Guild S100 Carved Stereo 1973

[Timeline88]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and hoping to draw on your knowledge and expertise here. I'm in conversation with a seller about a S100 Carved Stereo from 1973 (serial 80456). I'm buying under lockdown so the opportunity to check it out in-person are limited though the buy has sent a decent amount of images and is going to do a video demo. From what he's said it's a factory Stereo (with 'Stereo' TRC) and he thought the bridge pickup wasn't working until he realised he need a Y-cable.

I'd love to know what you guys think of it and whether it looks like a sound purchase? Also, will I need to run this into two amps to get it working or should a standard jack just give a normal output? Otherwise, I might be tempted to convert it to mono.

It looks pretty clean but well played to my eyes with some pitting around the second fret. Is there anything anyone would recommend inspecting more closely?











https://imgur.com/3bWbicz

Thanks!

 

[GAD]

If memory serves a mono cable should work for both pickups. I believe the wiring is just one pickup to one channel and the other pickup to the other channel with both sharing a common ground. Since a mono plug would short the two pickups, both signals should work.

A stereo cable that's not going to a stereo amp or a splitter would likely exhibit what you described since only one signal would make contact.

Having written that, I should caveat with the fact that it's been years since I examined a stereo Guild.

 

[Timeline88]

If memory serves a mono cable should work for both pickups. I believe the wiring is just one pickup to one channel and the other pickup to the other channel with both sharing a common ground. Since a mono plug would short the two pickups, both signals should work.

A stereo cable that's not going to a stereo amp or a splitter would likely exhibit what you described since only one signal would make contact.

Having written that, I should caveat with the fact that it's been years since I examined a stereo Guild.

Thanks a lot GAD, really appreciate it. I'm hoping to speak to the seller over the weekend and should be able to understand things a little better.

Do you or others have an opinion on price? He was initially asking £900 then realised he had underpriced it when looking into the pickup issue (shame, thought I was onto a real winner). He 'revalued it' at £1800 on his website but we've now agreed a price of £1200 c.$1450.

 

[beinhard]

Would not a mono plug short one channel (pickup) to ground? That would explain the bridge pickup issue.

beinhard

 

[GAD]

Actually you’re right. Ring and sleeve would be shorted, not tip and ring. See, this is why I don’t get up early. My brain doesn’t work right.

 

[Timeline88]

Ha, I hear you! Perhaps it looks like I might be performing a mono conversion then...

 

[Nuuska]

If the jack is wired in stereo - one pup to tip - one pup to ring - common ground - and you insert mono plug - you will short the ring to ground - thus muting one pup. To work there must be a switch to connect second pup to tip for mono - and to ring for stereo.

 

[chazmo]

Oak leaves and acorns. What more could you ask for?

 

[dalko]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and hoping to draw on your knowledge and expertise here. I'm in conversation with a seller about a S100 Carved Stereo from 1973 (serial 80456). I'm buying under lockdown so the opportunity to check it out in-person are limited though the buy has sent a decent amount of images and is going to do a video demo. From what he's said it's a factory Stereo (with 'Stereo' TRC) and he thought the bridge pickup wasn't working until he realised he need a Y-cable.

I'd love to know what you guys think of it and whether it looks like a sound purchase? Also, will I need to run this into two amps to get it working or should a standard jack just give a normal output? Otherwise, I might be tempted to convert it to mono.

It looks pretty clean but well played to my eyes with some pitting around the second fret. Is there anything anyone would recommend inspecting more closely?






Thanks!

Hello, nice guitar, but be careful - Where is the Stereo-Mono switch?

On my Stereo Deluxe there is a regular switch for a pickup, and another one, real Stereo-Mono switch.

Here some pictures https://reverb.com/ca/item/24885003-guild-s-100-deluxe-1974

 

[SFIV1967]

Where is the Stereo-Mono switch?

EDIT: I was wrong...see below...

Ralf

 

[dalko]

Ralf

It's not just a Phase switch? it looks like.

So, if it's a Stereo-Mono switch, where is the Phase switch then?

Why there is no both?

 

[SFIV1967]

It's not just a Phase switch? it looks like. So, if it's a Stereo-Mono switch, where is the Phase switch then? Why there is no both?

Good points! You seem to be right! So it seems not to have the stereo-mono switch. Unless it never had a phase switch...
Ralf

 

[fronobulax]

This pic from https://reverb.com/item/24885003-guild-s-100-deluxe-1974 shows that there was no phase switch and a "badge" on a switch between stereo and mono.

I'm not trying to suggest that this example applies, beyond the fact that it is one thing that Guild actually did.

I also have to ask what do people think a phase switch would do on a stereo guitar where each pickup goes to a different channel. Usually a phase switch controls the phase between the pickups which really doesn't make sense here.

I am prepared to be educated but I think a phase switch on a stereo guitar is the aberration, not the absence of the switch.

 

[SFIV1967]

This pic from https://reverb.com/item/24885003-guild-s-100-deluxe-1974 shows that there was no phase switch and a "badge" on a switch between stereo and mono.

No, that one clearly has a phase switch! It was just hidden on your picture.

Ralf

 

[dalko]

No, that one clearly has a phase switch!

Ralf

Thanks. On the guitar there is a phase switch we can see, and it's original. Confirmed by Hans Moust.

It was in the topic here: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/guild-s-100-deluxe-stereo.199388/

That's the reason why i was thinking: where is the other switch?

And, of course, it's better to have one. When you are in the "Mono" configuration, you use your Phase Switch like for a normal S-100,
When you are in the "Stereo" configuration, you can still use your Phase Switch to change the phase of your pickup ...

It's very clear and it helps to have a better sound.

 

[SFIV1967]

It was in the topic here: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/guild-s-100-deluxe-stereo.199388/

To bad that all the photos there disappeared again. I had a similar issue, the picture hosting company I used (minus.com) went bankrupt and all pictures hosted there were lost and don't show anylonger in old posts from me here...
Ralf

 

[dalko]

Unbelievable.

However I will put more photos in a few days again ...

 

[fronobulax]

Incorrect information corrected and questions answered. Thank you.

 

[Timeline88]

Thanks Dalko for bringing this to my attention! I spoke to the seller yesterday and he seems very trustworthy. He also sent me a video demo which would definitely suggest the toggle switch on this guitar is a phase switch. I've asked the seller to send me a photo of the control cavity and of the inside of the control plate too as we were planning to meet tomorrow to exchange.

Does anyone have any other experience of Stereo models with or without the 'mono/stereo' switch? I'm wondering whether the addition had something to do with yours being a Deluxe model and that being an additional feature?

 

[Timeline88]

Update: just got pictures from the seller and the label is as clean as the day it left the factory 'S100NB Carved Stereo', so I think we're okay.