Mystery mahogany guitar

[gretchen55]

About 20 years ago I bought an old small-body mahogany guitar at a local musical instrument sale for $250. This was before I knew anything about guitars, I just knew this one sounded and played the best of all the ones there. I stupidly sold it a few years later. The peghead had a Martin logo but I seem to recall the label inside the soundhole had a little picture of a cartoon guy and "Made in Hoboken". I recently saw a picture of a label on an old Guild and it looked similar to the one on my old supposedly Martin. I know the guy I sold it to later sold it again for a lot of money. I guess my question is, what would a label on an old M20 look like??
Did Martin ever manufacture guitars in Hoboken?

 

[chazmo]

About 20 years ago I bought an old small-body mahogany guitar at a local musical instrument sale for $250. This was before I knew anything about guitars, I just knew this one sounded and played the best of all the ones there. I stupidly sold it a few years later. The peghead had a Martin logo but I seem to recall the label inside the soundhole had a little picture of a cartoon guy and "Made in Hoboken". I recently saw a picture of a label on an old Guild and it looked similar to the one on my old supposedly Martin. I know the guy I sold it to later sold it again for a lot of money. I guess my question is, what would a label on an old M20 look like??
Did Martin ever manufacture guitars in Hoboken?

Gretchen, it sounds like you're talking about the Guild "ghost" label which I think was used during the Hoboken years. I think that'd certainly date the guitar to pre-'70s. I don't think the labels were different on different models -- just for different periods. If you have any pictures of your guitar, we'd be happy to tell you what it is.

By the way, Hans Moust has great coverage of the Guild labels if you pick up his book "The Guild Guitar Book." Around here, it's known as the Old Testament, since it covers the early years of Guild.

The ghost label was never revived after the Westerly, I think. Do you have any idea why your peghead said Martin?? That was clearly *not* done by the factory.

 

[BluesDan]

Hi Gretchen,
This is what a "ghost" label from a Guild Hoboken M-20 would look like, mine is a 1959:

This is what the headstock should have looked like:

And this is what the guitar may have looked like, although probably less "shiny", this one was refinished: (and yes, that is a Martin case that it is in.....)

Hope this helps.
Dan

 

[gretchen55]

Thanks Dan, I would swear that the label in the guitar I had showed the cartoon guy and said something about Hoboken but I'm also sure the peghead said Martin. I think I would have noticed if the label said
Guild, but maybe not. I think the pickguard was the Martin shape, too. I guess it will remain a mystery- the guitar is long gone. Is it possible someone could have put a Martin neck on a Guild guitar?

 

[BluesDan]

Thanks Dan, I would swear that the label in the guitar I had showed the cartoon guy and said something about Hoboken but I'm also sure the peghead said Martin. I think I would have noticed if the label said
Guild, but maybe not. I think the pickguard was the Martin shape, too. I guess it will remain a mystery- the guitar is long gone. Is it possible someone could have put a Martin neck on a Guild guitar?

As far as I know, this label was the only Guild label with the cartoon like "ghost" character as it is known, and it was pretty much limited to guitars produced from 1959 through 1960, short run. Maybe someone did a refin on the headstock of the one you had and played around with the name?? Probably a stretch, but I really don't know if Martin ever had a similar label, if it exists, I have never seen it. Good luck on your quest. I have hunted down guitars identical to ones from my past before, sometimes successful, sometimes not, but the most fun is always the hunt.
Regards,
Dan

 

[gretchen55]

Last night I was looking at my Martin history book and there were no labels anything like the ghost label, so either my guitar was indeed a Guild with a Martin headstock/neck or some joker put the Guild label in an 0-17! I think it could easlily have been from around 1960. I just wish I still had it....

 

[sitka_spruce]

Last night I was looking at my Martin history book and there were no labels anything like the ghost label, so either my guitar was indeed a Guild with a Martin headstock/neck or some joker put the Guild label in an 0-17! I think it could easlily have been from around 1960. I just wish I still had it....

Pics would have been great! The neck of the Guild obviously would have a wider heel than a Martin. Also Martins did not have adjustable trussrods at this time - and Guild trussrods are adjusted at the headstock, Martins from the soundhole. Furthermore the shape of its body would be quite revealing. the F20 and M20 look a bit like one Z and one reversed Z put on top of the first one. Martins... well, they look like Martins.

Keep us posted of your findings!