Newbie joins in with a sunburst S300A-D

[Thunderface]

Greetings all. I am a newbie to the forum and to Guild ownership, having recently picked up this 1981 Guild S300A-D (thanks again, KF). I did some research on the Internet and on this site before buying, and thought I saw some S300s without pickguards like mine. It doesn't appear that there was ever a pickguard on this guitar. Does that sound right?

Anyway, it truly is a great guitar, and I'd love to hear from other S300A-D owners on what they think of theirs. Also, mine came with a gigbag so I'm looking for a hardshell case for it, if anyone knows were I can find one and/or knows of a suitable case for it. Thanks for any and all help, and it's great to be here.

 

[Qvart]

Greetings all. I am a newbie to the forum and to Guild ownership, having recently picked up this 1981 Guild S300A-D (thanks again, KF). I did some research on the Internet and on this site before buying, and thought I saw some S300s without pickguards like mine. It doesn't appear that there was ever a pickguard on this guitar. Does that sound right?

Anyway, it truly is a great guitar, and I'd love to hear from other S300A-D owners on what they think of theirs. Also, mine came with a gigbag so I'm looking for a hardshell case for it, if anyone knows were I can find one and/or knows of a suitable case for it. Thanks for any and all help, and it's great to be here.

Welcome!

I dig mine, but haven't had much time with it as it's been in the shop getting a bit of repair work done on the finish.

Couldn't tell you about the pickguard, but it seems most S300's had them.

As for cases - good luck if you're looking for an original. They come up on Ebay from time to time but they can be pricey. I'm holding out for a deal on a case for my '74 S-100C too. Not having much luck myself. But I'm sure you could find a decent case that will work fine, even though it is an odd body shape!

"KF" - I have a feeling that's the guy I just emailed yesterday to see if that sunburst ash model was still for sale because someone else was looking for an S300. It was listed on CL in Houston, and I mentioned it in this thread. (No picture of it now because I linked the Craigslist pic to my post).

Small (Guild) world!

 

[krysh]

welcome and congrats, nice guitar!

 

[GAD]

Duuuuude! VERY nice guitar.

I am an S300 junkie. My only guitar for 30 years was an S300A-D.

In my lust for more of them, I have indeed come across S300A-Ds without pick guards. Since it's pretty obvious when one is removed, I've had no reason to doubt the veracity of those selling them without when they say they bought them that way in the early 80s.

Welcome. I covet your 'burst, though I might put HB1s in it since I have mine in blond.

Here's mine.

 

[Thunderface]

Thanks for the welcome, and Qvart, you were right, this was the one that was on Craigslist in Houston. Not only did I get a great guitar, but the seller and I have become friends in the process. GAD, your blonde '77 300A-D looks fantastic. If I didn't have such a thing for sunburst guitars, I would have loved that one.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Welcome Thunderface!

Nice array of gits!

Best I know about the pickguards is that Guild dropped them in the later years of S-300 production.

Here's mine;

 

[GAD]

Thanks for the welcome, and Qvart, you were right, this was the one that was on Craigslist in Houston. Not only did I get a great guitar, but the seller and I have become friends in the process. GAD, your blonde '77 300A-D looks fantastic. If I didn't have such a thing for sunburst guitars, I would have loved that one.

Do I see a couple of T-60s in there? Sounds like you have a thing for heavy guitars as well!

When I bought my first S300A-D back in the very early 80s, I almost bought a T60 instead. It was a great deal less expensive at the time, but still ash and I dug the design. They were the first mass produced guitars to be built with a CNC machine if memory serves. I still have a soft spot for them.

I too like sunburst, though I seem to have ended up with the reddish end of sunburst:

I used to have a killer Brockburst R9, but four grand was too much for me to have tied up in one guitar.

As some around here will tell you, I have a thing for blonds. I've owned three S300A-Ds in blond, a pile of Starfires in blond, and an X-170 in blond.

I like redheads too:

How did this get about me?

Welcome to the fun!

