mellowgerman
Senior Member
Today I celebrate two firsts in my life! #1 the first time I've ever bought a NEW Guild. #2 the first time I've ever bought a Guild acoustic bass.
I'm excited, but also in a wordy story mood. I hope that's okay.
Lately, I have been ever-more tempted to dip into some Guild acoustic bass action. After spotting the B-30 on Guitar Center's used listings for only $799, I realized that a great bass for doodling with my acoustic buddies was within reach... perhaps not super easily justifiable, but manageable. The thought kept bouncing around in my head. Eventually I found myself at red-light, mid-rush-hour, daydreaming skipping barefoot through a large meadow of flowers (in a burly, manly fashion) with long curly locks flowing in the wind behind me, a lovely Guild acoustic bass in one hand, and an oversized glass of the finest Damien Coquelet Beaujolais Villages in the other, as I close in on a small circle of fashionable friends with bongos and acoustic guitars; each friend a subtle, though warm and inviting psychedelic gleam in their eyes................. or something like that.
But anyway, I really wanted a Guild acoustic bass and just couldn't shake the thought. After getting an in-hand evaluation of the bass by the chap at Guitar Center (who did not know what the saddle was or that there was a "trust" rod... inside the neck!?), I started to feel a little uneasy about it all. I told him I was still shopping around and that I would call back. I thought it over all night. Even if the employee had known what he was talking about, there are so many things that can be wrong with an older acoustic instrument that would not be detectable without a knowledgeable, experienced person putting it on the bench and giving it a proper inspection, magnifying glass, strings off, inspection mirror and light, etc. So now we're in reputable vintage instrument dealer territory and the bass once again goes from not super easy to justify, to not really being able to justify at this time.
HOWEVER, in my searches of the web for a B30 or B50 at a bargain price, I came across a new, current model I hadn't seen before... the B-240e. I was familiar with the B-140 but I didn't want long scale... a jumbo body acoustic short scale is already big enough! Yes they are import models, but the more I read the more intrigued I became. Since I'd really enjoyed the Newark Street Guilds I have gotten to try so far, I figured a nice short-scale jumbo with an arch-back, classic Guild styling, and a matching quality gig bag for $499 sounded like it was worth a go -- even though it's not quite as deep as a B30 or B50. Of course, going through sweetwater I get to see the weight and HD photos of the actual bass I'm getting, in addition to their free 2-year warranty. Even better!
Now I also don't have to stress about the potential upcoming re-frets, neck-resets, loose braces, bellied or cracking top, dried or rotting wood, etc. of an uninspected older instrument, nor do I have to be overly protective and paranoid of a rare, high-dollar instrument-- meaning, I CAN actually skip through a field with it, case or no case (assuming there's a moderate temperature and no precipitation).
It should be arriving sometime next week!
Lastly, is this the first thread about a B-240? (there's a fretted and a fretless model available)
*** I do still hope to get a B30 or B50 on some future day, but it will have to either be from a good shop with their guarantee, or a crazy cheap craigslist/pawnshop/ebay find
I'm excited, but also in a wordy story mood. I hope that's okay.
Lately, I have been ever-more tempted to dip into some Guild acoustic bass action. After spotting the B-30 on Guitar Center's used listings for only $799, I realized that a great bass for doodling with my acoustic buddies was within reach... perhaps not super easily justifiable, but manageable. The thought kept bouncing around in my head. Eventually I found myself at red-light, mid-rush-hour, daydreaming skipping barefoot through a large meadow of flowers (in a burly, manly fashion) with long curly locks flowing in the wind behind me, a lovely Guild acoustic bass in one hand, and an oversized glass of the finest Damien Coquelet Beaujolais Villages in the other, as I close in on a small circle of fashionable friends with bongos and acoustic guitars; each friend a subtle, though warm and inviting psychedelic gleam in their eyes................. or something like that.
But anyway, I really wanted a Guild acoustic bass and just couldn't shake the thought. After getting an in-hand evaluation of the bass by the chap at Guitar Center (who did not know what the saddle was or that there was a "trust" rod... inside the neck!?), I started to feel a little uneasy about it all. I told him I was still shopping around and that I would call back. I thought it over all night. Even if the employee had known what he was talking about, there are so many things that can be wrong with an older acoustic instrument that would not be detectable without a knowledgeable, experienced person putting it on the bench and giving it a proper inspection, magnifying glass, strings off, inspection mirror and light, etc. So now we're in reputable vintage instrument dealer territory and the bass once again goes from not super easy to justify, to not really being able to justify at this time.
HOWEVER, in my searches of the web for a B30 or B50 at a bargain price, I came across a new, current model I hadn't seen before... the B-240e. I was familiar with the B-140 but I didn't want long scale... a jumbo body acoustic short scale is already big enough! Yes they are import models, but the more I read the more intrigued I became. Since I'd really enjoyed the Newark Street Guilds I have gotten to try so far, I figured a nice short-scale jumbo with an arch-back, classic Guild styling, and a matching quality gig bag for $499 sounded like it was worth a go -- even though it's not quite as deep as a B30 or B50. Of course, going through sweetwater I get to see the weight and HD photos of the actual bass I'm getting, in addition to their free 2-year warranty. Even better!
Now I also don't have to stress about the potential upcoming re-frets, neck-resets, loose braces, bellied or cracking top, dried or rotting wood, etc. of an uninspected older instrument, nor do I have to be overly protective and paranoid of a rare, high-dollar instrument-- meaning, I CAN actually skip through a field with it, case or no case (assuming there's a moderate temperature and no precipitation).
It should be arriving sometime next week!
Lastly, is this the first thread about a B-240? (there's a fretted and a fretless model available)
*** I do still hope to get a B30 or B50 on some future day, but it will have to either be from a good shop with their guarantee, or a crazy cheap craigslist/pawnshop/ebay find
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