Product: Goya T-23
Price Paid: US $750
Submitted
03/21/2006
at
12:06pm
by
Lance
Features
:
8
1964-1967 made in Sweden, Alp Spruce Top, Dark Maple sides and back.
Original tuners, almost need pliers to move them!
"cowboy" design with etched pickguard.
Purchased with original case (soft shell still holding up!)
Sound
:
9
LOUD GUITAR. Could drown out just about anything out there.
Does have internal noises, mainly truss rod vibration that goes away with adjustments.
Bright and brassy, Bass a little thin.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
This guitar was built strong. Top perhaps a bit too thick for resonance, but who needs sensitive resonance when the guitar sounds like it has a Fender Twin blasting from inside it?
Slight finish cracks, as could be expected for this old..
Cute cowboy pickguard is etched BELOW the finish, meaning it will outlast all those Faded hummingbird pickguards out there.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Other than crusty tuning pegs, this baby has held up well.
My great great grandchildren will probably be playing it..
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Sold out to Martin.....
Overall Rating
:
10
This guitar is an undervalued gem.
Also a rare find. I have been playing for 30 years. LOVE this guitar. If lost, I would cry - probably could never find another one.
GOYA made in Sweden truly was becoming competition for Martin back in the 60s. Maybe that explains Martin buying them out, shutting down the Swedish Plant and moving production to Korea (and turning them into a cheap guitar line....)
Bring on your Martin and Gibson and lets compare!
Product: Goya T-23
Price Paid: US $129.00 used
Submitted
08/08/2004
at
09:28pm
by
David
Features
:
10
Made by Levin in Sweden in the mid 1960s'. It is a dreadnought body with an "Alpine Spruce" top and "flamed maple" back and sides. All solid wood construction no laminate. Ebony fretboard and bridge. offset pearl inlay on neck with 3 pearl dots on bridge. Cowboy leaning on a cactus is the decoration on the pickguard.[a little corny but original]
Sound
:
10
Sound is as good as I've heard on any guitar at any price. Full, rich, bright without sacrificing any warmth for the brightness. This was designated the "Cowboy Guitar" for Country and Western music and sounds as good a a few pre-war Martins I've tried out. I use it for fingerstyle Blues sounds great. Extreemly versitile steel string flat-top seems to work on all acoustic styles.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
I have no idea what factory set-up was like. Present condition is, finnish has some age cracking, neck is near perfect, shows some fret wear. Flaws are minor for a 40 year old guitar. Gives it character.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Very solid guitar and it has already stood the test of time. It would be difficult to find a guitar today built with this quality of wood. [been over harvestd in the last 40 years]
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Levin/Goya of Sweden has been out of business for 34 years. This is a shame.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing for about 35 years. Have had countless guitars over the years. I now own 2 Gibson flat tops, 2 Dobros, Fender Jazz bass, Fender "Custom Shop" Strat, Godin LG HMB, and 3 Parlor guitars of various makes. All made in the US or Canada. If you get a chance to buy one of these, by all means do it. The top wood alone will probably be worth what you'll pay for the guitar.