 

[Thunderface]

Yee GADs (pardon the pun), those are some fine looking guitars! You guys are killing me with those fabulous-looking natural 300A-Ds. And yes, you are correct about the Peaveys, but my natural T-60 is not actually in that photo. What you is a T-15 (top left with creme pickguard and two Super Ferrite single coils, a T-25 (lower right with creme pickguard and two coil-splitting humbuckers) and a T-27 (black pickguard, two single coils and one humbucker). The vintage T-series Peaveys are amazing, albeit heavy, in terms of the quality of their construction and the price at which they can be had. None of the three T-series guitars shown cost me more than $250. Amazing.

Here's my other non-sunburst guitars: (from left: '93 Hamer Special, '74 Ovation Deacon, '09 Duesenberg Starplayer TV Outlaw)

And my '82 natural T-60 (middle) and '08 PRS Mira (far right).

 

[Thunderface]

All these guitars, and there's one I'd love to find -- a sunburst Guild S-25. Don't know how many S-25s they made, so I guess if I could find any S-25 I'd be happy , but if I could find a sunburst S-25, I'd be really happy.

 

[stclrob]

Welcome and what a nice lot you have! :shock:

Not an A-D model, but here is my burst with a pickguard:

By stclrob at 2009-03-12

 

[Thunderface]

Thanks Stclrob. Your 300 burst is beautiful, too. Love the woodgrain on it. My collection has taken a few twists and turns, and I've bought and sold quite a few, but I'm happy where it's at now that there's a Guild in the mix. Had I picked up the Guild first, my collection might look more like the Guilds of Grot starter set.

 

[Qvart]

Had I picked up the Guild first, my collection might look more like the Guilds of Grot starter set.

There's still time...

Well, I guess you can see mine in my avatar and signature, but I'll follow GAD's lead with a couple pics:

A '78 with pickguard. And Guild HB-1's instead of DiMarzio's. Never played the D's but I dig the hell out of the HB-1's.


It came with the original knobs (the plain black ones) in the case. The seller put Strat knobs on it because the silver cap came off of one of the original knobs.

I got some vintage Guild knobs off of a fellow LTG'er and put those on instead (until I snag some G-shields!).

Unfortunately, it has some finish issues so it's been in the shop. In the meantime I have to settle for playing this:

Great score on the sunburst! That thing had me GAS'ing when I saw it on CL. Good one on ya.

 

[Thunderface]

Thanks again, Qvart. What sort of finish issues does yours have?

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Here's my '82 cherryburst S-25;

The next model up is the S-250 which you can find unbound like the S-25, or bound like my '82 here;
(With an incorrect bridge! )

 

[GAD]

Thanks again, Qvart. What sort of finish issues does yours have?

Oh boy... :?

 

[Qvart]

Thanks again, Qvart. What sort of finish issues does yours have?

Oh boy... :?

Exactly.

In short, someone kept it in a cheap gig bag and the nitro reacted with the vinyl. Turned the bottom end all red. That and the finish on the neck is disintegrating. Whether the red comes out or not it's getting a bit of a refin, at least on the neck. If it goes well the refin shouldn't really be noticeable. The advantage of being a blonde, eh GAD? :lol:

 

[Thunderface]

Two questions: Qvart, who do you manage having to play that gorgeous oak leaf S-100 while your blonde S-300 is in the shop? And to The Guilds of Grot, why aren't the '82 S-25 and S-250 guitars shown in your museum photos? Those two are certainly museum-worthy.

 

[Guildmark]

I can only answer the question to Grot:
A: Because, if he did, I'd hire someone to steal them.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

And to The Guilds of Grot, why aren't the '82 S-25 and S-250 guitars shown in your museum photos? Those two are certainly museum-worthy.

I am in the process of updated my site. Both of these guitars were aquired after I originally set it up. I'm trying to have all the photos match with the same background. I only have three instruments left to photograph. It's my winter project.

 

[Qvart]

Two questions: Qvart, who do you manage having to play that gorgeous oak leaf S-100 while your blonde S-300 is in the shop?

Well, we all have to suffer through our own ordeals...

And to The Guilds of Grot, why aren't the '82 S-25 and S-250 guitars shown in your museum photos? Those two are certainly museum-worthy.

Wait till you see the S-200........ :shock: