Guild Nightbird

Ilmung

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
38
Guild Total
0
I have the opportunity to buy a Guild Nightbird 1985 in very good condition , price +- 1800$
The only thing which hold be back is that the pickups are Kent Armstrong .......I read that the HB1 pickups are the best ?
I play mostly blues and i can not find some good sound tracks with the Kent Armstrong pickups on internet ......
What 's your opinion about the Kent Armstrong pickups in relation with playing the blues ?
I can buy the Guild for a correct price so I could also look to buy some vintage HB1 and put them in the guitar.
 

Attachments

  • $_86 (1).jpg
    $_86 (1).jpg
    65.5 KB · Views: 208
  • $_86 (3).jpg
    $_86 (3).jpg
    86.6 KB · Views: 170
  • $_86 (4).jpg
    $_86 (4).jpg
    100.8 KB · Views: 178
  • $_86.jpg
    $_86.jpg
    71.3 KB · Views: 174
Last edited:

F30

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
1,452
Reaction score
905
Location
East of Nashville
My buddie has Kent Armstrong pickups in a couple of his guitars and just loves them. That is a sweet looking Nightbird.
And I bet with a good finish cleaning, polish, and fret dress would be a fabulous axe. Love the headstock on those.
And the trussrod cover is on the right way....:giggle:
 

Ilmung

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
38
Guild Total
0
Ok , thanks for the info !
 

GGJaguar

Reverential Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
21,309
Reaction score
31,396
Location
Skylands
Guild Total
49
Welcome to LTG!! I liked the sound of every guitar and bass I've played with Kent Armstrong pickups (I play power pop, Brit beat and classic rock). But like GAD said, "best" is subjective and only you can decide if their sound is right for you. At the very least, I think the KA's in the Nightbird would be a very good starting point.
 

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
Welcome to LTG! At that time (here the October 1985 pricelist) the Nightbird in the pricelist was only offered with Kent Armstrongs or EMGs:

1606397076974.png


Ralf
 
Last edited:

Rocky

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Messages
2,369
Reaction score
1,975
Guild Total
1
Oh that's an early one. Original bridge and black hardware, big rectangular case.
 

29er

Junior Member
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
84
Reaction score
55
Letting my Nightbird go in the late 80's was the single dumbest guitar related trade I have done. Mine had the EMG's and gold hardware. I'd jump on if I were you, but if for some reason you decide not to buy that beauty please have the seller contact me :)
 

Ilmung

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
38
Guild Total
0
Hope she is not only a beauty , but also a good blues guitar ....,I will
know this next Thursday !:)
 

ruedi

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
2,054
Reaction score
2,460
Location
Switzerland
Guild Total
1
Hello Ilmung, welcome! Congrats on your purchase, looking forward to your NGD. I love the inlays and the black hardware, it looks really cool - and I'm sure it plays great.
I own a Nightbird X-2000, the latest edition of these wonderfull guitars. Mine is equipped with HB-1's and I'm very happy with it.
Switching pickups is not a big deal (besides that the original HB-1's are quite pricey), so you can still go down that road if you want to.

If you're interested in the Nightbird Family, this overwiev here by GAD is highly recommended.
 

Ilmung

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
38
Guild Total
0
Hi Ruedi , thanks for your answer , I let you know my experience with the Guild Nightbird with KA pickups .
 

Ilmung

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
38
Guild Total
0
I have seen that there are new HB1 pickups available , I understand that the dimensions are very simular .
But has anyone experience how they sound versus the vintage HB1 ?
 
Last edited:

GGJaguar

Reverential Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
21,309
Reaction score
31,396
Location
Skylands
Guild Total
49
GAD has sound clips of the reissue HB-1s.

 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,636
Location
New York
just stick w the Kent Armstrongs, those pickups sound fantastic, and are passive. u are all set i wouldn't mess with it. congrats on that score!
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Hope she is not only a beauty , but also a good blues guitar ....,I will
know this next Thursday !:)
HI, Welcome aboard Ilmung! I'm not well-versed in electrics, but seem to recall a pic of Buddy Guy playing a NIghtbird if it's any help.

Whoops, not a Nightbird but a Nightingale, same body family but with f-holes, pics in this thread:

Looks to be EMG's in that one, too, but I'm with the folks who advise trying the Kent Armstrongs on yours. If you don't like 'em you'll get plenty of tips on swapping 'em out, but at least keep 'em so the guitar can be made original again if/when desired.. :)
 

Prince of Darkness

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
3,384
Reaction score
9,038
Location
Boddam, North East Scotland.
Guild Total
2
The Armstrong family have quite a history. First the late, great Dan Armstrong, then his son Kent, with Kent's son, Aaron having taken over the UK pickup company (now known as Armstrong pickups) after Kent moved back to The States :cool:
 
Top