First Guild! First Post!

bob_d

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Hello everyone,

My name is Bob and I'm new to the LetsTalkGuild forum and to Guild guitars.

I started playing guitar again about a year ago after a long hiatus. I have two archtops, a 17" hollowbody made by Colorado luthier Darrell Cook and a 16" Eastman 804CE. My flat top is a Larrivee LSV-11. I've been looking for an acoustic/electric bass at a reasonable price for a while now. At first I considered the Epiphone El Capitan but then I saw a Guild B4CE at Elderly instruments and I set out to find one. Well, I found a used one on Craigslist, took a ride to see it, and bought it yesterday. It's a 1997 Made In USA B4CE - BKHG. I found Dan Cipriano's web site through a Google search and dated mine through the serial number to 1997.

The guitar sounds better than I expected acoustically and very good amplified. I think I got a very good deal. I'm very happy with it so far and I'm very happy I found LetsTalkGuild forum. This is a great resource and I hope I can make a positive contribution. I look forward to getting to know all of you.
 

Graham

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Welcome Bob.

You seem to know guitars, and you have already been able to post some pics. I think you should be in charge of training the old fellas here how to do the posting thing. They're always messing it up. :mrgreen:
 

krysh

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hi bob, welcome!

where are the soundfiles???? :wink:

all the best

michael
 

bob_d

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Hi Graham,

Speaking as an old fella', I'll be happy to help anyway I can. Pictures are easy. ;)

Krysh,

I figured out the pictures but I haven't been able to figure out the sound file thing yet. It's just a matter of time though.

Thank you both for the welcome!
 

krysh

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bob_d said:
Hi Graham,

Speaking as an old fella', I'll be happy to help anyway I can. Pictures are easy. ;)

Krysh,

I figured out the pictures but I haven't been able to figure out the sound file thing yet. It's just a matter of time though.

Thank you both for the welcome!

hey bob,

it was just a joke.
nice bass, but in fact I would like to hear one of those basses.

all the best

michael
 

bob_d

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krysh said:
bob_d said:
Hi Graham,

Speaking as an old fella', I'll be happy to help anyway I can. Pictures are easy. ;)

Krysh,

I figured out the pictures but I haven't been able to figure out the sound file thing yet. It's just a matter of time though.

Thank you both for the welcome!

hey bob,

it was just a joke.
nice bass, but in fact I would like to hear one of those basses.

all the best

michael

:D

But I'd really like to figure out the sound file thing, Michael!
 

krysh

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bob_d said:
...

:D

But I'd really like to figure out the sound file thing, Michael!

It is a nice bass. I got it for a very good price. It was rather dirty and neglected but as soon as I shined it up and made a few adjustments its beauty came right through. It sounds good acoustically the Fishman system provides a wide variety of amplified sound choices. I wanted to test the electronics and the only amp I have is a Fender Acoustasonic. It did an OK job on low volume but I'd like to get a decent bass amp and really let her sing.

hey bob,
the easiest way might be to open a soundclick or i-sound-account (they are free: http://www.sounclick.com http://www.isound.com), upload a few tunes and post the link. or host it on your own webspace and post the links, too

all the best

michael
 

Graham

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krysh said:
bob_d said:
Hi Graham,

Speaking as an old fella', I'll be happy to help anyway I can. Pictures are easy. ;)

Krysh,

I figured out the pictures but I haven't been able to figure out the sound file thing yet. It's just a matter of time though.

Thank you both for the welcome!

hey bob,

it was just a joke.
nice bass, but in fact I would like to hear one of those basses.

all the best

michael

Not completely joking there Michael, Bob hasn't met Jeff yet. :mrgreen:

And make damn sure you keep the b in the nice bass line guys. :shock:
 

bob_d

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Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Michael, all I have to do is download free software and use a mike to record to my computer? Does the software create sound files I can upload? How does a cheap computer mike sound? I have a Shure SM 58 but how do I plug that into my computer? Can I plug it into my amp and patch from my amp's line out to the sound card line in? Sorry for so many questions.
 

krysh

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bob_d said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Michael, all I have to do is download free software and use a mike to record to my computer? Does the software create sound files I can upload? How does a cheap computer mike sound? I have a Shure SM 58 but how do I plug that into my computer? Can I plug it into my amp and patch from my amp's line out to the sound card line in? Sorry for so many questions.

