Kim Thayil S-100 Coming

Dirtyhands · Jul 29, 2023

It would be nice if they made a standard version for those of us who don’t want a signature model, but still appreciate the quality of an American built guitar. I can only guess that KT model is very expensive.

lungimsam · Jul 29, 2023

The Korean made Hillman Starfire was only 1200$ iirc.
Just the only other signature series limited edition bass I can think of for price comparison. Of course that was almost 10 years ago. At the time the Bisonic Starfire I was going for $1050

SFIV1967 · Jul 30, 2023

Dirtyhands said:
I can only guess that KT model is very expensive.

Looking at the American Patriarch models 10 years ago, the AP M-75 had a $7,499.99 list price.

Ralf

LesB3 · Jul 30, 2023

SFIV1967 said:
Looking at the American Patriarch models 10 years ago, the AP M-75 had a $7,499.99 list price.

Ralf

Excellent. NOS NS or MII S-100 it is then...

I can't imagine they'd be that high, the M-75 would (presumably) be a much more difficult guitar to make (chambered body, etc.) than the S-100 (slab). Heck, for that money I could get a Murphy Lab, Custom Shop '63 SG with ALL of the fixins for a few hundred less.

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I'm thinking that these will come in under $4k (they'd probably have to, honestly)

chazmo · Jul 30, 2023

Dirtyhands said:
It would be nice if they made a standard version for those of us who don’t want a signature model, but still appreciate the quality of an American built guitar. I can only guess that KT model is very expensive.

Welcome aboard, Dirtyhands!

I'm a little confused by what I've heard so far here. What's being discussed most recently (and apparently available at the stores) is the Indonesian-built version. It sounds like there will also be a US-built version down the road, but I'm not at all clear how they'll differentiate it sufficiently to charge a high price tag. I don't know -- sounds a little brain dead to me, especially by introducing the Asian-built version first.

Smitch · Jul 30, 2023

SFIV1967 said:
The TRC on one he was using had the King Animal logo on it. Wonder if that is the same now.

Ralf

Good call!

Walter Broes · Jul 30, 2023

GAD said:
$1100 for an Indonesian solidbody?

Switzerland is an expensive country - I wouldn't be surprised if street in the US would be around 850/900. Which is about the price of one of those PRS John Mayer SE guitars - another Indonesian made signature solidbody..

Dirtyhands · Jul 30, 2023

chazmo said:
Welcome aboard, Dirtyhands!

I'm a little confused by what I've heard so far here. What's being discussed most recently (and apparently available at the stores) is the Indonesian-built version. It sounds like there will also be a US-built version down the road, but I'm not at all clear how they'll differentiate it sufficiently to charge a high price tag. I don't know -- sounds a little brain dead to me, especially by introducing the Asian-built version first.

Thanks! I have only played American made Guilds, but I’ve been looking at all the import models for years, online only. Never played any of them, as I live in a guitar desert. We had a good guitar store, but he didn’t carry any Guilds. I found my 1966 SFlll at a local coffee shop, where some buddies I know were playing their acoustic bluegrass stuff. The mandolin player walked over to me and said there was an old Guild in the classifieds section of the newspaper. I called the owner, went to his house. As soon as he opened the case, I took it out, and realized it was in good shape, pulled out my wallet, and bought it for $1200. Though I had a 60s F30 acoustic for years, I’d never played a guild electric. That was twenty years ago and though I have a lot of other guitars, the old Starfire is still my favorite instrument. Sorry I’ve rambled on so much, the coffee and has kicked in. Glad to be here amongst the Guild lovers.

chazmo · Jul 30, 2023

That's some sweet-smellin' coffee, Dirtyhands!

Welcome aboard!

GAD · Jul 30, 2023

chazmo said:
Welcome aboard, Dirtyhands!

I'm a little confused by what I've heard so far here. What's being discussed most recently (and apparently available at the stores) is the Indonesian-built version. It sounds like there will also be a US-built version down the road, but I'm not at all clear how they'll differentiate it sufficiently to charge a high price tag. I don't know -- sounds a little brain dead to me, especially by introducing the Asian-built version first.

That is the business model for Fender and Gibson, though Gibson tries to keep their import stuff to Epiphone.

