New Guild Day - T-400

Synchro

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Well, it came last Friday and is every bit as pretty as the pictures on the Guild web site. In fact, it probably is the one shown in the pictures on the Guild site, I'm pretty certain that it is the prototype. It has two serial numbers, one on a tag inside the body and a second stamped into the back of the headstock. The one on the back of the headstock ends in 001.

The sound is tremendous with a very broad palette which ranges from Jazz guitar warmth on the neck pickup to Telecaster spank on the bridge pickup. It Surfs like a Jaguar too. Both pickups together provide a very pleasant sound, useful for most of the material I do as a member of the Lug Nuts.

From the factory, it was strung with D'Addario EXL 110s which, IMO, were too light for this axe. The 010, 013 and 017's up top were fine so I stuck a set of 050, 037 and 027s on the bottom, Thomastik Jazz Swing flat wounds. I also put a Compton Compensated bridge made of titanium.

Titanium has a bell-like quality that proved to be a dual edged sword. I went to band practice yesterday and fought feedback issues of incredible magnitude. There was a peak resonance at A below middle C and any time I played an A or a D the octave harmonic of the open A string would resonate sympathetically triggering Jimi Hendrix levels of feedback.

After rehearsal I went home and changed the bridge to a stainless steel version of that same Compton design and that took care of the resonance on A, but opened the door to Wolf Tones, but those are easily dealt with.

I'll post more, including some photos, as time permits.
 
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Walter Broes

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Congratulations! yes, pics please.


Funny thing, and maybe you're experiencing the same : for a long time, I've had the impression that a fully hollow thinline body (like on your new guitar, or a SFIII, or Gibson ES225's and 330's,...) feeds back easier than the same size deep body guitar. I've never had any real problems with "body feedback" (as opposed to microphonics) with my X175's or Capri, and my SFIII is a lot more susceptible to it. Not problematically so, but still.
 

zizala

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Glad for you.....the T-400 strikes me as what I've thought would be a perfect design for me.
I'm tall and like 17" guitars, but the thinner body is very comfortable to play.

I once had a '56 ES-350T that would have been perfect with a longer scale neck!

Walter,

I'm sure with your experience I'm not telling you anything new...
...I spent my younger years as a sax player so its newer to me and I do like to explore and figure things out.
I find that thinbody and thinner topped Guilds I've had like my T-100 tend to feedback easier than my full bodied 53 X-100 and X-150.
But it probably has more to do with the top thickness at least for these examples....the 53's have much thicker tops and are built on the heavy side.
They're not nearly as prone to taking off.....
The somewhat lively acoustic voice of a guitar like the Hoboken era single pickup T-100 can cause some problems at higher volumes.
I'm sure the added top dampenng of the bridge DeArmond on my '60 Starfire II helps ward off some feedback for awhile anyway.

Anyway, sorry to divert.....back to T-400 appreciation......or maybe someday a Duane Eddy!

ziz
 
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Default

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Anyway, sorry to divert.....back to T-400 appreciation......or maybe someday a Duane Eddy!

ziz

Considering that New Hartford restored Duane's original DE-500, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this wasn't a direct copy of his guitar. Duane's DE was the only (stored) guitar of his that survived the Nashville flood. I saw it at LMG II off to the side in the paint curing room.
 

mbuc

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Congrats! The different serials on the label and on the back of the headstock make it even more special. One more oddity for Volume II (or III?) of Hans' book.
 

SFIV1967

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I'm pretty certain that it is the prototype. It has two serial numbers, one on a tag inside the body and a second stamped into the back of the headstock. The one on the back of the headstock ends in 001.
Could be, but the 001 has no reference to a first ever built one, only that the final three digits of the serial number refer to the unit number built on that specific Julian day given in the first 3 digits. So the more interesting question is why the serial numbers are different on the label and the headstock. Is the day the same or also different?
Ralf
 

Synchro

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Congratulations! yes, pics please.


Funny thing, and maybe you're experiencing the same : for a long time, I've had the impression that a fully hollow thinline body (like on your new guitar, or a SFIII, or Gibson ES225's and 330's,...) feeds back easier than the same size deep body guitar. I've never had any real problems with "body feedback" (as opposed to microphonics) with my X175's or Capri, and my SFIII is a lot more susceptible to it. Not problematically so, but still.
You may be onto something. In this case, the resonance at A was so pronounced that it was noticeable acoustically. I'd play it unplugged and the A string would chime off at the octave harmonic. It was like feedback, even when it wasn't plugged in.

