JS 2 bass bridge saddle, scale length, strings?
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Minnesota Flats
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Minnesota Flats
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Meh: not too partial to the wider nut, longer scale length and wonky bridge of those basses.
The body shape is also an acquired taste, aesthetically speaking, but I'd guess that they balance well on a strap.
The body shape is also an acquired taste, aesthetically speaking, but I'd guess that they balance well on a strap.
fronobulax
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Not sure. In the 2015-16 time frame my dealer remarked that the S-100 was the least popular/hardest to sell Newark Street model at his store. He implied that Guild had told him he wasn't the only one. My take is that if the Bean Counters are in charge and if the S-100 really didn't do well the the JS is not high on the list. If I pretend to be a Bean Counter I might consider the JetStar bass since T-Birds seem to have done well the Gumby bass has a niche in folklore.
Minnesota Flats
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Hold on one minute, now: Gumby basses won't help you levitate the way a JS will:
Point JS...
mavuser
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they know they cannot compete with a real JS!
Minnesota Flats
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I double-DOG dare them!
Guildedagain
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Makes the originals that much more special, imo, they are the only ones in existence.
I realize that some folks here are jaded, years of collecting even finer Starfire basses and the little things that blow me away just discovering a Guild bass for the first time are nothing that special to others, but the neck joint, 3 piece neck, fingerboard, overall quality, electronics, it's the total package. Even with the "suck switch", it works as intended, if it ain't broke don't fix i and a this point bastardizing something that's basically still a virgin would be sacrilegious.
I dig it just as much unplugged as I do plugged in.
I have D'addario chromes on it right now, quite good actually, quite a bit of tension, lots of resonance, thumps pretty hard.
The tuners are fantastic. The trick to these is they tighten clockwise that's all. Makes sense even. It's those other tuners that should be called reversed.
Looks like it was A rated by Guild? ;] This reminds me... Why does owning a Guild bass mean I suddenly know absolutely nothing about Guild serial numbers? What year is this thing, and what is the A? It's over the serial # in the apex of the headstock. Pot date code 5th week od 1972, more than likely a '73 as seller claimed but my numbers charts only had guitars.
To all watching this thread, thx so much, and especially to bowenite60 who sent me a saddle for the G string that was perfect, the bass sounds better than ever and looks awesome.
I realize that some folks here are jaded, years of collecting even finer Starfire basses and the little things that blow me away just discovering a Guild bass for the first time are nothing that special to others, but the neck joint, 3 piece neck, fingerboard, overall quality, electronics, it's the total package. Even with the "suck switch", it works as intended, if it ain't broke don't fix i and a this point bastardizing something that's basically still a virgin would be sacrilegious.
I dig it just as much unplugged as I do plugged in.
I have D'addario chromes on it right now, quite good actually, quite a bit of tension, lots of resonance, thumps pretty hard.
The tuners are fantastic. The trick to these is they tighten clockwise that's all. Makes sense even. It's those other tuners that should be called reversed.
Looks like it was A rated by Guild? ;] This reminds me... Why does owning a Guild bass mean I suddenly know absolutely nothing about Guild serial numbers? What year is this thing, and what is the A? It's over the serial # in the apex of the headstock. Pot date code 5th week od 1972, more than likely a '73 as seller claimed but my numbers charts only had guitars.
To all watching this thread, thx so much, and especially to bowenite60 who sent me a saddle for the G string that was perfect, the bass sounds better than ever and looks awesome.
Last edited:
fronobulax
Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
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1973 serial number. The chart on the Guild site has it. Perhaps you are using a chart someone edited or maybe you weren't reading your chart closely?
Never seen an A like that but, since it is on the headstock, I have a hypothesis. There is a Guild with serial number 81824 somewhere out there. There are documented cases where Guild unintentionally duplicated serial numbers. Hans can tell you more or you can start at https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/67-sf-bass-i-with-interesting-label.179279/
So I think they discovered your duplication in time to stamp the A and "fix" the problem.
