Guild Songbird

[adorshki]

In fairness to GuildFS54612CE, this relatively short thread started out about the Songbird generally and turned to artists who had played the model; only a few of the posts were about Barry Gibb specifically.

Might be burying myself deeper and deeper, but yes I was trying to leave that door open for her as well.
Timing of the posts and all, I just couldn't tell if it was simply a mention of another variant of the Songbird.
And Jane, only said "If it was actually Clapton's" because you weren't sure yourself, although I trusted your memory of the details of the build.
It was nice to see the actual pic, though.
There, have I managed to dig myself deeper yet?
:redface:
Oh yes, the rest of your observations about sound quality are highly relevant to the original question, so thanks!

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Thanks for all the chivalry, guys

...I don't have a problem with anything in this thread...I live in the real world, with real problems...speaking of, my internet access is limited to public library wireless at the moment and uploading to photobucket is a pain...so maybe one of you kind gents with real world access will copy the pic from the Clapton auction link and post it in this thread so everyone else can see what we're all talking about...likely it was the only songbird like that...sold for a good price as I recall...just don't ask me what it was.

 

[adorshki]

Thanks for all the chivalry, guys

...I don't have a problem with anything in this thread...I live in the real world, with real problems...speaking of, my internet access is limited to public library wireless at the moment

I remembered that and realized it might have been a limitation on your browsing time too, if it was still the case.
Unfortunately, file format isn't compatible with the board's allowed types so I couldn't use the "insert image" function to post it and I don't even have a photobucket account myself.
Here's the direct link to the image at least:
http://equipboard.com/items/1992-guild-songbird-custom?src=pim_img
Anybody?
Bueller?

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Al, you can't post a picture directly...it has to be hosted off LTG...any of the free photo hosting sites will work...thanks for trying, tho.

 

[jcwu]

 

[adorshki]

Is this a great place or what?
Thanks Bueller, er, JC!

 

[Dadzmad]

Since I have a last year of production S4CE I'll chime in. I traded a nice flat top for this one to teach my son how to play 15 years ago. He is a better player than I am now. Mission accomplished but I really came to like this guitar along the way.

This model is intended to be an electric guitar so the comments about the thin unplugged sound are really n/a. But I suspect that with the exception of the few who play out with this model most who have one use it mostly unplugged as they are quite quacky through an amp. The appeal is that they really do play like butter and the routed out solid body passes an unheard resonance to player. It's like a piece spring steel in a big vice where you can feel the sound long after you stop hearing it. And that's what the peizo transducers are meant to pick up.

I ran the S4CE through a nice old Trace Elliot TA30 for a number of years but I was never really happy with the sound. I considered messing with the electronics but decided not to as I think it's a sleeper and want to keep it original as possible. What I did was to add a "Pick Up the World" Quackbuster soundboard transducer behind the bridge wired in parallel with the original UST. Both go through the original built in preamp. The sound output is about a third less and this setup goes through 9v batteries quicker, but the sound improvement was dramatic. The SBT takes the bite out of the UST, kinda, sorta like using the bridge and middle pickups together on a Stratocaster.

It's a tough install as the thin body makes attaching the SBT to the inside of the top behind the bridge really difficult.

I've been experimenting running this dual source pickup combo through my Trace acoustic amp and running the line out to a Fender Excelsior Pro (6V6 tube set with a 15" Eminence Legend) for a bigger sound, but really stops having an amplified acoustic sound at that point.

sorry for the long rambling post but the S4CE / Songbird is such a unique guitar it deserves some comment

 

[adorshki]

sorry for the long rambling postbut the S4CE / Songbird is such a unique guitar it deserves some comment

NO, it was excellent. I'm sure it's exactly the kind of thing Richard was looking for.

 

[davismanLV]

Wow, those knobs on the lower bout are so old-school! If you could lower those down it would look so much better.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Wow, those knobs on the lower bout are so old-school! If you could lower those down it would look so much better.

That's what the S4CE is all about. They switched to a low profile square slider control plate. The problem was the body was not wide enough to fit it on so they made the S4CE slightly deeper to accommodate the controls.

(I hope I'm right about this and don't have to get corrected by Hans again! I haven't ben doing too good lately! :confusion

 

[adorshki]

That's what the S4CE is all about. They switched to a low profile square slider control plate. The problem was the body was not wide enough to fit it on so they made the S4CE slightly deeper to accommodate the controls.

Nope that's what Jane said too, but it would be nice to get a handle on when it happened....

(I hope I'm right about this and don't have to get corrected by Hans again! I haven't been doing too good lately! :confusion

Well at least you know he's still paying attention!
:friendly_wink:

 

[hansmoust]

........ but it would be nice to get a handle on when it happened....

Well I'm glad I was paying attention at the time that these changes were implemented, so I can sum it up in a few sentences:

Songbird introduced during 1987 and S-4CE introduced at the end of 1991, both with 'waist mounted' rotary controls.

Introduction of the 'shoulder mounted' rotary controls at the end of 1992.

Introduction of the 'deeper body' with the 'pre-amp with slider controls' during 1995.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Oh "Volume II" is going to be so good!

 

[adorshki]

Oh "Volume II" is going to be so good!

Ok, pop quiz:
What's the difference between a Songbird and an S4ce?
(I stumbled across it yesterday)

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Ok, pop quiz:
What's the difference between a Songbird and an S4ce?
(I stumbled across it yesterday)

OK I'll take a stab at it.

Of the original series of both, the Songbird has a high gloss finish and the S4-CE has a satin finish?

 

[adorshki]

OK I'll take a stab at it.

Of the original series of both, the Songbird has a high gloss finish and the S4-CE has a satin finish?

We have a winnah!!!
And some restored self-respect for you, LOL!
And it was still described that way in '96 catalog.
It was Hans' mention of different introduction dates that got me started.
They only show one pic in that catalog, labeled:
"S4CE
Songbird"
Just like that, not "S4CE and Songbird", which might have prompted one to think, "oh, 2 different models, but look the same"
So even though the text block above it does mention the finish difference between the 2, it never really sunk in, and for years I've been stuck on that caption and thought "S4CE Songbird" was the "proper" model name.
(insert pulsing red-faced emoticon here)

 

[Nuuska]

Hello from Finland

Few years ago I found red Songbird from eBay. I was a bit sorry first for the colour - but eventually I have grown to like it a lot - after all my F50R & F512 are natural and F212C, B30 and Gibson L2-3/4 are sunburst.
Let´s see if this forum allows me to put a picture in. No it does not - I should first send it to godknowswhere and take it from there - too much monkey business.

Anyway - black neck, back & sides - red top with cream bindings & pickguard. Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays.

I modified electronics : I put a Lundahl transformer in battery clip, added a resistor from secondary centertap to preamp positive - and routed a place for male XLR-connector in lower bout side - as result the guitar operates with 48V phantom directly from mixing console. No more whacky contacts with original jack. The jack still puts sound out i.e. for tuning.

Nuuska



I added pictures via imgur on Oct 2 2017 - here is the link - can they also be "inserted" ???

https://imgur.com/a/LV1xH

 

[Bill Ashton]

Hei, mitä kuuluu!

Send me the image...see my profile for email...and I will put it up for you.

 

[Bill Ashton]

Here is Nuuska's Songbird...



...and her revised output jack

 

[jeffcoop]

Very cool! I've never seen one that color before.