Has this been shown before? Guild S100 prototype at Carter's

SFIV1967

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Compensated frets. I've never seen such 1st and 2nd frets! :shocked: All the others look "normal". That's an interesting idea...

The serial number is a normal S-100 serial number from 1996 (if the list is correct), so no prototype serial number.
Would need to see the label in the pot chamber lid regarding any special marking.

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Ralf
 
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walrus

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Oh my, those top frets are bothering me! Thought I was having a flashback...

walrus
 

GAD

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I emailed them.

Unless Hans can confirm that it's a prototype I'd want to see some sort of proof of that claim. If it's legit I may need to review it. :)
 

adorshki

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I emailed them.

Unless Hans can confirm that it's a prototype I'd want to see some sort of proof of that claim. If it's legit I may need to review it. :)

unless somebody carefully built a new neck, I suspect it's "real", because I'm pretty sure those frets are "original" can't see any trace of 'm being added later.
 

GAD

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Response back from Carters:

We acquired the guitar from a former Guild custom shop employee who said it was aprototype. No production model ever had compensated frets. Let me know if you have any
other questions.

I'd say this is not a prototype but more of an employee build. Semantics, perhaps, but having held a prototype and seen others (Thanks, Hans!) I'd be more likely to call this a one-off than a prototype. I do think it's cool but not so cool that I want to spend "more than normal S100" money on it.
 

DThomasC

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I've tried playing a guitar with compensated frets for about 60 seconds. Drove me absolutely nuts. Maybe I just needed more time to get used to it, but the compensation on normal frets never bothered me, so, to me, it's a compromise with no benefit. Not win-win, but lose-tie you might say.
 

AcornHouse

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I've tried playing a guitar with compensated frets for about 60 seconds. Drove me absolutely nuts. Maybe I just needed more time to get used to it, but the compensation on normal frets never bothered me, so, to me, it's a compromise with no benefit. Not win-win, but lose-tie you might say.
How about this one?

mikrofoto.jpg
 

Quantum Strummer

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Seems to me this compensation would put the first position E chord more "out" in exchange for improving the A chord.

-Dave-
 

kakerlak

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How the heck do you crown those frets? Also, what happens if it ever needs a refret? I wonder if they feel weird or sound non-linear to bend across.
 

DThomasC

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How about this one?

mikrofoto.jpg

That's gotta be photoshopped. Who would go to the trouble of making something like that? How would you cut the fret slots even if you wanted to? Maybe a separate skinny fingerboard for each string, put together after the frets are installed and dressed? It's nuts and almost pisses me off just looking at it.
 

S100

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It’s a Micro Tonal guitar. Check it out on YouTube. Wild stuff.
 

mavuser

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... I do think it's cool but not so cool that I want to spend "more than normal S100" money on it.

id be looking to spend “less than normal S100” money on it. a lot less. (and then fix the first 2 frets, if so!)
 

hansmoust

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Unless Hans can confirm that it's a prototype I'd want to see some sort of proof of that claim.

Depending on how you look at it you could call it a prototype, but I would not call it a Guild prototype. At some point somebody who had 'invented' a string compensation system was trying to sell his idea to FMIC. They did send him some instruments and asked him to install the system, so they could see how it would work on an actual guitar; this is one of those guitars.

Since FMIC did send him a stock S-100, the serial number has no relation to the date that the experimental guitar was completed.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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