Looks like my T500 needs a ground wire, too

[Jeff Haddad]

Played my GSR T500 last night and noticed the ground ( or lack of ground) buzz that has been reported in other threads. Touching the strings didn't stop it, but touching the metal end of the cable did so I guess there's no string ground. When I change strings, I'll have to pull the Bigsby to confirm no wire underneath it. I still love the guitar, but this is a minor bummer!

Any word on the Newark St. X175B? Did they remember a string ground on those?

 

[Default]

Same here. Looks like it's just the GSR T-500s. :-(

 

[Walter Broes]

weird. So, it's safe to assume these guitars haven't been plugged in at the factory?

 

[guildman63]

It does appear that way, doesn't it? I love my T500 as well, but mine needed a ground wire as well. My tech added one for me and did not want to charge me, but I gave him $20 anyway. As an FYI, he asked me what color wire I wanted, and I selected green. Upon pulling the Bigsby and adding the wire he discovered that the other wiring in the guitar was green as well, so it appears like the ground wire was factory installed. Who knows if Guild was consistent with the color of the wiring they used, so you may want to check prior to the install if it matters to you.

 

[SFIV1967]

weird. So, it's safe to assume these guitars haven't been plugged in at the factory?

Sounds like a good question to ask for those who will attend LMG soon!
Ralf

 

[mbuc]

Good idea to ask that. Weird thought indeed that they haven't been plugged in before they left the Custom Shop.

What about the American Patriarch series guitars? Do they have a ground wire?

 

[Default]

It just seems that the T-500s are missing the ground wire. The NH and NS Starfires have them.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Don't feel too bad. As I have stated elsewhere my GSR Starfire VI is the noisiest guitar I have out of approx. 10 guitars. My 2009 Gibson L-4CES is dead quiet as is my 1991 Les Paul. All of my other Guilds, 2 1973's and a 1991 are nice and quiet also. Upon inspection with a mirror I see no problems but I can't get away from all the static and buzz. I may just end up rewiring the whole guitar and saving the orig. harness. I really like the GSR Starfire as it is totally unique guitar and still a Guild and plays like one. But sometimes it seems like the bastard son no one likes to talk about, at Guild anyway. I am glad we like orphans!
Thanks John

 

[Default]

Hard for me to tell. None of the sockets in my apartment are grounded and, for the time being, I have to accept hum.

 

[Bobo]

Another question for LMG is why the 25.5" scale on the GSR T-500 (specs say 24.75", which is the usual Guild scale).

My T-500 is noisy as well, and I'm about to take it to a local tech to have the buzzing addressed (and to get a setup with 10-50 rollerwounds). I imagine that it too needs to have a ground wire added.

 

[Default]

Short answer is the early Guilds had the long scale. Maybe it was easier to fabricate a neck using the same parts as the acoustics?

 

[Bobo]

Short answer is the early Guilds had the long scale. Maybe it was easier to fabricate a neck using the same parts as the acoustics?

Maybe that's the reason. And I know that the early Guild electrics had the long scale (was it up to '56 or so?), but since the GSR T-500 is seemingly based on a Duane Eddy model prototype, the S-300B of 1959-1960, it just seems logical that it would have the 24.75" scale like the S-300B, the original 1960 T-500, and the DE-500... right?

I wonder what scale length the new GSR T-400 uses?