Hello all,
I've always liked Guild's CE-100 electric archtops, so it was only natural find out what the acoustic CA-100 might be like.
I've had a '61 for a decade or more but acquired this '63 CA-100 Special B (for blonde I guess) a couple years ago.
I just recently put the original DeArmond back on after finally having a faulty cable replaced.
So its all put back together, cleaned up, and other than some dings and little light wear it pretty much looks as it was delivered in '63.
From info gathered in Hans' book, the "Special" part indicates a factory installed DeArmond, but it's even more interesting that on this guitar they used a DeArmond that they had made for the Artist Award models.
The inscribed black bobbin is also unusual to see on a blonde guitar....as they usually used the white bobbin version on blonde or natural Award model guitars.
I'm guessing they had a bunch of these Award pickups in inventory and shipped this guitar with whatever was available at the time in '63. Maybe they anticipated more Artist Award sales and over ordered the pickups, then decided to use them up on lesser special order models like this one.
Hans would know better than I do.
Anyway I like how it looks and it sounds great!
As you can see It has the smaller single volume control with the screw on jack.....not my favorite arrangement but I can live with it for now.
Here's a couple views of the pickup and original installation.
CA-100's are acoustic archtops with carved spruce tops and laminated backs....not sure if the sides are solid or laminated.
They are not as deep bodied as something like a Gibson L-4c, but not slim bodied either.....quite comfortable to play.
The acoustic sound is lively and projects well, but somewhat lacking in deep bass. The bass is loud and forward just not deeply resonate.
I do like this sound...its kind of audacious and spunky....somewhat like some of the small bodied Epiphone archtops of the early 30's. Probably not everyone's cuppa tea but my sonic interests are somewhat far flung.
Amplified you can do pretty much what you want with it......the acoustic nature of the guitar translates well with that Rhythm Chief to a good balanced electric sound through my favorite '69 Princeton. It's always amazing how so many acoustic archtops can be transformed by those DeArmond floating pickups.
No lack of bottom end all the sudden!
Below you can see the solid spruce top and it's rather plain looking ply maple back.
Being mostly acquainted with pre-62 Guilds, I was used to seeing that pickguard's "Star" motif on the Starfire models, so found it kind of odd to see it on this guitar.
Perhaps by '63 they may have moved on from the older"Chevron" thing or had extra Starfire pickguards laying about.
Here it is next to a '61 CA-100 I've had a quite a bit longer....guess I'm smitten.
Thats all!
z
I've always liked Guild's CE-100 electric archtops, so it was only natural find out what the acoustic CA-100 might be like.
I've had a '61 for a decade or more but acquired this '63 CA-100 Special B (for blonde I guess) a couple years ago.
I just recently put the original DeArmond back on after finally having a faulty cable replaced.
So its all put back together, cleaned up, and other than some dings and little light wear it pretty much looks as it was delivered in '63.
From info gathered in Hans' book, the "Special" part indicates a factory installed DeArmond, but it's even more interesting that on this guitar they used a DeArmond that they had made for the Artist Award models.
The inscribed black bobbin is also unusual to see on a blonde guitar....as they usually used the white bobbin version on blonde or natural Award model guitars.
I'm guessing they had a bunch of these Award pickups in inventory and shipped this guitar with whatever was available at the time in '63. Maybe they anticipated more Artist Award sales and over ordered the pickups, then decided to use them up on lesser special order models like this one.
Hans would know better than I do.
Anyway I like how it looks and it sounds great!
As you can see It has the smaller single volume control with the screw on jack.....not my favorite arrangement but I can live with it for now.
Here's a couple views of the pickup and original installation.
CA-100's are acoustic archtops with carved spruce tops and laminated backs....not sure if the sides are solid or laminated.
They are not as deep bodied as something like a Gibson L-4c, but not slim bodied either.....quite comfortable to play.
The acoustic sound is lively and projects well, but somewhat lacking in deep bass. The bass is loud and forward just not deeply resonate.
I do like this sound...its kind of audacious and spunky....somewhat like some of the small bodied Epiphone archtops of the early 30's. Probably not everyone's cuppa tea but my sonic interests are somewhat far flung.
Amplified you can do pretty much what you want with it......the acoustic nature of the guitar translates well with that Rhythm Chief to a good balanced electric sound through my favorite '69 Princeton. It's always amazing how so many acoustic archtops can be transformed by those DeArmond floating pickups.
No lack of bottom end all the sudden!
Below you can see the solid spruce top and it's rather plain looking ply maple back.
Being mostly acquainted with pre-62 Guilds, I was used to seeing that pickguard's "Star" motif on the Starfire models, so found it kind of odd to see it on this guitar.
Perhaps by '63 they may have moved on from the older"Chevron" thing or had extra Starfire pickguards laying about.
Here it is next to a '61 CA-100 I've had a quite a bit longer....guess I'm smitten.
Thats all!
z
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