My Starfire III will feedback, but not to the point of being a problem. I know that thin hollow body guitars are far from immune. I've been spoiled by playing Gretsches for the last eight years or so. Those soundposts and trestle braces really do the trick. I have an old shoulder injury and the less a guitar weighs the better I like it. My G6122-1959 suits me well as a player but it weighs at least a pound more than Duane, the name I gave my T-400. Duane, the T-400, does a great Chet sound, BTW and, of course, nails Duane's sound.
Glad for you.....the T-400 strikes me as what I've thought would be a perfect design for me.
I'm tall and like 17" guitars, but the thinner body is very comfortable to play.

I once had a '56 ES-350T that would have been perfect with a longer scale neck!

Why does Gibson put short little scales on ES 350 Ts, Byrdlands and the like? If a Byrdland had a reasonable scale length I would have bought one years ago. I love the L-5 CT, basically the George Gobel model, but most of those have short scales.

Considering that New Hartford restored Duane's original DE-500, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this wasn't a direct copy of his guitar. Duane's DE was the only (stored) guitar of his that survived the Nashville flood. I saw it at LMG II off to the side in the paint curing room.
It very well might be. As soon as I saw a picture of Duane holding a beautiful blonde Guild I was taken with it. Still am, BTW. In many ways it's a dream guitar for me. I can't see buying a Byrdland, given the price and the short scale length. Frankly, I like this guitar's sound better than any Byrdland I've ever played.

Acoustically it sounds pretty good, or at least it will once I get some grommets in place to control the wolf tones.
 

Synchro

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Congrats! The different serials on the label and on the back of the headstock make it even more special. One more oddity for Volume II (or III?) of Hans' book.

Could be, but the 001 has no reference to a first ever built one, only that the final three digits of the serial number refer to the unit number built on that specific Julian day given in the first 3 digits. So the more interesting question is why the serial numbers are different on the label and the headstock. Is the day the same or also different?
Ralf
I don't know how to decode Guild S/Ns, but I'm sure it's in the Guild book. I'll get it figured out.
 

Walter Broes

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I find that thinbody and thinner topped Guilds I've had like my T-100 tend to feedback easier than my full bodied 53 X-100 and X-150.
But it probably has more to do with the top thickness at least for these examples....the 53's have much thicker tops and are built on the heavy side.
They're not nearly as prone to taking off.....
I see what you mean, but it's not just top thickness. I used to have a '60 X175 with a thinner top, and my '60 Capri has that thickness too, and while those guitars aren't feedback-proof (what full hollowbody is?), they do better than my Starfire. And I've seen it with Gibsons too - a friend of mine had a 330 that was near impossible to use because it just wanted to feed back at (medium) band volume, but a different friend hardly has any problems with his 50's ES295 and 175.
 

SFIV1967

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I don't know how to decode Guild S/Ns,...
As an example, let’s dissect a random serial number: NM 016 002
• The first letter “N” identifies the guitar as being made in New Hartford, Connecticut.
• The second letter identifies the year of manufacture and is based on a dating system introduced by the Tacoma guitar manufacturing plant in 1998 that associated the letter “B” with that specific year. Successive
years are associated with the alphabet in sequence. Using this system, the letter “M” would stand for the year 2009, “N” for 2010, etc.
• The first three numbers of the serial number are derived from the “Julian” calendar which associates each day of the year to a respective number from 1 to 365 in numerical sequence. These three numbers identify
the month and day of manufacture by their respective numerical order. In this case, the numbers 016 identify the instrument as being made on the 16th day of the year, which according to the Julian calendar, is
January the 16th.
• The final three digits of the serial number refer to the unit number built on that specific day. In this example, 002 identifies this serial number as being from the 2nd instrument built on that day.
• To recap this example: N (Built in New Hartford), M (Built in 2009), 016 (Built on January 16th), 002 (The 2nd instrument built on that day)

A 2013 NH made guitar would have NQ, a 2014 one NR.

Ralf
 

GAD

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C'mon - you're holding back! I saw pics on that other website already. :)

Interesting report about the differences in feedback between models.
 

Synchro

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I see what you mean, but it's not just top thickness. I used to have a '60 X175 with a thinner top, and my '60 Capri has that thickness too, and while those guitars aren't feedback-proof (what full hollowbody is?), they do better than my Starfire. And I've seen it with Gibsons too - a friend of mine had a 330 that was near impossible to use because it just wanted to feed back at (medium) band volume, but a different friend hardly has any problems with his 50's ES295 and 175.
Feedback and hollow bodies exists in the ream of alchemy and phrenology, more mysticism than science. :) I had a Johnny Smith Model that would feedback if you brought it within site of an amp. It was uncontrollable. I had a Gretsch G3161 that was just as bad, in spite of being laminate and havint two pickups cut into the top. My A150 Savoy will feedback, but if you use any degree of precaution it tames easily. As long as my torso is between the guitar and the speaker it's tame as a kitten.

