'59 T-100D-Joined the "Electric Club"

[chetmz]

After buying a DV52 last year, I picked-up a '59 Sunburst T-100D from craigslist last week. I had been looking for either a SF II or a T-100 but wasn't necessarily looking for one with Franz pick-ups. However, I can now see what you guys have been raving about. I'm still exploring what they can do and will change to flatwounds,but through my old '65 Deluxe I get anything from a nice jazz tone to a funky twang!!

A couple of comments/quetsions;

-There is definately a feedback and hum issue with the pick-ups. From what I have read here, some of you have either rewired and/or or potted the pickups. There are a number of very good technicians and lutheriers around here and I think I'll look to them for help on this. Howver, I am a bit nervous about doing something wrong to the pick-ups

-The binding has pulled away on a small section at the 'waist'. I assume this is reasonably easy for someone to repair.

-The neck is surprisingly thin. As I look for other Guilds are the necks on later electrics a bit wider? In particular, I'd like to find a CE-100 and am wondering about neck width.

-Athough, Billydlight may own most of the instruments in existiance, what can you reasonably expect to pay for a really good condition CE-100 with Franz pick-ups.

As always, thanks for your feedback.

 

[jp]

Hey Chet,

Welcome to the club! There are quite a few of us with this model from '58-60. Some comments. . .

-- There are a few threads with detailed how-tos about potting. Here's a good one.

http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/vie ... ht=potting

Also some good advice from Mr. Outta Sight Billy Delight on reducing hum in Franz pickups through a little magnet-fu.

http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/vie ... ht=potting

-- Regarding the common shrinking binding issue, depending on how much has occurred, it may be able to be fixed by a good restoration luthier. It's common to carefully heat the binding until it becomes pliable and can be stretched back into shape. Otherwise, it's cut and the section is replaced. Color-matching is tricky, especially with aged yellow binding. If you are willing to pay for true quality work, my years in Ohio gave me experience with two of the best. Dan squared. . .

Dan Shinn
http://www.laysguitar.com/

Dan Erlewine (of Stew Mac and Guitar Player fame)
http://www.danerlewine.com/
rderlewine@frognet.net

-- As for neck preferences, I'm guessing that when you say yours is thin, you're referring to width, since you compare to widths on Guild electrics? I can't tell you much about width of necks or fretboards. All I can say about Guild archtop neck thickness is that from '58 to maybe '63, they were a slightly slimmer than a chunky Gibson 50s neck. After that as was the trend, they became slimmer throughout the 60s and early 70s, as was the case with many makers. I think I read on this forum that the Westerly Starfires have a little more meat on them. My '68 CE-100 feels perfect to me and many who have tried it react the same way. Maybe you're used to wider, thicker necks?

 

[chetmz]

Thanks for the comments JP

By thin I was in fact referring to the width of the neck. Having only recently gotten back into guitar after having been playing only bass for 30+ years, a lot of guitar necks seem thin.

However, over the last couple of months I've played an old X150 and a mid 80's Starfire that I recall feeling wider than the T-100.

 

[caveman]

I recently got me a 59 T100D too ! Mine needed a refret and correct tuners, but is now set up great. Pickups didn't need waxing. Some buckle rash and shrinkage of the bindings too, but all in all a VERY NICE guitar. I love the neck, a bit less shallow than most guitars I own and not so wide. I'm not too particular about these things. Paid the shop 1200 USD, another 300 import taxes, and another 200 to get it set up with new frets and all. Not cheap, but very much worth it for me, I have yet to encounter a new guitar with this kind of vibe. Use it for rockabilly and country stuff, and have 10-52 roundwounds on them.
What am I talking here ? I should be playing that thing ! Catch you guys later...

 

[jp]

When I first bought mine, I was kind of astounded at the condition. It looked untouched. The binding had shrunken with time. I made some choices to make it more of a player, so I had the binding fixed, and a refret.

At first I didn't like the action at all, and then I realized it was because the frets were so low. My luthier said that thin, low frets were common with many 50s guitars, and this type of action was trendy for a period in the 50s, just like fat jumbo frets in the 80s and scalloped necks (thanks Yngwie).

Has anyone ever heard of this?

He was almost dead sure that the frets were original and hadn't been filed down. So I refretted with the same fretwire, only higher. A notch down on the collectibility scale, but it now plays like butter. I played mine with roundwound 11s for a period, and now I'm trying out some flatwound 11s.