NGD: 2016 Newark Street S-100

Qvart

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So I decided to go cheap for now and wait for the perfect vintage SFIV to find it's way to me at some point in the future. I was able to snag this Newark Street S-100 pretty cheap. I haven't plugged it in yet, but I'm hoping the HB-1 repros are better than the (admittedly decent) mini humbuckers in the '13 model I used to have. And it definitely needs a setup which I probably won't get around to until tomorrow as well as taking some decent pictures. For now, here's the story...

There's this Ebay seller called "acousticsales" who lists what appears to be primarily "B-stock" items. This particular S-100 was listed for $599 OBO (typically they're at least $699 new) because of some black specks in the finish on the back of the neck: "The condition of this S-100 Polara is brand new and has never been previously owned. This item is considered BSTOCK due to small dark specs on the neck finish (see in picture #7)."


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Honestly, if the seller hadn't pointed out the specks I probably never would have noticed.

So I made an offer of $350 and they responded with a counter offer of $549 and a note saying "These sell for $699 new!" I figured I offended them and that was the end of it, but then I thought what the hell and submitted another offer of $400 with a note saying "I am well aware of what they retail for however 1) they aren't as sought after as vintage 2) they don't hold their value 3) this particular one has a flaw and 4) it comes with a gig bag instead of a case."

Well, wouldn't you know it...they accepted the offer! And free shipping! So unless I find something really wrong with it tomorrow (and at first glance there doesn't appear to be anything) I'd say I got one helluva deal.

I originally uploaded a bunch of pics from the seller to Photobucket and displayed them here, but since PB is trying to extort $400/year for the privilege of third party hosting the pics weren't visible. I'm not going to fix it all right now, but if you want to see them I uploaded the pics to a FLICKR album.

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walrus

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Pics aren't working for me but CONGRATULATIONS anyway!

walrus
 

chazmo

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Good job, QV. Good luck with the NS. Don't know anything about the 'buckers, but mine makes pretty eye candy sitting on a stand in my house. :)
 

GAD

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Nice score!

What are your thoughts compared with the vintage goodness you're used to?
 

Los Angeles

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Well done, my good friend!!!!

And, a little suggestion ... If you ever wanted to "fantasy mod" an S-100, NOW is the time. ��
 

jp

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This makes me happy, Qvart! So glad you have a Guild to grind. That's a nice looking diversion until you score your Starfire IV. Also curious on your impressions, too, especially about the pickups.
 

Qvart

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Same question. ;)

Here's my preliminary take:

For the most part, the p'ups do what I want them to do. That is, the bridge p'up can mimic a Fender tone and the middle position can replicate a Gibson (Classic '57-ish) or Seymour Duncan tone. The neck p'up can drop much lower and darker for the Sabbath-y stoner sound I dig. However, they just sound more "modern" than the vintage HB-1's so not an exact replication. Another problem with assessing the sound is I no longer have my big a$$ Marshall JCM900 and Peavey 4x12 cab or a vintage Guild to compare side by side. Instead I have a vastly inferior (although admittedly decent) solid state Peavey Transtube Series Studio Pro 112 amp.

Other obeservations: The frets are much bigger which makes for a much less smooth feel to the fret board and makes the scale feel smaller than it is compared to the same scale on a vintage Guild with smaller fret wire. And the string tension is higher with the TOM bridge vs vintage S-100's and SFIV's with Mueller roller bridges. The neck set is also slightly angled like somewhere between the early '70's and later '70's S-100's. Whatever. I'm also completely out of practice having not played (seriously) in more than a year and a half. Overall the build quality feels very machine made and plastic-y compared to vintage guilds that always feel like hand crafted antique wood.

Was it worth $400? DEFINITELY. Especially if you figure shipping was free (roughly $50) and the gig bag it came with normally costs $60. The p'ups are $80 each ($160 for the set). So if you break down the price of parts I got all in one package.......yeah, can't complain. At least I'm no longer Guild-less.
 
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Los Angeles

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Thank you so much for the review. I'm actually partial to the higher tension and thicker fret wire (hence my obsession with 76/77 guilds) so this is actually really good news for me.
 

Qvart

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Thank you so much for the review. I'm actually partial to the higher tension and thicker fret wire (hence my obsession with 76/77 guilds) so this is actually really good news for me.

Yeah, this setup may be more to your liking than early-'70's configurations. Although by bigger frets I mean they're taller rather than wider although I haven't done a real examination of how they stack up. They just feel taller. Also, specs like nut width and fret board radius would help in a more thorough review. I would refer those who are curious to GAD's blog where he compares Newark Street and '90's reissue S-100's.
 

D30Man

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Here's my preliminary take:

For the most part, the p'ups do what I want them to do. That is, the bridge p'up can mimic a Fender tone and the middle position can replicate a Gibson (Classic '57-ish) or Seymour Duncan tone. The neck p'up can drop much lower and darker for the Sabbath-y stoner sound I dig. However, they just sound more "modern" than the vintage HB-1's so not an exact replication. Another problem with assessing the sound is I no longer have my big a$$ Marshall JCM900 and Peavey 4x12 cab or a vintage Guild to compare side by side. Instead I have a vastly inferior (although admittedly decent) solid state Peavey Transtube Series Studio Pro 112 amp.

Other obeservations: The frets are much bigger which makes for a much less smooth feel to the fret board and makes the scale feel smaller than it is compared to the same scale on a vintage Guild with smaller fret wire. And the string tension is higher with the TOM bridge vs vintage S-100's and SFIV's with Mueller roller bridges. The neck set is also slightly angled like somewhere between the early '70's and later '70's S-100's. Whatever. I'm also completely out of practice having not played (seriously) in more than a year and a half. Overall the build quality feels very machine made and plastic-y compared to vintage guilds that always feel like hand crafted antique wood.

Was it worth $400? DEFINITELY. Especially if you figure shipping was free (roughly $50) and the gig bag it came with normally costs $60. The p'ups are $80 each ($160 for the set). So if you break down the price of parts I got all in one package.......yeah, can't complain. At least I'm no longer Guild-less.



Congrats on the score. That is a dynamite guit for $400 and my experience with NS series has been favorable. The HB-1's on my '78 S-300 are irreplaceable to me and they - at least to my ears- share a strong kinship to the modern HB-1's I have played in the NS series. When I sold my NS 2015 SF 4 I knew I would miss the p/ups most of all. I love the S-100's. Honestly I haven't met a guild solid body that I didn't like. I too am a fan of the bigger frets. The frets on my S-300 are almost non-existent and that is my only complaint. If I were Yngwie I wouldn't mind so much. Buuut mine also has the ebony fretboard which is just friggin' awesome.

Oh and though your peavey is not a JCM900 by any stretch, I still believe those are pretty damn decent little amps. Especially since you can nab one on CL for $125 - $175. I have one that I am currently loaning one of my kids friends and I hold firm that I do indeed want it back.
 
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