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I was given this little Hoboken built Guild M 20 last week and want to fix it. I guess a new top will be neccessary. The top was pretty thin Hog @ .095...the bridge is smallish and i reckon it was just tuned up way high and left in the heat. The guitar had no bindings. Im wondering how to get the top off. Will it be necessary to pull off the fretboard,or is there a trick for avoiding that. I think this may be a 60"s vintage guitar. I want to put a spruce top on it but should probably keep it original specs??
Any advice thankfully recieved!

If I was doing it I'd remove the neck instead of just the fingerboard. Some Guild necks can be tricky but I've never messed with one from that era.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I would say you have to remove the neck as well .. no telling that it wouldnt need a neck reset anyway, unless you build the new top to the exact specs (radius etc) of the original (and who says it was good - I had a brand new GAD model here a few weeks back and it was set low to start with).

In order to fit the new top and then get the neck set, it has to come off. I woudl bind it as well, maybe just plain black, no purf.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Removing the necks on these older Guilds can be a challenge. As I understand it, the factory used a glue pot that was continually filled when it was low without cleaning out the older stuff. I once ruined a friends Guild trying to steam off the neck. The glue wouldn't loosen and the tenon swelled the joint, the sides split loose from the end-block from the steam and started to crush from the Stew-Mac removal jig pressure. It was not a good day. Good luck!
Art

Cat Fox sez:

Yes, taking the neck off Guilds can be a total b****h and you're likely to break the heel. They used glue not only in the dovetail but also between the cheeks and body. And then sprayed over it. Even for an experienced repairperson, it's difficult.

If you can get away with just taking the fingerboard off -- i.e. if it doesn't need a neck reset -- that's the way to go.

I would rout off the top and replace it without binding. Keep it as original as possible.