NGD: 1986 Nightbird GG

[caliban335]

I took delivery of a Nightbird GG over the weekend. It has a pair of EMGs which I intend to replace with a set of Zhangbucker pickups. The two way mini switch currently installed doesn't appear to do anything. Does anyone have a a wiring diagram for the Nightbird GG with passive pickups?

The guitar came without a pickguard and has non-original control knobs (at least one of them). Does anyone have resources for such items?

Best, Chris

 

[GAD]

Nightbird knobs (also used on other '80s Guild electrics) are very hard to come by if you want them to be 100% accurate. Try Hans. If he doesn't have them, there are some knobs on Amazon that are close as I recall.

The mini-switch is just a phase switch which is very straightforward layout. If you're putting in new pickups I'd highly recommend getting 4-wire versions and putting in a push/pull coil-split. You can see how I wired mine here: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2015/06/02/replacing-pickups-in-a-guild-nightbird/

 

[SFIV1967]

The guitar came without a pickguard... Does anyone have resources for such items?

I don't think you would find one, I guess you need to find somebody who can reproduce one. I took a picture to reproduce one here: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/nightbird-pickguard.202619/#post-1881118

Ralf

 

[caliban335]

Thanks for the advice. The guitar is with a local tech to have passive humbuckers installed and a setup. Special thanks to GAD, whose blog entry on Nightbirds I used as a reference in preparation for the purchase. I'm anxious to get the guitar back. I'll dig into the pickguard options in the interim.