I once played an Eddie Cochran Signature model, which has no sound post or trestle bracing. I played facing the amp and all but begin it to feedback and it didn't. My 6120 DC also has no sound post, etc, but is fairly feedback resistant.

As an example, let’s dissect a random serial number: NM 016 002
• The first letter “N” identifies the guitar as being made in New Hartford, Connecticut.
• The second letter identifies the year of manufacture and is based on a dating system introduced by the Tacoma guitar manufacturing plant in 1998 that associated the letter “B” with that specific year. Successive
years are associated with the alphabet in sequence. Using this system, the letter “M” would stand for the year 2009, “N” for 2010, etc.
• The first three numbers of the serial number are derived from the “Julian” calendar which associates each day of the year to a respective number from 1 to 365 in numerical sequence. These three numbers identify
the month and day of manufacture by their respective numerical order. In this case, the numbers 016 identify the instrument as being made on the 16th day of the year, which according to the Julian calendar, is
January the 16th.
• The final three digits of the serial number refer to the unit number built on that specific day. In this example, 002 identifies this serial number as being from the 2nd instrument built on that day.
• To recap this example: N (Built in New Hartford), M (Built in 2009), 016 (Built on January 16th), 002 (The 2nd instrument built on that day)

A 2013 NH made guitar would have NQ, a 2014 one NR.

Ralf
Thanks for the tutorial. I'll decode mine later in the day. Right now it's breakfast burrito time. :)
 

Synchro

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C'mon - you're holding back! I saw pics on that other website already. :)

Interesting report about the differences in feedback between models.
OK, I'll toss you a bone :) but you will have seen this one before, GAD.

picture.php
 

chazmo

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It sure is!!!!

Synchro, if you ever have a chance, I'd like to see pictures of what's stamped into the neck (and the paper label too). I didn't know that New Hartford was etching serial numbers.
 

SFIV1967

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I'd like to see pictures of what's stamped into the neck (and the paper label too). I didn't know that New Hartford was etching serial numbers.
Some electric GSR models have the serial numbers stamped into the headstock, however I have not seem a GSR T-400 with one yet.
That's the normal GSR T-400 label: http://catimages.8thstreet.com/large/67567_hr9.jpg
And that's the headstock (normally): http://catimages.8thstreet.com/large/67567_hr5.jpg

And here are two GSR M-75 Aristocrats with a serial number stamped in, but a M-75 has no visible label, so that's the difference: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjAw/z/-EYAAOxyXDhShRu1/$_57.JPG
http://www.bax-shop.de/media/catalo...ARISTOCRAT_USA_CHERRY_SUNBURST_LTD_645800.jpg

Ralf
 
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Synchro

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Well, mine is truly unique, it has two serial numbers, one day apart. There is a clear stamp on the back of the headstock and one, a day earlier, on the inside, handwritten on the label. I dunno?????
 

SFIV1967

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Well, mine is truly unique, it has two serial numbers, one day apart. There is a clear stamp on the back of the headstock and one, a day earlier, on the inside, handwritten on the label. I dunno?????
Funny. But it's not the first time that Guild mislabeled a guitar. Probably the person who wrote the paper label mixed up that 3rd digit of the 6 digits on the label. Or the person who (by whatever reason) stamped the number on the headstock used a wrong 3rd number in the stamp tool. So does the embossed serial number on the back of the headstock look like the numbers in the GSR M-75 picture links in my post before? Or is it not embossed?
Now that I read your first post again, it more sounds like the 6th of the 6 digits is different? You say the number on the headstock ends with 001, that sounds like the number on the label has also a different 6th digit? So two numbers are different, not just the 3rd (the day) number? It doesn't really matter, I think we are just curious about such special things that happened. (one GSR Starfire VI for instance came without inside label at all, the shop who sold it ordered a new label from the factory after he received the guitar from the factory, another limited GSR has no number of sequence (like 2 of 25) written on the label at all...) So those things happened.
Ralf
 

Synchro

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The fifth and sixth digits differ and, indeed, there is no number of sequence. Perhaps it's #23 of 22. The numbers on the headstock are embossed, just like the GSR M75 in the picture. It's a holiday today. So the sidewalks are still rolled up, but tomorrow I intends to request clarification and a certificate of origin from FMIC.
 

Zelja

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Congratulations Synchro, glad you dig the guitar & hope you continue to enjoy it for a long, long time.

So they are mini-hum repros - MIA or teh same MIK ones that the NS series uses?

After rehearsal I went home and changed the bridge to a stainless steel version of that same Compton design and that took care of the resonance on A, but opened the door to Wolf Tones, but those are easily dealt with.
What causes these wolf tones & how do you fix it?
 
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