The Mystery Guild, prepare for the weird...

adorshki

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The nut is def not bone, I had to reslot the 6th string groove a tiny bit, some 70's plastic replacement?
Micarta:
"Micarta is a brand name for composites of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic. It was originally used in electrical and decorative applications. Micarta was developed by George Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins invented by Leo Baekeland. These resins were used to impregnate paper and cotton fabric which were cured under pressure and high temperature to produce laminates."
 

Guildedagain

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This one might actually be plastic, it doesn't look like factory work, it looks like parts drawer...

The high E looks like it's in more than the low E, all will be better in time since I did reach an agreement with the seller.

Odd thing is I hadn't heard much I liked from the guitar until virtually the moment that I knew I wan't rejecting it - or it knew - and then voila, chords started ringing, it started to sound like a fine guitar again. Within a few minutes, it was good enough to turn the recorder on and I did.

I'm of firm belief that a guitar that comes out of a case where it's been resting for a while never sounds that good at first, but within a few minutes, something happens, like shaking the cobwebs out of it.

You can only imagine how long it would take to sound right again after 40 years, might take a little playing.


Another reason chords are ringing is because I'm back on Phosphor Bronze .012 "light" strings.

I tried the Silk and Steels but I couldn't tell what the guitar sounded like, or it just wasn't going to work for me, I like chords to really ring.

Back to the 12's, a baseline. I tried detuning on the 12's, it didn't like that either, it needs the tension.
 

chazmo

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It's fascinating, except, I was supposed to be playing a guitar, not trying to be the history detective of a 48 year old guitar that already had a major facelift at some point.
Guildedagain, are you serious? I hope you're poking fun at your situation. If you aren't, keep in mind that you've heard us tell you to run away from this train wreck. Every repair you showed above looks like a sloppy attempt to put lipstick on a pig. This guitar is closer to firewood than it is to musical instrument.
 

adorshki

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Guildedagain, are you serious? I hope you're poking fun at your situation. If you aren't, keep in mind that you've heard us tell you to run away from this train wreck. Every repair you showed above looks like a sloppy attempt to put lipstick on a pig. This guitar is closer to firewood than it is to musical instrument.

What I'm sensing here is sincere affection for a rescue dog.
:friendly_wink:
 

bobouz

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The multiple stacked bridgeplates are complete overkill, and vibration/tone killing. Historically, bridgeplates on high quality instruments have most commonly been comprised of a relatively thin piece of maple. In the '70s, a number of manufactures, including Guild and Martin, went to rosewood bridgeplates for increased durability in that area (and most likely in order to reduce warranty repairs), but typically, maple has returned as the wood of choice.

The repair work shown in the photos indicates a very rough & crude approach, including the stacked bridgeplates.
 

Guildedagain

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It's day 8 since I opened the case. It's been mostly in the case with sponges, in the body even, without strings the whole time. It's gone through quite a few transmorphations, the top buckling slightly and then settling down, and finish checking becoming more pronounced each day.

I filed the fret ends and cleaned up the fingerboard damage, now virtually invisible. This rosewood board has 3D grain up by the neck, wow! Also to note, very high grade Mahogany in the back and sides.

I'm still hydrating it and the neck angle is actually spot on, it's good without any tension on the top and still good after being tuned to pitch all night. Showing off a picture of the very inexpensive USA made straight edge I picked up on feeBay, got here so fast, still in time to use it. You'd have to be a madman to go anywhere near a fine guitar with a heavy old carpenter's square (I tried it), like some guys recommend, not to mention they're rough on the edges.

This 24" rule is 3/16" thick, aluminum, weighs 1lb, stands by itself, price of admission, $20. Awesome.

Also visible is some vintage Guild swag, thx to Reverb/eBay. Little purchases help you get between the big ones. Wife thinks it's actually cute when I walk around the house saying "Guildy, Guildy, Guildy" when goodies come in the mail...

Last night, I played it real late upstairs (about the time you start passing out on the edge of the bed because it's putting you to sleep) with wife downstairs on her treadle sewing machine, and this morning, "I said, how was it for you?" and she said she thought I was singing with the guitar. I wasn't, but I heard the same thing, this lilting "human voice"... it's got a weird mid range, totally different from the dread, boomy, but soft at the same time.

Besides, it's way to big to fit into either one of the stoves without chopping it up ;-)



1970 Guid price list and picks, along with the magic Guild cloth.

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Awesome piece for the guitar tech in your life ;-)

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Amazing neck angle actually, and you can tell the neck has been off, so it probably won't need anything like that.

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Westerly Wood

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it looks awesome! love that burst. again, congrats on this baby. and i like the old school Guild material sent along in the case.
 

gjmalcyon

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"I said, how was it for you?" and she said she thought I was singing with the guitar. I wasn't, but I heard the same thing, this lilting "human voice"... it's got a weird mid range, totally different from the dread, boomy, but soft at the same time.

OK, that's freaking me out a little.

I've heard overtones and harmonics from my guitars that seemed to come from a different location outside the guitar and resembled organ chords, but never that.
 

Grassdog

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OK, that's freaking me out a little.

I've heard overtones and harmonics from my guitars that seemed to come from a different location outside the guitar and resembled organ chords, but never that.

I think this is perhaps what happens when you want to love a guitar so much, despite it's many apparent challenges, you start hearing things.

But hey I've probably been guilty of that myself with another one too.

If GA's happy with it (and it sounds like he is) that's all that matters.
 

Westerly Wood

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I think this is perhaps what happens when you want to love a guitar so much, despite it's many apparent challenges, you start hearing things.

this is a really good point. i might confirm this point entirely.
 

Westerly Wood

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Back to the 12's, a baseline. I tried detuning on the 12's, it didn't like that either, it needs the tension.

oh i wish my baseline could be .13s. While I am a fan of EJ16s, I like EJ17s even better, but my finger pads do not. alas.
 

Rayk

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Who among us truly knows what another hears in their ear of ears?

The Almighty knows !! He told me he made it so every die hard acoustic owner hears different musical tones from the guitar especially Guild owners .

I ask why ? He said just to mess with them . I said that's terrible ! He asked why ? ( Just for conversational purposes of course) because I own some ! He replied yeah I know . 😜
 

adorshki

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The Almighty knows !! He told me he made it so every die hard acoustic owner hears different musical tones from the guitar especially Guild owners .

I ask why ? He said just to mess with them . I said that's terrible ! He asked why ? ( Just for conversational purposes of course) because I own some ! He replied yeah I know . ��

Yep sounds like the same guy I talk to.
At least, I think it's a guy.
 

Rayk

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Yep sounds like the same guy I talk to.
At least, I think it's a guy.

Yeah Guy to us a woman to the ladies and oh boy who knows what the universe See's .😁
 
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