My understanding of "normal" for tuners depends upon whether you started from guitar or "standup" bass. Tangentially I will note that there have been some interesting "philosophy of bass" discussions with radically different points of view depending whether the player's first instrument was an electric bass guitar, a 6 string guitar or an acoustic, upright bass.
I am probably the most vocal of the jaded JS II owners. What can I say? I bought it new in 1972 and by 1977 I realized my first love was the Starfire that I had played that introduced me to Guild. If this were a certain kind of romance novel I would have admitted my mistake, divorced the JS II and married the Starfire I instead of keeping the marriage going for old times sake while cavorting with my mistress for decades.
Never seen an A like that but, since it is on the headstock, I have a hypothesis. There is a Guild with serial number 81824 somewhere out there. There are documented cases where Guild unintentionally duplicated serial numbers. Hans can tell you more or you can start at https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/67-sf-bass-i-with-interesting-label.179279/
So I think they discovered your duplication in time to stamp the A and "fix" the problem.
My understanding of "normal" for tuners depends upon whether you started from guitar or "standup" bass. Tangentially I will note that there have been some interesting "philosophy of bass" discussions with radically different points of view depending whether the player's first instrument was an electric bass guitar, a 6 string guitar or an acoustic, upright bass.
I am probably the most vocal of the jaded JS II owners. What can I say? I bought it new in 1972 and by 1977 I realized my first love was the Starfire that I had played that introduced me to Guild. If this were a certain kind of romance novel I would have admitted my mistake, divorced the JS II and married the Starfire I instead of keeping the marriage going for old times sake while cavorting with my mistress for decades.
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
Thx, I meant to say jaded, not faded ;]
I think I could fall for the Starfire pretty hard now that I got my feet wet with the JS2. It's just a gateway drug into the 60's Guild basses.
I'm wondering what makes the older pickups so much better than the buckers, there may be tone clip comparisons?
I do have quite the soft spot for acoustic basses also. When I was in college band - because I had a bass - I got bored with the P Bass's tone and brought in my Japan copy Violin Bass with flats. I ended up using it on almost all our songs.
To me bass should sound like Sr. Paul, bassy, underlying, providing massive bottom.
I'm secretly lusting for a Starfire Bass, but since I'm supposedly lusting for a Starfire, conflicting lustings....
The JS2 reawakened the bass player in me, and that's actually doing great things for my guitar playing. When I play a guitar now, it's like I haven't played for a week, instead of playing it five times a day and rarely coming up with anything new.
Wife also tolerates bass infinitely better than guitar.
What I need is a decent bass amp.
I want an old Porta Flex with the inversible head. That tone is etched into my gray matter.
I think I could fall for the Starfire pretty hard now that I got my feet wet with the JS2. It's just a gateway drug into the 60's Guild basses.
I'm wondering what makes the older pickups so much better than the buckers, there may be tone clip comparisons?
I do have quite the soft spot for acoustic basses also. When I was in college band - because I had a bass - I got bored with the P Bass's tone and brought in my Japan copy Violin Bass with flats. I ended up using it on almost all our songs.
To me bass should sound like Sr. Paul, bassy, underlying, providing massive bottom.
I'm secretly lusting for a Starfire Bass, but since I'm supposedly lusting for a Starfire, conflicting lustings....
The JS2 reawakened the bass player in me, and that's actually doing great things for my guitar playing. When I play a guitar now, it's like I haven't played for a week, instead of playing it five times a day and rarely coming up with anything new.
Wife also tolerates bass infinitely better than guitar.
What I need is a decent bass amp.
I want an old Porta Flex with the inversible head. That tone is etched into my gray matter.
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
Yeah, the neck is where it's at. I wish I had a guitar with this neck.
Minnesota Flats
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Your wife and mind think alike.
Minnesota Flats
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My 2¢: while I haven't had the pleasure of playing a Guild loaded with the older Bi-Sonics/Novaks/Darkstars (only the new NSs) I also have a Westerly SF loaded with Guild Buckers. To my ear they sound noticeably different, but I like them both alot and don't find one to be vastly superior to the other. Maybe my opinion will change if I ever get hold of a Guild of 60s vintage.