Guild M-240E Troubadour
G
uild’s new Troubadour
model arrives at the same
time as a solid wood,
California-built model,
the M-40; although both
are quite diff erent in build, they
share the same inspiration. The
new M-40 is a comeback of sorts
under a new name for Guild’s old
F-20 – a bit of a gem in vintage
parlour guitar circles from Guild’s
folk heydays of the 60s and 70s. In
terms of nut width, the M-240E is
actually closer to the old F-20s
than the new M-40 – but this
guitar has something unique: it’s
one of the only guitars we’ve seen
anywhere rocking a soundhole
pickup out of the box.
The Guild balances the modern
with the traditional; the curves,
minimal-striped purfl ing and the
sunburst say old Americana, but
the satin fi nish says ‘modern’. The
mahogany neck shade doesn’t
match the body but other than
that cosmetic gripe it’s a tidy build
with 14:1 ratio open-gear tuners
that are reassuringly smooth. The
action on our test model is very
low with the provided gauge .012
D’Addario strings, and it gets a bit
buzzy when tuning down. The
upside is a fast action in standard
with a tension that’s easy on your
digits for bends too. This
combination with the guitar’s light
weight are freeing compared to a
larger-bodied dreadnought.
With bright mids coming
through, it’s a natural voice for
country, folk and blues with the
action and string spacing
proving good for more delicate
fi ngerstyle, but light on the darker
and richer low-end spectrum.
Opening up for strumming is the
most fun though with the highs
carrying a pleasing, slightly
phased quality in chord work.
The removable Tone Boss
soundhole pickup is something
tangibly diff erent for anyone who
is used to onboard piezo systems.
As it’s passive, you won’t get the
higher output as a piezo or active
magnetic pickup and with no
onboard tone controls, an external
preamp or acoustic amp will be
needed for those who want more
control over their tone. But there’s
a pleasing roundness when we
plug into our Laney A1+ acoustic
combo on fl at 12 o’clock settings,
without the kind of harsh highs or
plasticky compression that can
hinder piezos in the lower budget
end of the market. Both Guild and
DeArmond’s video demos of this
guitar show it being played with
overdrive, and you could even plug
it into a standard guitar amp if you
want added edge. That fl exibility
on the electro side makes it a
gig-ready option for those turned
off by piezo possibilities.
Rob Laing
WITH BRIGHT MIDS IT’S A
NATURAL VOICE FOR FOLK
GUILD M-240E
TROUBADOUR
This lone concert-sized bandit
is packing a pickup
1
2
3
£445
TYPE Concert-shape
acoustic with
magnetic soundhole
pickup with deluxe
gigbag
TOP Solid Sitka spruce
BACK AND SIDES
Laminate mahogany
NECK Mahogany
SCALE 628mm (24.7")
FRETS 20
TUNERS Guild
vintage-style nickel
open gear, 14:1 ratio
FINISH Antique
Sunburst
CONTACT Selectron UK
01795 419460
www.guildguitars.com
AT A GLANCE
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SuMMarY
1
ARCHBACK
As part of the
Westerly Archback
Series, this slightly
convex shape to the
mahogany laminate at
the back of the guitar is
said to aide projection
2
PICKUP
DeArmond’s Tone
Boss pickup is the
Guild-owned brand’s first
new product this century
available in three
different trim colours. We
like the way this one ties
in with the tortoiseshell
pickguard, really helping
to make the Tone Boss
look like it belongs on
this guitar
3
STRAP BUTTON
The guitar only
comes with a lower strap
button so if you want to
use it with a strap and not
attach it old-style where
the neck meets the
headstock you’ll need to
source one and get it
fitted yourself
Photography: Neil Godwin
OCTOBER 2017 ToTal GuiTar
REVIEW
95
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