CE-100 black finish: Original or refurb?

3Chord Ziggy

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Here ya go, friends and neighbors. Got some other bits and details, but it's mostly of finish crackle and chipping. Not necessarily flattering. Anyway, it's cool to know that Guild actually did produce a black finish, and that this may be one of them.

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The Guilds of Grot

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Nice job posting the picture! Don't worry, we're pretty good about keeping people in line. Lastly, "Don't fear the veer!"
 

adorshki

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Here ya go, friends and neighbors. Got some other bits and details, but it's mostly of finish crackle and chipping. Not necessarily flattering. Anyway, it's cool to know that Guild actually did produce a black finish, and that this may be one of them.

I'm no expert here but I've noticed that unless a guitar is re-finished professionally and I meanvery well, the binding frequently gets painted too.
That could be another clue, is the binding shrinking and cracking and very yellowed as we'd expect of original binding?
If so I'd bet that's original.
Even if not, it could just mean that binding's been replaced and finish is still original.
If you've got high-resolution close-ups, Hans might be able to tell just by having seen a lot old Guilds.
Also, he likes black guitars:

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:friendly_wink:
 

3Chord Ziggy

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Gee, you'd never know the dude liked guitars at all, would you? As for this one, the points you bring up are exactly the ones that have convinced me that the appraiser I used had no idea what he was talking about. Again, he was convinced that it was refinished because he claimed Guild never made them with a black finish. But, as you suggest, the binding, purfling, all of it is visible, no evidence of overrun. And all of those elements are cracking to one degree or another. Oh, and, of course, the acetate fret markers are shrinking. I'm actually a bit concerned about the binding on the bottom side of the neck, as it is cracked about every inch or so. It's eventually going to start falling off, most probably. The majority of the finish has some level of crackling, and it's been that way since I got it some 30 years ago. The finish has chipped/peeled in a few places on the neck, mostly near the joint, square on the back. Still, she's holding together, plays like a freakin' dream, sounds fabulous. My thought, after I got the appraisal (15 yr ago), was that if it was refinished, somebody did a really crappy job of it because it's crackling and peeling! I'd be happy to snap a couple more pics if you're interested.
 

sailingshoes72

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Great photo! That is a fine looking guitar and obviously it is in the hands of someone who appreciates it. Some of the interesting characteristics of the late 50's are... the "guitar silhouette" style paper label; the black "stove" type volume and tone knobs; and the "open-book" style headstock. The pickguard looks as if it might be original as well! More photos would be enjoyable.
 

adorshki

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I'm actually a bit concerned about the binding on the bottom side of the neck, as it is cracked about every inch or so. It's eventually going to start falling off, most probably.
You just made me realize that if I owned that, I'd explore the possibility of "sealing it" with a fresh coat of nitro just on the binding and maybe overlapiing the original finish by a hair's breadth, to preserve the originality and I suspect the value as well.

My thought, after I got the appraisal (15 yr ago), was that if it was refinished, somebody did a really crappy job of it because it's crackling and peeling! I'd be happy to snap a couple more pics if you're interested.
That is kinda funny!
Actually I think others folks like Sailingshoes'll appreciate the pics more than me.
I was just trying to give you another idea to help verify originality in case you still weren't sure.
But as soon as I saw that pic I knew it "Just looked right".
Betcha Hans could nail down the year with the s/n, or did he already do that?
 
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3Chord Ziggy

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OK, you asked for it...

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Here she is with the fabulous and magnificent flamingo strap my kids gave me for Xmas!

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3Chord Ziggy

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Thanks! And it plays even better than it looks. Only got one guitar with a better neck. From that competing manufacturer whose name also starts with a "G." That's for a different forum, though, I suspect!
 

Default

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Nope. I'm trippin'. While trying to find info on Guild serial numbers a few years back, I read on the Guild website that a number of production records had been lost, but it turns out, that likely occurred in the moves from Manhattan to Hoboken, and then during the expansion to Rhode Island.

I have no idea where the fire bit came from. My apologies. I'm a child of the 60s. Probably a flashback. Whoa, look at all those pretty colors.....far out!

Probably the Gretsch factory in Arkansas is what you are thinking of. They had a fire or two.
 

walrus

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Very nice! That is really cool in black, and the guitar has mojo to spare! Congratulations!

walrus
 

3Chord Ziggy

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Yeah, it's hard to keep all that stuff straight, particularly when there are urban myths involved. Hans squared me away on this, though, and it turns out it wasn't entirely a hallucination on my part.
 

3Chord Ziggy

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Thank you. I am a lucky SOB. The guitar's versatility never ceases to amaze me. I've played jazz (not well), blues, some ska, R&B, and it shines in every genre I've attempted. I may be buried with this one....
 
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