Looking for tips on restoring a 1958-59 m20

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Hey everyone. I recently purchased an m20 that needs some tlc and I can use some help on what steps I should take if any. Does it make sense to try to make it as close to original as I can? I need to find tuners since they were replaced. Would anyone have some suggestions on what I should do for body repair/restoring. I'm not very experienced with this sort of thing so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
 

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Stuball48

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Welcome and a beauty of a guitar. There are those that can and Will give excellent advice on what to do. But, ultimately, it comes down to what you want?
 

jedzep

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That's a 'can do', for a price, of course. The photos are small so I can't see the bridge well enough to be able to tell if it's original. That would be the hardest thing to restore, as there aren't many, or any, out there. I've seen and swapped those Waverly tuners and I think you can still get them period correct. The peghead and logo you might have to chalk up to mojo.

Next big hurdle/challenge would be structure and playability, which you'll need a competent vintage attuned luthier for a true assessment.

I've owned a few. They play small and have a sweet intimate tone.
 

gjmalcyon

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Welcome. Stick around - nice bunch of folks here. We recently had another visitor with a similar question about an F-20:


As far as your guitar - as Stuball suggests, "...it comes down to what you want."

I would deal with any structural issues first (cracks, neck angle, etc.).

As far as cosmetics go, I personally like the patina an old guitar acquires over its life.
 

wileypickett

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The sky’s the limit on these sorts of projects. How much can you pull off successfully yourself? How much can you afford to pay a luthier to do the stuff you can’t do?

At the end of the day, you might or might not get your investment back if you were to sell it, but you’ll have a lovely guitar for your trouble.

Having invested in more than a few restoration jobs myself, I can attest to what a huge sense of pride you feel when the guitar is playable again and it’s in your hands making music.

Can’t beat that.
 

jedzep

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I do have this set of Waverly machines, which I believe would be the correct shape. My 59's and early 60's M20s had these on, though both sets had patterns etched into them. The buttons are in very nice shape and they work well, despite the cosmetics, which could be cleaned up.

It looks like those big clunky buttons screw on/off to those machines, which look like they could have come off a later model Guild.

These guitars are trending in the $900-$1200 range, so the cost effectiveness ceiling comes up fast.
 

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Br1ck

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First of all, get a metal straight edge and lay it on the frets the length of the fretboard and then slide it toward the bridge. It should just clear the top of your bridge or come close. If it hits much more toward the guitar top, you have neck angle issues that will need a reset. I happen to be a sucker for repairing guitars beyond their market value. With a reset and frets, new nut and perhaps a bridge, you would be far beyond the guitars market value.

As to cosmetics, I'd leave it alone. Get any cracks or loose braced attended to.
 

davidbeinct

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Sweet guitar, lots of mojo. I’m with most, make it playable, leave cosmetics alone. Except those tuners, I’d definitely swap those out.
 
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