LesB3 · Jul 30, 2023

Walter Broes said:
Switzerland is an expensive country - I wouldn't be surprised if street in the US would be around 850/900. Which is about the price of one of those PRS John Mayer SE guitars - another Indonesian made signature solidbody.

Dunno, isn't a standard one $999 (new) already?

SFIV1967 · Jul 30, 2023

chazmo said:
It sounds like there will also be a US-built version down the road, but I'm not at all clear how they'll differentiate it sufficiently to charge a high price tag.

It was said there will be the white one (and only white) in a limited run of 30 pieces made in California.
Think GSR M-75 from NH...And she had indeed a street price of $3,999 when she came out in 2013. Which would match what @LesB3 said.
Handmade in USA (maybe again from imported whitewood...), NC lacquer instead of poly,...people pay for "Made in USA".
Now the million dollar question could be, will she be really made in Oxnard or in Calabasas...(pure speculation...)

Ralf

Hammer · Jul 31, 2023

I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, maybe a little crazier than most (my collection is insanely huge), but...I can not imagine myself plunking down $4k for a Thayil sig model, when I can buy the real deal actual guitars he plays on the used market for far less. Don't get me wrong...new US Guilds, whoohoo! But...meh. Might snag an Indo one second hand, just for the TRC and cover plate, tho. *shrug*

fronobulax · Jul 31, 2023

Hammer said:
I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, maybe a little crazier than most (my collection is insanely huge), but...I can not imagine myself plunking down $4k for a Thayil sig model, when I can buy the real deal actual guitars he plays on the used market for far less. Don't get me wrong...new US Guilds, whoohoo! But...meh. Might snag an Indo one second hand, just for the TRC and cover plate, tho. *shrug*

New Guilds have always faced stiff competition from used Guilds. In reviewing the limited editions (GSR or whatever) over the past decade or so the market for them seems to be collectors more than players. The specs are different or unusual but really have no functional impact for the broad market. I would be pleasantly surprised if vintage original, imported sig and MIA sig could be distinguished in a blind test.

Still there is something positive about a MIA electric solidbody after a couple of decades.

GAD · Jul 31, 2023

Hammer said:
I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, maybe a little crazier than most (my collection is insanely huge), but...I can not imagine myself plunking down $4k for a Thayil sig model, when I can buy the real deal actual guitars he plays on the used market for far less. Don't get me wrong...new US Guilds, whoohoo! But...meh. Might snag an Indo one second hand, just for the TRC and cover plate, tho. *shrug*

That's a really good point.

mavuser · Jul 31, 2023

if the USA S-100 is a Soundgarden signture model, and limited to 30 pieces, those will be impossible to find. unless they are making another 30 just for Soundgarden, the guys from Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Brandi Carlilie, Brad Pitt, and whoever else simply must have one. These will be prohibitively expensive.

DrumBob · Jul 31, 2023

Pacafeliz said:
Great, thanks!
So the import comes only in black w/ gold hardware or also in white?
God how exciting

The import version only comes in black with gold hardware. It will street for $899. Gig bag not included.

So far, I'm enjoying it. The action was a bit high out of the box, but that's adjustable. It sat for a few days and was still in tune when I picked it up.

Walter Broes · Aug 1, 2023

I've seen a price of the LTD edition USA one, and..well...it's pretty expensive, haha.

They did go all-out to do a repro of an older S-100 : it has a Mueller (or repro?) bridge - US made pickups, ...

SFIV1967 · Aug 1, 2023

Walter Broes said:
- US made pickups, ...

Now that sounds interesting! ~~I can only think about "MJ" who made the "Franz" repros more than 10 years ago for the GSR T-500...~~

ABM in Berlin reissued the former ABM-Müller parts for Guild for the American Patriarch models 11 years ago, so that's probably what happened again as it sounds to me. It's just not cheap but if you bring enough money they even make one single part of the original drawings.

Ralf

chazmo · Aug 1, 2023

Walter Broes said:
I've seen a price of the LTD edition USA one, and..well...it's pretty expensive, haha.

They did go all-out to do a repro of an older S-100 : it has a Mueller (or repro?) bridge - US made pickups, ...

@Walter Broes @DrumBob have you guys heard anything about whether or not it'll be coming out of Oxnard?

Kim Thayil S-100 Coming

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