Bluesbirds: Owners & Long Time Borrowers List

[mushroom]

Seankerns. Whoa!!!

 

[barrycreed]

Anyone playing the reissue Bluesbird models? I have a humbucker hole in my collection of 2 electric guitars so looking at either a Polara reissue or a Bluesbird reissue. Just a no nonsense HH guitar and something a bit different to a Gibson.
Body looks a bit bigger than a Les Paul, but thery are chambered right?

 

[GGJaguar]

The reissue BB is about a 1/2" wider than an LP, but the LP is 1/2" deeper. The BB is a solid body. If you want chambered, look at the Aristocrat HH model.

 

[barrycreed]

I have an Epiphone Casino, so not sure if a chambered model, e.g. the Aristocrat would also have feedback issues?

 

[krysh]

I have an Epiphone Casino, so not sure if a chambered model, e.g. the Aristocrat would also have feedback issues?

The Aristocrat M-75 is hollow, the Aristocrat HH and P-90 are chambered and the later have no feedback issues like a solid body. I can‘t speak for the NS M-75 but my 1971 M-75 is very similar to a semi hollow with feedback reaction

 

[barrycreed]

I think it would be the Bluesbird then I should look at.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

The reissue BB is about a 1/2" wider than an LP, but the LP is 1/2" deeper. The BB is a solid body. If you want chambered, look at the Aristocrat HH model.

According to the Guild website, the BB is chambered, but I think this is for weight reasons, rather than sonic characteristics

 

[barrycreed]

Anything that reduces weight is good for me!

 

[LQNgineer]

Mine is a ‘97 Bluesbird and American made. I added the Bigsby a couple of years ago. I bought it used and I do not believe the pickguard is original. The pick guard did not come attacked to the instrument. Lacking the mounting hardware, and because I play fingerstyle, I mounted it directly to the “Bird’s” top,making it flush with the top and more comfortable for my playing style. From what I was able to find out, mine was the 450th made in May of ‘97, not that it matters to me. Great tone and a beautiful instrument.

 

[mushroom]

Nice. These are great guitars and especially cool in black.

 

[GGJaguar]

Looks good with the Bigs!

 

[LQNgineer]

Nice. These are great guitars and especially cool in black.

I agree. I just bought a new Fender (sorry to mention a competitor) Ultra Luxe HSS Floyd Rose Strat in Mystic Black (to keep up my black image). It is going to take me time to get use to the feel of the compound radius neck and smaller radius fretboard (I believe my Guild has a 12 inch radius neck). My Bluesbird will be with me for the rest of my life especially because it is American Made as is this model of Fender. The Guild fits my body perfectly.
I bought the Guild used about 15 to twenty years ago. I’ve been playing finger-style and the Guild is much easier to play. However, I went into a slump and didn’t touch my instruments (I also have a limited edition Martin OMC-28 from the 1990 Guitar of the Month Collection) and a Taylor 915 I’m a bit disappointed in it (it is lacking in its projection and sounds a bit flat). I haven’t seen to many for sale and Undecided as to whether or not to part with it. I received it in a barter from Ben Harper’s Grandfather’s Music Store in Claremont California. I’m a retired Structural Engineering consultant and did some work on the building Ben and his mother run since his grandfather passed a some years ago.
I bought the Guild from a neighbor who owns the same model in Cherry Red. He claims it was the first model made in ‘97. Mine is number 450 made in May of ‘97. I’m very attached to my Guild. It has a different personality than the fender that may in part (besides the humbickers on the Guild) but may also be influenced by the hollow chamber in the top and bottom. These Bluesbirds have a solid block through the center of the guitar and a hollow chamber I assume, is in the upper and bottom third of the guitar. I think this adds to the resonance. It is a Westerly RI model and besides the Bigsby I do my own setups on my electrics but leave my acoustics to a luthier in Santa Monica California. I’m in the desert now and need to locate a luthier closer to home who can repair a crack in the Spruce top of my Martin behind the bridge.

 

[LQNgineer]

According to the Guild website, the BB is chambered, but I think this is for weight reasons, rather than sonic characteristics

I think the BB is chambered at the top and bottom third that can be seen when removing the electronics cover on the back. It has a solid core that I believe is the neck that runs through the body. It runs down the center third of the instrument. It’s isn’t routed for the volume and tone controls like other solid bodies. This is why Ithink the top and bottom thirds are hollow.

 

[LQNgineer]

According to the Guild website, the BB is chambered, but I think this is for weight reasons, rather than sonic characteristics

I agree with you. The block through the center appears to be part of the neck that runs through the center third. You can see this when removing the rear plate for the Volume and Tone controls. The block down the center is as deep as the neck and is very clean without an router cuts caused by the router blades.

 

[mushroom]

Mine is number 450 made in May of ‘97.

Cool

My one is 401 and also black.

A question for you, do you know how wide the fret board is at the nut? Does the board feel wide to you?

 

[Hobbesickles]

I also have a black '97 but the serial number is impossible to read for some reason. I know it starts with a CL00 after that I can't pick it up. It has black plastics which places it early. Anyways, here is a pic of what the chambering looks like in these Bluesbirds. This pic is from the 2002 Fender Frontline catalog so the Westerly made Bluesbirds may differ slightly internally.

 

[12manyaxes]

2014, 1970 & 2002

 

[Hobbesickles]

2014, 1970 & 2002

What are the details on that 2002 Bluesbird 90? Do you know if it is Amber or Natural finished? Do you mind sharing the serial number?

 

[12manyaxes]

What are the details on that 2002 Bluesbird 90? Do you know if it is Amber or Natural finished? Do you mind sharing the serial number?

Natural

 

[Hobbesickles]

1997 Guild Bluesbird - Serial Number CL000XXX (might be CL000714):