1975 Guild Mark IVP

According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, the Guild Mark IV classical guitar was manufactured from 1961 to 1986. Gruhn’s Guide and Vintage Guitar Price Guide basically agree, although there is some disagreement as to specific features, perhaps because Guild used maple, pearwood, rosewood, and padauk for the backs and sides at various times in this 25-year period. Like most classical guitars, it’s smaller than the dreadnought or jumbo series, measuring 14 ½” at the lower bout, with a scale of 25 ½.” Like its rivals, the Gibson C-100 and higher, it may have been designed more for the coffee house of the 1960s folk music scene or classical performance than for the blue grass stage. However, it still has enough carrying power for anybody and is a beautiful example of Guild craftsmanship.

Regarding the Mark IV series in general, a Mark IV is part of the Guild “professional series.” All IVs have ebony fretboards-- that is the only feature consistent to all years. Depending on the year, a IV may have maple, rosewood, pearwood, or padouk backs and sides. I have even heard of some in ash, but to my knowledge, no IVs were ever made in mahogany.

Those with the model number IVP are padouk, and are relatively rare, as padouk is a rather stiff wood and more difficult to bend than most other tonewoods. Pear is a light colored wood that is reminiscent of maple; Padouk looks something like rosewood, often with a wild grain. A/B it against mahogany or rosewood and you can tell it isn't either of them. The sound is excellent, however: as one reviewer on-line says, “Full rich tone with surprising volume. After playing many guitars for almost 40 years, I find the Guild Mark IVP very comparable to today's classical guitars costing much more...in the $1,500 to $2K range.”

Mark IV tops were generally Sitka Spruce, but some of the later ones had cedar tops. In addition, Guild often used a reddish lacquer that makes spruce look sort of like cedar. Early IVs have a dovetail neck joint like the I, II, and III. Later ones have a Spanish neck block integral with the neck.

The Mark IVP features a solid spruce top with African Padauk back and sides, what appears to be a solid mahogany neck and headstock in a polished natural finish, a rosewood wrap-around bridge, and a 12/19-fret ebony finger board. It has an ornate patterned rosette and full three-ply binding on both the top and the back. The slotted classical headstock has no logo, but it is set off beautifully by the pearloid buttons on the open gold-plated tuners.

The serial number of this particular Mark IVP (125279) dates it as 1975, and is displayed both on the back of the headstock and on the label. Despite 45 years of making music, there are very few cosmetic concerns: there is very slight crazing or cracking in the top finish, and a few small dings in the top. As suggested above, the padauk back and sides looks like highly-figured rosewood, and they are in beautiful condition. I think the top is a fine-grained spruce with the darker stain mentioned above; my guess is that a softer cedar top would show more wear than this guitar has.

The action is fine—the 4/32” at the 12th fret low E which is standard for nylon-string guitars. The neck is straight, the top is flat, and of course playing music for 45 years has made that Guild sound even better, more resonant, and more powerful. Despite its very good condition, this guitar is not for a collector to put in a museum; this is a player’s guitar, and I sincerely hope that its next owner is someone who will play it well and often.

The case is definitely the original deluxe hard shell case, which naturally fits this guitar’s dimensions perfectly. It is in excellent shape, inside and out, with a nice royal blue plush interior, slightly tarnished brass hardware which functions perfectly, and it even still has the key to the central latch. The handle is solid, and the arched top affords outstanding vintage protection for this fine vintage guitar.

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

I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage instrument, so 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 purchase it.

Thank you for your interest in this fine vintage Guild guitar.