New GSR T-500

[jcwu]

...or The Phantom Menace.

I think I understand now.

:lol:

So, take this as sacrilege - I am a big fan of all things Star Wars, so I *had* to appreciate The Phantom Menace. But when I started hearing my nieces say the new Star Wars is much better because the old ones had really bad effects, it makes me cringe. But I do like the new ones, as well. On the same note, I do like the shape of the new Starfire, and I can appreciate it, but I don't think I'd say it's better than the old ones, because I know that's just sacrilegious.

 

[guildman63]

As frono said there are many ways to go. If the goal is to faithfully recreate the Guild past then that is great. However, from my perspective there are only a few Guilds that could potentially interest the masses today. The T-500 is one, and the S-100 may work as well (there are others, I'm sure). I bought the GSR T-500 because the original is hard to find. I bought the Starfire because it is different. I would love to get a vintage SF one day, and they are out there for well under the GSR price, so the shape is not an issue to me. I don't play Guild guitars because of how they look, I play them because for the money I consider them better than the other brands. Again, the ultimate goal of Guild, whethe we like it or not, is to make a profit. I am convinced that Guild will continue to put out a very good product, and as long as they do that and make a profit then we will be able to continue anticipating their next release. If the masses are not interested in the new Guilds, then production goes away. I want Guild to be around for a long time making high quality guitars, and while the looks are important, it is not my main concern. That said, a GSR Aristocrat, S-100, X-175, X-500, or CE-100 would interest me.

Good discussion!

 

[chazmo]

Some of you guys may know that I'm also passionate about Ibanez instruments. Particularly their first series Artwood acoustics (talk about a tree falling in the forest)...

But on the electric front, they were very successful doing faithful MIJ recreations of the Bob Weir (Cowboy), twin neck (Gerry Beckley), and AR5000 re-issues. These are/were EXPENSIVE. They didn't sell huge numbers, but they kept the faithful interested. Maybe that's what we're talking about here... That, and making a splash at Guild dealers who've lost the faith, maybe...

But, I'm definitely hearing a desire for both old and new coming from you guys. That, to me, speaks volumes about the diversity of our membership.

As an acoustic guy, I have to say, I would still love to be able to go into the shop and see a bunch of wicked cool Guild electrics on the wall. Maybe someday. If we've got Fender headstock acoustics coming out of New Hartford (and yes, we do), crazy-a$$ Hamer electrics (which we do, although very few), I'm sure these guys will find a way to get more Guild electrics through the pipe.

Again, without saying anything concrete, they definitely hinted that some cool stuff was in the pipe for next year.

 

[Bing k]

Again, without saying anything concrete, they definitely hinted that some cool stuff was in the pipe for next year.

I too felt that things will be interesting for the future when I was there in April.

 

[Default]

STOP TAKING MY MONEY, DAGNABBIT!

 

[fronobulax]

If New Hartford makes a run of electric guitars "from scratch", it would behoove them to get a classic version and measure, measure, measure the body's silhouette.

I'm not sure whether it was here or on another board, but an owner of several vintage Starfire basses reported that he loaned two of his basses to Fender to be measured and otherwise poked and prodded several years ago. I'm speculating but the hints about "in the past" given by the Guild folks talking about electrics at LMG III and the time frame recalled by the owner strongly suggest to me that the measurements were made as part of the project that is only now bringing guitars to market. It makes me wonder whether Fender just lost the measurements, did a bad job of taking them or made a deliberate decision to adjust the body style? We'll probably never know.

 

[dogrocketp]

I play Guilds for the sound, from my Jumbo Flattop to my X170. Even my Korean Guild Dearmond X135 has a sound like no other. I believe that every manufacturer has a niche, and for Guild it's been Flattops and Archtops. Establishing (or Re-establishing) the niche is never easy in a market crowded with known brand crap. It makes sense to me that they would go for what they were known for, to let people know that it's as good (or better) than ever. I think the T-500 has done just that. Guild is sticking their toes in the water to test, and it sure looks good to us as Guild lovers. Now to scheme to get an new X180.........

