Guild Thunder 1 on eBay

matsickma

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Overall there are 3 different T1 styles:
1) the early 1965-66 Black Tolex with silver "fish scale" grill
2) the 1967-68 Beige tolex with beige/brown two tone grill (see picture earlier in this post.)
3) the 1969-1970/early 1971 Black tolex with black/silver two tone grill.

(Note: Dates are nominal. Sometime in early 1971 Guild stopped manufacturing tube amps.)

Physically 2) & 3) are identical except for the color tolex and grill cloth.

From gbase:

I got a picture of a early model 1) T1 with what looks to be a 1-10 speaker configuration. I never saw a early 1-10 before so the gbase picture confirms its existance. (Note: Description said 1-8 inch speaker. From the outline I think it is a 10 inch.) There are no pictures of the back side so I don't know if it is particale board or pine.

Guild_1965_T1-10.jpg



I also was able to get some nice images of a late model 3) T1 from gbase. (This amp look to be in very good condition and includes a cover.) Also look closely at the back metal foil label amp nomenclature. Even though the amp has a 10 inch speaker the nomenclature is T1-12. It is hard to know why Guild didn't change the 12 to a 10. I have seen a T1 Twin "baby Bass" amp from the same era as the 3) T1 and it was marked "T1-Twin". !?!

Guild_Amp_1970_T1_10.jpg


Guild_Amp_1970_T1_10_back.jpg


Guild_Amp_1970_T1_10_back_label.jpg


M
 

capnjuan

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Good stuff Mike; thank you. My/Coastie's T1 RVT started out like the model 1) although the cabinet still had its upper, forward ears. You model 2) beige 1X10 had chassis straps although neither amp in these sets including the 3) later model grey/black grillcloth, like yours and Gilded's amps, has them; as if they weren't, then were, then weren't there anymore ... :shock: Thanks again. John
 

matsickma

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Hi capn,

Your right about the straps! It looks like Guild made a little improvement in eliminating the straps that cover the bolt head and holes that secure the chassis. The design which simpley uses bolts and washers is probably the strongest of them all and less expensive than the "strap" design. Good catch!

(Dang...no matter how many times I look at this stuff there are always subtle poins omitted. I found the only way to really know the details is to have the hardware in front of you. You have to have the different models to pick up the subtle differences. This is like being an Archeologist. :)

M
 

capnjuan

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matsickma said:
(Dang...no matter how many times I look at this stuff there are always subtle poins omitted. I found the only way to really know the details is to have the hardware in front of you. You have to have the different models to pick up the subtle differences. This is like being an Archeologist. :) M
:lol: I feel the same way; desire to generalize except can't quite pick up the patterns. Would be much easier if, like the guitars, we had stacks of serial # / model detail to work from; could bracket with confidence.

Sometimes I think the 'ears' are like the straps; see them, expect to see them on the next model but then they aren't there :evil: Shortage of adverlit to say 1965 hurts too. 'Baby Bass'? are you kidding? Where'd that one come from ??? I wonder if they didn't out-source either the 1X10" or 1X12" T1 cabs? Hard to believe they went to the trouble of building nearly indentical amps w/ only the speaker size to distinguish. :shock: cj
 

capnjuan

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Interesting; thank you Mike. cj
 

A Song In Your Hands

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Hi Folks,

Just thought I would add a photo of my little Guild Thunder I (1966 I think) to this thread. This amp is 100% original and clean, almost new looking. Measurements are:

Width: 18 7/16"
Height: 17 1/2"
Depth:
1. Bottom Depth = 9 1/4"
2. Top Depth = 6 3/4"
3. Depth at bottom of slant = 7 1/8" (Slants inward from about 4" from top)

Grill: 17" x 12.5"

Faceplate = 15" x 5 5/16"

Speaker: Original black 10" CTS. Thread says plastic bell, but mine feels like metal and is about 4 1/4" across.

I use Mullard ECL86 (6GW8) tubes, because they are the only ones that sound great to me in this amp.

If anyone needs more information, just let me know.

Best to all,
Mick

Guild_Thunder_I.jpg
 

A Song In Your Hands

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john_kidder said:
Just sparkling clean - makes mine look as if they've been in and out of the truck a few too many times.

Thanks! I got it from a guy in Hawaii. Promised him I would take good care of it and play it. It has it's own little studio in my bedroom, almost a shrine. Great tone with the Mullards and handles pedals very nicely.
 

capnjuan

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Nice one Mike! as clean as can be found. Nearly any of the better-grade Euro 6GW8 makes; Amperex, Siemens, Tungsram and your Mullies will work well in these. The NOS US; RCAs and the others ... not so much. You might take your bell cover off and see if it sticks to the speaker magnet ... does your cover have the cool red Guild sticker on it?
 

A Song In Your Hands

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capnjuan said:
Nice one Mike! as clean as can be found. Nearly any of the better-grade Euro 6GW8 makes; Amperex, Siemens, Tungsram and your Mullies will work well in these. The NOS US; RCAs and the others ... not so much. You might take your bell cover off and see if it sticks to the speaker magnet ... does your cover have the cool red Guild sticker on it?

John,

Thanks for the heads up on tubes. No sticker on the speaker, just a nice big plastic bell (as you said, not metal).

Here are a few more photos for anyone interested. Note that this is all pine (not ply); except the rear covers and speaker baffle are particle board! Has a little hum balance pot, which I have never needed to use.

http://www.charlestonarea.com/guild/

IMG_2563.jpg


Best,
Mick
 

capnjuan

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Hi Mike: our matsickma is very knowledgeable on these amps; was he that pointed out that the smaller 1X10 cabinets were made of the stronger plywood and the 1X12 cabinets of weaker particle board. Considering strength-to-weight alone, I'd a thought it would have been the other way around.

I like the bulgin pin speaker connections; can separate amp and chassis for maintenance and clean the socket/pins but, having gone to the trouble with the bulgin pins, don't know why they stopped short of jacking the speaker in a la Fender ... but the bulgin pins are better than hard-wiring like Gibson and so many others did; just a cheaper way ... as if they never expected anyone to give a crap about their stuff ten years after it was made. :evil: :lol: A fine-looking T1 it is! CJ
 
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