1994 Guild S100 Polara Review

GAD

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Can you believe this is my 30th write-up of a Guild electric guitar? Crazy!

To celebrate that fact I'm reviewing the 1994 S100 Polara that I got from drc, which is really quite a special guitar.

http://www.gad.net/Blog/2018/03/13/1994-guild-s-100-polara/

Guild-1994-S100-TopFull.jpg


As always, please PM me with any corrections.
 

Zelja

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Hi GAD, I'm Kim Thayil, you may know me from the band Soundgarden and I would like to buy this guitar from you. Can we talk?
 

GAD

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Hi GAD, I'm Kim Thayil, you may know me from the band Soundgarden and I would like to buy this guitar from you. Can we talk?

Sure! I'll be in Seattle soon - where would you like to meet? :emmersed:
 

ClaytonS15

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Great review as always! I understand S-100 love. I also didn’t think I really liked them until I got my 1972 S-90. Now I’m a super fan. You would hate the small neck on mine, but I works for me.
 
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S100

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I really think a 93-94 with the HB1s is my ideal S-100. I love the way the 90s S-100s play, but I love the way the HB-1s sound. This is the best of both worlds.
 

matsickma

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Hey GAD,
You definitely got one of the special reissues!
I recall that the early '70 solid body guitars with Muehler bridges like the S100 and M75 had the trapozoidal hard stop far away from the bridge upon initial release and then the spacing between the bridge and hardstop was shorted up. The complaint was insufficient string downforce to hole the string in place on the bridge. I experianced that issue with an early solid body M75. Given the reissue returned to the increased distance between bridge and stop I wonder if the TOM bridge is superior to the Muehler design at keeping the strings in place? I suspect the TOM is better. Those little rollers on the Muehler seem to get out if allignment easily.

Opnions?

M
 

Alan_M

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I really think a 93-94 with the HB1s is my ideal S-100. I love the way the 90s S-100s play, but I love the way the HB-1s sound. This is the best of both worlds.

I agree. I love the feel of the 90's but the sound of the 70's!
 

Bonneville88

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Great write up as ever and cool history on the specific guitar in the article.
Those sound clips... wow - knocked out!
Gotta get an S100 in-hand some day - I played an SG in high school,
had a lot of fun with it, the S100 reminds of it just a bit :smile-new:
 

S100

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Yes, it’s like an SG but better in every way. As soon as I started buying S-100s, I sold my SG.
 

Aleph

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Thanks for another great review GAD!

I have a NS Polara (cherry) and I just love that rock guitar. The neck is awesome and I love those pickups. I guess my only complaint is regarding the pickup switch. Doesn't feel quality (too lose in the center position) and sometimes it even fails when I select the bridge pickup (no sound).

Cheers!
 

Los Angeles

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Really great review, GAD! I always get excited to see you make these announcements.
 

Treem

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I concur, awesome review GAD! Guild on!
 

GAD

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Thanks all!

It is, indeed, a very special guitar. I think the comments about it feeling like a '90s model but sounding like a '70s model are spot-on. That's the magic.

Man, i wish they'd kept making those HB1s.
 

Zelja

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I think the comments about it feeling like a '90s model but sounding like a '70s model are spot-on. That's the magic.

The 90s model I have has about a 20" fretboard radius - I think the review you did of one was similar. I find that radius a bit difficult - much more comfortable with a 12" radius. That's why those early reissues look perfect - wider, bigger necks than the 70s models but with the more comfortable (for me radius) & of course, those magical HB-1s.

So, OK, even if I'm not actually Kim Thayil I'd like to buy that guitar. :tongue-new:
 
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