Guild Acoustic Bass Thoughts?

katthestar

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
126
Reaction score
0
I’m looking at getting a Guild acoustic bass. I think it would be cool to be able to practice without an amp and jam with an acoustic group in my area. I think I would still need to use a small amp, as I read that acoustic basses aren’t that loud. I like one that’s at Guitar Center, but it’s not cheap. I like the pick guard and familiar shape. Some of the cheaper Guild basses have an oddly shaped sound hole that I’m not a fan of. Here’s a link to the listing on GC’s website. Please don’t snipe it. I plan on making a decision once I get feedback from you guys.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Guild/B500E-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar.gc
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
thats a nice one, pretty rare. Grot owns one and ive heard him play it. however, i have convinced myself on several levels, 99.99 percent of the population absolutely does not need an acoustic bass of any kind. get a little Kala U bass for practicing unplugged and messing around. much better off with a solid body or semi hollow at an acoustic guitar jam sesh (or a guitar!) anything bass would have to be plugged in. or else just get an upright
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
a short scale solid or semi bass can sound very woody
 

The Guilds of Grot

Enlightened Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
9,547
Reaction score
4,716
Location
New Jersey Shore
Guild Total
117
I would definitely go for the B500 over a Kala U-Bass. I have a Uke Bass and I really don't like it at all. The scale is so short it just messes you up to practice on it and therefore is practically useless. I used to play my B500CE unplugged for practice all the time. I lived in an apartment and my full bodied B50 was too loud. The B500CE was just right.

You can here what it sounds like un-plugged here: http://s147.photobucket.com/user/un...r Love/SunshineOfYourLove.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

It sounds much better plugged in!
 
Last edited:

fronobulax

Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
24,708
Reaction score
8,836
Location
Central Virginia, USA
Guild Total
5
I would take a step back and ask "Why do you want an acoustic bass if you expect to play it plugged in most of the time?"

A headphone jack or a dedicated headphone amp will handle the quiet practicing.

My experience when playing with others has been the people that are offended by an electric bass are equally offended by an amp. So, unless I show up planning to play pure acoustic, they are not glad to see me. (Then there are the bluegrass traditionalists who want a stand up bass and any bass guitar will bother them, acoustic or not).

If I have not caused you to reconsider, then a few comments.

All the Guild acoustic basses that I can recall were 'short' scale except the New Hartford made B-54 which is a 'long' scale.

If the goal is a Guild acoustic bass and the budget is ~$1,200 you have other choices besides a B500E.

I really liked my B4-CE and thought it was pretty versatile plugged in because of Fishman preamp. The reason it is on permanent loan to my sister is because as an acoustic instrument it was not loud enough to keep up with a Guild D-25 and if I had to find power and use an amp, there was pretty much no reason not to use a Starfire instead.

I don't recall anyone commenting about them but the B-140 and B-240 are both available new within that budget. If you can find one there are B50's and B30's at that price. I have not seen a B-54 price for a while but I would expect it to be in that ballpark. B4's are typically under $1,000 and sometimes much lower depending on condition.

If you do go for the B500E make sure you understand how to check the action and the neck angle. Acoustic basses have very few user serviceable parts and neck resets, if needed are several hundred dollars.

Good luck.
 

katthestar

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
126
Reaction score
0
I might be checking out a B4CE this weekend. The seller wants $650 for it, which seems like a good price. I thought maybe it wouldn’t be too resonant because it’s shallow, but it does have that arched back. I just am not in love with the way it looks. I don’t like the oval soundhole.
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
i need to move some Guild basses. if u are interested in a 1970 JS/Jetstar w neck Hagström Bisonic and bridge Hagström mini humbucker, feel free to hit me up. i actully have 2 of those identical very very close in serial number (off by just a few digits) no pressure at all, just offering. ill be driving north during Nov and December. need to move some Starfire basses as well but pretty sure u have one already. if u buy the acoustic id maybe get the B500 over the B4, it’s probably nicer
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
I might be checking out a B4CE this weekend. The seller wants $650 for it, which seems like a good price. I thought maybe it wouldn’t be too resonant because it’s shallow, but it does have that arched back. I just am not in love with the way it looks. I don’t like the oval soundhole.

I used to think it was just an aesthetic thing, but now I wonder if it's mandated by bracing peculiarities of the cutaway.
It's got a long tradition with 'em in any case:
From the Westerlyguildguitars web site, the Studio 24, a Kim Walker baby:

studio24-1.jpg

F45ce 1990:
f45ce.JPG


F4ce 1999:
f4ce.JPG


F65ce post '94:
F65CE.jpeg



Give it a chance, it might grow on you..... :friendly_wink:
 

The Guilds of Grot

Enlightened Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
9,547
Reaction score
4,716
Location
New Jersey Shore
Guild Total
117
And some more!


