New model: Newark Street Bluesbird solid body/ chambered with SD pickups

[dbirchett]

I assume that the difference between these and the Aristocrat is that the Aristocrat is fully hollow while this is chambered? I assume that would mean that there is a center block. I wonder if they will have a Bigsby-fied version, but then I think that almost every electric should have a Bigsby.

Anyone know what Seymour Duncan pickups they are going to use or will these be a special edition? Doesn't look like the SD-1s as they only have one adjustment screw on each size. What did they use on the 90s Bluesbirds?

I always thought the cutaway on the later Bluesbirds looked strange and like this a lot. Still, when you can buy American made used for the price of new Korean, that makes the Korean guitars a tough sell.

 

[DThomasC]

I assume that the difference between these and the Aristocrat is that the Aristocrat is fully hollow while this is chambered? I assume that would mean that there is a center block.

I don't think any of us have held one in our hands, so we're all making assumptions of some sort. MY assumption is that this instrument is very different from the Aristocrat. The Aristocrat is constructed in a way that is similar to full size fully hollow arch tops with bent laminated sides, an arched laminated spruce top, and a thin, flat solid mahogany back. The flat back and lack of f holes being the major difference between it and a full size arch top like the X-175.

The Bluesbird is apparently (I'm guessing) constructed with a thick, solid mahogany block, chambered to some unknown extent, with a maple top that as carved on the top side to give it an arched shape. The top is likely 1/2" thick in the center portion. This, to me, is distinctly different from taking an aristocrat and adding a center block.

 

[SFIV1967]

Now the datails are out about the exact type of pickups used.
The 90's reissues used the same SH-1N but SH-1B for the bridge, so now they replaced the SH-1B bridge pickup with the JB model SH-4!

Here are the official specs for the black model, which has a pickguard:

Body:

Body Type	Chambered Solid Body
Body Top	Maple
Body Shape	Bluesbird
Finish	Gloss Polyurethane, Black
Body Binding	Cream
Body Depth	1 1/2″ (38mm) at edge
Body Width Lower Bout	13 3/4″ (349mm)
Body Width Upper Bout	9 3/4″ (248mm)
Overall Guitar Length	39 1/2″ (1003mm)

Neck:

Neck Material	1-Piece Mahogany
Neck Shape	Vintage Soft “U”
Neck Finish	Gloss Polyurethane
Scale Length	24 3/4″ (628 mm)
Nut Width	1 11/16″ (43 mm)
Nut Material	Bone
Neck Binding	Cream
Fingerboard Material	Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius	12″ (305 mm)
Fingerboard Inlays	Mother-Of-Pearl Block
# of Frets	22
Fret Size	Medium Jumbo
Tuning Machines	Grover Sta-Tite 18:1
Hardware Finish/Plating	Nickel Plated
Truss Rod	Dual-Action
Truss Rod Wrench	7mm Nut Driver

Features:

Bridge	TonePros NVR2 Locking Tune-O-Matic
Strings	D’Addario EXL110 .010-.046 Nickel Wound
Case or Gig Bag	Guild Deluxe Padded Gig Bag in Black
Bridge Pickup	Seymour Duncan USA JB SH-4 with nickel cover
Neck Pickup	Seymour Duncan USA 59 Neck SH-1 with nickel cover
Pickup Configuration	HH
Pickup Switches	3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Control Knobs	Guild G Shield – Black/Silver
Controls	Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Strap Buttons	Vintage-Style
Pickguard	Black with Guild Logo
Item Number	379-1801-806

Ralf

 

[adorshki]

It looks like a 1970 Guild Bluesbird though.

Original M-75's had that outline as well:

(From Lowell Levinger's webpage, Vintage Instruments.com, that's his Youngbloods guitar. He calls it a Bluesbird but that's actually incorrect as pointed out by Ralf a while back)

 

[AcornHouse]

Ok, is there a good reason for Córdoba putting hugely different output pups in both Birds? This is even worse than the T-Bird!?!

 

[dbirchett]

This is the story from Guild:

"The Starfire’s LB-1 Little Bucker pickup sits somewhere between a mini-bucker and a full size humbucker. Tonally, it’s got a little more jangle and a little more air then a traditional humbucker. The resistance and inductance of these pickups sit comfortably between a typical single coil and a typical PAF style humbucker – contributing to the airy nature of the pickup without compromising its warmth and hum-free output.

"Recently, we’ve been asked why our Starfire pickups have a lower resistance measurement in the bridge pickup than measures in the neck pickup. While we understand why this question is asked (because many people use the resistance to measure pickup output), measuring output with resistance alone fails to account for a multitude of impacting factors.