 

[Walter Broes]

Guys, I suddenly realized I haven't asked one "important" nerdy "did they get it right?!?" question about the T-500!!

Do the neck pickup's pole pieces line up with the "24th fret" harmonic?

 

[guildman63]

Walter,

If you don't have an answer by tonight I will check when I get home from work.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the significance of that? I don't believe my 1956 CE-100 does as the pickup was inadvertantly positioned too far out due to an attempt to copy the ES-175 design, but failing to initially account for an extra fret as compared with the Gibson (that is the explanation I was given). Despite tha error it sounds fantastic to me, and my guitar tech and instuctor both feel it sounds as good or better than any ES-175 they have ever played.

Thanks!

 

[matsickma]

Guys,

I have never fully understood the importance of the neck pickup placement. From a technical POV the nut to bridge length is half a wavelength of the fundamental frequency and a quarter wavelength to the 24th fret. So unless you have your guitar tuned to a chord when played in the open position why would this matter? At every other note played on the guitar the distance from the fret to the bridge is a half wavelength and the mid point is a quarter wavelength and this point does not stay constant at the 24th fret.

Just curious...
M

 

[guildman63]

Guys,

I have never fully understood the importance of the neck pickup placement. From a technical POV the nut to bridge length is half a wavelength of the fundamental frequency and a quarter wavelength to the 24th fret. So unless you have your guitar tuned to a chord when played in the open position why would this matter? At every other note played on the guitar the distance from the fret to the bridge is a half wavelength and the mid point is a quarter wavelength and this point does not stay constant at the 24th fret.

Just curious...
M

That was the explanation I was given, but there are clearly many among us that understand the technical aspects of a guitar better than I do, so I will leave it to all of you to hash it out. :mrgreen:

 

[guildman63]

Guys, I suddenly realized I haven't asked one "important" nerdy "did they get it right?!?" question about the T-500!!

Do the neck pickup's pole pieces line up with the "24th fret" harmonic?

Walter,

I just checked, and it appears to line up pretty closely on my guitar. There is a clear harmonic over the pole pieces, but perhaps the most clear harmonic is about 5/32" behind the center of the pole pieces of the neck pickup.

 

[SFIV1967]

A few explanations here:
http://www.frudua.com/pickups_placement.htm
Ralf

 

[walrus]

Thanks, Ralf, that was a good link. I was totally lost trying to follow this! At least now I'm "less" lost...

walrus

 

[Los Angeles]

I guess I'm left wondering if putting the pole pieces directly under the "24th fret harmonic" is a good thing or a bad thing?

I actually use harmonics on a few originals and I hate it when the pickups don't "hear" certain ones. When I play them, I often switch my pickups to the middle position, in phase.

 

[matsickma]

Good article.

Essentially if I read it correctly there is a technical starting point for pickup placment but it seems to comes down to pickup positions that sound unique or more pleasing and our expectation of tone based on tried and true experiments and placment that evolved from the masters Leo and Les.

M

 

[Diggey]

Walt,

I'll check and let you know today in between football games. One thing I can say, is I cannot put the guitar down. I literally walk past my guitar room and go in and play it for a few minutes all the time.

Tone with my 1 x 15" cheapy Fender Excelsior is frankly awesome.

Really happy I bought this!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeff Haddad]

The octave harmonic is lined up with the neck pu polepieces on mine.

 

[Los Angeles]

The octave harmonic is lined up with the neck pu polepieces on mine.

I guess I still don't understand. Is this a preferable thing or a not-so preferable thing? When People ask "where are the pole pieces?" what answer are most people hoping for?

 

[Walter Broes]

Thanks for checking guys! As for the "why" it sounds good that way, I don't know really, but it does. All I know is Strats and vintage Franz-pickup Guilds have their neck pickup under that harmonic, and they have some of the best neck pickup sounds I've heard - enough for me!