I got a guild today, but nobody knows what the model exactly is

[lungimsam]

Well whoever designed it really went overboard with the details because they put the truss rod cover on right.

 

[jp]

The body looks like it would be a Japanese bolt-on neck copy of an Alembic but with more defined bevels. Very odd.

Also, look how close to the bridge the tailpiece was mounted--much closer than the later 70s Guilds.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

You've inspired me:



Edit - I slightly improved the G

Shouldn't it have the factory building profile from Westerly?

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I'm inclined to say prototype or Frankenstein with some real Guild parts but otherwise unknown to the factory.

Wouldn't that be a "Guildenstein"?

 

[lungimsam]

I wonder if anything is written in the neck pocket or on the end of the neck like Fender does.

 

[Rocky]

I wonder if anything is written in the neck pocket or on the end of the neck like Fender does.

I'd bet the presence/absence of additional holes in the neck would tell a lot as well.

The body manufacturer also did a very neat job of inlaying the neckplate into the body.

 

[fronobulax]

Wouldn't that be a "Guildenstein"?

Yes and I will adjust to use that term. It does capture the essential characteristics. Thanks.

Several previous Guildenstein mysteries were partially resolved when someone identified a non-Guild that pretty much has the same body.

So is there an obscure '70's solid body that could have been the basis for this instrument? @GGJaguar ? @SFIV1967 ?

 

[Stuball48]

Here are three pictures of my S300 to match against his earlier photos.

 

[GGJaguar]

The way the body is beveled reminds me a little bit of Hagstrom and we know Guild and Hagstrom did business together. But I won't speculate taking that idea any further. Maybe a test mule/proof of concept for a bolt-on M-80-ish model? Just no way to know without more info.

 

[dreadnut]

It can also sometimes be found inside on the neck block; you might have to use an inspection mirror.

 

[GAD]

Shouldn't it have the factory building profile from Westerly?

Hmm…

Edit - see new thread: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/the-guild-signal.214302/

 

[Guildedagain]

Now you know where Ibanez got the inspiration for the GIO...

 

[SFIV1967]

It can also sometimes be found inside on the neck block; you might have to use an inspection mirror.

On a solid body guitar ? Good luck!

 

[BradHK]

A photo of the pickup routes (and seeing if there are additional holes under the pickup ring from other pickups) could help but it might not be definitive as parts could have been swapped over time. However, if the pickup route for the HB-1 is obviously not a factory job it could tip the scales in favor of the body not being made by Guild.

 

[igotafreeguild]

 

[Rocky]

Certainly looks like the neck angle was set with a shim before the neck plate was attached.

Not sure why the assembler felt a need for a sixth screw.

 

[SFIV1967]

If you look at my post #31, the Guild employee who built @DThomasC one could have potentially built the OP's one even earlier. The neck serial number 140020 is something like mid 1976, a bit earlier than the bolt-on neck S-300s. And the shape of the routed chamber was also odd on DThomasC one as you see below. The neck has 24 frets already, maybe they were thinking to have the necks colored first and that was a leftover neck that was stamped but never used due to the black color.

If that shape of the body was something Guild was thinking about is unknown to me, only Hans would probably know. But it is not fitting a lot of things which are typical to Guild, so the shape is something very different.
In any case I'd say that guitar was not built as official Guild prototype, I would think it is similar to the story of DThomasC one, finished outside of the Guild factory most probably by a Guild employee with access to the correct parts. Might have even used the Guild spray booth for the black color. The harness is also original Guild but has a 1974 date code, so the pots are early.
Here's the full picture of the odd shaped routing in DThomasC one:


Vs the OP's one, somehow, many of the same features in the odd routing:


Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

The bottom of the neck pocket on my S-300 is also very rough as you can see. They had even broken the thin wall towards the neck pickup before they put lacquer on the guitar. I guess it happened when they drilled the very long hole for the pickup cables towards the potentiometer chamber. Which was drilled from the neck pocket. Same as on the black one as you can see. Just a different location.
Definitely shows the lack of experience with bolt on necks (vs Fender) and maybe the reason the bolt-on S-300 was quickly replaced by the set-neck S-300. My one was assembled and shipped from the factory including the label inside but made from leftover parts. The (original) potentiometers in my one have 1979 date codes! And the guitar has a 1976 serial number.





Ralf

 

[awagner]

Wouldn't that be a "Guildenstein"?

Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are Dead. Great play.

 

[DrumBob]

I think it's a Guild neck on a MIJ body, a real "Guildenstein" alright.