"Guitar pickups can be measured a few different ways: resistance (ohms K), inductance (Henries) and output in millivolts are all typical measurements. While any of these measurements can give you a ball park estimate of your pickup output (when compared to another identical pickup), they don’t tell the whole story. For that, you’d need to compare all three different measurements as well as components used and overall pickup efficiency. For example, the Starfire bridge pickup does have a lower resistance than the neck; however, it is wound with 41g wire. The neck pickup is wound with 42g wire. This difference in component alone will impact the resistance of the pickup. 41g is a thicker wire and as you increase your wire thickness, you decrease the amount of resistance.

"It’s easy to fall into the trap of specs and speculations but in the end, you should always count on your ear because after all, it’s our ears which we are trying to please!"

Of course, this does not address why the pickups measure so differently to most everyone's vintage mini-HBs that has bothered to measure them.

 

[AcornHouse]

Yes, but in this new Bluesbird, they're 7.6k vs 16.6k!

 

[matsickma]

Dang! These new M75's are cool! No pickguards on flame maple and pickguards on black. Very cool. Chambered- cool. I won't be able to contain my GAD urges! Pickups aren't a problem cause LTGer have their stash if HB1's so can swap on MIK guitars all the want. I promised my wife I would reduce my guitar stash as I approach retirement but it looks to be going in the other direction.
M

 

[matsickma]

Correction...GAS urges. Sorry GAD.

 

[guitarslinger]

Dang! These new M75's are cool! No pickguards on flame maple and pickguards on black. Very cool. Chambered- cool. I won't be able to contain my GAD urges! Pickups aren't a problem cause LTGer have their stash if HB1's so can swap on MIK guitars all the want. I promised my wife I would reduce my guitar stash as I approach retirement but it looks to be going in the other direction.
M

If, like me, you have several full bodied electrics you can tell her that buying the smaller sized Bluesbird represents a serious effort at "downsizing" your collection.

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Yes, but in this new Bluesbird, they're 7.6k vs 16.6k!

Kinda like the DiMarzio PAF/Super Distortion pickup combo Guild offered as an "upgrade" in the '70s & '80s. At least those were of the 3-screw adjustment variety. My Nightbird came with (and still has) a set of those, except the bridge p'up is a Dual Sound wound to 10.9K.

I'm personally not a fan of either of these Duncans, but that doesn't matter if the guitar otherwise makes the grade.

-Dave-

 

[SFIV1967]

Seymour Duncan does market them as: "The archetype hot-rodded humbucker for over 30 years, the JB Model SH-4 is great for everything from heavy blues to heavy metal. As the world's most popular humbucker, the SH-4 provides slammin' output while retaining singing highs, aggressive harmonics, and just the right blend of sustain and distortion. It easily goes from sweet warm tones to raw rock 'n' roll. The JB Model SH-4 is recommended for bridge position, and is often paired with a neck pickup like the SH-2n Jazz (Seymour's favorite) for versatility or a SH-1 '59 for P.A.F. tones. The SH-4 is for balanced and warm instruments, and works especially well with rosewood fingerboards."
Ralf

 

[dapmdave]

I think I like it. There's a "tip of the hat" to a couple of Bluesbird iterations produced over the years, and the price is right.

Unless these are different, the Guild gig bags are a cut above the norm. They're probably going to be at least as good if not better than some of the flimsy hard cases being marketed nowadays.

 

[guitarslinger]

The main release of the new "birds" will be in Agust. Dealers are allotted a small number shipping at the end of June of which one of the Bluesbirds is mine. Or, so I'm told. I'll provide a detailed in hand when I get it. I may even have time to re-learn how to post pictures.

 

[GAD]

Correction...GAS urges. Sorry GAD.


And here I thought I had a creepy new fan.

 

[jp]

Ok. After looking at examples of the late 1960s-1970 chambered Bluesbird, as well as the original 50sM-75, I think Guild modeled the NS Bluesbird body directly after these models. Now I'm really excited and tempted to get one!

 

[Tom West]

If this Bluebird is as good a guitar as my 2015 S-100, I must own it. I would have preferred HB-1 pups though.

 

[dbirchett]

I wonder if the routs on this will be large enough to take the HB-1 pickups.

 

[Tom West]

I'm not sure if they will take the originals but they appear big enough to take the re- issue HB-1.

 

[dbirchett]

I'm not sure if they will take the originals but they appear big enough to take the re- issue HB-1.

So are the reissue HB1s a smaller size so that they will fit in a regular (i.e. Gibson sized) HB rout?