Ghost Label rare Guild M20? M30? Serial number “04”!!!

[storeyandthetellers]

Hi everyone,

I discovered a vintage M20 or M30 with a GHOST LABEL serial number…. “04” (!!!) it’s handwritten in sharpie just “04”… !!!!

Does anyone have any info on the value of this? The bridge saddle looks like it’s translucent… bone possibly?

I’ve never seen a vintage guitar with a serial number as “04” before…

Really looking forward to appreciating any insight on what this could mean/be/valued as, etc.

Original case, wonderful condition (however missing the end pin and one bridge pin is not original) otherwise everything else original and in great condition… original hard shell case with yellow/gold velvet on the inside…

Serial number “04”!!!

Any insight anyone? She’s selling it for $1,000 but offered it to me for $800… incredible… I’m just over the moon with the ghost label and serial number hand written with sharpie as 04… super special.

Can anyone tell me any thoughts on this? It’s about to be my first Guild!!!

Thank you!!!

-Storey

 

[walrus]

Welcome, Storey! We would need pictures to have any hope of figuring this out!

I will say that there were no Sharpies when Ghost label Guilds were made, so someone added that writing much later.

walrus

 

[SFIV1967]

Often the ink on the ghost labels totally faded and who knows if that 04 is really the original ink. So only a high resolution picture of the label could tell. Also seeing the gauitar with bridge and headstock and tuners could indicate the date when she was built.

If it is a M-20 or M-30 would be visible on the size of the lower bout. M-20 had 13 3/4" and M-30 15 1/8".

Ralf

 

[GAD]

Moved to Acoustics

 

[tonepoet]

I will say that there were no Sharpies when Ghost label Guilds were made,

I discovered a vintage M20 or M30 with a GHOST LABEL serial number…. “04” (!!!) it’s handwritten in sharpie

Often the ink on the ghost labels totally faded and who knows if that 04 is really the original ink. So only a high resolution picture of the label could tell. Also seeing the gauitar with bridge and headstock and tuners could indicate the date when she was built.

If it is a M-20 or M-30 would be visible on the size of the lower bout. M-20 had 13 3/4" and M-30 15 1/8".

Ralf

My old Hoboken M-20 has the "Silhouette" label and info was written in fountain pen ink and is completely faded. I think the "Ghost" label was used in 1960 or 1961 and the info on the label would have probably been written in fountain pen or ball point pen.

My M-20 label. Almost completely faded fountain pen ink.


Please post photos and a review if you buy it.

 

[chazmo]

Hi everyone,

I discovered a vintage M20 or M30 with a GHOST LABEL serial number…. “04” (!!!) it’s handwritten in sharpie just “04”… !!!!

Does anyone have any info on the value of this? The bridge saddle looks like it’s translucent… bone possibly?

I’ve never seen a vintage guitar with a serial number as “04” before…

Really looking forward to appreciating any insight on what this could mean/be/valued as, etc.

Original case, wonderful condition (however missing the end pin and one bridge pin is not original) otherwise everything else original and in great condition… original hard shell case with yellow/gold velvet on the inside…

Serial number “04”!!!

Any insight anyone? She’s selling it for $1,000 but offered it to me for $800… incredible… I’m just over the moon with the ghost label and serial number hand written with sharpie as 04… super special.

Can anyone tell me any thoughts on this? It’s about to be my first Guild!!!

Thank you!!!

-Storey

Storey, that 04 has almost certainly nothing to do with the guitar's age or serial number. Find out if anything was branded/stamped onto the back of the headstock. And, as Ralf said, we need some pictures to help you out.

Having said that, $800 for a Hoboken-era M-20 or M-30 sounds like a reasonable price if it's in perfectly playable condition.

 

[mavuser]

Hi everyone,

I discovered a vintage M20 or M30 with a GHOST LABEL serial number…. “04” (!!!) it’s handwritten in sharpie just “04”… !!!!

the ghost label was used in 1959 & 1960. A Sharpie, or similar marker, is not known to have been used during that time by Guild (and fwiw Sharpie does not come on the market until 1964). Additionally a 2-digit serial number was never used by Guild at any point. However, Guild seems to always be full of secrets and surprises, and I was not alive in 59 or 60....but almost surely the black marker "04" is not original to the guitar, i'd say 99%.

in the 1% scenario, I offer the following:

If the guitar is an M-20...the 4th M-20 ever made would have been well before 1959, and well before the ghost label.

If the guitar is a 1959 M-30 (major score for 800 btw)...there is a chance it is the 4th M-30 ever made. However, the chance that "04" in black marker on the ghost label is original from the Hoboken factory, is very, very, very, slim.

@hansmoust (he is the guy to ask) has reported that many M-20's and M-30's were purchased in bulk by schools, for student use. I am thinking the schools, or music teacher, may have numbered the guitars, to keep track of which student was responsible for which instrument.