Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar

Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar
Product no: 9000-0023-3579 Bax Music Warranty: This product comes with a 3-year warranty.

General

The Guild M-20 acoustic guitar is a Concert model with a compact body. It's made by hand in the USA and is a favourite of singer/songwriter Nick Drake, who first played it back in the '60s. Because of its smaller size, its sound is sharp and bright, which means it cuts through mixes well. The top, back and sides of this acoustic are are made of mahogany.

Guild M-20

The M-20 is a highly-responsive instrument that's ideal for strumming and fingerpicking. The mahogany body produces clear mids and trebles while the rosewood fretboard not only emphasises the bass, it also contrasts beautifully with body. The neck has a low action and that, together with the 46 mm wide string nut, makes it comfortable to play too.

Hand-made quality

In terms of specifications, this model stays true to the much-loved original '60s version. It's made by hand in California which means each model is unique. This version has a lovely natural finish and it comes with a robust hardshell case to keep it safe when you're travelling from A to B.

Specifications

Product features

Sustainable product	not specified
Electro-acoustic	no
Acoustic guitar size	small
For playing style	fingerpicking
Acoustic sound	warm with less bass
Body type	0 / parlour
Body construction	all solid
Number of strings	6
Colour	wood/natural
Cutaway	no
Number of frets	20
Left-handed	no
Wood type (soundboard)	mahogany
Wood type (sides)	mahogany
Wood type (back)	mahogany
Fretboard wood	rosewood
Includes cover	no
Includes case	yes

Weight and dimensions including packaging

Weight (incl. packaging)	7,7 kg
Dimensions (incl. packaging)	120,0 x 48,5 x 23,0 cm

Product specifications

acoustic steel-string guitar
made by hand in the USA
colour: natural
body shape: Concert
body sides: solid African mahogany
body back: solid African mahogany
top: solid African mahogany
finish: Natural, satin varnish
neck: mahogany
neck profile: C
scale length: 24.75 in
truss rod: dual action
fretboard: Indian rosewood
fretboard radius: 16 in
position markers: pearloid dots
number of frets: 20
machine heads: Guild vintage-style open-gear
hardware: nickel-plated
string nut: 1.75 in, bone
bridge: rosewood, bone saddle
bridge pins: ivory coloured plastic with black dots
pickguard: tortoiseshell
strings: D'Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze (.012 - .053)
included: Guild hardshell case
special features: mother-of-pearl rosette and Guild logo on headstock

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Reviews from other countries

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Pascal D. July 22, 2025

Wrote the following about Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar

De Guild M20 is een fantastische gitaar met een zeer goede prijs - kwaliteitsverhouding. Ik heb verschillende Gibson L00 series in de handen gehad, zowel nieuw als vintage alsmede Martins D18 / D35 / J45. De Guild M20 is licht van gewicht en heeft een superfijne vlotte hals. Je hoeft niet zo hard te werken als op de meeste Gibson / Martin gitaren. De klank is ook aangenaam, wat minder luid en in balans.

Het hout reageert goed op de aanzet van je vingers. Wel merk je dat het een nieuwe gitaar is en dat hij lang heeft gelegen ergens in een inspiratieloze omgeving, wellicht zelfs in de koffer. De gitaar slaapt en heeft veel liefde nodig om tot leven te komen. Het leven zit er wel degelijk in, dat merk je gelijk.

Marchel January 26, 2025

Wrote the following about Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar

Martin hieronder moet niet kletsen. Er gaan veel verhalen rond over de gitaar van Nick Drake, maar Richard Thompson (hij speelde gitaar op de eerste twee albums) heeft gezegd dat hij Nick altijd en alleen zag met een kleine Guild gitaar. Waarschijnlijk dus een M20.

Martin June 30, 2024

Wrote the following about Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar

Een fantastische gitaar met een heel warm geluk. Beste Bax, om even een iets historisch recht te zetten. Nick Drake heeft deze gitaar nooit in zijn bezit gehad. Alleen gebruikt voor een foto sessie. Wellicht gespeeld tijdens de foto shoot. Maar verder niet. Nick Drake speelde onder ander op een Martin gitaar. Zo dit moest er even uit als bewonderaar van deze Engelse Singer-songwriter.

Joris M. February 27, 2018

Wrote the following about Guild M-20 Natural steel-string guitar

As I had been playing a lot of acoustic guitar lately and have a tax return coming up, I decided I had earned an upgrade of my 2006 Simon and Patrick Woodland Parlor. This is a nice and comfortable small guitar, but was a bit lacking in fullness of sound, especially at the bottom end. This can be expected for a small "parlor" guitar, but I hoped an all wood guitar wood get me some gains in the sound department.

My shopping list was:

- small, comfortable guitar for playing in the house (mainly in the couch ...), max. size I considered to be 00

- fingerstyle friendly but, as I have smallish hands, a thin enough neck so I can fret notes at the low E string with my thumb and preferably short scale

- no (obtrusive) electronics, nor too much "bling" (I like the look of simple unadorned guitars)

- all wood and offering a noticable soundwise improvement over my S&P

- budget around 1500 euro, max. 2000

I found all in the Guild M20. Soundwise the guild equalled all small (more expensive) Martins and (equally priced) Eastmans I tested, and ecceeded the (much more expensive) Taylors imo. The Martin 000-17M sounded slighthly better, but was larger then I felt comfortable with. The guitar feels very much at home as the dimension and satin feel were similar to the S&P. The guitar is light but sturdy and plays great. The satin finish felt much better than very thin finish on the new(ish) Martin 00(0)-17 black smoke, which felt like sandpaper. Bass and treble response are clearly better than my S&P Parlor. I'm very happy with the guitar and all that, US built, for a price in the same range as high-end chinese build Eastmans.