Westerly '73 M20 -- approx value?

[archiestone]

Local guy is thinking of selling his Westerly '73 Guild M20 which looks to be in exc shape, w/ohsc, no mods or electronics. He's trying to get an idea of value.
Anyone have an idea what the market is on these? Bluebook perhaps? Reverb doesn't really have any price guide info...
If it's low enough I might even consider buying it myself but really have no clue. Any help appreciated.

 

[GardMan]

Sorry, can't help with the value, but that M-20 is NOT from 1973. Between 1970 - 1979, SNs were not grouped by model and had no letter prefixes. That SN falls into the range for an F20 from 1990... so maybe the M20 SNs were grouped with the F20s that year (1990)?

 

[sailingshoes72]

Wow! The top on that M-20 is really cool looking with the figure in the wood. It may be “slab” cut instead of “quarter-sawn”.

 

[archiestone]

Sorry, can't help with the value, but that M-20 is NOT from 1973. Between 1970 - 1979, SNs were not grouped by model and had no letter prefixes. That SN falls into the range for an F20 from 1990... so maybe the M20 SNs were grouped with the F20s that year (1990)?

Thanks. I have a message into Hans -- hopefully he can look it up. Seller is pretty much clueless but indicated he thought it was a '73.

 

[archiestone]

FYI: I have heard from Hans -- It is from 1999.
Approx value is pretty much whatever the mkt will pay since there aren't many of these out there and no legit way to determine used mkt value.

 

[walrus]

Wow! The top on that M-20 is really cool looking with the figure in the wood. It may be “slab” cut instead of “quarter-sawn”.

+1. Love the grain!

walrus

 

[jedzep]

I always thought of the M20 as being one of the best in the category of good thousand-ish dollar guitars.

 

[davismanLV]

That's a beautiful guitar. I, too, love the grain of the mahogany top. Having it be newer is kind of a plus and as long as the neck angle checks out and action at the 12th fret is good, I'd be interested in a guitar like that. If I'm gonna give a range, I'd say with no work needed and as clean as it looks $900-$1300 range would be cool. You don't see very many from those years, or at least I don't. $8-900 is super good. $12-1300 on the high end. Or anywhere in between and with that top, someone may really want it. Of course, if you're the intended new owner then your advice on price may become suspect!!

 

[AcornHouse]

Personally, I’m not a fan of the top. The one place where boring is better is on the top and back of a guitar. One of the reasons quartersawn wood is preferred is to minimize wood movement that can cause braces to come unstuck, etc. In QS wood, the swelling and contracting is mostly up and down, whereas in cathedral grain like this plainsawn top, the wood is going to move outward and inward. Not good for very small stable joints.

 

[davismanLV]

You should play before you judge in an academic kinda way. The laws of physics and wood can surprise you sometimes. That you don't like it is incidental...... it's a beauty. But your judgment is noted......

 

[SFIV1967]

From the July 1999 Guild Gallery:

I have no 1999 or 2000 pricelists but that is what the January 2001 pricelist showed for the M-20 in relation to a D-55 and F-30R.
So I'd say today still in that $ 1.000 range or a bit less if you compare today's used D-55 and F-30R prices from 1999 on Gbase and Reverb.

Ralf

 

[AcornHouse]

You should play before you judge in an academic kinda way. The laws of physics and wood can surprise you sometimes. That you don't like it is incidental...... it's a beauty. But your judgment is noted......

I’m not commenting on the sound, only on the long term stability of the instrument. You can’t change the basic laws of wood movement. Notice in the advert the nice quartersawn straight grain. I am very surprised that the OP one was ever let out of the factory.

 

[Guildedagain]

Good lord those prices!

It' no wonder I've never bought one new guitar, or a new bicycle, motorcycle, car, truck, house, etc...

 

[Coop47]

Personally, I’m not a fan of the top. The one place where boring is better is on the top and back of a guitar. One of the reasons quartersawn wood is preferred is to minimize wood movement that can cause braces to come unstuck, etc. In QS wood, the swelling and contracting is mostly up and down, whereas in cathedral grain like this plainsawn top, the wood is going to move outward and inward. Not good for very small stable joints.

That's really interesting. I hadn't considered that, especially on the back. I'm continuing to learn a lot about the importance of "good wood" in builds and what's important to consider. Do you think the "overbuilt" nature of Guilds mitigates this risk at all?

 

[AcornHouse]

That's really interesting. I hadn't considered that, especially on the back. I'm continuing to learn a lot about the importance of "good wood" in builds and what's important to consider. Do you think the "overbuilt" nature of Guilds mitigates this risk at all?

I don’t think the tops will be overbuilt. And also note that this doesn’t apply to the archbacks. Since those are laminated, there is minimal wood movement, like plywood. There’s too much glue. But, just think about how much damage can be done by glueing a pickguard directly to the wood, like a Martin did. Just a little plastic shrinkage and you’ve got cracks in the top as the two materials try to move in opposite ways.

 

[Cougar]

FYI: I have heard from Hans -- It is from 1999.

Looks in fine shape for a 21-year-old. That bookmatched top graining certainly catches the eye!

 

[mavuser]

Personally, I’m not a fan of the top. The one place where boring is better is on the top and back of a guitar. One of the reasons quartersawn wood is preferred is to minimize wood movement that can cause braces to come unstuck, etc. In QS wood, the swelling and contracting is mostly up and down, whereas in cathedral grain like this plainsawn top, the wood is going to move outward and inward. Not good for very small stable joints.

Chris, since this is mahogany, a hard wood, as opposed to a soft wood like spruce...u still can't approve? You are an expert, I am not. just asking because one of big things I love about M-20s, and mahogany top D-25, is that rock solid top- for its tone, of course, but also not so loud when my pick or fingers hit the top, basically the opposite of spruce. the grain on this almost looks like ash

 

[AcornHouse]

Chris, since this is mahogany, a hard wood, as opposed to a soft wood like spruce...u still can't approve? You are an expert, I am not. just asking because one of big things I love about M-20s, and mahogany top D-25, is that rock solid top- for its tone, of course, but also not so loud when my pick or fingers hit the top, basically the opposite of spruce. the grain on this almost looks like ash

All wood moves, hard and soft. Anybody building out of solid wood has to take that into account. That’s why tabletops have to be attached by some type of hardware that allows for movement rather than just being glued down. Same thing for breadboard ends; usually only the middle part is actually glued. It’s just the nature of the material.

 

[davismanLV]

Well, the poor thing hasn't self-destructed yet, and I predict a long and happy life for the mahogany!! Despite its inherent need to ruin our lives......

 

[fronobulax]

Well, the poor thing hasn't self-destructed yet, and I predict a long and happy life for the mahogany!! Despite its inherent need to ruin our lives......

I remember things that didn't happen. But I remember a story on LTG about an instrument that spontaneously "exploded". Something like it had been in a case in a closet, the case was removed, opened and there were sounds and case full of guitar pieces. I think it was a '60's era -20 sized Guild.