1964 Guild Mark IV Pearwood
According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, the Guild Mark IV classical guitar was manufactured from 1961 to 1986. Gruhn’s Guide and Vintage Guitar Price Guide basically agree, although there is some disagreement as to specific features. Like most classical guitars, it’s smaller than the dreadnought or jumbo series, measuring 14 ½” at the lower bout, with a scale of 25 ½” and a 2” nut. Like its rival, the Gibson C-100, it may have been designed more for the coffee house of the 1960s folk music scene or classical performance than for the blue grass stage. However, it still has enough carrying power for anybody and is a beautiful example of Guild craftsmanship.
This Mark IV features a solid spruce top with pearwood back and sides, a three-piece mahogany neck, a rosewood wrap-around bridge, and a 12/19-fret ebony finger board. It has an ornate patterned rosette and full three-ply binding on both the top and the back. The slotted classical headstock has no logo, but its rosewood overlay is set off beautifully by the black buttons on the upgraded gold-plated open tuners. The serial number (29434) dates it as 1964 and is displayed both on the back of the headstock and on the label.
After 54 years of making music, there are very few cosmetic or structural concerns: there are no cracks, virtually no crazing or cracking in the finish, and virtually no wear at the frets (presumably due to its nylon strings). The only real flaw is a 2” scratch or gouge at the bottom of the back of the headstock, visible in the pictures. There are a number of small dings, especially around the edges, but it basically looks and plays like a well cared-for guitar of about a tenth its age.
The action is fine, the neck is straight, the top is flat, and of course playing music for 54 years has made that Guild sound even better, more resonant, and more powerful. Despite its very good condition, this guitar is not for a collector to put in a museum; this is a player’s guitar, and I sincerely hope that its next owner is someone who will play it well and often.
The case might be the original hard shell case, since it fits this guitar’s dimensions perfectly. It is in good shape, inside and out, with a nice plush interior and slightly tarnished hardware which functions perfectly. The handle is solid, and it has a locking latch (but no key) to keep curious hands off it (there will be some). It affords outstanding vintage protection for this fine vintage guitar.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase it.
Thank you for your interest in this fine Guild guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.