76 CE100D

[Guest]

Hello,

As of late I have had my eye on a 76 CE-100D and I have a few questions to ask about it:

Are there any quality issues associated with Guild Hollowbodies from the 1970's?

and:

The particular guitar I am looking at is equipped with its original humbucking pickups. Can anyone describe the tonal characteristics of them?

In the end I will just have to go and play it to see whether I like it but I am still looking forward to hearing any replies from knowledgable members.

Thanks.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome. Can't address your questions but didn't want you to feel we were so busy discussing magazine articles that we didn't notice you were here. Someone with knowledge and wisdom will be along shortly. I'm just the (token) bass player. Would you like fries with that?

 

[dklsplace]

Welcome aboard twangmaster!

Guild never really went through an era of poor quality build issues like other manufacturers. Isolated incidents of course, particular lots of binding more prone to breaking down & crumbling, also understand there may have been an arachnid issue in the plant once upon a time.

Specifically regarding a '76 CE100 D; I've had the pleasure of playing one & it was a dream! Guild had been using their own HB-1 pickup, which is a medium output pup. I can't say definitively 'cause other pickups have been available from the factory. There are a few here that could probably answer that specifically.

 

[Walter Broes]

Those larger size Guild humbuckers are brighter than you'd expect if you're used to Gibson humbuckers, but otherwise, they are still a full-size humbucker, don't magically expect single coil twang either. (I notice you call yourself "twangmaster"...)

My experience with 70's Guilds is fairly limited, but from the ones I've played I wouldn't say Guild had a dip in quality. The guitars did change and evolve over the years though, and if anything, I think the older they are, the better they look usually.

What kind of tone are you after in a hollowbody?

 

[jp]

Although I have a fine '68 CE-100 with wonderful build quality, supposedly many quality control issues were addressed with Guild's move to the Westerly plant in the late 60s. According to Hans Moust's book, Jim Deurloo a Gibson production veteran from Kalamazoo, tightened up production methods and was responsible for establishing a tradition of solid consistency to the Guild line during the 70s. And although all my Guilds are Hobokens, any 70s Guild instruments that I've played have been rock solid with very nice fit and finish.

Welcome to LTG twangmaster!

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Welcome, Magic Twanger. Do you have Duane Eddy's album The Biggest Twang of All?

I think what Don means is that unlike Martin and Gibson, Guild never had a ten to fifteen year period in which it's quality fell off drastically. (A lot of people think that Martin and Gibson nosedived from about 1970 through about 1985.)

I think Son Seals and Buddy Guy got the best tone out of 70s Guild buckers.