Surfliner series

[GGJaguar]

and, of course, the blue..

It's blue in a washed denim sort of way.

 

[davismanLV]

It's blue in a washed denim sort of way.

Problem with that??

 

[krysh]

Love the orange one and the modern and retro details. But I dont know if I would buy it. I dont need any more guitars.

 

[SFIV1967]

The neck plate with the G is sort of cool

First I thought it's upside down but it's like the G used on the harp tailpieces:



And yes, the switches look odd on a guitar...



Ralf

 

[fronobulax]

Let's talk about those switches and the allegations of a lack of innovation, shall we?

There are two issues - function and aesthetics.

From a functional standpoint, given three pickups what is an alternative way to select which ones you want? Your basic toggle switch works well for two pickups, but what if you want a control that allows for all possible combinations? I'm sure something could be cobbled together but how do you explain that you have to push this or pull that or engage the mini-toggle for any combination involving the middle pickup? Conceptually three on/off switches is brilliant in its simplicity. Just turn on the pickups you want and turn off the others.

Aesthetically you have to give them credit for using 0,1 rocker. The convention for 0 off, 1 on is commonly understood almost universally. It is easier to look at a glance and see which PUs are on. You can do that with slide switches but you still have to remember that when the switch is closest to the strings it is on (Or is it off?). Trivial for an instrument you play daily, but how often have you rediscovered an old friend and had to spend a few minutes relearning what the controls did?

if you accept the innovative, non-traditional pickup selectors (and yes there is some tongue-in-cheek here since on/off switches have been used as controls many time before, just not recently) as the way to allow for all combinations then the only real issue is where to put them. They pretty much have to be on the top face since there is a greater risk of the rockers being moved going into or out of a gig-bag or case if they are on the back or sides of the body. They also need to be accessible for those players who want rapid changes in selection. Somewhere on the pickguard makes manufacturing easier and where they are makes more sense to me than "below" the strings.

While traditionalists may have legitimate concerns about the controls, in general, I wonder if the switches and the single volume and tone controls will give rise to a generation of players who don't obsess over which PU is in use in the middle of a performance and choose, instead, to focus on the tone control or their pedal boards to get just what they want when there has to be a contrast between a solo line and rhythm chords in the same song.

I think there are a lot of things Guild got right although my opinion is certainly skewed towards a market full of beginners or intermediate players getting their first or second instrument and not towards a market full of experienced players with strong opinions and preferences.

If they introduced a similar bass for $350 I'd be really tempted just to satisfy my curiosity. I can't quite grasp the idea of three pickups being useful but two J style, possibly wired out of phase, and a Bisonic might be fun.

 

[Walter Broes]

Let's talk about those switches and the allegations of a lack of innovation, shall we?

There are two issues - function and aesthetics.

From a functional standpoint, given three pickups what is an alternative way to select which ones you want? Your basic toggle switch works well for two pickups, but what if you want a control that allows for all possible combinations? I'm sure something could be cobbled together but how do you explain that you have to push this or pull that or engage the mini-toggle for any combination involving the middle pickup? Conceptually three on/off switches is brilliant in its simplicity. Just turn on the pickups you want and turn off the others.

Aesthetically you have to give them credit for using 0,1 rocker. The convention for 0 off, 1 on is commonly understood almost universally. It is easier to look at a glance and see which PUs are on. You can do that with slide switches but you still have to remember that when the switch is closest to the strings it is on (Or is it off?). Trivial for an instrument you play daily, but how often have you rediscovered an old friend and had to spend a few minutes relearning what the controls did?

if you accept the innovative, non-traditional pickup selectors (and yes there is some tongue-in-cheek here since on/off switches have been used as controls many time before, just not recently) as the way to allow for all combinations then the only real issue is where to put them. They pretty much have to be on the top face since there is a greater risk of the rockers being moved going into or out of a gig-bag or case if they are on the back or sides of the body. They also need to be accessible for those players who want rapid changes in selection. Somewhere on the pickguard makes manufacturing easier and where they are makes more sense to me than "below" the strings.

While traditionalists may have legitimate concerns about the controls, in general, I wonder if the switches and the single volume and tone controls will give rise to a generation of players who don't obsess over which PU is in use in the middle of a performance and choose, instead, to focus on the tone control or their pedal boards to get just what they want when there has to be a contrast between a solo line and rhythm chords in the same song.

I think there are a lot of things Guild got right although my opinion is certainly skewed towards a market full of beginners or intermediate players getting their first or second instrument and not towards a market full of experienced players with strong opinions and preferences.

If they introduced a similar bass for $350 I'd be really tempted just to satisfy my curiosity. I can't quite grasp the idea of three pickups being useful but two J style, possibly wired out of phase, and a Bisonic might be fun.

