Blue-burst D-4?

[stormin1155]

A customer brought in this Guild D-4 into my shop to have me check out a couple of cracks on the top. He doesn't know much about it...ran across it for a good price and bought it. I've never seen one painted like this, and at first glance thought it wasn't the factory finish. It looks a bit amaturish. But the Model number D4 BLB HP is unusual. BLB = blue? So could this be a one-off or limited run? Serial number suggests it is a '95 or '96. And what does the HP mean?

The reason I say the paint job looks amaturish, is that it is very thin, not high gloss... almost looks like someone took a couple of rattle cans to it, and the sides if the binding are painted over.

Anyone able to shed more light on it?

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome. I've never seen anything quite like that but that doesn't mean much. But someone who knows what they are talking about should be along soon.

 

[wileypickett]

The "BLB" on the label is what makes this interesting. There's a gray burst D4 on Reverb that used to belong to fingerstyle guitarist Dale Miller. I assumed it was a repainted job, but maybe not.

 

[walrus]

And can that pickguard be original??

walrus

 

[txbumper57]

The color on the side of the guitar is very similar to the Light Blue Metallic used on the Barry Gibb Signature Songbird from around the same time period. Don't know if it is factory but I like it!

TX

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG stormin1155! You are at the right place. Hans Moust can solve the riddle for sure.
The label looks totally correct, nothing wrong with it. I'd say, BLB stand for Blue Burst.
But HP? Never seen before, at least what I can remember. (HG for instance would have been High Gloss, but HP ? ) - we need Hans second book !!!

I see, the binding looks odd with the paint over it at the sides, but who knows.

The serial number would be a 1995 according to the sometimes wrong list, again Hans would know the correct year. Wait until he sees this, he will let us know.

There's a gray burst D4 on Reverb that used to belong to fingerstyle guitarist Dale Miller.

That's another interesting example!
Label reads "D4-BKB BP", so "Black Burst" and "BP ? Also a 1995 one.

https://reverb.com/item/2397581-1990s-guild-d-4-grey-sunburst-with-rmc-and-seymour-duncan-pickups

Ralf

 

[GardMan]

I'd say, BLB stand for Blue Burst... But HP? Never seen before, at least what I can remember. (HG for instance would have been High Gloss, but HP ? ) - we need Hans second book !!!

I see, the binding looks odd with the paint over it at the sides, but who knows.

I wondered whether the HP was a poorly written HR for "hand rubbed." That would fit with the thin, non-gloss finish? The binding is dark... so it might have been painted over on the sides (thinking that dark binding didn't match well with the light blue sides). I actually think we have seen one of these before... some years back.

That's another interesting example!
Label reads "D4-BKB BP", so "Black Burst" and "BP ? Also a 1995 one.

https://reverb.com/item/2397581-1990s-guild-d-4-grey-sunburst-with-rmc-and-seymour-duncan-pickups

Ralf

Could the BP refer to the pick guard? "Black pearl?"

Hans?

 

[Jim]

I saw that guitar for sale online a few years ago. Think it was on eBay, but not sure. Same blue burst, same pick guard. Was a good price, too, so that makes sense with the story.

Looks rather cool!

Jim

 

[Qvart]

 

[davismanLV]

I'm with Qvart! I wonder what all those letters mean?? The labels are written really clearly. Hmmmm.......

 

[killdeer43]

I, too, will be interested to see what Hans makes of this one.
In the meantime, WELCOME TO LTG, Stormin!
Stick around and enjoy the fun and frolic of this forum. :eagerness:

Joe

 

[stormin1155]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! And thanks for the feedback. So, it would seem likely that it came that way from the factory, most likely a '95, still not clear on what the HP means....

That's what I love about my job... not only do I get to meet other guitar players.....and get to play their guitars, but I frequently run across these gems and oddities like this one!

 

[davismanLV]

Oh, sorry, Stormin! I see a first post, welcome to LTG. My manners failed me. Can't wait to find out more on these guitars. :encouragement:

 

[SFIV1967]

Could the BP refer to the pick guard? "Black pearl?"

I'd say you solved the riddle!

BKB BP = Black Burst Black Pearl makes perfect sense.

The story regarding the former owner of the "D4-BKB BP" is here: http://www.dalemiller.com/guitars.html

So in the Blue Burst "BLB AP" the "AP" probably also refers to the kind of the pickguard. Something "A" Pearl.

Ralf

 

[stormin1155]

Thanks for the warm welcome and all the good feedback. So it appears that it is a factory finish and it was made in '95, but we still don't know what HP means.

This is what I love about my job.... not only do I get to meet other guitar players and play their guitars, but I frequently run across gems and oddities like this one.

 

[walrus]

And can that pickguard be original??

walrus

And so I will answer my own question, in preparation of Hans commenting: "Yes."

walrus

 

[adorshki]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! And thanks for the feedback. So, it would seem likely that it came that way from the factory, most likely a '95, still not clear on what the HP means....

Welcome aboard, Stormin'!
Can't see the label clearly enough to see if maybe that "H" is actually a sloppy "A".
I'm wondering if it could actually mean "Hand Painted" even though I like the idea that it means something about the pickguard the best.
But like others mention, what could the "H" mean on something I'd expect to see as "A"-balone" (if the "H" is actually an "A") or "P"-earl ?.
So maybe it was the abbreviation they came up with to identify it as "legit" even though it wasn't an "NT HR" ?
When D4's were introduced they were all Natural Hand-Rubbed.
I'm guessing that's one of the first ones to get such a treatment and maybe that's why the highly unusual finish suffix, it didn't fit any of the conventional forms for it.
The "HG" version wasn't announced until the winter '96-spring '97 catalog.

 

[hideglue]

I recall these coming through Final Assembly during mid-'90s (possibly still during the Faas Corp. days), and immediately thought of the Dallas Cowboys (the blue looks far better on the X-160) The rod cover & p/g are original. And if memory hasn't failed completely-- they were a cheap, quick run for a national music chain.

 

[ClaytonS15]

I found a grey-burst one on Reverb with a similarly interesting pickguard.

https://reverb.com/item/2397581-1990s-guild-d-4-grey-sunburst-with-rmc-and-seymour-duncan-pickups

 

[chazmo]

Shame about the humidity cracks in the wood. It really shows up on this finish.

Kind of a neat guitar. Agreed with everyone that this is probably all original, and as I suspected (confirmed by hideglue) this was done for a distributor.