Blues 90 Colors

richardp69

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I think this was discussed here before but I can't find the thread so I'll post again (sue me if you must)

I now have 2 Blues 90's, both in excellent condition. One is the really pretty red and the other is a really attractive green. I don't mess with electric gear much but these caught my eye and they are kind of fun to play. Anybody happen to know what other colors they may have had for that model?
 

adorshki

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'01 price list showed 3 standard colors: Emerald Green Transparent, Black Cherry, and Ebony Transparent
Bottom of list shows all available colors in the line for that year, which is pretty consistent with preceding couple of years and first year Corona, from what I've seen:
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/files/Guild2001.pdf
We've seen a lot of pieces with what look like special order colors (a Sapphire Blue Starfire comes to mind), or else they may have simply changed up which colors were "Standard" on a given model from year to year.
 

kakerlak

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I've seen plenty in those three colors (transparent red, green, and black), but I'm not positive whether I've ever seen a Blues 90 in any other finish. I've seen Bluesbird P-90s in all sorts of finishes, though. I guess folks here post up your outliers and anecdotes?
 

walrus

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I agree with that red, black, green are the only choices, at least with out "customizing". I had an '02 natural Bluesbird P90, but that's a different model.

Richard, are going for the trifecta of colors?

walrus
 

adorshki

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My guess “please post pics”.

Yeah, "outliers" meaning off-spec pieces we've come to expect from Guild, and "anecdotes" from guys who had one but don't anymore, and/or can't post pics.
BTW Richard, Kakerlac made an interesting distinction between Blues 90's and Bluesbirds with P90's, the easy tell is that Blues 90's had "dot-only" fretboards without binding, Bluesbirds (well, the 90's re-issue versions, anyway) always got block inlay / bound fretbords.
Except for the off-spec ones.
:highly_amused:
Sorry, couldn't resist.
But since I know you're primarily an acoustic guy I realized it was possible you were unaware of the distinction.
 

adorshki

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I agree with that red, black, green are the only choices, at least with out "customizing". I had an '02 natural Bluesbird P90, but that's a different model.

Richard, are going for the trifecta of colors?

walrus

I keep seeing "red" come up, but note as I mentioned, that '01 list shows "Black Cherry" which I think we've only seen here maybe twice, and was even questioned as possible black once because it's so dark, especially in photos.
Or maybe it was an off-spec price list?
 
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richardp69

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Yeah, "outliers" meaning off-spec pieces we've come to expect from Guild, and "anecdotes" from guys who had one but don't anymore, and/or can't post pics.
BTW Richard, Kakerlac made an interesting distinction between Blues 90's and Bluesbirds with P90's, the easy tell is that Blues 90's had "dot-only" fretboards without binding, Bluesbirds (well, the 90's re-issue versions, anyway) always got block inlay / bound fretbords.
Except for the off-spec ones.
:highly_amused:
Sorry, couldn't resist.
But since I know you're primarily an acoustic guy I realized it was possible you were unaware of the distinction.

Not only unaware, but totally ignorant as is true with most all things in my life these days.
 

adorshki

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Not only unaware, but totally ignorant as is true with most all things in my life these days.

Reason I brought it up is because I'm wondering if your red one is actually Transparent Red and/or if it's actually a Bluesbird and not a Blues 90?
The other two reds were solid, with Fiesta being a really bright in your face red, and Torino a little subtler but not much.
Note Blues 90's were dropped after Westerly, replaced by the Bluesbirds with P90's.
So the s/n may help if you're unsure, but a dot fretboard's gotta be a Blues 90.
So far, anyway.
:highly_amused:
 

richardp69

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Reason I brought it up is because I'm wondering if your red one is actually Transparent Red and/or if it's actually a Bluesbird and not a Blues 90?
The other two reds were solid, with Fiesta being a really bright in your face red, and Torino a little subtler but not much.
Note Blues 90's were dropped after Westerly, replaced by the Bluesbirds with P90's.
So the s/n may help if you're unsure, but a dot fretboard's gotta be a Blues 90.
So far, anyway.
:highly_amused:

It is a dot fretboard as is my green one. I gotta tell ya, another electric I recently picked up is a De Armond X-155. I'm pretty impressed with the looks, playability and the De Armond pups are pretty killer to boot. Not sure why I keep buying electrics because I'm not a huge fan but I get in these different moods that tell me I need to be more open minded so I try 'em I guess.
 

Bonneville88

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This was mine for a spell - not sure what the official color designate was -
look like one of yours, Richard?
Serial CL001941
BbX2tE.jpg
 
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GAD

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For me, the big difference is neck binding. The Bluesbird-90s has neck binding and block inlays. Here's mine:

5D3_2069_1600.jpg
 

adorshki

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Bill Ashton

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I read somewhere that due to all the CITIES "activity," Fender has gone to all Pau Ferro fingerboards...I read it, doesn't mean its all true...:rolleyes-new:
 

adorshki

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I read somewhere that due to all the CITIES "activity," Fender has gone to all Pau Ferro fingerboards...I read it, doesn't mean its all true...:rolleyes-new:

It's not a true dahlbergia so makes sense.
NO worries about supply disruptions, "for now".
Might even be a better choice for fretboards, was just discussing this with Bonneville88 regarding late Westerly D4/D25/DCE-1 fretboards, spec'd as "Morado" for D4 in '99 catalog and for all of those models in '01 price list.
Which the Wood Database says is Pau Ferro, also known as Brazilian Ironwood, harder than rosewood:
https://www.wood-database.com/pau-ferro/
 

GAD

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Wow - the binding and block inlays take that guitar to another level!

To be fair, that's a Custom Shop Bluesbird-90, but yes I agree. I *love* the colors on the Blues-90s, but the fretboards leave me cold.
 
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