M20's

Darron

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Darron

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Cigar boxes

Darron -- I have a 1975 G37 dreadnaught that I bought new and have used on every album I've ever done and on most projects in the studio since then. My wife has an early 90's M-20. My gernal feeling about smal bodied guitars is that you get what you more than amply have to pay for...no, you get what you would expect - a little sound. Now, she's had this guitar for about a decade and it has warmed up nicely, but still has that boxy - cigar box - sound. There is no exchange for the fat warmth of a dreadnaught. That said, to play devil's advocate - sometimes the dreads can have too much sound in some situations. However, the mid-way point is something like a little Rosewood F30 - plenty of warmth and a concert size to deal with. So, unless you are looking for that teeny, tiny, boxy sound - perhaps the M-20 isn't for you. I've played a number of them and find only minor shadings of sound change between them. However, there is a good bit of difference between the M-20 and the F-20. The mahogany speaks for itself - dark and warm, where the spruce top of the F-20 is brighter. Hope this helps. I don't mean to bash the M-20 - I think its beautifully made, but comparing it to a dreadnaught is apples to oranges as far as sound goes.

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair
 
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Cigar boxes

Darron -- I have a 1975 G37 dreadnaught that I bought new and have used on every album I've ever done and on most projects in the studio since then. My wife has an early 90's M-20. My gernal feeling about smal bodied guitars is that you get what you more than amply have to pay for...no, you get what you would expect - a little sound. Now, she's had this guitar for about a decade and it has warmed up nicely, but still has that boxy - cigar box - sound. There is no exchange for the fat warmth of a dreadnaught. That said, to play devil's advocate - sometimes the dreads can have too much sound in some situations. However, the mid-way point is something like a little Rosewood F30 - plenty of warmth and a concert size to deal with. So, unless you are looking for that teeny, tiny, boxy sound - perhaps the M-20 isn't for you. I've played a number of them and find only minor shadings of sound change between them. However, there is a good bit of difference between the M-20 and the F-20. The mahogany speaks for itself - dark and warm, where the spruce top of the F-20 is brighter. Hope this helps. I don't mean to bash the M-20 - I think its beautifully made, but comparing it to a dreadnaught is apples to oranges as far as sound goes.

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair
 

Darron

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Thanks for the reply SmithfieldFair, im definately not looking for a guitar that does everything, but ive realised that the mohogany sound suits my style (mostly softer fingerpicking) with a darker tone and good seperation of notes would help what im playing lately (?) I was more interested in the actual playing of a small guitar after playing dreads for so long, rather than its tones. I just saw a picture of someone using an M20 and it looked tiny ... maybe I need to go to the US personally, as in NZ these guitars are really impossible to find.
 

Darron

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Thanks for the reply SmithfieldFair, im definately not looking for a guitar that does everything, but ive realised that the mohogany sound suits my style (mostly softer fingerpicking) with a darker tone and good seperation of notes would help what im playing lately (?) I was more interested in the actual playing of a small guitar after playing dreads for so long, rather than its tones. I just saw a picture of someone using an M20 and it looked tiny ... maybe I need to go to the US personally, as in NZ these guitars are really impossible to find.
 
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Nick Drake

The M-20 is known as the "Nick Drake guitar". For fingerpicking and finger-style, it does offer separation, balance and a warm tone with a darker warmth to it. There are usually a couple on Ebay and it you are looking for less overall tone, distinct articulation and a 'darker' sound - perhaps the M-20 is for you. As I said, they are wonderfully made little guitars, but they do sound boxy up next to or in comparison with a dreadnaught. Still, the F-30 is also a great candidate - not quite as dark, but wonderfull warm, well-balanced and with more tone range than the M-20. It has a great projection as well, where as the M-20 needs "a little boost". Also, they are more common and probably a lot easier to find - whether to try out or to purchase. Happy hunting.

dbs
 
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Nick Drake

The M-20 is known as the "Nick Drake guitar". For fingerpicking and finger-style, it does offer separation, balance and a warm tone with a darker warmth to it. There are usually a couple on Ebay and it you are looking for less overall tone, distinct articulation and a 'darker' sound - perhaps the M-20 is for you. As I said, they are wonderfully made little guitars, but they do sound boxy up next to or in comparison with a dreadnaught. Still, the F-30 is also a great candidate - not quite as dark, but wonderfull warm, well-balanced and with more tone range than the M-20. It has a great projection as well, where as the M-20 needs "a little boost". Also, they are more common and probably a lot easier to find - whether to try out or to purchase. Happy hunting.

dbs
 

john_kidder

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Well, you know, I just love my '57 or '58 Hoboken M-20. It's a mahogany guitar, all right, but it's surprisingly loud for such a little box, and clear. Sustain is not very long, not a heck of a lot of bass, but for fingerpicking blues and swing, it couldn't be better. For the last year or so, I've had it high-strung, Nashville tuning, and it just sings out. And of course, small, light, easy to pack around. Sounds great mic'd.

A lot of players better than me like this guitar a lot. I agree with Smithfield Fair that the dreanaughts have a way bigger sound - certainly. And I bought an F-20 for my daughter, and it is brighter. But the M-20 has a large hunk of my heart. Can't speak to the original question about the finish - mine was probably refinished, not very well, many long years ago. But it sure does play.

Cheers,
John Kidder
 

john_kidder

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Well, you know, I just love my '57 or '58 Hoboken M-20. It's a mahogany guitar, all right, but it's surprisingly loud for such a little box, and clear. Sustain is not very long, not a heck of a lot of bass, but for fingerpicking blues and swing, it couldn't be better. For the last year or so, I've had it high-strung, Nashville tuning, and it just sings out. And of course, small, light, easy to pack around. Sounds great mic'd.

A lot of players better than me like this guitar a lot. I agree with Smithfield Fair that the dreanaughts have a way bigger sound - certainly. And I bought an F-20 for my daughter, and it is brighter. But the M-20 has a large hunk of my heart. Can't speak to the original question about the finish - mine was probably refinished, not very well, many long years ago. But it sure does play.

Cheers,
John Kidder
 

hideglue

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I have a '90s M20. I nearly gave up on it until I strung it up for Nashville tuning (The first two strings (high E and B) remain unchanged, and the lower four strings (G through low E) are tuned an octave above standard tuning) and it really has become a credible instrument.
 

hideglue

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I have a '90s M20. I nearly gave up on it until I strung it up for Nashville tuning (The first two strings (high E and B) remain unchanged, and the lower four strings (G through low E) are tuned an octave above standard tuning) and it really has become a credible instrument.
 

Fandodge

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Hi darron, I have a 1965 guild m20 that is the reddish color, It is a small guitar, but the sound that it makes is unbelievable, the mids and trebles, are so articulated, so much more than on a dread and this is with extra light strings, it does not have the bass of a dread, the 90s m20s are totally different guitars, and are braced differently, the 50s and 60s models are lightly braced, light strings only. If you fingerpick you must! play an early one. Jamiejavascript:emoticon(':wink:')
Wink
 

Fandodge

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Hi darron, I have a 1965 guild m20 that is the reddish color, It is a small guitar, but the sound that it makes is unbelievable, the mids and trebles, are so articulated, so much more than on a dread and this is with extra light strings, it does not have the bass of a dread, the 90s m20s are totally different guitars, and are braced differently, the 50s and 60s models are lightly braced, light strings only. If you fingerpick you must! play an early one. Jamiejavascript:emoticon(':wink:')
Wink
 
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