Early '60s S-50 Variations

Hobbesickles

Hobbesickles

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I saw this S-50 on Reverb last night that was labeled as a 1964 but I think it is a 1963. It has a tortoise shell pickguard instead of black. Everything looks original on this particular guitar but I have not seen another S-50 with this pickguard variation. Could it be original or is it likely aftermarket replacement?

Guild S-50

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GGJaguar

GGJaguar

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Link to the Reverb listing.

reverb.com

Guild S-50 Jet Star 1964 Cherry Red | Reverb

This is a very underrated guitar. All the Honduran mahogany and Brazilian rosewood of an SG junior, but Guild couldn’t seem to crack the solid body market. This one plays great up and down the neck, no dead spots or buzzing. The “Mikey Mouse“ DeArmond single coil pickup is high quality. There is ...
reverb.com reverb.com
 
mavuser

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that pickup is neither a DeArmond nor a Mickey Mouse, but it is an original Todd/Guild pickup. I have seen that tort pickguard on a couple of these, but that looks like a bunch of extra pickguard screws, at least compared to the standard ones. but maybe it is original? I own a 1963 S-50, that looks like a typical pickguard and pickguard screw configuration.
 
Hobbesickles

Hobbesickles

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I ended up getting this guitar and received it earlier today. I am surprised how nice the pickup sounds. I had never played or heard a Todd/Guild pickup prior to today! This guitar only has one or two minor issues like the headstock veneer lifting just slightly and the tuning post are incredibly short. It was a challenge to get more than half a wind around the base.

Does anyone have suggestions for replacement tuners that do not require modification to the guitar? Further would anyone know where I could find an original bridge cover?
 
GGJaguar

GGJaguar

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Congrats on the S-50! I have one and, like you, I find it sounds really good. Definitely a fun guitar! I'm not sure if there is a drop-in 3-on-a-strip tuner replacement for those old Waverly tuners.
 
Guildedagain

Guildedagain

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Lol

Buy mine today, I'll become a Goldmember.

No unreasonable offer refused.

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Made in Hoboken folks, hallowed ground.

Unlike Gibsons it was never fkd with in ten different ways, remaining 100% original and un fiddled with by anyone ever, and maybe really played. The hang tag is right, is it Special.

Original hardcase (very smart extra cost purchase) with keys.

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The Burst shading blowing away all period competitors.

The insanely good hardware and Tremar.

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The forbidden weight, it's the total package.

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Definitely Special.

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SB Spec. Thank you Guild.
 
mavuser

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here is a third one with the tort pg and the extra pg screws (with likely non-original pickup, but anything is possible, I suppose).


So there are definitley at least 3 with the tort pg, and the extra screws. I had seen one or two a while back, hard to say if any of these three is a duplicate of one i've seen before. but three tort pg's for sure...I always wondered if the tort pg was factory original. safe to say now, yes, that would be 99 or 100 percent confidence.

I have also seen one S-50 that had the black cover on the pickup, instead of chrome or white. Wasn't sure about that one, but then a photo of it popped up on an old Guild brochure. I cannot recall if that one had the tort pg or not.
 
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