Newbie with lots of questions!!! - Guild electrics history

[audiophil]

Hi there!

Here's an acoustic guy looking for his first *quality* electric. I presently have a Line6 variax which is a great versatile toy, buy now i want a real guitar with the feel and vibe...

I must admit, i was actually looking at Fender's and Gibson's but i really dig the Guild tone i heard recently. I didn't know a lot about Guild electric guitars until recently when i saw a performer using a Starfire III and liked the sound very much. Also very recently i saw another performer using a starfire IV. Both looked pretty recent, if not new. As far as i can recall both sounded (from a listener perspective) equally as good, and similar. Very beautiful guitars too.

So i strarted to search information about Guild electrics because i wanted to know more. First i couldn't find any information on the website, although there are some for sale online, quoted as "new". I asked the question on the "acousticguitarforum.com" electric section and someone kindly linked me here.

I did read some posts and made some researches. I figure the topic may have been discussed in the past, sorry if it's the case, but i just want to know the history of the electric guitars, where and when it all started, whan was it acquired bu Fender and when did the company stop making them??? Seems to be information hard to find.

Plus, i read that Guild guitars were made at different locations (Westerly, Corona....etc) I know that the older Guilds are very praised and also that all Guilds were made in USA, but was the quality and tone consistent over the years and in the different shops? Anything to look for or be aware of?


Finally, could someone tell me the main differences between SF3 and SF4 tonewise (apart from the Bigsby on the SF3 and different cutaway shape) ?


Thanks!

Phil

 

[FNG]

http://www.jklutherie.com/index.asp?Pag ... odID=63565

Start with a copy of these, written by our head Guild maniac, Hans Moust. That will get you to 1977.

In a nutshell, Guild was purchased by Fender in 1995, then moved production from Westerly, RI to Corona CA in 2001ish, then stopped electric production a couple years later, and has since moved acoustic production to the old Tacoma Guitar plant in Tacoma WA. Dates are approx. Rumor has it that Guild will begin electric production soon, maybe we will hear something out of summer NAMM.

I think the SF III has a slightly deeper body, and no centerblock, and the SFIV has the centerblock to lessen feedback. Think Gretsch on the III, and Gibson ES-355 on the IV, for some comparison references.

 

[Graham]

Re: Newbie with lots of questions!!! - Guild electrics hist

Hi there!

Hi Phil

So i strarted to search information about Guild electrics because i wanted to know more. First i couldn't find any information on the website, although there are some for sale online, quoted as "new". I asked the question on the "acousticguitarforum.com" electric section and someone kindly linked me here.

That may have been me

I did read some posts and made some researches. I figure the topic may have been discussed in the past, sorry if it's the case, but i just want to know the history of the electric guitars, where and when it all started, whan was it acquired bu Fender and when did the company stop making them??? Seems to be information hard to find.

As ABC stated the book by Hans is fabulous if you want to know the history. It is difficult to find otherwise. And the pictures in it are gorgeous. You may want to be more specific in your questions as there are many guys here with different guitars and different takes on them, and that's O'Tay.

Plus, i read that Guild guitars were made at different locations (Westerly, Corona....etc) I know that the older Guilds are very praised and also that all Guilds were made in USA, but was the quality and tone consistent over the years and in the different shops? Anything to look for or be aware of?

From what I've been able to garner, there was a bit of concern on some of the acoustics coming out of Corona, seemed to be quite a bit of finish problems. They are stamped used and have a different serial #. Anything made in Westerly is revered by many folks here and there are nothing but good things being said about the stuff coming out of Tacoma now. Stay away from anything made in Waverly though. :wink:

Finally, could someone tell me the main differences between SF3 and SF4 tonewise (apart from the Bigsby on the SF3 and different cutaway shape) ?

There are many guys here with these guitars and they are quite passionate about them. They will show up and answer anything you point their way.

Like I said, ask lots of pointed questions and you will get plenty of answers.

 

[FNG]

Re: Newbie with lots of questions!!! - Guild electrics hist

[quote="Graham"[/quote]


Like I said, ask lots of pointed questions and you will get plenty of answers.[/quote]

Graham..

Is it true that you tried out for the Village People, but weren't selected due to having an excessively hairy back?


I keed...I keed... :lol: 8) :shock: :arrow:

 

[Graham]

Re: Newbie with lots of questions!!! - Guild electrics hist

Graham..
Is it true that you tried out for the Village People, but weren't selected due to having an excessively hairy back?

I don't know how you find this stuff out, but yes, it's true.

I couldn't understand the problem though, and I did get a nice tattoo to try and bolster my chances.

 

[FNG]

:lol:

 

[coastie99]

Welcome Audrey-O.

You've probably been quick to notice that topics posted here can very rapidly go to hell in a hand-cart !

If only some of the members would stop being silly !

Hope you enjoy the asylum that is LTG.

 

[audiophil]

Graham, nice to meet you again! Thanks for your recommandation! - And nice back hair BTW!

