Can anyone ID this Bluesbird?

[LesB3]

Can't find another one like this... do you think it's a 90's model with changed pickups and rings? Or....?

Help!

 

[GAD]

I have a 2002 Goldtop made in Corona. Could be the same thing with swapped pickups/rings:

This guitar has one of the beefiest necks on any Guild I own. 1 3/4" wide and 0.92" deep at the nut.

 

[JohnW63]

Not a bad price, as long as it's not one of the newer off shore versions.

 

[GAD]

My guess is that's a Corona Bluesbird. The black rings could be Westerly because Bluesbirds from Westerly had black rings, but I don't recall a Weterly goldtop and the black ring Bluesbirds also had black knobs:

So far as I'm aware the NS Bluesbirds were not made in a goldtop, and they have more rounded horns:

The Aristocrats came in a goldtop, but they also have the rounded horn:

A Corona Bluesbird is a great US-made guitar and $999 is a great price. I'd expect the same guitar to easily be $1200-1500 on Reverb today. I don't think the pickups are original and I'd hope it came with the original case, but the original pickups in mine are off-the-shelf Seymour Duncans so that's not a big deal. The rings would be tough to replace if you wanted to bring it back to original condition, but if the pickups rock I'd likely leave it as-is.

 

[hansmoust]

Can't find another one like this... do you think it's a 90's model with changed pickups and rings? Or....?

Help!

Not a real clear photo, but I would say it's a late '90s Bluesbird with aftermarket pickups.

Ask for the serial number and you will have your answer!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[LesB3]

Looks like the serial number (CL00xxxx) corresponds to a Westerley-made guitar (at least according to that NL serial number lookup site).

Pickups were definitely replaced and looks like it has a modern case (not the original), but I put on layaway anyway... Will be a cool project!

 

[Bonneville88]

Not sure what year but photos below are of an NS solid-body Bluesbird with a gold top.
Purchased from an Oxnard employee.
There's an interesting push function (coil tap?) on the volume knobs
that alters the tone somewhat. Very nice guitar!

 

[GAD]

That looks great! Surprised they didn’t make more!

 

[Bonneville88]

Thanks GAD! Maybe they did but thus far this the only one I've seen.
Have to confess, I fell for the look and had to have it!

 

[GAD]

Thanks GAD! Maybe they did but thus far this the only one I've seen.
Have to confess, I fell for the look and had to have it!

Been there!

They're pretty uncommon which makes them even more fun!

 

[Bonneville88]

Not the first time smitten either
Apologies for the veer - special edition Squier gold top from early 2Ks.

 

[LesB3]

What sort of pickups are supposed to be in this thing? I can't pick it up until 11/27 so won't be able to take apart until then...

I've been under the assumption that they have been replaced but then saw this old post over at the LPF:

Guild Bluesbird appreciation

Just spent the morning jamming my old guild bluesbird. I hate to say it, but there's no competion between this guitar and my les paul standard or any gitar I own. The neck, the top, the feel, the tone all make this bluesbird flawless. Well in my opinion at least.. best few bucks I've ever spent.

www.mylespaul.com

The goldtop I bought has the same combo (no logo black neck, S-D logo zebra bridge) and I do see posts every now and then that says sometimes these left the factory with no covers...

Just asking because I was totally fine replacing the pickups in my (forthcoming) goldtop if they weren't original, but might think twice if that's what is supposed to be there.

 

[SFIV1967]

Well, Hans said late 90s and aftermarket pickups, but he also asked to get the serial number as he has records that might tell more about the guitar. If they might have looked anything close to original he would have already said so.

Ralf

 

[GAD]

My '97 has Duncan '59s.

Don't be too quick to replace the pickups before auditioning them. The could be incredible!

 

[mushroom]

What sort of pickups are supposed to be in this thing? I can't pick it up until 11/27 so won't be able to take apart until then...

I've been under the assumption that they have been replaced but then saw this old post over at the LPF:

Guild Bluesbird appreciation

Just spent the morning jamming my old guild bluesbird. I hate to say it, but there's no competion between this guitar and my les paul standard or any gitar I own. The neck, the top, the feel, the tone all make this bluesbird flawless. Well in my opinion at least.. best few bucks I've ever spent.

www.mylespaul.com

The goldtop I bought has the same combo (no logo black neck, S-D logo zebra bridge) and I do see posts every now and then that says sometimes these left the factory with no covers...

Just asking because I was totally fine replacing the pickups in my (forthcoming) goldtop if they weren't original, but might think twice if that's what is supposed to be there.

There’s a nice looking picture of a sparkle finish in the thread here too.

 

[LesB3]

Finally got her home and was able to pull the pickups. The black rings appear to be original to the guitar, but the pickups have been (very) recently replaced. Neck pickup was a Dimarzio Joe Satriani PAF, bridge was a Seymour Duncan SH-6B Zebra from January 2021.

The Joe PAF wasnt bad, but the SH-6B didnt work for me. I'm pulling them both out and have an idea for something cool, will post more when it is done...

 

[LesB3]

Well, it's back...
...and sounds amazing!

Much better pickups for that chambered body.

 

[Sam Powrie]

Finally got her home and was able to pull the pickups. The black rings appear to be original to the guitar, but the pickups have been (very) recently replaced. Neck pickup was a Dimarzio Joe Satriani PAF, bridge was a Seymour Duncan SH-6B Zebra from January 2021.

The Joe PAF wasnt bad, but the SH-6B didnt work for me. I'm pulling them both out and have an idea for something cool, will post more when it is done...

Dimarzio 'Virtual PAFs' work well!