Guild Mark VI Artist Special Restoration

dapmdave

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OK, folks... I know I teased the Mark VI Artist Special a few weeks ago. And, while it's not finished, it is really coming together very nicely, now. I thought it was time to start a thread of it's own and at least post an update for you, with more to come soon.

So, here's the headstock (sorry, it's the back) in "before" state:

c.jpg


And the front was looking about the same way.

Now, here's what the headstock looks like as of today:

newback.jpg


And the front...
Newheadstocksml.jpg


There'll be more to come, I promise.
 
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Fixit

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Hi folks,

Fixit here, Coming along nicely isn't it. This project has been a long time coming. Five or six years now since I acquired this poor given up for dead Mark VI Artist Special.
Most old timers here probably remember when Lady Texan enabled me being able to get my hands on this guitar. Out of a dumpster and into a thrift shop in Austin TX. I believe.
Anyway, I have been working on this guitar on and off as time allowed since then and are now very close to completion. Slot the nut, string it up, set it up. That's all that is all that is left. So as Dave promised, lots of pictures real soon. It has been very cool being able to restore this old Carlo Greco made classical. The Brazilian Rosewood in this guitar is really nice. The whole guitar was basically disassembled and put back together. Bracing re-glued, cracks repaired, the missing piece of the back replaced. and re-bound. Then re-finished (nitro) re-fretted new bone nut and saddle. I hope it sounds great!

Fixit
 

gilded

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I'm really, really looking forward to seeing the pics. I hope you have some shots of the neck's Spanish heel. I've always wondered how Guild did it.
 

hansmoust

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I hope you have some shots of the neck's Spanish heel. I've always wondered how Guild did it.

Well, Carlo was trained in the 'Spanish' tradition and consequently these high-end Guild Mark models have the same neck/body construction as the traditional Spanish makers would have used.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

chazmo

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Dave, Tom, that is looking mighty fine! Is that ebony for the faceplate, and is that how the original looked, i.e., with the center strip? Also, what tuners are you using? Those are beautiful, and major league dressy for that application. Wow!

Gosh, I can't wait to see more.
 

dapmdave

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I'm really, really looking forward to seeing the pics. I hope you have some shots of the neck's Spanish heel. I've always wondered how Guild did it.

Harry, here's a shot of the "Spanish Foot" from when the back was off and it was fully exposed.

e.jpg
 

twocorgis

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Wow guys, I was wondering when this thread was going to surface! Incredible work as always Tom, and I'm really looking forward to the "after" pictures!
 

ladytexan

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Tom and Dave, I just received a phone call from twocorgis to let me know there was a thread about this great old guitar. So, of course, I needed to check to see how its restoration is coming along.

Wow, it's been six years, Tom? Just seems like yesterday I met the fellow outside of Austin and brought the old beat-up, sad Mark VI home to send onto Tom. During the negotiations, I was in phone contact with Tom to make sure I paid what was a 'fair' price for such a rare Guild.....in such bad condition. Before Guild was sold to Cordoba, I remember Tom was talking to them about getting some of their old Brazilian rosewood for the repair work. Can't wait to find-out how that went. Can't wait to see the 'new' old Mark VI.

P.S. Thanks, Sandy, for letting me know about this thread. :happy:
 

GAD

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Hi folks,

Fixit here, Coming along nicely isn't it. This project has been a long time coming. Five or six years now since I acquired this poor given up for dead Mark VI Artist Special.
Most old timers here probably remember when Lady Texan enabled me being able to get my hands on this guitar. Out of a dumpster and into a thrift shop in Austin TX. I believe.
Anyway, I have been working on this guitar on and off as time allowed since then and are now very close to completion. Slot the nut, string it up, set it up. That's all that is all that is left. So as Dave promised, lots of pictures real soon. It has been very cool being able to restore this old Carlo Greco made classical. The Brazilian Rosewood in this guitar is really nice. The whole guitar was basically disassembled and put back together. Bracing re-glued, cracks repaired, the missing piece of the back replaced. and re-bound. Then re-finished (nitro) re-fretted new bone nut and saddle. I hope it sounds great!

Fixit

Hey, Fixit - I tried to PM you as I have a couple of rare Guilds that need work. There seems to be no working email link on your website.

Can you help?
 

twocorgis

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Hey, Fixit - I tried to PM you as I have a couple of rare Guilds that need work. There seems to be no working email link on your website.

Can you help?

PM sent.
 

dapmdave

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Dave, Tom, that is looking mighty fine! Is that ebony for the faceplate, and is that how the original looked, i.e., with the center strip? Also, what tuners are you using? Those are beautiful, and major league dressy for that application. Wow!

Gosh, I can't wait to see more.

The faceplate is as it was. The front appears to be dark rosewood. I've seen pictures of other similar guitars (at least a "regular" Mark VI) on-line and the center strip is there. The tuners are Schallers, SHG1.
 

dapmdave

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So, here's a few more pictures...

Here's the label, for reference:

label.jpg


Here's a "before" for the top:

a.jpg


And as it looks today:

darkfront.jpg


Here's a "Before" for the back:

b.jpg


And now...

brightback.jpg


There will be more...
 

Westerly Wood

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wow, superb work!
that label, was that then the 141st Mark ever built?
man that is one of the coolest guitars i have ever seen.
 

dapmdave

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wow, superb work!
that label, was that then the 141st Mark ever built?
man that is one of the coolest guitars i have ever seen.

WW, No, I think that wouldn't have been number 141 of all Marks. They weren't consecutive through all the various models (Mark I through Mark VII). This one is interesting in that while it is number 141 Mark VI, I don't know where it stands in production count as an Artist Special. Perhaps Hans knows?
 
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