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- May 26, 2015
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Hello. I'm going to check out a lefty Guild SF4 later today and was hoping to learn a little more on Guild guitars from the 1980's. First, this SF4 is a lefty (me too!) and was "professionally" painted black from an original burgundy finish. The hardware appears to be gold (Grover tuners, bridge, Bigsby etc). The pickups that are shown in the photos I've seen are white humbucker style (Seymour Duncan's?)...not the typical metal covered HB-1's. I've researched a little on Guild pickups used and found 3 variations of the metal covered humbuckers but was curious if there were any other pickups used for the 1980's models? I was sent pictures from the owner showing some gold metal covered pickups that are also included but they appeared to be smooth top covers (no pole pieces or raised areas). So, I'm not sure if either pickups included are originals. The serial number stamped on back of headstock appears to match the handwritten serial number on the label inside of f-hole and seems to date around 1983 (GA100749 looks like it may also say Westerly, RI and "Made In USA" is also visible on label but does not appear stamped below serial number on back of neck. The guitar looks like it comes w a TKL case (not sure if Guild cases from this era were made by TKL). Also I believe the pickguard is missing.
So, any ideas what a USA made lefty Guild w a paint job, non-original pickups (?), missing pickguard and possibly non-original case might be valued at in the current market? I'll be able to test with amp and see if all checks out, but usually like my instruments as close to original as possible. Being a lefty doesn't always allow everything to line up that way and finding a lefty Guild is quite uncommon.
Did Guild make models with gold hardware? I haven't seen enough to know. Anything else I should be aware of? I'm no stranger to buying guitars and have a 1969 lefty Starfire IV in emerald green and also a lefty Dearmond Starfire IV, but was mostly in a quandary about the pickups here.
So, any ideas what a USA made lefty Guild w a paint job, non-original pickups (?), missing pickguard and possibly non-original case might be valued at in the current market? I'll be able to test with amp and see if all checks out, but usually like my instruments as close to original as possible. Being a lefty doesn't always allow everything to line up that way and finding a lefty Guild is quite uncommon.
Did Guild make models with gold hardware? I haven't seen enough to know. Anything else I should be aware of? I'm no stranger to buying guitars and have a 1969 lefty Starfire IV in emerald green and also a lefty Dearmond Starfire IV, but was mostly in a quandary about the pickups here.
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