handy if I take the guitar out during the dry months.

 

[Yura]

Oxnard Serial Numbers

Go to the following post in this thread to get the most recent information on the Oxnard serial numbers. What precedes it is some historical discussion as we gathered the info. -- chazmo https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/oxnard-serial-numbers.189185/page-2#post-1883682 The...

letstalkguild.com

This is very helpful, thank you !!

 

[Yura]

I bought D-20, 2 years ago. Was looking for hog dread and went trough Martin D-18, Guild D-40 up to Martin D-18 Authentic and all hog Martin D-15 and Guild D-25. Was still missing this massive, soft roar sound. Till D-20. Beats all the above for me, hands down. The only one that could compete with it (I'm totally subjective here, of course) was F-40 Traditional, tho of different ligue. But even F-40 while, obviously, has more power, lacks the great balance and extra sweetness of D-20. All in all, fantastic guitar (my go to one now). Ren Ferguson clearly did a brilliant job. And if you use an open tuning, oh boy... it just sounds legendary.

P.S. the 2 mods I made were :
- Kluson tuners : 18:1 ratio and much higher quality plastic buttons (it looks almost bone) , works smother and more precise : https://www.amazon.com/Kluson-Prest...c&qid=1616066009&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-5

- Thalia Rosewood TRUSS ROD COVER : https://www.thaliacapos.com/collect...for-most-guild-guitars?variant=30114981380167

 

[bcalvanese]

I have a question on strings.

I know it ships with lights (12-53), but would mediums (13-56) hurt it in any way?

Thanks in advance,

 

[Yura]

I have a question on strings.

I know it ships with lights (12-53), but would mediums (13-56) hurt it in any way?

Thanks in advance,

I use (13-56) for a while now (and not only on D-20), but I tune all my guitars 1/2 step down for standard tuning or use Open D, so the tension is obviously lower. Just my 2 cents.

 

[davenumber2]

I’ve had mediums on several Guild dreads and have never had a problem.

 

[mavuser]

Beautiful guitar
Neil Young plays a similar looking 1959 M-20.

the M-20 Neil plays is from the 70's, and is long scale. Definitley not a 59, unless he has a acquired a second one

 

[Westerly Wood]

the M-20 Neil plays is from the 70's, and is long scale. Definitley not a 59, unless he has a acquired a second one

looks hilariously tiny on his frame. rofl

 

[HeyMikey]

Not sure how I missed this one but welcome Bob! Great review on the D20. I’ve not played an all hog guitar so looking forward to more of your thoughts.

 

[Wash]

the M-20 Neil plays is from the 70's, and is long scale. Definitley not a 59, unless he has a acquired a second one

I stand corrected. I read something that said Neil and Nick Drake played '59 M-20. That's the same guitar used on the LeNoise album.

 

[mavuser]

I stand corrected. I read something that said Neil and Nick Drake played '59 M-20. That's the same guitar used on the LeNoise album.

thanks, no worries...things get mixed up pretty fast on the internet. Neil actually does not even own that M-20, he uses it on loan.

Nick Drake is a whole 'nuther story...hopefully this thread doesn't get hijacked on this, but apparently Drake did not play an M-20, he only posed with one for an album cover. and that M-20 did not belong to him, if I recall it was associated with Eric Clapton somehow? anyway that one on the album cover may be a 59. I never even knew who Nick Drake was, until I joined LTG, and acquired an M-20.

I have owned several M-20's, and several 1970-1972 D-25's- which are the same as the current D-20. I have sold all, other than one mahogany D-25 from 1972. That is my favorite dread i've played.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Nick Drake is a whole 'nuther story...hopefully this thread doesn't get hijacked on this, but apparently Drake did not play an M-20, he only posed with one for an album cover. and that M-20 did not belong to him, if I recall it was associated with Eric Clapton somehow? anyway that one on the album cover may be a 59. I never even knew who Nick Drake was, until I joined LTG, and acquired an M-20.

rofl. The Nick Drake story will never die.

 

[portsider]

Welcome aboard Bob. I look forward to the evolving story of your D20.

 

[JohnW63]

The only Martin I've gotten to play that stood out for me, was an all mahogany body one in a GC. It was an OM style, not a dred. Nothing vintage , it was new at the time.