M240E Troubadour

105
OctOber 2017 Guitarist
reviewGUILD TROUBADOUR M-40E AND M-240E
FENDER PM-2 DELUXE PARLOUR
ALL MAHOGANY £699
This Sitka spruce/rosewood model with Fishman’s
bespoke Paramount system is said to be tailored
for each model. With ebony fretboard, solid con-
struction and deluxe hardcase, the PM-2 furthers
Fender’s commitment to the acoustic sector.
www.fender.com
THE RIVALS
GIBSON LG-2 AMERICAN
EAGLE £1,349
Another new spin on an old model, the LG-2
features the same LR Baggs Element system as
the M-40E (and a similar nut width too). It’s a
plaintive design and that vibe continues to the
v-shape neck that’s true to its Americana roots.
www.gibson.com
MARTIN 00-15ME £1,750
The all-mahogany 15 Series has a well-earned
reputation for workhorse guitars in the studio
and on stage, and this UK exclusive electro model
is no exception. The added versatility here is
provided by the onboard Fishman Gold + Plus
system – with controls subtly tucked away.
www.martinguitar.com
YAMAHA LS16 ARE £850
A smaller body that’s big on value. A solid
rosewood back and sides and an ebony board
offer spec above the pricepoint. The result is an
impressively balanced tone but EQ control will
have to come from an external source.
www.uk.yamaha.com
2
1
1. The mahogany neck
shade stands out
as lighter from the
back and sides on
the M-240E
2. The M-40E’s LR Baggs
Element volume and
tone controls are
placed subtly inside
the soundhole and
are powered by an
internally-mounted
9V battery
accessibility and substantial width.
The smooth satin finish and C-shape
is welcoming to the palm, but the nut
width on this new chapter for the F-20
story is actually wider than the 1960s
examples at 44.45mm, with vintage F-20
examples we’ve seen at around 43mm. It’s a
surprising change.
The M-240E Troubadour is billed as
a homage to its American sibling, but
that doesn’t extend to its finish options.
Though a piezo-fitted M-240E is available
in natural, this Troubadour version is
only in antique sunburst. But Guild has
clearly put thought into making the
aesthetic of a soundhole-mounted pickup
work here. It’s a neat touch to see the
tortoiseshell trim match the scratchplate,
that in turn ties in with the dark edges of
the two-colour sunburst and making this
soundhole more at home here than
it could have done. It’s a tidy build,
with an aesthetic only disrupted by the
notably lighter shade and different grain
of the mahogany neck compared to
the body.
The 240’s deviations from its inspiration
go even further than electronics and the
laminate back sides, though: the 240E
features Guild’s arched back, and the
nut width is closer to the 60s F-20s at
42.86mm, with a narrower string spacing
at the bridge of 55mm compared to the
M-40E’s 57mm for a slimmer C-shape
neck. The Troubadour is clearly more than
a lower spec version of big bro. Instead,
Guild has taken the body blueprint to do
something distinct.
GIT425.rev_guild.indd 105 9/7/17 5:40 PM