1975 Guild® F-20SB Very Good, Hard, $995.00

This vintage Guild F-20SB guitar was made in the famous Westerly, Rhode Island, plant in 1975, judging from the label, its serial number (126581), and the Guild website. This model was introduced in 1956 as a version of the original F orchestra style guitars, discontinued in the late 1980s, only to re-appear as the GF series. Evidently, this small-body powerhouse design was just too cool to die.

As we all know, newer isn't necessarily better in guitars. This particular guitar has been dominating lesser and larger instruments for over 40 years, and the resonance of its aged woods will continue to improve with its new generation of players. Its classic design and well-aged looks make it stand out in a crowd, but it’s the surprisingly full sound that will make other musicians turn around to check it out.

The Guild F-20SunBurst has a "folk" or mini-jumbo body style, with a 13 ¾” lower bout and a rather narrow pinched waist compared to a dreadnought, making it easier to handle for many players while sacrificing surprisingly little of its powerful bass. It has a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, neck, and sides. The body has multi-ply binding, top and back, and it has a tortoiseshell pick guard, a rosewood bridge, and a multi-stripe inlaid rosette. The bound 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay position markers ends in a blackface headstock with three-on-a-plate chrome tuners and the Guild logo decal. While it’s not the fanciest guitar in the world, it’s still a really cool-looking guitar.

Considering its 41 years of seasoning and enthusiastic play, it’s surprising that there are very few cosmetic and structural items to report: there is a bit of finish “crazing,” especially on the top of the lower bout (“to let the sound out,” as my luthier says), as well as some dings barely visible in the pictures. The bridge has been re-set or is an authentic professionally made reproduction, as there is a visible glue “footprint” and some slight chipping around it. Finally, the action has been set up at an easy-playing hair over 3/32” at the 12th fret low E.

This is not quite a museum piece. While it is a totally cool instrument, it is a real Guild, “Made to be Played,” and it has been making music and turning heads for over a generation. It has now been thoroughly checked out and set up, and it’s ready to beat up on some banjo and fiddle players. Any hesitation you might feel about it due to its modest size should be more than overcome when you hear the remarkable sound and resonance released from its solid woods by those years of experience. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, it will pass into the hands of a player able to make music and turn heads for a generation or two to come.

The deluxe arched-top hard shell case came with this guitar, and it fits quite well despite the Troubadour’s somewhat unusual shape, but I am sure that it is not original. It shows very little wear, the hardware is all functional (including a key), and it offers great protection for this wonderful F-20 Troubadour.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.

Thank you for your interest in this great guitar.