Guild Madeira A-18

[Steve Freides]

I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.

Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with? This one was
left behind in a move and given to me by a member of the church where
I'm now organist. Missing half its strings...

Thanks.

-S-

[Bill]

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with?

I think there are people playing a lot less. Put some strings on and
give it a try!
I'm pretty a young aspiring guitar player in your church would take it
off your hands...

[Steve Freides]

Post by Bill

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with?

I think there are people playing a lot less. Put some strings on and
give it a try!
I'm pretty a young aspiring guitar player in your church would take it
off your hands...

Not really the issue - the bridge is coming off, and the guitar will
need some repair before it's playable. The question is whether or not
it's worth repairing. Even with no string tension, the bridge is still
half off, so I'm loathe to string it up as it currently is.

-S-

[Bill]

Post by Steve Freides

Post by Bill

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with?

I think there are people playing a lot less. Put some strings on and
give it a try!
I'm pretty a young aspiring guitar player in your church would take it
off your hands...

Not really the issue - the bridge is coming off, and the guitar will
need some repair before it's playable. The question is whether or not
it's worth repairing. Even with no string tension, the bridge is still
half off, so I'm loathe to string it up as it currently is.
-S-

Well, there is no sense in putting strings on it then. You might break
something. Your local guitar shop could probably glue the bridge cheaper
than you could replace the guitar. If you know someone with appropriate
clamps and a hide glue pot (I think that's the right stuff), you could
do it yourself.

[Bill]

Post by Bill
Well, there is no sense in putting strings on it then. You might break
something. Your local guitar shop could probably glue the bridge
cheaper than you could replace the guitar. If you know someone with
appropriate clamps and a hide glue pot (I think that's the right
stuff), you could do it yourself.

I followed the great advice here back in 2008 and used "Titebond" glue
to fix the bridge back on a Hohner guitar.

It worked pretty well. I put all the rest of the "kit", even the
drinking straws, together into a plastic bag.

I have never needed them again, but now and again I find the bag while
on one of my fruitless rummages in the shed for that vital tool I once
had.

[Bill]

Post by Bill

Post by Bill
Well, there is no sense in putting strings on it then. You might
break something. Your local guitar shop could probably glue the
bridge cheaper than you could replace the guitar. If you know someone
with appropriate clamps and a hide glue pot (I think that's the right
stuff), you could do it yourself.

I followed the great advice here back in 2008 and used "Titebond" glue
to fix the bridge back on a Hohner guitar.
It worked pretty well.

You don't find out the reason luthiers use hide glue until you need a
repair. In some sense, you shortened the life of the instrument, but it
is obviously yours to do with as you please. Hopefully you won't ever
want to make any adjustments. Let us know how it sounds when you get it
strung up!

Bill

Post by Bill
I put all the rest of the "kit", even the drinking straws, together
into a plastic bag.
I have never needed them again, but now and again I find the bag while
on one of my fruitless rummages in the shed for that vital tool I once
had.

[Bill]

Post by Bill
You don't find out the reason luthiers use hide glue until you need a
repair. In some sense, you shortened the life of the instrument, but
it is obviously yours to do with as you please. Hopefully you won't
ever want to make any adjustments. Let us know how it sounds when you
get it strung up!

IANAL could refer to luthery as well, but it sounded pretty good when
strung up. The intonation was, to my ear, not bad at all.

I sold it on about 3 years later. The advice about Titebond came from
the good people here. I was told it could be loosened if necessary with
heat and water, but there was never the need.

[Bill]

Post by Bill

Post by Bill
You don't find out the reason luthiers use hide glue until you need a
repair. In some sense, you shortened the life of the instrument, but
it is obviously yours to do with as you please. Hopefully you won't
ever want to make any adjustments. Let us know how it sounds when you
get it strung up!

IANAL could refer to luthery as well, but it sounded pretty good when
strung up. The intonation was, to my ear, not bad at all.
I sold it on about 3 years later.

I'm confused. Is this a 3 year old story?

Post by Bill
The advice about Titebond came from the good people here. I was told
it could be loosened if necessary with heat and water, but there was
never the need.

[Tony Done]

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with? This one was
left behind in a move and given to me by a member of the church where
I'm now organist. Missing half its strings...
Thanks.
-S-

Bad neck angle may be a problem - that is, you can't get a low action.
Since Madeira was a Guild importer brand, I would get it looked over by
a repairer, but wouldn't spend big $ on it. If it is just the bridge, I
would likely get it repaired.

[Steve Freides]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with? This one was
left behind in a move and given to me by a member of the church where
I'm now organist. Missing half its strings...
Thanks.
-S-

Bad neck angle may be a problem - that is, you can't get a low action.
Since Madeira was a Guild importer brand, I would get it looked over
by a repairer, but wouldn't spend big $ on it. If it is just the
bridge, I would likely get it repaired.

When my luthier said you could buy a guitar on ebay brand new that would
cost less than this repair and sound better, too, I told him to throw
the guitar away. The top was also quite bowed and there were other
issues as well.

-S-

[Tony Done]

Post by Steve Freides

Post by Tony Done

Post by Steve Freides
I was handed a Guild Madeira A-18 - 6-string acoustic guitar, pressed
cardboard case so I'm guessing 1970-ish.
Anyone have any idea if it's worth doing anything with? This one was
left behind in a move and given to me by a member of the church where
I'm now organist. Missing half its strings...
Thanks.
-S-

Bad neck angle may be a problem - that is, you can't get a low action.
Since Madeira was a Guild importer brand, I would get it looked over
by a repairer, but wouldn't spend big $ on it. If it is just the
bridge, I would likely get it repaired.

When my luthier said you could buy a guitar on ebay brand new that would
cost less than this repair and sound better, too, I told him to throw
the guitar away. The top was also quite bowed and there were other
issues as well.
-S-

Lap steel? :) A good way of utilising nice-sounding junkers.