Thoughts on T-100?

[NYWolf]

Hi all,

After some research I'm thinking T-100 shouldn't be that bad, and wonder if somebody can chime on what to like or dislike about this model. Is it a good choice for regular gigging, or mostly just a collector's choice? I noticed some have Franz pickups(50's), and some Mikey Mouse pickups (60's).

If I want a chunkier neck, which one should I look at?
How's the feedback issue?
What are the normal prices for a excellent condition ones?( There is a few on Ebay, and one blonde one is priced over $3000. What's the deal?? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-GUILD-T-100-D-Blonde-Special-/161425158735?pt=Guitar&hash=item2595b0724f)

If there are any old threads on this topic, I'm interested to read!

Thanks for any info.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Concerning your feedback question; depending on the type of gigging, you might be better off with a Starfire III if you like the single Florentine cut-away look. The T-100 is completely hollow and prone to feedback while the Starfire III has a solid block down the middle.

As far as the necks go: I don't know about the necks on the 50's models but they are pretty thin on the 60's guitars.

 

[hansmoust]

Concerning your feedback question; depending on the type of gigging, you might be better off with a Starfire III if you like the single Florentine cut-away look. The T-100 is completely hollow and prone to feedback while the Starfire III has a solid block down the middle.

Grot! Go back to your room and do your home work!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[AcornHouse]

While Grot gets taken out to the woodshed (been there myself, it happens), Wolf, what type of music do you play? Yes, the T-100 is a hollowbody (as is the starfire III, Grot was thinking of the Starfire IV that has a center block), so it could be an issue in high volume situations, but in lower ampage gigs, like a jazz gig, not so much. My CE-100, which is a less thin predecessor, has no problems in a jazz group. The Franz pup is a great sound.

 

[walrus]

Right, low volume "jazzy" stuff is great on a T100, but playing Zeppelin will be hard to control. BTW, T100's are also pretty nice to play quietly unplugged.

walrus

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Grot! Go back to your room and do your home work!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Ah, crap! Hard to remember all the details as age advances!

In the words of the great Emily Litella; NEVERMIND!

 

[F312]

Can someone tell me how many different pups were used on the T100 and were they changed at certain time periods?
Ralph?

 

[SFIV1967]

Right, low volume "jazzy" stuff is great on a T100, but playing Zeppelin will be hard to control.

Unless you are Mojo Nixon with his Slim Jim T-100D!



He loves his T-100D so much, he still plays it today as his main guitar! Here's a 2014 gig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLRJflJJy1Y

Ralf

 

[houseisland]

I have not played publicly in ... what ... maybe 35 years.

But even back then there was a lesson I begrudgingly and resentfully learned from a very pushy and inflexible soundman - monster amps are not your friends if you have a good PA and a soundman you can trust. My amp - don't remember what now - something Peavey - loud and entirely appropriately obnoxious sounding - was put on stage for show turned on with my guitar patch cord leading in that general direction - I was actually plugged into something smaller and hidden which the soundman insisted that I use - don't remember what now - it had a line level out and a mike was put in front of the amp. It did not sound right to me on stage at the time, but the soundboard tapes - OMG! What great sound!

With this guy's pushy help something hollow body at high volume would not have been a problem, I suspect.

I have a friend who claims to have got back stage a Jeff Beck gig. Marshall stacks for show. Jeff plugged into something small like a Mesa Boogie with mikes in front - hidden behind the Marshallls. Then there is the interesting Keef/Chuck Berry film, where Keef hides Chuck's miked amp somewhere off stage so that Chuck can't get at it and mess with the sound.

A good soundman is a wizard. Make friends.

 

[southernGuild]

Ralf! That was some serious Mojo! Whoa!
That sure got me awake this morning. :star:

 

[SFIV1967]

@John: I was just searching for something to proof walrus "low volume jazzy stuff is great on a T100" wrong and found Mojo Nixon with that early kind of MTV video!
Ralf

 

[walrus]

But, he's not playing Zeppelin...and he's not playing a T100!! :friendly_wink:

walrus

 

[SFIV1967]

...and he's not playing a T100!!

What else is he is playing? It's a T-100D. What do I miss?
Ralf

 

[Walter Broes]

I probably haven't played the right one yet, but I haven't played a T-100 yet that I really liked enough to want it. Which doesn't make all that much sense, because I have an early Starfire III, and as far as I know, that should be the same body and neck. And the T-100"s I've played had Franz pickups, and I love those.

Given the choice, I'd prefer a CE100D Capri as a main guitar - that extra little bit of body depth seems to make more difference than you'd expect.

Maybe I just don't have enough experience with the model, or maybe it's just not for me. IMO and YMMV etc!!

 

[xilef regnu]

Ah, crap! Hard to remember all the details as age advances!

In the words of the great Emily Litella; NEVERMIND!

 

[walrus]

Just being picky, Ralf, he's playing a T100D - the OP and all the comments afterward are about a T100, but then you showed Mojo playing the 2 pup model T100D! One could argue those are not the same guitar, especially plugged in. That may be what Walter is experiencing as well, but I have no idea.
Anyway, I'd thought you'd appreciate my attention to detail! roud:

walrus

 

[NYWolf]

Thanks guys, great info here! My Led Zeppelin days seems to be over, for better or worse, :laughing: I'm aiming to play more jazz gigs, but so far it's been semi-jazz/ cabaret/ Gypsy/ thing mostly, with occasional rockabilly or trad. swing gigs. The point is- it's never crazy loud. Gigging with NS x175, I had feedback issue a few times, but controllable one, it was fun actually. But I never owned an instrument that would be as old as T100, so maybe pickups would squeal, simply don't know what to expect!

Speaking of pickups, any T100 only comes with single coils? I would have to replace them with humbuckers anyway, but more and more I think CE100 would be a better choice, plus what Walter said. Then I don't have to worry about modifying it... But the blondes are so hard to come by, what's up with that?:concern:

 

[Walter Broes]

Well, from about '63 on, Starfires started coming with the small Guild humbuckers. A Starfire II is basically the same guitar as a T-100D, and the SFIII is the same thing with a Bigsby.
If you want a thinline hollowbody with humbuckers, look for a Starfire II or III.

 

[NYWolf]

Well, from about '63 on, Starfires started coming with the small Guild humbuckers. A Starfire II is basically the same guitar as a T-100D, and the SFIII is the same thing with a Bigsby.
If you want a thinline hollowbody with humbuckers, look for a Starfire II or III.

Yep, I was thinking too, but I do like my blondes (when it comes to guitars, anyway), and there no blonde finishes for Starfire II or III from that era that I ever seen.

Also, I stopped by Rivington Guitars the other day, good vintage store in NYC, they had two Guilds, 64's Starfire II, and 61' A50. I grabbed the Starfire first, and damn, it had the same exactly neck as on my 98' Starfire III. On thinner and wider side, that I so dread now. I noodled for a minute, but didn't feel inspired to even plug in.
A50 on the other hand was really fantastic! Dearmond Rhythm Chief pickup, and just sounded great acoustically, great vibe, and feel! And the neck is big, fat, and chunky, I can play those all day!

 

[walrus]

I had a '63 A50 that did not have a pickup on it, but it was a blast to play, and it sounded great!

walrus