BTW, I checked out the dimensions of these plastic bridge pins and I'll have to use bone strap pins for bridge pins. Stew-Mac has bone end pins that match these dimensions very closely but they would cost over $70 for the set of four. I'll have to wait a while before upgrading these. At least until the most recent purchase begins to fade from memory, and I don't mean my memory. :wink:

hey bob,
no, I just ment uploading already recorded files.
sorry, but forget about the computermike and the sm58 (great for live vocals- rarely used in studio or live guitaramp or snare - same capsule like sm57) for recording acoustic instruments. there is some free open source recording software, i.e.: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/index.php
If you want to record something with your computer and you want to sound good, you will need a soundcard, I would recommend firewire- or pci-interfaces or with a lappy pcmcia. either for recording the bass directly or recording with a microphone you also will need a preamp, if the soundcard does not have one built in and the cheaper ones don't. recording with a computer is a little bit complex. maybe you should ask someone around your place, what you should buy (ebay or craigslist can help a lot :wink: ) depending on your existing hardware.

all the best

michael

edit: 1
 

fronobulax

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bob_d said:
It sounds good acoustically the Fishman system provides a wide variety of amplified sound choices. I wanted to test the electronics and the only amp I have is a Fender Acoustasonic. It did an OK job on low volume but I'd like to get a decent bass amp and really let her sing.

Welcome.
You might also want to check out this as a place where people talk about Guild basses, although there hasn't been alot of talk about Acoustic/Electrics.

My B4E is a couple of years older but it is also black. I haven't "cranked it up" either, but what I find interesting is the way I can make the B4-CE sound like my Starfire I or JS II when played through the same Fender Princeton amp. (It only weights 30 lbs. whereas my complete bass rig weighs about 175 lbs. and one of the kids has the only car with enough space to move it. That's what happens when you get old and have to haul your own equipment around. You start picking gear by weight or availability and not sound :) )
 

bob_d

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Welcome.
You might also want to check out this as a place where people talk about Guild basses, although there hasn't been alot of talk about Acoustic/Electrics.

My B4E is a couple of years older but it is also black. I haven't "cranked it up" either, but what I find interesting is the way I can make the B4-CE sound like my Starfire I or JS II when played through the same Fender Princeton amp. (It only weights 30 lbs. whereas my complete bass rig weighs about 175 lbs. and one of the kids has the only car with enough space to move it. That's what happens when you get old and have to haul your own equipment around. You start picking gear by weight or availability and not sound :) )
You bought the B4E at Artichoke Guitars?! It was one of the guitars I saw on my Google search. It was already marked SOLD! Nice guitar. There was a black and a blond on Elderly that had sold already too. I ended up finding one on Craigslist but I had to drive a 600 mile round-trip to get it. It was worth it, IMO. The price was lower than Elderly's (and eBay) so I still got a good deal, even with the $3 per gallon gasoline included.

I had to clean it up but the neck, body, bridge, bracing, tuners, electronics, everything was in good shape. The only aspect I found disappointing are the dings on the top. But I expected some dings on a ten year old guitar.
 

fronobulax

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bob_d said:
You bought the B4E at Artichoke Guitars?! It was one of the guitars I saw on my Google search. It was already marked SOLD! Nice guitar.

Yep. That was me. Kind of convienent that the dealer doesn't take down sold items. My wife was playing guitar, didn't like being the only instrumentalist and I was too lazy to haul an amp around. The solution was to look for an Acoustic/Electric bass. It had to be a Guild because my hands are small enough that I'd rather have a short scale than get frustrated because I can't stretch my pinky enough to get a note. In any event there were only a couple of B4E's (or anywhere else) I could find on the net and it just so happened that Artichoke is less than 10 miles away as the crow flies (although a bit longer as the traffic flows). It was a fun visit. It took me about 10 minutes to check out the guitar to the point that I didn't know what flaws I was looking for anymore, 5 minutes to negotiate a price and then a two hour tour that featured his inventory. That was fun. Only complaint is that the case is bigger than it needs to be - about 4-6 inches of airgap between the top of the headtsock and the equivalent position on the case, and as a result the case does not fit easily into the trunk of several cars.
 

bob_d

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Yep, the case is longer than necessary. Fortunately it fits in a Honda Element with no problem. :D

I got mine by perusing Craigslist. I decided on a Guild B4CE after researching several other models. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on an acoustic/electric bass but I've always wanted one. Well, I increased my search area to a 300 mile radius and found one. It was definitely worth the 600 mile round trip. It needed cleaning and set up but it's solid in every aspect and I got it for a very reasonable price.

I like the short scale too.
 

fronobulax

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bob_d said:
Yep, the case is longer than necessary. Fortunately it fits in a Honda Element with no problem. :D

You got lucky.
It didn't fit a 91 Civic hatchback unless I put the seat down.
If does fit in a 94 Accord Wagon but does not lie flat in the cargo space unless you put a seat down.
It does not fit in the back of a '95 Acura Integra Coupe without putting the seat down. It will fit in the back seat but only if there are no passangers.
It does fit in the trunk of a '03 Civic Sedan but only if you are real careful when loading and the trunk is empty when you start.
It does fit in the trunk of a '06 Civic 2D Coupe but you have to drop the seat to get it in and then wedge things just right before you put the seat back up.

Pick a car, put the B4 in and then figure out where my wife, her guitar and often a third passanger go and...

On the other hand, my tuba in the hard case doesn't fit easily in any of them either :) but the Starfire nestles in nicely everywhere.
 
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