The most fashionable, hip guitars of the last decade or two, with hip kids as well as aging post-grunge alt.rockers, have been Fender or Fender inspired offset guitars, and that's clearly what Guild is aiming for here. There's nothing non-traditional or innovative about individual pickup switches there, they're on Fender Jaguars, duo-sonics, Mustangs and Bass VI's.

That said, the switches on those guitars are traditionally retro-looking slide switches. The ones on the Guild Surfthing are dorky looking on-off rocker switches you'd find on the very cheapest electronics on sites like AliExpress.

And the biggest downside of individual on-off pickup switches in general is that it's all too easy to turn your guitar off completely during your most heroic moment in the spotlight. Especially if said switches are located anywhere near the path of your strumming/picking hand.

 

[Rickenmaxer]

Would loved to see them spend an extra $20 or so and paint the headstock face to match the body. And use sliding A/B switches to go for that Mustang/Dynaco 60s vibe. And I like the transparent blue. But, overall, I agree with some others that it continues to cheapen the Guild brand, and makes it less likely we'll see an electric line out of Oxnard. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[fronobulax]

That said, the switches on those guitars are traditionally retro-looking slide switches. The ones on the Guild Surfthing are dorky looking on-off rocker switches you'd find on the very cheapest electronics on sites like AliExpress.

I call that innovation

I spent a lot of time dealing with computer and other electronic equipment back in the days when no one wanted to standardize on anything because they wanted to appear different from everyone else. Power switches were a common differentiator. There were pushbuttons, slides and rockers. Some had lights when on. Some didn't. If I had to walk up to a rack or into a closet and figure out what was wrong the first part of my job was easiest when the power switches were 0,1 labelled rockers. That preference replaced a preference for an LED when the unit was on after I spent too much time looking for a power problem on a unit where the LED had just failed.

So, coming from my perspective "dorky looking" is a compliment for the best way I have found to tell, by inspection, whether something is on or off.

And the biggest downside of individual on-off pickup switches in general is that it's all too easy to turn your guitar off completely during your most heroic moment in the spotlight. Especially if said switches are located anywhere near the path of your strumming/picking hand.

No argument there, but not sure what the alternative is. If you're a flailer this layout probably isn't for you.

 

[Uke]

I see these "Surfliners" and a strong feeling of haughty contempt rises in me: and then I remember watching an interview with Kenny Vaughan (one of the "fabulous" members of Marty Stuart's band), and hearing him rave about one of his favorite, go to guitars in his collection --- a Squire telecaster! And then I'm humbled.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

I don't completely hate the design, and I think the new pickups (neck and middle) look cool. I kinda like the switches but they do look exceptionally cheap - they could really ditch the '0' and '1'.

My biggest question though is shouldn't a guitar with "Surf-" in the name have a vibrato?

As an aside - I really want to get a Squier Custom Esquire!

 

[mushroom]

My biggest question though is shouldn't a guitar with "Surf-" in the name have a vibrato?

Yep that’s a good point.
Some sort of wiggle would suit this in my opinion. But that’s going to increase the cost.

 

[Dylan McGee Jones]

I asked my guy on the inside if they were coming to the US and was told yes. I was then told that my guy on the inside’s position was eliminated and that yesterday was his last day.

That sucks on many levels, not the least of which being that his position was director of QC.

Brian???

 

[walrus]

While traditionalists may have legitimate concerns about the controls, in general, I wonder if the switches and the single volume and tone controls will give rise to a generation of players who don't obsess over which PU is in use in the middle of a performance and choose, instead, to focus on the tone control or their pedal boards to get just what they want when there has to be a contrast between a solo line and rhythm chords in the same song.

I love the single volume and tone controls, that's my favorite configuration. But the rest of the "innovative" components don't excite me.

But once again, I'm not their target market!

walrus

 

[GAD]

Brian???

Yup

 

[davismanLV]

Okay. Am I the only one who has no HUGE expectations and I think they're cute? Or is it just me.... probably me. I'd buy one at that price and screw your switch stuff.... ADAPT, my friends.....

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

I think the shapes and colors are cool, the switches are different, the price seems okay, I'll consider buying one as a beater, and I HOPE THEY SELL A BUTT LOAD OF THEM!!!

 

[LeFinPepere]

I think they beg for a metal control plate peninsula(?) Jaguar-style and the parallelogram tailpiece . Of course, a sunburst would be nice.Could be a fun modding platform. The trc can easily be pimped...Makes me feel like Squier paranormal stuff,nice,but "pre-modded -DDIY(Don't do it yourself) guitars"(= less fun). Wood? Finish quality?Soundzzz? I'll stick to trying to find a used s-300, or a MIK Aristocrat, or an ITB Bluesbird.Or the 3 of them,and then a Polara!

 

[SFIV1967]

Bax Music, a big instrument chain in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany already lists a case and gig bag for it:




Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

Is the TRC made out of a piece of metal?

Ralf

 

[DrumBob]

I'll call my guy at Cordoba and see if I can get any information. I just hope that "my guy" isn't the same one as GAD's "guy."