NGD - The Spirit of 1977!

[Los Angeles]

This guitar has been a long time coming. First I had to find an S-300 - then I had to find the right color, then it had to be the right year - the first year of production, 1977. The only disappointment is that it has dimarzios, so I'll have to get HB1's installed. It also needs a fret dress. I'm sure for anyone else, it plays fine, but I have a very heavy-handed stroke, and I'm getting just a touch of Buzz on the G string at the first and second frets.

So anyway, on to the fun part. This is my 1977 Dodge Tradesman Van next to my new white 1977 Guild S-300-D.

Enjoy!

 

[southernGuild]

8) Very nice! I'm liking that combo. Ahhhh.......'77 was a good year indeed.

 

[Jodiemeglio]

I'm not sure which I like more!

 

[Zelja]

Very cool Kent. Congratulations on landing it.

The S-300's shape does polarize people but I like it better in white than in most any other colour I've seen.

Are the necks on these guitars comparable to the S-100s you had in your hands?

You'll have to give us a tone report & comparison with your S-1000 once you get the HB-1s installed.

The Dodge looks cool too. Viva 1977!!

 

[SouthernSounds]

Hey Kent!

Nice shot: What a pair of beauties you have!

I think I can imagine how happy you are 8)

Congrats man!

All the best,

B.

 

[Treem]

NIIICE KENT!!!

What a way to keep the Spirit of 1977 alive, than a sweet white 77 S-300!! HB1s on it WHHAAAAAT! :mrgreen: Can't wait to hear it!

Great outdoor shots, Bromigo! 8)

cheers!

 

[Los Angeles]

Thanks guys!

Zelja, the neck is pretty much exactly like your '77. If you find that you like that one, these look to be a safe bet.

I removed the pickups and looked at the routs - they are perfect for full-size HB-1's. Thing is, it's got a really cool classic 70's metal tone right now. I might wait a bit before installing HB1's. First just the slightest attention to the neck and frets and she'll be straight as an arrow and ready.

I think the polarizing shape Has a lot to do with that earlobe-shaped upper horn. Imagine if the guitar were semetrical like the M-80. It would still look really odd, but at least it wouldn't be THAT ugly.

Lucky for me, how this guitar looks and how it feels, plays and sounds are worlds apart.

These are great guitars.

 

[Zelja]

^^^^
Thanks Kent. That's all I need , another Guild to GAS for! :lol: Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the S-100, could be a little deeper but no issues at all. So the neck is closer to 1 11/16" than 1 5/8"?

I have heard it said that the S-300s are amongst the most ergonomically comfortable guitars to play.

 

[hagmeat]

Congrats L.A, nice Guild, glad you`re happy with it. `77 was a great year and
not just `cause I was born then. Nice boogie van too !

 

[taabru45]

Every tradesman should have one. :lol:

 

[Russian Guy]

So it was you who snatched that mint Snow White at $1100. Nice going, Kent! So you say the neck is pretty much the same as on the late 70 S-100s?

It's decided then - I really need a 75-77 S-100

And you're right S-300s are great guitars, very ergonomical. And for some reason that upper horn always looked like a drop. It is also very handy - you can pretty much hold the guitar by the horn. Who says you need a Steve Vai signature Ibanez with that hand cut-out :lol:

 

[Los Angeles]

So it was you who snatched that mint Snow White at $1100. Nice going, Kent! So you say the neck is pretty much the same as on the late 70 S-100s?

It's decided then - I really need a 75-77 S-100

And you're right S-300s are great guitars, very ergonomical. And for some reason that upper horn always looked like a drop. It is also very handy - you can pretty much hold the guitar by the horn. Who says you need a Steve Vai signature Ibanez with that hand cut-out :lol:

Wait - there was a mint white one for 1100? I never saw that.

This one's is far from mint and I paid under that.

Yes, I can't really feel the difference in the necks of my 1977 S-100 and my 1977 S-300. And that's a good thing.

Here's "the rub": '75-77 S-100's feel a lot different than 70-75's. I wish that I had the vocabulary to describe this in detail, but I gave my best shot in the first post of this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=28843

 

[Russian Guy]

Wait - there was a mint white one for 1100? I never saw that.

This one's is far from mint and I paid under that.

You posted that 79 S-300D in the ebay/craigs etc. subforum. Did you forget? :lol:
Here it is.

The BIN price on that one was $1500 but apparently it sold for $1100 just like that '76 black S-100.

Yes, I can't really feel the difference in the necks of my 1977 S-100 and my 1977 S-300. And that's a good thing.

Here's "the rub": '75-77 S-100's feel a lot different than 70-75's.

And that's a very good thing indeed. Now I know for sure that late 70s S-100 is just what the doctor ordered. The neck on my M-75 feels a bit chunkier maybe because of the flatter fretboard radius, and there is much more of the fingerboard above the body at the joint (0.19 inches which is 0,5 cm) and not just at the joint but I'm guessing the whole running length of fingerboard.

I'm guessing the neck on a '74 Bluesbird would be the same as on the '74 S-100 and the same goes for S-100 and S-300 of the 75-77. Meaning I guess that probably necks on 75-77 S-100s were the starting point for necks on all S-300s.

P.S. Nice van, man. Reminded me of driving a GMC van once while being under the influence of a certain green plant back in 2006 :lol:

P.P.S. I am in no way advocating the use of illegal substances. That was the most intense 10 minutes of my life with me clutching the wheel like I was Schwarzennegger in Total Recall in that scene where they were running out of air because Cohagan or some other evil dude shot the window.

 

[fronobulax]

Thank you. That picture was worth several thousand words. Good thing post counts are not based on word counts. :wink:

 

[dapmdave]

Nice guitar! And nice van! '77 was a good year, indeed.

Dave

 

[Thunderface]

Sweet '77 S-300D, Kent. And the van, too. Maybe you mentioned this before, but is the van a '77, too? You know, given your affinity for things 1977 and the color black, I'm thinking maybe this would be in order at some point?

Along with the HB-1s, you'll need a new TRC because without the DiMarzios, it won't be an S-300D. :wink: