Help Me Identify My S-100?

[ben17e]

Hi all, I just bought what I believe is a 1996 S-100 from another forum and I'm hoping you can help me verify this and maybe tell me a bit more about this guitar. The serial is hard to read due to the poor refinish. I am planning on doing a total refinish/refurb on this one and giving it a finish similar to Kauer's starry night or Collings Dog Hair. What can you tell me about it? I haven't seen any 90s Guilds with that script pick guard. I am told it has the original Duncan pickups.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome. No ideas for you other than to note that the angle of the photo makes the edges of the body seem less contoured/closer to perpendicular than I am used to seeing on '70's instruments. The TRC is properly oriented. Does the color match the pickguard? I want to say "not quite" but there could be shadow introduced by the photo.

 

[mavuser]

Hello, looks to be a 1996 indeed with a serial # of FB000255 as you have already conculded. These were a project that involved Kim Thayil of Soundgarden. The tailpiece is further back so you can play behind the bridge, like the early 70's version, a feature Thayil is fond of. congrats and enjoy! and welcome to LTG.

 

[Qvart]

Hi all, I just bought what I believe is a 1996 S-100 from another forum and I'm hoping you can help me verify this and maybe tell me a bit more about this guitar. The serial is hard to read due to the poor refinish. I am planning on doing a total refinish/refurb on this one and giving it a finish similar to Kauer's starry night or Collings Dog Hair. What can you tell me about it? I haven't seen any 90s Guilds with that script pick guard. I am told it has the original Duncan pickups.

Welcome!

That is indeed from '96. I can't make out the serial exactly, but it's FB0002xx. Definitely '96. Another indicator: the Seymour Duncan pickups don't have covers. Guild did that briefly in '96. As for the pick guard - looks like someone fabricated it as well as the truss rod cover. The script is correct for vintage Guild pick guards, but a '96 wouldn't have had the name Guild on it or that color. Besides the pick guard, TRC, and that horrible refin it's original.

Enjoy!

 

[Qvart]

Here's the '96 I used to have (FB000305):

That refin made a mess of the head stock too. Should look like this:

Oh well, if it plays and you like it, have at it.

Also, did you get the original case with it?

 

[ben17e]

Thanks for all the replies in identifying it! I thought the guard and truss cover looked odd but I didn't think someone would be likely to make a branded one like that. I guess its pretty possible though. I am definitely refinishing it and restoring the headstock. I got a nice deal on it.

 

[jp]

I know that with the older ones, there is a sticker on the inside of the back panel that has the manufacturing information, including factory of origin and serial number. I'm not sure if the newer ones also have this.

Did you check this yet? Here's an example. No affiliation.

 

[Qvart]

I know that with the older ones, there is a sticker on the inside of the back panel that has the manufacturing information, including factory of origin and serial number. I'm not sure if the newer ones also have this.

The reissues did not have labels inside the control cavity cover, only the serial number on the head stock.

 

[Qvart]

One cool - if somewhat minor - detail:

Your S-100 was made earlier in '96 than mine and was probably one of the last ones to have curved corners where the neck/fret board meets the body. I always thought the curved edges looked cooler on Guilds than the squared corners.

The '90's reissues at first were built like the '70's models. In '95 they changed to Seymour Duncan pick ups and in '96 they changed the fret board edges. Here's a '73:

 

[Quantum Strummer]

I like that pickguard. If I were refinishing the guitar I'd keep the guard and choose a complementary finish.

-Dave-

 

[Los Angeles]

In case you haven't done this yet, there should be a label on the underside of the back plate. should have the serial number as well as a model (S-100) followed by a color designation. Wh = white, Ch = cherry, Blk = black, NB = Natural or "Nature Boy".

(guys, am I right that they still used the labels in the 90s?)

 

[Qvart]

In case you haven't done this yet, there should be a label on the underside of the back plate. should have the serial number as well as a model (S-100) followed by a color designation. Wh = white, Ch = cherry, Blk = black, NB = Natural or "Nature Boy".

(guys, am I right that they still used the labels in the 90s?)

No, they didn't.

 

[Guildedagain]

TV Yellow? Pics of course make it invisible to see what you're seeing, but on the back of the headstock, where you can see crazing, and that's the refin, I'd leave it. If it's a really old refin, I'd leave it. That's just me tho, and I'm lazy too... ;-)

And I'm the sort of guitar tinkerer who does not strip, paint, etc.

I did that one time (and that's gonna be the one time only!) with a '79 Strat that I wanted a deep metallic purple (and that's ONLY because someone had spray painted flat black), can't quite remember when I got it right, right around the 10th attempt, including about three full re-strippings of the body... Came out amazing tho, and my longtime guitar wheeler dealer buddy who also restores, finishes, etc said "I'm glad you don't do it for a living" when I traded it into him for my ever 1st Flametop LP (another story altogether, the trade was a '62 P Bass, a '66 SG Junior and that refined '79 Strat), it wasn't as Deep Purple and quite as metallic as I wanted, but it was quite a looker, hardtail too.

