CLASSIC GUILD: A YARD-SALE STEAL

Eric Larson of San Jose, Calif., has been playing his Guild D-50 for decades. But it was a chance sighting at a neighborhood yard sale that put a classic all-mahogany M-20 in his hands, and he quickly realized he´d found a welcome addition to his Guild collection. Eric relates:

“A few years back, while setting up my daughters´ snowcone stand for a neighborhood yard sale, I happened to look over the hedge and spied the headstock of a guitar. Turned out to be a Guild M-20. It had seen better days – the top was warped, the back had a couple of long cracks, and there were scars from a long-removed pickup installation at the sound hole. I immediately asked my neighbor ‘How much?’ She replied, ‘Three dollars – and the money from my yard sale is going to breast cancer research.’ I fished in my pocket and handed her $10 – a steal even at $10! I took it home, cleaned it up, put a new set of strings on it, and even in its weathered state, it plays great! It now proudly sits next to my D-50 that I´ve owned since the mid-´70s.”

Eric reports that the M-20 is a joy to play, considering its less-than-perfect condition. “It has a nice, bright sound, and great playability.” And his enthusiasm for the guitar was contagious. His oldest daughter taught herself to play on it, and he has since passed the guitar down to her.

As for the D-50, Eric has played it loud and proud over the years through stints in different bands, and always playing for enjoyment. “I got it in 1974, and it has held up great – that thing is build like a tank. It has great sound across the board from the bass to the treble, and it´s easy to play. The D-50 is just a cannon. It´s so loud!”

Eric came to own the D-50 when he was looking to learn classical guitar. He ended up trading his classical model for the Guild on a local guitar shop owner´s recommendation, and he has never looked back. He says, “The Guilds have held up over the years, and I look forward to many more years of enjoyment with them.”