71-72 M75

[parsox]

Hi All

It's me again. After getting the S100, I got guild fever and had to treat the symptoms with the following.

I purchased it of off the bay and paid way too much...as I got caught up in the moment.
I have a standard LP and the blues bird seemed like a great guitar from various reviews.

I have been told that this guitar has been heavily modified. So any info you may have would be greatly appreciated...as I cannot find any picks that show a bluesbird with a knob located on the horn (right top of face...nor with 3 backplates to cover the electronics on the back)...I am assuming a master volume knob goes here but am not sure?

It is my understanding that the hole for the middle HB1 is likely a modification...any thoughts on this? Maybe the bridge pickup is now in the neck position and the neck pickup is in the middle position (guess due to thickness of bezels surrounding pickups)

What do you think was located on the left side front face of the guitar? A switch to control the pickups?

Anyhow here are a few more pics

I plan to "fix" up the guitar, add a 3rd HB1 and make it similar to a LP black beauty, then add it to the collection and play it.
Any leads on an HB1, Pickguard (which will likely have to be modified to fit around the middle pickup), bezel, tone knob, master volume knob/electronic, where to get backplates, is much appreciated

In regards to the pickups...what bezel should be used for the middle pickup (the thicker bridge type of the thinner neck type?) as it appears that the bridge and neck bezel are in the wrong spot

Thanks for taking the time to read

parsox

 

[fronobulax]

I'll let someone who knows what they are talking about to chime in, but off the top of my head I'd say that someone moved the original bridge PU towards the neck and then mounted something special in the bridge position. That new PU required lots of mods including drilling a hole on the treble side horn unless that was for an original Master Volume that I have forgotten about. The bass side was originally the PU toggle. The added PU was so special that someone ripped it out.

 

[SFIV1967]

Hi parsox,
well, that guitar is indeed interesting.

So what's original on your M-75:
- The Grover Rotamatics,
- the TRC (truss rod cover), and it is even correctly mounted!
- the two HB-1 with the black mounting rings
- the tailpiece
- the Mueller AdjustoMatic roller style bridge (which I assume you got)

What was added (at the factory as Hans explains later):
- The knob on the horn including the chamber behind it and the new round backplate with the 3 screws.
- the "Thunderbird" switches/switchplate (which is missing)
- the middle humbucker

What is missing:
- one tone pot
- the extra knob on the treble horn side
- one bridge position HB-1
- the Thunderbird switch plate with the 3 switches
- the two original backplates plus the added 3 screw round backplate.

I don't know if the case is an original Guild case, I have not seen that style before.

I can't really help with the changes you plan to do, Hans has some parts, I don't know where you are located, Hans is in the Netherlands, but you can check with him on his webpage. But mind that those parts are very rare and hence not wholesale pricing.
There is another webpage which lists e-bay auctions of Guild parts.
The HB-1s for instance are not exactly cheap either...
Ken Nash in CT also sells plenty of Guild parts. You need to scroll down the window there to see the Guild parts. Otherwise parts come on e-bay frequently.
Good luck in the restoration to a playable guitar!
Ralf

 

[parsox]

Thanks for the responses

Regarding the hole on the treble side near the horn I am wondering if this is original as it has that silver bump thing or indicator (see purple circle) that indicates to the player what number the knob would be turned to....the same kind of indicators are near the volume and tone knobs.....are these "bump indicators" often added aftermarket.....I don't know if someone would go through the trouble to add one aftermarket?

parsox

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Here are some photos of my '73 M-75CS for comparison;

Note the plastic TRC;

The master volume is the small knob above the "standard" knobs. Your mystery knob must have been added after the pickguard was removed;

Also note the orientation of the pick-up magnet screws. Since the two pick-up height adjusting screws are both on the same side, and the magnet screws are on the same side, it would appear that you have two "neck" pick-ups.

 

[parsox]

Thanks GOG

In the last pic you posted, you see the metal indicators next to the knobs.
The horn on the M75 I posted has one of those(circled in purple above).....how likely is it someone would install one of those aftermarket (are they easy to install?)....it looks the same as those installed by the tune/volume knobs

so i am left to wonder if this is truly a modification of a factory implemented hole :?:

this pic shows the backside of where the mystery knob was...