100_6585.jpg


rt088.jpg


rt085.jpg


Hey, that Studio 24 looks vaguely familiar!




But back to Basses...

Maybe you could find one of these!

FB-46-Bass-4.jpg
 
Last edited:

fronobulax

Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
24,708
Reaction score
8,836
Location
Central Virginia, USA
Guild Total
5
I might be checking out a B4CE this weekend. The seller wants $650 for it, which seems like a good price. I thought maybe it wouldn’t be too resonant because it’s shallow, but it does have that arched back. I just am not in love with the way it looks. I don’t like the oval soundhole.

That sounds like a reasonable price. Mine was plenty loud until I started playing with a D-25 which is arguably the loudest acoustic guitar Guild made. Soundhole shape never bothered me but I usually could not see it when playing.
 

katthestar

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
126
Reaction score
0
I got a reply from GC, because I asked if it came with the OHSC. They dropped the price by $200 because they lost the case... I thought of having it shipped to the Warwick, RI store since it’s in NJ. I don’t think I could ask them to ship it sans a case, especially at that price. I asked my luthier about it, and he said the basses were made with a neck joint that was 1/8ths of an inch off center, and that it’s impossible to reset. Considering he saved my M-85, I trust him when he says this isn’t fixable if it’s an issue.
I’m also short, like 5’2”, and he told me that the bass isn’t comfortable for him to play sitting down. He’s a foot taller than me and told me I probably wouldn’t feel comfortable playing it. He suggested I find one in person and try it to see if I like it. He’s not a fan of Guild acoustic basses. I might check out the Taylor that they sell at GC.
 

katthestar

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
126
Reaction score
0
Grot, what is the bass in your last picture called? I know the headstock is an 80’s Guild headstock. I like the looks of it, though I think that’s the headstock that my luthier told me has a tendency to shrink.
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
also u are doing pretty good with a full hollow spruce top M-85!
 

katthestar

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
126
Reaction score
0
Very true. He’s started looking for parts for that and I bought some newer Grover tuners for it. He pulled the tuners that were on it, apparently they were changed so they could fit the thinner headstock. He’s making a maple block for the headstock.
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
take a look at a set of Curtis Novak Guild pickups for that M-85 instead of buying an acoustic bass, is my suggestion. he has a few different Bisonic variants. at least one or more is actually humbucker. he is the guy to talk to. hes super cool on Facebook. you will always be able to buy a Guild acoustic bass later. wait to play one first. they are super cool, like so many other Guilds and other guitars...I could see wanting to add one to the stable. they honestly just don’t serve a whole lot of purpose. an acoustic guitar is the opposite of an electric guitar, completely different beast. an acoustic bass is really similar to an electric bass (plugged in). there are some videos of professionals playing Guild and other acoustic basses. some people bond with them and that really is their go-to bass for one thing or another- but not many. ive played the B54CE and it was fantastic. i would just never need that. would rather have a real electric bass pickup. at the end of the day it will always sound better.
 

The Guilds of Grot

Enlightened Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
9,547
Reaction score
4,716
Location
New Jersey Shore
Guild Total
117
That Bass is an FB-46Bass-4. They are very rare! (Although somehow I happen to possess two of them.

The "foot" headstock is not know to shrink. It the faceplates on the 1960's three -on-a-side that shrink.

I'd be interested as to how you luthier knows so much about a B-500CE bass as I don't believe there's too many around. This 1/8' offset which makes a neck reset is interesting also. Why would an 1/8" make a difference? Sounds like he just doesn't want to deal with the infamously attached Guild neck.

I don't see why he would think it would be uncomfortable for you. The scale is only 30-1/2". The B-500CE is much thinner, (same as an acoustic guitar) then the B-50. Is he confusing these two?

Here's a comparison:

B-500CE:

100_6430.jpg



B-50:

100_6427.jpg
 
Last edited:

krysh

Guildarist in the mod squad
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
4,417
Reaction score
901
Location
near hamburg*germany
Guild Total
6
I once had a B4CE fretless beside others and I can second what the others said. In an acoustic only setting it couldn't cut through as most other acoustic basses do not, and it wasn't super comfortable to play while sitting. If it has to be an acoustic bass the new jumbo junior bass would be worth checkng out. I had gone for an Korean M-85 though. It's loud enough for practicing unplugged (for me) and a tone great for many styles.
 
Top