Guild S100 Carved Stereo 1973

[dalko]

Thanks Dalko for bringing this to my attention! I spoke to the seller yesterday and he seems very trustworthy. He also sent me a video demo which would definitely suggest the toggle switch on this guitar is a phase switch.

So, it's a PHASE switch.

But, how to change from Mono to Stereo configuration? When you use both pickups in the same time, of course?

Or you will be ALWAYS in the STEREO configuration? Without the possibility to use the mono configuration?

Then you will ALWAYS need TWO amps if you would like to use both pickups ...

Actually, if i have only one amp, i use my MONO configuration, and can use BOTH pickups.

With only ONE AMP, if i try to use ma STEREO configuration, i lose 95% of my bridge pickup power ...

To use my STEREO configuration, i need TWO amps ... One amp for one pickup ...

So, if you will be always in the STEREO configuration, you will need to see with the seller how it works with only ONE amp ...

Let us know please.

 

[DThomasC]

There are lot's of options:

With no modification to the guitar:

- make a short adapter with a stereo plug on one end and a mono jack on the other
- modify an existing cord by putting a stereo plug on one end. (Could be used only with this guitar.)

Reversible mods to the guitar:

- rewire the jack in the guitar to be mono only
- rewire the phase switch to be mono/stereo
- replace the phase switch with a 3-way toggle: stereo, mono, mono reversed phase

Non-reversible mod to the guitar:

- add a mono/stereo switch.

I'm sure there are other solutions!

 

[fronobulax]

If, indeed it is wired for stereo output only with no switch then the easiest thing to do is get a stereo Y cable. You can get one and change from $10 in the US. You then have an output from each pickup and you can use a mono Y cable to put them into the same amp or use a two input amp or a two channel amp....

 

[Timeline88]

Thanks everyone. I picked it up this morning and can confirm it's wired stereo with phase switch as expected. I've only got one amp (sold my other a few months back which with hindsight...) but I've been able to run it direct into my DAW and listen to both pickups. They sound gorgeous, so just looking forward to getting it through an amp. I'll probably go the route of using a Mono Y cable or building a small adapter to sit in front of my pedal board rather than touch the guitar.

Can anyone tell me when the S100 NB first went into production? The serial number would seem to put this squarely in 1973 - was that the first year?

 

[dalko]

Nice guitar!

 

[chazmo]

Man, that's really nice, timeline! Fantastic. I'm sure it won't take long to learn all the ins and outs of your stereo pickup system.

 

[SFIV1967]

Can anyone tell me when the S100 NB first went into production? The serial number would seem to put this squarely in 1973 - was that the first year?

Yes, this is a 1973 one but the S-100 model came already out in 1970. Hans wrote in his book the carved version however came out in 1974 but as your guitar is from 1973 that seems to be the first year for the carved version at least. If not I am sure Hans will comment here.
Ralf

 

[Timeline88]

Thanks everyone! I lost an entire evening to playing it as you might expect and one of the perks of lockdown is that I can pick it up while working from home.

Ralf, thanks, I thought I'd read 1974 somewhere too which is why I was confused about this one. Hopefully, Hans can weigh in but I see he's quite in demand around here!

 

[SFIV1967]

By the way, one thing I noticed is that the guitar has way too many ground connections, you have ground loops in there! There should be no loop.

Fralin pickups has a good description of the issue: https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/11/12/understanding-guitar-grounding/

GUITAR GROUNDING MYTHS:

There are a few Guitar Grounding Myths that we want to dispel:

MORE IS BETTER:

Definitely not. Proper grounding means it only needs to connect correctly to the ground once. Grounding items multiple times creates a few problems. For one, using wire to ground a series of pots in a circle creates a one-turn coil. If you’ve checked out our article on humbuckers, then you know that EMI usually enters the coil, not through the magnetic field. Creating a loop of ground connections will introduce noise into your signal.


Take a look at the following images. You’ll see an incorrect and proper way to ground.

This is the incorrect way to ground. Adding an additional ground wire completes a Ground Loop, introducing noise.

This is the correct way to ground. Keeping a “Horseshoe” shape, each pot is grounded once.:

Ralf

 

[Nuuska]

Easy way to think about grounding - a big three has thousands of leaves - they all have a route to ground - but only one route.

 

[GAD]

Even trees can have grounding loops.

 

[Sal]

Jealous! I would love a carved S100. I used to see them available more often. You've got a sweet one!

 

[Timeline88]

Cheers everyone! I finally had a mono Y cable delivered today and was able to get it running through my Princeton Reverb - it sounds incredible! I just wish I could crank it and get in a rehearsal room with others to put it through it's paces. The time will come though and I'm sure the neighbours will thank me in the short term...

Thanks also for the ground loop info. No audible problems at the moment, so I'm tempted to leave for now and see how it goes.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

I have a 1973 S100 SC also and if I remember correctly when we had a count on the S100 thread there was a majority of 73 S100SC guitars. My 73 is another never sell guitar. Anyone that plays it are amazed at the tone and playability. I am sure you got a good one there as all these Guilds of this era are.
Thanks John

 

[Nuuska]

Even trees can have grounding loops.

It might look like ground-loop - but actually each leave connects to a channel, that connects to roots. So this lovely picture resembles a wire loom that gets torn to make a hole - still no loop.

Sorry . . .

 

[lackjawtey]

My 73 NB has the 'STEREO' truss rod cover but I've always just used it like any other guitar. Maybe converted at some point in its life.

 

[kakerlak]

I'd just lift the lead from the middle tab of the jack and solder it over to the tip. Non-invasive, no detriment to value and eliminates the need for a dedicated conversion cord or an adapter.