New Guild Day: 1970 Guild BluesBird M-75 DeLuxe

[Jahn]

My journey to another guild electric has been long and winding. My first ever Guild electric was a 60s Starfire V in Black, but that type of itch is scratched now by my ES-335. I had a gorgeous 60s Starfire VI with flame like crazy, but the neck was too thin for me.

Ever since I traded away my Starfire II, I’ve been looking for a hollowbody, with a neck that was chunky enough, black preferred, with those amazing mini HB-1 humbuckers (that was the main must have) and hey having some aged gold would remind me of my old Les paul custom why not.

it look a long time. I thought I was close with some Blackfires but they all had faded to brown. I know the 70s paint held color, so I needed to find A very small window where all the above would be happening. And it was the 1970 Guild BluesBird M-75 DeLuxe. Everything checks out, it sounds beautiful and like a 60s Guild with HB-1s should, and the carve of the neck is actually chunky. The nut width is a tad narrow still so I’ll use this bad boy with a capo- which is how Johnny Marr likes to do it too so that’s fine. Anyhow I’m out of town right now so I’ll just drop a pic from the seller on reverb, which is accurate to what I have in my hands!

 

[Bonneville88]

Beautiful score, congrats!

 

[Jahn]

Thanks! I like the 18 frets clear of the body unlike the earlier ones, I feel like it gives me more to play with, especially since I plan to use a capo a lot with this one.

 

[DeArmond Hammer]

I'm glad you found something that met all your high standards! I think a "brownfire" would be cool but it's great that you found the color you wanted. She's a beauty.

 

[Westerly Wood]

It’s amazing looking. I am sure sounding too but just the look of it. Black, cool, great body shape, great curves. Perfect! Congrats

 

[GGJaguar]

That model looks great in black and gold, congrats!!

 

[Jahn]

Thanks! The streaks in the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard are even darker than on my F312 which is an ebony board, the dark streaks are almost black. I want to keep using the original rosewood bridge too, so I’m getting some wound third sets from stringjoy to keep good intonation. Very excited that this all worked out!

 

[walrus]

Congratulations - love it in black! And +1 on Johnny Marr!

That is a solid body, correct?

walrus

 

[Jahn]

Congratulations - love it in black! And +1 on Johnny Marr!

That is a solid body, correct?

walrus

Thanks! I love Johnny Marr! It’s a hollowbody- later that year they put a block under the bridge when the larger humbuckers were introduced (the ones with the two tilt adjustment screws on the left of the mounting ring, you can see mine just has one) and they also started selling full solid bodies soon after, but this one is from a short window in the 70s when they still made them like in the 60s!

 

[jp]

Hey, Jahn!

Good to see you on here again. Congratulations on the Bluesbird! I've always wanted to try out a '68-'70s Bluesbird, but I've never had the chance. I was really eyeballing that M-75 too, but it was local pickup in TX. I noticed the seller also had one in sunburst, but I also like the black. Such a gorgeous guitar and in pretty clean condition for the age. Glad you found the one!

 

[cupric]

Really great guitar! Congratulations!!!

 

[GAD]

Beautiful!

 

[Jahn]

Hey, Jahn!

Good to see you on here again. Congratulations on the Bluesbird! I've always wanted to try out a '68-'70s Bluesbird, but I've never had the chance. I was really eyeballing that M-75 too, but it was local pickup in TX. I noticed the seller also had one in sunburst, but I also like the black. Such a gorgeous guitar and in pretty clean condition for the age. Glad you found the one!

Yep it took a bit of doing but I managed to airlift this bad boy to NYC from Houston - didn’t come with the OHSC so that was the stickler, he sourced a HSC down there and it made it up here just fine!

 

[Walter Broes]

That looks really nice, congratulations!

 

[HeyMikey]

Damn, that looks sexy in black. Great find ! Major congrats.

 

[mushroom]

A Black BB is a Beautiful thing. Congratulations.

 

[richardp69]

Not typically a huge fan of electric gear but I've always liked the Bluesbird and yours looks especially sweet. Congrats11111

 

[jp]

Yep it took a bit of doing but I managed to airlift this bad boy to NYC from Houston - didn’t come with the OHSC so that was the stickler, he sourced a HSC down there and it made it up here just fine!

I'm so glad you got this one, too. There's another nice black one on Reverb that recently posted, and I thought the seller bought yours and was flipping it. It's priced at almost twice what yours was.

 

[Jahn]

Speaking of prices, I came across one that was only one serial number away from mine and black as well, but with nickel hardware and man it went through the ringer and was priced higher for sure!

Guild Bluesbird M-75 Deluxe 1969 Black | Reverb

Remarkably cool vintage 1969 Guild® Bluesbird™ M-75 in original and very rare Black finish. This guitar plays and sounds just incredible. Original Guild® humbuckers are super warm, strong, and punchy. Neck plays fantastic, nice and smooth. Some signs of wear, but all original with lots of mojo. S...

reverb.com

 

[Jahn]

Was finally able to plug this guy into a proper amp, my 1966 Fender Pro Reverb. So nice. I forgot how lively the neck pickup alone could be, it brought everything I wanted, and the middle acts as a scoop which I don’t really need with a blackface amp, but works well when I finger style stuff. The bridge alone is that buddy guy kinda blues era feeling instantly. Plus, the set of stringjoy with a wound third and .11s is exactly what this guitar calls for. Intonation is spot on and there is zero binding at the nut or bridge or tuner slippage. Perfectly dialed in, but yes I do have to capo at the second fret so my fat fingers can play at the cowboy chords.

absolutely wonderful electric, only weighs six pounds, and dare I say this may be the keeper!