Parsox

 

[AcornHouse]

There's an unmodded M75 up on the bay now that you can also use to compare. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUILD-M-75-BLACK-BEAUTY-WOHSC-/270932395405?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f14d4458d

Good luck! I saw yours up for auction, but the abuse just made my sad , and angry. :x glad you're trying to bring it back to life.

 

[parsox]

"Also note the orientation of the pick-up magnet screws. Since the two pick-up height adjusting screws are both on the same side, and the magnet screws are on the same side, it would appear that you have two "neck" pick-ups."


Besides orientation, how would one differentiate a neck pickup from a bridge HB1?

I am thinking the bridge pickup is now at the neck position due to the thicker bezel around it?

If neck and bridge pickups are actually different, what would you suggest for the middle pickup assuming a place the current HB1s in the pic, back into the neck and bridge position?

 

[SFIV1967]

I am thinking the bridge pickup is now at the neck position due to the thicker bezel around it?

No. You are right that the thicker ring is the bridge position mounting ring and the thinner one the neck position one. So that is wrongly mounted as well. But the pickup you have at the neck position is a neck pickup. See below. So as Kurt said, both pickups you have are neck pickups and you are missing a bridge pickup.

"Besides orientation, how would one differentiate a neck pickup from a bridge HB1?

What Kurt said above: "Since the two pick-up height adjusting screws are both on the same side, and the magnet screws are on the same side, it would appear that you have two "neck" pick-ups."

Look at the links I had sent you in my first reply.
This is a HB-1 bridge pickup:

And this is a HB-1 neck pickup:

Both pictures are from different years of HB-1s here, but the important thing is where the polepieces are relative to the 1 or two hight adjustment screw holes on the sides. Also there might be a difference in spacing between the pole pieces. Spacing for the polepieces is wider on the bridge pickup usually. Just measure the distance between the high and low E pole pieces.
Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

My post deleted, since Hans clarified later on.
Ralf

 

[parsox]

thanks Ralf

That information helps a lot

Know I am tracking in regards to the hb1 pickups. I pulled them and you are correct two neck pickups. I thought maybe the current neck pickup was a bridge pickup turned upside down


I guess the hunt for abridge pickup begins


Thanks again

Parsox

 

[parsox]

There's an unmodded M75 up on the bay now that you can also use to compare. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUILD-M-75-BLACK-BEAUTY-WOHSC-/270932395405?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f14d4458d

Good luck! I saw yours up for auction, but the abuse just made my sad , and angry. :x glad you're trying to bring it back to life.

Thanks for the tip

I contacted the seller and he states he is willing to send me a trace of the pickguard on that model.

Any leads on who can do a custom pickguard?

 

[hansmoust]

Hello parsox and other folks,

Sorry for being late to the party. Didn't notice this thread but at this point it seems that you're on the wrong track.
However, it's almost midnight over here and I've been very busy today, so I want to go to bed.
Tomorrow I will try to come back with some information.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[matsickma]

This guitar looks like a custom or prototype model similar to one Hans posted a few years ago. I can't remember where the post is or the color but I do remember Guild used a Thunderbird 3 switch control plate to select the pickups in lieu of a standard 2 pickup toggle switch.

Looking forward to the info Hans posts tomorrow.

M

 

[parsox]

thanks Hans

Will await your return

 

[blakeley311]

Holy cliff hanger, Batman!

 

[parsox]

This guitar looks like a custom or prototype model similar to one Hans posted a few years ago. I can't remember where the post is or the color but I do remember Guild used a Thunderbird 3 switch control plate to select the pickups in lieu of a standard 2 pickup toggle switch.

Looking forward to the info Hans posts tomorrow.

M

I wonder if u are on to something matsickma.... It does look like a thunderbird type 3 switch control plate cout have been on the upper right of the face of the guitar... Not sure the dimensions of such a switch plate but it looks oval in shape similar to the outline on the guitar in that area

 

[SFIV1967]

:shock: Now it gets interesting! Looking forward to what Hans will tell us. Exciting!
Now after matsickma mentioned that previous post, here it is indeed:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18109

Ralf

 

[parsox]

Merged with previous response

 

[AcornHouse]

C'mon, Hans! Curiosity is killing this cat. What's the real story? :wink: