NGD - S7CE Peregrine

dapmdave

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Electric? Acoustic?

Last week I snagged a Peregrine from Guitar Center. I like things that are a bit different, and the Peregrine has been on my "want to try" list for several years.

This is the standard model, made in Corona I think. The serial number appears to be PRC309004. Mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboard & bridge. "Snake head" headstock with a chesterfield. String-thru-body bridge design is reminiscent of a telecaster, and I like it.

First, the bad... the GC guy who sold me the guitar over the phone assured me it had plenty of saddle. Unfortunately, this one does not. But considering the design of this guitar, I would suggest that it's not as critical as it usually would be. I took note and moved on.

And now, the good... It's small and lightweight, but not completely hollow. If you take off the back cover plate (which allows access to the output switch-jack) you can make out some solid stuff in there. Pretty standard Guild neck, with a 1 11/16 nut width. Action is low and it plays clean.

How does it sound? It sounds better than I expected it to acoustically. Kind of quiet, of course, but still sounds like an acoustic Guild. Then I took it out to the music room and plugged it into the PA. Holy crap! It sounds JUST LIKE an acoustic guitar but you can crank it up as loud as you like and there is no feedback. No quack, either. It has a custom-made preamp with a few little sliders on the top side. The tone adjustment seems weak, but any outboard preamp or mixing board will provide more tone shaping capability, anyway.

So, I like it.

I'm looking forward to playing this with the band. The DD-6 is looking a little nervous.
 

dapmdave

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Corona 2003 with "Fishman Acoustic Matrix Natural". They called the body "1-pc. Chambered Solid Mahogany".
Congratulations!
Ralf

Thanks, Ralf. Guitar Center said it was a 2004, but I had my doubts.
 

walrus

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Nice score! I love the look of those, and now I know I would probably love the sound, too!

walrus
 

Dadzmad

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I have a last year Westerly production S4CE that I got at the time, I still love it - a wooden electric guitar. I've always thought that the Peregrine was a dream guitar. Thanks for sharing. I'm sure she has a good home.
 

HeyMikey

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I don't know Dave. I'm kind of doubting if this supposed NGD even happened, because ya know...
 

dapmdave

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Here you go...

Ukm38eP.jpg
 

Nuuska

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Howdy

Do not fear - I am not going to do it - BUT - is the main difference between Peregrine and Songbird the "Strings Thru Body" - STB ? I understand, that for STB there has to be solid wood layer all the way. So does anybody know the size and/or shape of the cavity in Peregrine? And the top construction?

Having two Songbird Specials - Red & White - I could "sacrifice one for science" by adding a wood block under bridge and drilling holes through body . .

But like I said - "do not fear" - I´m not going to experiment that.

BUT - has someone done it?

What do you think about the theoretical outcome?



And finally - DAPMDAVE - congrats for beautiful Peregrine. More pics - please!
 

adorshki

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Howdy

Do not fear - I am not going to do it - BUT - is the main difference between Peregrine and Songbird the "Strings Thru Body" - STB ? I understand, that for STB there has to be solid wood layer all the way. So does anybody know the size and/or shape of the cavity in Peregrine? And the top construction?
Well there's also that lack of a soundhole on the Peregrine.....a while back we saw an S4ce with no soundhole that Johnny Rzeznik of the GooGoo Dolls special-ordered:
https://www.rockaway.com/catalog/pr...autographed-and-played-johnny-rzeznik-guitar/
A-a-and:
Songbird's based on Gruhn Nightbird outline, Pergrine's based on "traditional" M75 outline.
So suspect a Peregrine's chambered similarly to the M75 chambered Bluesbird.


BUT - has someone done it?

I've never seen anybody admit to such an act, here.
 
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Nuuska

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Hello Al

Welcome back - I do not see your comment on "windows" - not operating system . .


YES - the soundhole - too obvious - silly me - and the difference in outline is NIX = NIL - but them cavities - ( frenzy adenoids ? ? ? )

Meanwhile I came to think about a non-destructive experiment: if I take a 12mm bolt of right length and nut, I can span then between top and back of SB - two sets - one of each side of bridge - I can "anchor" the top and adjust the tension.


And about Peregrine - I was thinking whether it is closer to solid-body or SB-kind of guitar, wher most of inside is hollow.
 

GuildFS4612CE

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Nuuska...sounds like a variation on a sound post...interesting.

Dave...I wouldn't think that a low(er) saddle on the Peregrine, designed to be plugged in, would be much of an issue as long as the action isn't so low it buzzes...you wouldn't really need a lot of break angle to 'drive' the top...volume/amplification are the electronic's job.
 

beecee

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Nice grab. I was watching that but needed it like a hole in the head as I haven't played out in years. Pretty
 

dapmdave

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Well there's also that lack of a soundhole on the Peregrine.....a while back we saw an S4ce with no soundhole that Johnny Rzeznik of the GooGoo Dolls special-ordered:
https://www.rockaway.com/catalog/pr...autographed-and-played-johnny-rzeznik-guitar/
A-a-and:
Songbird's based on Gruhn Nightbird outline, Pergrine's based on "traditional" M75 outline.
So suspect a Peregrine's chambered similarly to the M75 chambered Bluesbird.

I've never seen anybody admit to such an act, here.

Yes, the Peregrine seems to be shaped more like the old M-75 shape, but the Songbird looks like a more modern Bluesbird or Blues 90. And then there's that hole thing and the spruce top, and the bridge pins. Peregrines seem to have either hog tops or maple tops (in the fancy version). As far as any chambering is concerned, I don't think the original M-75 was chambered at all, unless you consider being completely hollow as being chambered. That changed of course when it became solid about 1971 or so.

The Peregrine has a solid chunk of wood under the bridge, but I suspect that beyond that it's mostly hollow. The mahogany is fairly thick but mine still only weighs 6 pounds.
 
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adorshki

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Hello Al

Welcome back - I do not see your comment on "windows" - not operating system . .
When I selected your comment I didn't close it properly- I type in "[/quote]" myself, but had a bracket backwards/
YES - the soundhole - too obvious - silly me - and the difference in outline is NIX = NIL - but them cavities - ( frenzy adenoids ? ? ? )
Peregrines're "chambered" whereas Songbird's are fully routed fully routed.
It seems reasonable that the enclosed Songbird still didn't quite do it for Rzeznik which led to his request for something with better feedback resistance, thus the S7ce.
He was responsible for asking Guild to build it.
Stands to reason the top'd vibrate less on a chambered body than a fully routed one?
And for same reason I think an String-Through- Body S4ce still wouldn't replicate a Peregrine's sound.
 
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