The honey moon is ON!!! My new M-20 <3

Positively4thSt

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My new M-20 arrived last Friday (august 19th), and I brought her to Toronto as carry-on luggage Saturday the 20th. I played her almost nonstop all week as my wife visited with her family. I am absolutely impressed with this guitar! She is VERY responsive and alive! The fit, finish, setup and feel was perfect out of the box! I'm coaxing great tones out of her whether I play softly with my fingers or driving her hard with a flat pick. She sustains notes forever! I've been playing guitar for 33 years and this is the first small body guitar that's tripped my trigger. I have 3 other acoustics (all dreads) in my stable, an HD-28V (banjo killer) a D-18V (awesome), and a custom built all Koa D-18GE (unreal). My new M-20 holds its own vs. the dreads despite the smaller body (albeit a different tonal spectrum). The bass rumbles in my chest, the mids are punchy & nice, the highs very clear & angelic. FWIW, the tone came VERY alive (to my ears) after swapping the coated strings it was shipped with to PB 13/56's (Martin sp4200). No disrespect if you enjoy coated strings, but this guitar should NOT be used with coated strings IMHO (YMMV). She is alive, vibrant, & sustains notes FOREVER!! The PB's helped in this regard IMHO.

Now that I'm back in Southern Cal, I should mention how easy it was to travel with her & how cool the airline was. We flew AirCanada on an Airbus 321. The case fit perfectly in the overhead, and when they called for passengers with special boarding needs I walked up and asked if I could attempt to place her in the overhead, but I also said I'm happy to gate check if necessary (arriving & departing). The gate gal tagged it for gate check just in case, but it fit snug as a bug on a diagonal, literally a perfect fit. I've been traveling with a mandolin the last few years just to get my string jones off, but the M-20 is the travel guitar solution. I will also play her in the regular rotation for sure. I played her a minimum of 4 hours every day since last Saturday, & I'm really diggin it big time. She has a BIG sound! It's also changed my vocal approach it seems (fewer hounds baying in the neighborhood). I love this guitar ALOT!! <3 :)

I have the shaded top, and the burst is beautiful (screaming mojo). I think the new M-20 is the the best value on the market today. Truly an outstanding guitar! Well balanced, crisp, punchy, and plays like butter. Great job Guild! Thank you for building such a fine guitar! I love her <3 :) PS: I have number 26 :).
 
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Rayk

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Nice write up , can you share audio ? I know I can see the looks , back off guys ! You' d love it too ! Lol
 

killdeer43

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Congrats on the acquisition. Sounds like a great honeymoon ahead....hope your wife understands!

And there's that "plays like butter" description, again. Seems like we did a good veer on that line a while back.

:peaceful:

Just thinking,
Joe
 

Positively4thSt

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Congrats on the acquisition. Sounds like a great honeymoon ahead....hope your wife understands!

And there's that "plays like butter" description, again. Seems like we did a good veer on that line a while back.

:peaceful:

Just thinking,
Joe

The look on my wife's face was priceless when I was unpacking luggage at the airport. She said, "Hey, that's not your mandolin", and later that night when she saw it, "When did you get that?" Thank goodness she's cool & accepting of my obsession.

Plays like butter indeed! Smooth, creamy, and my fingers seem to glide around. I can bend the medium gauge strings and play full bar chords smooth as silk ;)

Thanks again Guild.

PS: I'll see if I can get a decent recording to show off how she resonates & sustains.
 

Positively4thSt

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I would also like to be clear, when comparing the M-20 to my dreads, I'm not saying she has the huge boomy nature of a dread. I am saying she is every bit as enjoyable to play. I'm not sacrificing anything at all, and the M-20 gives some sparkle & pop unique to itself. I believe the M-20's scalloped bracing make her very lively & responsive, and offer great tones. The over tones are complex & the notes seem to hang in the air for a very long time.
 

davismanLV

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(fewer hounds baying in the neighborhood) is one of my new favorite statements. We like less competition!! Thanks for the review, Pos4thSt!! Glad you're bonding with this new Guild. I think they're really great... if ONLY there was one near me to see. Doubt that will happen for a long while (if ever) so we rely on YOU for info!! We love photos (not that we don't know what they look like but, we're guitar whores!) and if you do a sound clip that would be awesome! Anyway, thanks for this report, amigo! Keep that little guitar going!! :encouragement:
 

Ross

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My new M-20 arrived last Friday (august 19th), and I brought her to Toronto as carry-on luggage Saturday the 20th. I played her almost nonstop all week as my wife visited with her family.

So THAT'S what I was hearing all week!
 

Westerly Wood

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The look on my wife's face was priceless when I was unpacking luggage at the airport. She said, "Hey, that's not your mandolin", and later that night when she saw it, "When did you get that?" Thank goodness she's cool & accepting of my obsession.

I can bend the medium gauge strings and play full bar chords smooth as silk ;)

.

Medium gauge on a small body guitar? Did Guild specifically say meds are ok? I heard Ren is doing a lighter build for these new US models. Just checking.
 

jeffcoop

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Thanks for the enthusiastic write-up. I'd love to try an M20 (and a D20). Unfortunately, the local longtime Guild dealer seems not to have made the transition to Cordoba (I haven't called them, but they're no longer listed as authorized on Guild's website, as they were back in the Fender days).
 

Positively4thSt

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Pictures!:

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RE medium strings, Maybe I should ask if it voids warranty, but I doubt it would. I'll play the medium's either way. I'll pick up an electric if I want to play light strings (light strings on an acoustic is a no go for me). Considering she's light as a feather, she feels VERY well put together.
 

Positively4thSt

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I tried to make a few recordings, but I'm limited with what I can produce. I found this clip, and I believe it's a fair representation. My complaint about this video, if you give a careful listen at the end, they fade the volume well before the strings quit resonating. Had he driven that final note, and had they not faded the sound, she would have rang out close to 10 full seconds. I've been trying to sort of time the sustain, it's incredible! Here's the clip:

 

jedzep

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Oh boy. Just bought my first ever new guitar after 40+ some years of playing. I snagged a new M20, after owning two early 60's models and abandoning them for the narrow nut width. I'm waiting for it to clear Canadian customs, staring at the tracking number like a mental patient.

I'm happy to hear the glowing review. Thanks!
 

Positively4thSt

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Oh boy. Just bought my first ever new guitar after 40+ some years of playing. I snagged a new M20, after owning two early 60's models and abandoning them for the narrow nut width. I'm waiting for it to clear Canadian customs, staring at the tracking number like a mental patient.

I'm happy to hear the glowing review. Thanks!

Nice!! Congratulations! :)
 
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