Bluesbirds: Owners & Long Time Borrowers List

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Hi, I tried to upload a picture of my Bluesbird, BJ100132, but it said the file was too large. I got it in the mid-eighties at Manny's in New York, and had a lot of work done on it as soon as I got it. Paul Schwartz at Peekamoose Guitars, who was the one who told me to buy it, put in an EMG humbucker at the neck, and I had three position switches for each humbucker, and a two position switch for the single coil in the middle. The humbuckers have coil tap positions. There's an overdrive in the guitar, I don't know if that came with the guitar or if Paul put it in, and an additional filter which on the bridge humbucker. When the original humbucker wasn't able to have a coil tap, Paul put in a filter which mimicked a coil tap. Then the original pickup died, and the replacement was able to have a coil tap, but still had that filter, so with the two of them in line it gets a very edgy high tone sound. Also, the bridge pickup can be taken out of phase.
 

Gadsden

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New forum member.
Figured I would jump in here.
Hans and the gang here already confirmed for me that CL002580 puts production in November of 2000.
The Bluesbird already got the Schaller straplock mod and locking Grover Rotomatics are on the way.
Hans hooked me up with some black pickup rings.
All I need now is a set of black knobs.

The Starfire III and Blues 90 in my avatar pic are long gone, though I may still have the serial numbers somewhere.
Same for a killer DCE-3 I sold.

Currently I have the BB and a sweet D-37 from 1980.
 

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A correction to my previous message. I misread the serial number on my guitar. It is BJL00132.
 

Gadsden

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Found pics of some Guilds long gone from my collection.

Here's a Blues 90, serial CL002619

I recall it being a 2001 model.
Presumably one of the later ones in production.

Cool enough guitar, but the neck was too fat for me.
My favorite neck profile is the Gibson '60 slim taper, and the Blues 90 was competing for space and playing time with a dozen Gibsons, half a dozen Fenders, a Rickenbacker 381-V69 with a super skinny neck, a Yamaha SBG, a 1960s Kustom K-200, a few early American Peaveys, an absolutely stunning PRS Custom 24, a modded Korean Danelectro - not to mention a Starfire III and a DCE-3 acoustic.

The pickups seemed a little hot for my tastes as well.
Had the neck been more to my liking, I woulda thrown a set of Fralin P-90s in it and kept it.
Alas, 'twas not to be.

I understand that when Guild production left Westerly for the west coast, this is when the serial numbers on the Bluesbird series switched from CL to CM.
And Blues 90 production didn't make the trip at all, with P-90s simply becoming an option for a Bluesbird.

Is this correct?
 

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Gadsden

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Here's one I really do regret selling, even though I made a few bucks on it.
A really clean Starfire III.
I never really warmed up to it, and I felt the pickups were simply too hot.
It was far less accommodating than my ES-335 of any kind of volume.
Yes, I know, because it's HOLLOW.

I don't know if milder pickups would have changed anything, or if I simply didn't play it enough to unlock its potential.
I would like to have another one, just to see.

I suppose the Starfire III, IV, and V all followed the Bluesbird swap and changed their serial number prefix when production went to Corona, CA?
Serial number is unclear in any pics I have, but appears to be AG302190
Anyone decipher the factory and build date on that one for me?
I'm pretty certain it was a Westerly guitar from the sticker inside the body.
 

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SFIV1967

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Here's a Blues 90, serial CL002619. I recall it being a 2001 model.
Correct, she was from 2001.

I understand that when Guild production left Westerly for the west coast, this is when the serial numbers on the Bluesbird series switched from CL to CM.
Correct. Westerly until mid/end of 2001 = CL, Corona = CM.

I suppose the Starfire III, IV, and V all followed the Bluesbird swap and changed their serial number prefix when production went to Corona, CA?
Serial number...appears to be AG302190. Anyone decipher the factory and build date on that one for me?
Yes, prefixes changed in Corona as well. Your previous SF III serial number was build in Westerly in year 2000.

Ralf
 
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Gadsden

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... prefixes changed in Corona as well.
Ralf,
Do you happen to know the various serial number prefixes for the Starfire series of guitars?
That would be a handy piece of information to have as I am browsing the WWW for a Starfire III, IV, V, or VI.

For instance, the Starfire III changed from AG to what?
I definitely lean toward Westerly guitars, with the exception of the Blues 90.
 

fronobulax

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Gadsden

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Still mine after all these years. 73 solid body M-75 GS. Note - I swapped the original HB-1s out for Lollar Imperials, which ended up being just right for my uses. Simply my most beloved guitar all time.

Treem will remember that he got a gorgeous 66 Starfire in exchange for it back in 2011. It was a lot to give up, but it gave me a guitar for life!
 

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I just got a new Ice Tea Bluesbird 6 months ago. I don't have a pic right now, but you all know what they look like. Love it!! It doesn't have the vibe that an old one from the 60's or 70's must have, but for a Korean built one, i couldn't ask for better.
 

krysh

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I just got a new Ice Tea Bluesbird 6 months ago. I don't have a pic right now, but you all know what they look like. Love it!! It doesn't have the vibe that an old one from the 60's or 70's must have, but for a Korean built one, i couldn't ask for better.
Congrats and welcome!
 
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Ok all...I have seen so many nice looking Bluesbirds on LTG that I figured we needed to have a list and thread dedicated to these beautiful creatures....
DK (aka lostdog) and I came up with an idea to start a thread that would run much like the S-100 owners thread. I have started to build a spreadsheet to keep the data and will periodically post the updates. There are no real rules or requirements, but I would ask that you help me by posting a pic and giving me the most information you have.... even share a story if you have one about your bird. What I need to fill out the spreadsheet is the year, model and color. Please do your best to use the Guild colors and models. If you aren't sure, then we (collectively LTG) will try to help you figure it all out. I have seen some of the sweetest finishes on these guitars.... some of the tobacco bursts rival guitars priced 10X what most of us paid for our Bluesbirds. There are quilted tops, gold metallic, cherry sunburst, natural.... a few transparents...and more. We will not discriminate based upon state of origin/production, color, naming convention, age, actual ownership status ....we won't ask you the last time you changed your strings or if you have the OHSC! Don't have the original TRC? Missing a few knobs? Someone slapped on a replacement bridge? Don't worry... not only will we not criticize ... we might actually find people who can help you with your problem.
I don't have all the exact data for production years and models, so if someone has that data please send me a note so I can fill out the spreadsheet accordingly. Otherwise I will just add to it as we go along. So start posting and I will try to keep up.

Anyway this will be a fun way for us to keep track of all these great guitars. So leading by example I will start with my two birds:
1. 2000 Bluesbird AAA, Cherry Sunburst
2. 1999 Bluesbird STD, Black
Rock On!
D
2000bb1.jpg
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blkbb7.jpg
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Here’s mine.
Late 90’s Westerly
 

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New member, so I wanted to post a photo of my 98 'bird. I absolutely love it. I had an opportunity to buy a late 90s 'bird in 2004 but opted to buy a 2000 Gibson Les Paul R7 Gold top instead and while its a great guitar, I always kicked myself for not getting it. Last month, I saw this on reverb and snagged it immediately. Its my favorite by far of my collection. It plays like a dream. I love the Duncan 59 and JB pickups and man, its simply gorgeous. I've read on here about people complaining about the poly finish but it doesn't bother me at all. I'm looking forward to getting a Nightbird, hopefully. Anyway, great forum.
 

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