Madeira A-32SB

Madeira A32-SB, serial 567266, "adjusted and distributed exclusively by GUILD" on the inside label. All solid woods: tight flame maple back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck. Gloss laquer sunburst color, pearloid inlays and MADEIRA inlaid in the 'paddle shape' flared headstock. Good tuners and abalone dot black string pegs.
Rated a '9' because the finish is not flawless, but very good. Interior shows a few minor neatness imperfections, but a well built guitar and solid. Good setup as received, but too low a saddle. More later...

This is usually easy to determine, but for this guitar, it took some work! As received (eBay auction), the strings were shot and the saddle was cut down too low. With Elixir Nanoweb lights and a new bone saddle, it's quite good. The maple body/sides and the fact it has not been played much means it is 'stiff' and very crisp sounding. The coated strings help bring out its best qualities: good midrange and trebles, clarity, sustain and a bass that is not boomy or thuddy. The bass is a bit subdued right now, but this guitar would do well miked or with a bridgeplate pickup (K&K Sound Pure Western @ $90 is a good choice for a modest procd guitar).
Summary: a very nice sound, crisper than most Guilds, and a 'harder' sound than mahogany guitars. But a good sound and not tinny or boomy, as dreadnaughts tend to be if they are not good sounding. The Madeira has a balanced sound.

The setup as received was good at the nut and too low at the bone saddle. Previous owner had cut it down too short so it buzzed when played with nails firmly. I replaced the saddle with a hand cut and shaped and polished unbleached bone saddle. It's tedious but with a rasp and sandpaper and ultra fine steel wool to polish off the fine sanding marks, it looks like a luthier did it. I set it to 3/32 and 1/16 on the bass and treble 'E', respectively at fret 12 (string bottom to fret top). I find that is a low and comfortable action that will allow firm playing without rattles and works for a pick or nails. A touch of relief, but the fretboard is nearly flat. "3rd fret test" (press between 3/4 and checking each string over fret 2 should show virtually no gap).
The guitar fit and finish was an 8 or 9. It was an old Japanese guitar for Guild, but it was well done and could have been inpressive if the reddish upper bout had been skipped. The burst otherwise was very nice. The flame pattenr on the back absolutel gorgeous. I have looked at easily 200 acoustic guitars ove the past few years and this one has the best maple flame I ever saw. Good headstock shape and general workmanship is fine; good laquer job except the coloration choice.

This is a sturdy and well put together guitar. I see no evidence of anything to cause problems. I'd like small button low ratio Gotoh or Grover tuner on it, but I'll see whether to keep it first. It rates a '10' on sturdiness.

None to be had! It's a guitar no longer sold.

Over-all, for $400 it rates a '9'. You can get some mediocre guitars for that and some very good ones for $500-600. This one is a keeper for most folks and if you need a 'crisp' sound, this one is good. It is not tinny or shrill, but not luh and warm like mahogany Guilds, either. But it sounds better than most Martins and Gibsons (no surprise there...) that are >$1,000. And it has a similar sound to an Ibanez AW300 (which is a nice guitar at about $400 new and no case).

I play with nails and studied classical guitar some so I can finger pick pretty well and have a decent tremolo (not many guys do that!). So, I have different standards for a guitar that most folks: does it sound good finger picked, strummed, picked as well? This one has everything a fingerstylist would like: balance, adequate volume, good feel and complexity in the tone. Excellent value in tip-top shape cosmetically.