FNG: Thanks for the link and summary. Actually very useful for a newbie like me!

COASTIE99: Yes i'm enjoying, nice place here!

Ok... now with two specific questions :

- Are the pickups in the SF3 and SF4 the same?

- Anyone compared the SF4 with a Gibson 335 and could comment on the differences in tone and feel ? Actually, would you say the SF4 was ment to be a 335 knock-off or is actually pretty different?

Thanks guys
Phil

 

[caveman]

Hi Audiophil,

I have a SF 4 from 64, and owned a vintage SFIII as well. Pickups on both models are generally Dearmond humbuckers (except for some very early SFIII's that have single coil dynasonics). My SF IV is similar to a 335 but weighs less, has a slimmer neck profile, and sounds a little lighter/brighter than most 335's. It's a great guitar suiting many styles of music.
The SFIII has more of a typical vintage vibe, IMO, and it's darker, more acoustic-like sound, would be perfect for stuff like blues, swing, or classic rock 'n' roll. It can give some feedback, never had that with the SF IV. Both are excellent value guitars (vintage and recent), and will beat almost any brand with it's playability, craftmanship, and tone. The corona built Electrics are known to be a little less consistent in quality, so try before you buy, but that would be a general rule in buying guitars.
Anyhow, welcome to the forum, won't be long before you get hooked !

Steven

 

[audiophil]

Steven, very nice info. Looks like excellent guitars... Yes the best is to try before buy, but... hard to find guild electrics here in Montreal!!!

Thanks !


Phil

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Phil,

Pleased to make your acquaintence. What was her name?

The main difference between the 2 and 3 vs the 4, 5, and 6 is that the former are hollow and the latter are semi-hollow (inside the body, a block of wood runs from the neck to the end). To my ear, the 2 and 3 have good twang on the bridge pickup and good smoothness on the neck pup. The 4, 5, and 6 are very versatile.

Hatted Frau

 

[audiophil]

Thanks everyone. Now, i'm actually gassin' for this one:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... B:AAQ:CA:1

But i hate to buy without trying. Also, seems this one was there for a while (2003 - new - never slod)...and i wonder why. Buy it looks georgeous. What do you think?

Thanks!

Phil

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I loves them dot necks.

 

[Squawk]

Thanks everyone. Now, i'm actually gassin' for this one:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... B:AAQ:CA:1

But i hate to buy without trying. Also, seems this one was there for a while (2003 - new - never slod)...and i wonder why. Buy it looks georgeous. What do you think?

Thanks!

Phil

Phil -

There could be many reasons that it didn't sell (don't assume something is wrong with it)- but the fact that this ebay seller appears to be a dealer offering the full warranty - and a 7 day money back guarantee - you have little to lose - probably shipping - which is cheaper than driving from Montreal to Ohio. $1,100 US for a new Starfire IV w/warranty is a decent deal. I would suggest writing the dealer and asking how the return would work if you didn't like it for any reason. BTW, I bought two new (but hanging around for a few years) Guilds with full warrantly from dealers on ebay - an acoustic (D50) and an electric (Blues 90) - both great guitars.

 

[coastie99]

Thanks everyone. Now, i'm actually gassin' for this one:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... B:AAQ:CA:1

But i hate to buy without trying. Also, seems this one was there for a while (2003 - new - never slod)...and i wonder why. Buy it looks georgeous. What do you think?

Thanks!

Phil

Phyllis,

$1100 for a new SF4 with warrantee and money back !!!

Whatcha waiting for ??

I wish we had those kind of opportunities here !

 

[krysh]

hey phil,

welcome onboard.
yes, get this new SF4.
I compared the SF4 with a Gibson ES-335, Heritage 535, Ibanez John Scofield Signature, Duesenberg Starplayer Special and a Gretsch - can't remember the model.
What I can say is the SF4 sounds somewhere between a Gretsch and a ES-335 more in direction of 335.
It is more twangy but has the same power than a gibby and can also sound very jazzy.
the craftmanship on mine is much better than on the others.
With this cheap SF4 you probably can't go wrong.

all the best

michael

 

[audiophil]

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking about it... I agree the return policy is a good protection. Also, i guess nothing could be really wrong with a brand new guitar, the real concern is the neck feeling, but it's so much a personnal thing...


Where are you from coastoe99?

Phil

 

[coastie99]

Where are you from coastoe99?

Phil

The centre of the (known) universe..........

Greymouth, Newsyland.

 

[krysh]

... the real concern is the neck feeling, but it's so much a personnal thing...
Phil

hey phil,

think of a gibson slim taper but a bit more comfortable to play.
the neck of my sf4 is the second best I ever played...the best was on a 1967 Guild DE-400 ...

all the best

michael

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Phyllis,
Phil,

Ya got him. Coastoe. Wish I'd thought of it.

NZ was just the airport where he took off. He's spent the rest of his life aloft. Refuels in mid air.

Hatted Frau