Guild Mark VII Classical

Summary: One of the rarest Guilds, the Mark VII was made in extremely limited numbers (estimates are 10-20 total) and only as a special order to customer specs.  Built entirely by luthier Carlo Greco, the Mark VII was designed to compete with the famous Ramirez 1A. There are few chances to own one of these instruments, particularly one with such fine condition and playability as this.

Body: Solid spruce top. Solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides. Brazilian rosewood binding on top and back. Intricate inlaid wood rosette.

Neck: Spanish cedar. Ebony fretboard with no markers. Brazilian rosewood headstock veneer. Spanish heel. 26 1/4" scale. 2" nut width.

Pickups/Hardware: Bridge-mounted piezo pickup with jack on side of lower bout. Custom-made Landstorfer-style tuners with pearl buttons. Rosewood bridge with Abalone/Ebony/Ivory tie-piece. Ivory nut and saddle.

Cosmetics: This guitar is in very good condition for its age. There are several dings in the finish, mostly along the wood-bound edges and some light scratches. There is a spot of finish discoloration on the top, and general finish-clouding on the back. There is a small area of missing finish on the neck near the heel. The gap shown in the photos between the tuners and the headstock has been fixed and the tuners are flush and stable.

Playability: The wide neck and long scale of this guitar provide extended range. The neck has a bit of a forward pitch that makes the action a little high in the upper frets, though still quite playable. In the lower frets, the action is easy and the guitar plays with no buzzing or dead spots. The body is light and extremely resonant. The tone is rich and bell-like; chords chime out, and single notes bloom with harmonics.

Mods/Repairs: As each Mark VII was a true custom, tailored to a specific client’s requests, we cannot say whether the pickup system is an aftermarket modification or was installed as part of the original build.

Weight: 3 lbs, 10 oz.

Case: Original hardshell case.