1988 Liberator from Reverb

[drc]

it just popped up on Reverb and I couldn’t resist. I love this model. The pickup configuration and control layout is perfect for me. it’s been played hard for sure and will require a full blown spa treatment.

 

[GAD]

I have two of them. Killer guitars! They've been in my review pile for far too long.

Hard to come by, too!

 

[drc]

I dig that blue! That’s nice.

 

[GAD]

I dig that blue! That’s nice.

Thanks! My other one is black like yours but the electronics were gutted. I have all new components for it but just never got around to it. For one of them I had to go to Hans to get the trem bar. They're pretty uncommon as I recall.

I definitely have too many guitars.

 

[drc]

I definitely have too many guitars.

yes you do have a lot of guitars. Passionate collector! What is your end game?

 

[GAD]

yes you do have a lot of guitars. Passionate collector! What is your end game?

To not have so many guitars. :emmersed:

My goal is to keep only the rarest, best, or favorites and purge all the rest.

 

[ruedi]

To not have so many guitars. :emmersed:

My goal is to keep only the rarest, best, or favorites and purge all the rest.

People around here might get a *little ̶h̶̶i̶̶s̶̶t̶̶e̶̶r̶̶i̶̶c̶ excited when you start to reduce your beautiful collection, Gary.


drc thats a beast, well done. I would not mind to read an update on the "spa treatment" and the results

 

[matsickma]

The Liberator is one of the guitars I lemant selling! Mine was blue and setup just like the one GAD posted. Bought it early in my "return to Guild" era and didn't realize just how hard they were to come by. I assumed an Ivory colored Detonator was an equivalent guitar but it wasn't and couldn't keep up with the Liberator!
M

 

[drc]

drc thats a beast, well done. I would not mind to read an update on the "spa treatment" and the results

I will be dropping it off at Rusan GuitarWorks upon arrival. He is a man amongst boys, does excellent work.

 

[DThomasC]

[...] I assumed an Ivory colored Detonator was an equivalent guitar but it wasn't and couldn't keep up with the Liberator!
M

Besides the 24 fret neck, what differences are there?

 

[GAD]

Besides the 24 fret neck, what differences are there?

24 frets
Set neck vs. bolt-on.
Ebony fretboard
Bound fretboard
Bound headstock
Mahogany vs. maple neck

 

[GAD]

24 frets
Set neck vs. bolt-on.
Ebony fretboard
Bound fretboard
Bound headstock
Mahogany vs. maple neck

The Liberator in one of the catalogs has three mini-toggles

 

[matsickma]

The Liberator is also lighter, very smooth playing and easy to handle. I would also say a little thinner. The neck and body flows together very effortlessly. The Liberator and Detonator had identical passive pickups, Mueller Trem, controls so sound wise similar but the Liberator was much easier to handle and play.
If you were a performer on stage where you were very animated while performing the Liberator would be much easier to handle.

M

 

[DThomasC]

Mohagany + ebony neck vs maple + rosewood likely makes a difference too.

 

[amnicon]

I see the Liberator up on Reverb, were there troubles you found?

 

[drc]

No, I bought an 80’s Kramer American Stagemaster Deluxe that I decided to keep instead. This is the same model I had my senior year in high school and kept thru my early 20’s. So the Liberator is out the door. I’d sell it here for $625 shipped CONUS