Back to your guitar, not crazy about the headstock being painted over (I'd try to buff it down to the logo/etc underneath, assuming it's still there), but the body looks great like that. But I'm kind of a Les Paul Junior/Special fan, and TV Yella is the sh*t when it comes to one of those guitars, wayyyyyy cooler than trans red, as nice as that is.

 

[ben17e]

Thanks for all the tips! First off, the guitar arrived and I really like it! I've always wanted an SG but have always hated them when I actually played one! This balances and has a good neck. Pickups sound good and it can really scream. The finish is a mess and I'm in the process of stripping. I thought it would come right off because of how crappy it looked up close but I have been using stripper and sanding like crazy. If i was doing a solid color it wouldn't be so bad but I'm going to bare wood. Almost done now though so I'll have some pictures.

The headstock logo is gone. Would this have had a waterslide and not an inlay then? I see early ri's seem like they had an inlay but I guess 96 did not? Btw I am NOT doing a traditional finish. I'm testing some ideas but I think it will be pretty neat!

 

[ben17e]

Not sure if my last response is still being approved or disappeared, but I have been doing some work on this and this is where I am at:
Cleaned up the board and frets with 0000 steel wool:

The finish I am planning is dark and I am not sure but I may darken the fret board some. I have been experimenting with a technique where I fill the Rosewood and darken it to make it more like ebony. I am really liking the results as it doesn't take away the character of the rosewood. Still, this rosewood is quite beautiful and I don't want to ruin that and I know it would probably bother some!
Disassembling for sanding.. I labeled the pots so I wouldn't get confused later

Original Duncans are indeed in place

So the pick guard is a actually a clear Guild guard with a piece of pearl under. I wonder if the guard is a vintage one. Either way, I am glad because I was actually going to order a clear one for the finish I am doing

All ready for finish removal!

Now I wish I took photos of the stripping process. It was pretty bad. I don't know what paint this is but it was gummy and stubborn and awful.
After lots of work and then getting a new bigger orbital sander that made the process quite a bit faster than my detail palm sander, I got all the paint off. Here is is dampened with water to raise the grain for final sanding.

Looking at some pictures, I think between the last sanding and this that the contours have been knocked down a bit so I think I will work them out a bit more to define them better. Tomorrow I will get it sanded down to 220 and start dying the finish. The logo is long gone...It looks like 96 just had a decal instead of an inlay then? I saw a headstock veneer with the inlay in it on eBay that could be an option but I think I am going to want to see the finish on the headstock so I am going to probably just have my brother make me a decal. Maybe in silver or chrome to be a little different. The only thing that probably isn't going to look right is the truss cover so I am probably going to be looking for the standard version of that. It might look ok though, we will see. I also may try to cover the pickups or install a set of really great Tom Anderson Humbuckers I have in the guitar that are homeless right now even though I love them. I am not sure if I am going to keep this or sell it once it is done though.

 

[adorshki]

.It looks like 96 just had a decal instead of an inlay then? I saw a headstock veneer with the inlay in it on eBay that could be an option but I think I am going to want to see the finish on the headstock so I am going to probably just have my brother make me a decal. Maybe in silver or chrome to be a little different. The only thing that probably isn't going to look right is the truss cover so I am probably going to be looking for the standard version of that. It might look ok though, we will see. I also may try to cover the pickups or install a set of really great Tom Anderson Humbuckers I have in the guitar that are homeless right now even though I love them. I am not sure if I am going to keep this or sell it once it is done though.

HI Ben I'm late to the party and primarily an acoustic guy but I don't recall ever seeing an S100 with a decal.
Suspect the overlay (what I think you're calling veneer) with the "rooftop" Guild logo and Chesterfield like Qvart's pics were removed during the previous re-fin.
Nice work so far though, we love the "restoration" threads and thanks!

 

[Qvart]

Yup, looks like you might have a vintage Guild pick guard. Here's my '73 for comparison:

The head stock would have originally had a veneer with Guild logo and Chesterfield inlays. Guess that was removed in the past. Shame.

The '96 I used to have:

This will be fun to watch. Good luck!

 

[S100]

I'm not sure if a vintage guard would fit since the HB-1s are larger than the Duncans.

Edit: I should say: it would fit, but probably not flush with the pickup rings.

 

[S100]

Were you able to save the serial with sanding the back of the headstock?

 

[ben17e]

Were you able to save the series with sanding the back of the headstock?

Yes I was which was good. I also see one of the headstock pieces on eBay. It's sort of pricey. I might go that route or just a decal so you can see the finish. Not sure if my finish idea is going to work how I want or not. We shall see!