What to restore my 1966 T-100D

jrich78

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I have inherited a Guild T-100D, it was owned by my uncle who replaced the original pick up with humbuckers. I am wanting to find as close as I can single coil picks that originally came with the guitar.

I have been told DeArmond single coil is the type most likely used, is there any place to purchase these pick ups?

Any information or advice would be great!
 

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jrich78 said:
I have inherited a Guild T-100D, it was owned by my uncle who replaced the original pick up with humbuckers. I am wanting to find as close as I can single coil picks that originally came with the guitar.

I have been told DeArmond single coil is the type most likely used, is there any place to purchase these pick ups?

Any information or advice would be great!
Pics and the serial number would help alot. T-100D's came with different pickups, depending on when it was completed. At the end of it's production, T-100s came with humbuckers installed from the factory. The main issue is how badly the guitar was routed to install the humbuckers. It may be that you can't install DeA's because there's no top to screw into.
Pics would help, you need to use photobucket.com or another photo hosting site. Copy the image link and paste it between the image like so.
Code:
[img]http://www.fakeimage.com/jrich78/whatever.jpg[/img]
 

jrich78

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I contacted my uncle, he did remove some of the wood to add the humbuckers. The serial number is EE-1037. I will try to get some pics posted in the couple days
 

jrich78

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img6555y.jpg

img6547nt.jpg
 

jrich78

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No, he no longer has the original pick guard or pick-ups, they were lost during one of his several moves. The case that I have is an old Vox case because the original was just cardboard.
 

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Once it's been routed for humbuckers, you're sol for putting mickeys back in. I've heard good things about Surf 90's. Iirc, DKL has them in his and he likes them a lot. They are also pretty inexpensive, compared to a lot of the alternatives.
 

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Depending on your uncle's choice for humbuckers, the old pickups might be valuable enough to get some really nice single coils like some period correct DeArmonds or the new custom Franz they are using on the GSR series.

It's great that you kept it in the family.
 

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Well, Hans could probably answer what the original pickups where in that model and serial number. He still has original Mickey Mouse pickups listed on his webpage. I guess they are expensive since they are very rare. And they need to ship from Europe. But certainly great for such a restoration. The top of that T-100D was already incorrectly repaired around the pickups as it looks like, so it depends how the current holes look like under the humbuckers and how much work it would be to restore the original pickup holes and the top to former glory. But it is doable! I am sure if the current owner would get the pickups and ship it to Tom in Florida, Tom could restore it! Depends what the current owner is willing to do and pay. The guitar probably looks nice enough without the original pickguard.
Ralf
 

dean

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The T-100 guitar is probably my favorite guitar of all time! I've owned a couple (and foolishly sold them), and I'm still in the process of totally rebuilding one that was found in a trash can. I agree with just about everything that has been recommended or suggested for your T-100D, so far. I checked Hans' book, too, and it looks like your serial number places it in the transition period for pickups - if it was built in 1965, it might have had the larger (think P-90) style single-coil pickup, and if it was a '66, it likely would have the "Mickey Mouse" single coils as previously stated. As far as what sort of work you want to do on it, there's a few options.

Since your uncle removed a bit of the top (and probably a bit of the bracing) to fit in the humbuckers, you really aren't going to be able to do a full-on restoration to bring it back to original specs. But I get the sense that you want to get it as close as possible in terms of sound, as well as getting it close to original condition. Here are a few possibilities:

1 - Just get it set up and play it as it is. Depending on the quality of the humbucker, you might have a great-sounding guitar just as it is. Try not to change anything else unless it is a change that brings it back to original specs (e.g., if it has the original wiring harness, don't change it out unless it is totally shoy - clean it up and keep it in the guitar).

2 - Remove the humbuckers and replace them with some sort of single-coil pickup. I would recommend taking a look at Pete Biltoft's pickups at Vintage Vibe Guitars http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/ . Pete has some humbucker-size single coils and he can also make a custom pickup for you, too.

3 - Try to bring the guitar back to original as best possible by removing the pickups, replacing the wood grafts with the appropriate type of wood (maple) and trying to get stain match, routing to specs and replacing the humbuckers with the correct pickups for this guitar. This would certainly be the most expensive option unless you did most of the work yourself. If you choose to get original pickups, be prepared to spend some $$$! Same goes for pickguards, bridges, harnesses, etc. - trust me, they are hard to find!

Opinion-wise, I think that options 1 & 2 might be the most cost effective. I think I would try to get some single-coil pickups for the guitar, since that's what was used at the time it was manufactured. Regardless of what you do with it, it will still be one of the best-feeling guitars you could possibly own! The weight, balance, resonance, and sound from the T-100 is just plain wonderful. You indicate that the guitar was inherited from your uncle - if he has passed, there would be no better tribute to him than playing that guitar every day in his memory. If he is still alive, just remember to still play it every day, but make sure you give him a big hug every time you see him!

Have fun with it!

Dean
 

jrich78

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He is still alive. My uncle played it at my parents wedding in 1976 (valentines day) and when I got married I wanted to play a song for my wife and thought it would be cool to use the same guitar. He generously mailed it to me so I could use it. He was going to Will it to me, but since I had it and we do not live close...I got a great guitar that will remain in the family!

I am really excited because my dad recently purchased a 1969 Gibson Blue Ridge, so in the next few years I will have two guitars from the 60's!

I play it every chance I get (hard with two kids under 3) but I am currently doing some home recording and it is getting some use for that project
 
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