The difference between models

[mavuser]

I've been eyeballing both of these... The black one is too thick though. It's the one I was referencing in my earlier posts. I like the natural finish looking one, but as I said, it's the wrong color and knobs are in the wrong spot for me to justify spending that much.

the black one is the skinny one! it looks thicker because of the black binding and black paint together, on the side! but remember the fatter versions w the Fishman barn door are really not that much fatter at all.

99 percent of the skinny ones will have the knobs in the waist. and to find a skinny one w knobs on the shoulder that is not satin would be like hitting the lotto

 

[mavuser]

ah Ralf, jinx!

 

[SFIV1967]

Really? I've been scouring those pictures I would swear the black one was thicker...

Take this picture and color the white binding on the sides black...or ask the seller for a measurement if you don't believe it.

Ralf

 

[grmps]

This was my first introduction to the songbird... I just never knew what it was called.

 

[grmps]

the black one is the skinny one! it looks thicker because of the black binding and black paint together, on the side! but remember the fatter versions w the Fishman barn door are really not that much fatter at all.

99 percent of the skinny ones will have the knobs in the waist. and to find a skinny one w knobs on the shoulder that is not satin would be like hitting the lotto

Thanks for the info.

 

[grmps]

Take this picture and color the white binding on the sides black...or ask the seller for a measurement if you don't believe it.

Ralf

I gottcha! i see it now. Thank you

 

[grmps]

...and to find a skinny one w knobs on the shoulder that is not satin...

What is "satin?" isn't that just the finish? is it the natural wood color? Or is it thicker?

 

[mavuser]

What is "satin?" isn't that just the finish? is it the natural wood color? Or is it thicker?

"satin" finish is rougher than gloss. it is not sanded down as finely and as a result is duller looking and thicker. after a bunch of play time parts of the instrument will smooth/shine up. on an electric it is fine, but a satin finish can cause some unwanted noise on an acoustic/electric guitar, when you rub up against it. i suppose u could just polish it up to be glossy.

 

[mavuser]

the black one looks nice, but the saddle is a little low. we can get the right tuner, and it doesnt look like additional holes were drilled in the headstock. i wonder what kind of offers he has turned down so far.

 

[grmps]

the black one looks nice, but the saddle is a little low. we can get the right tuner, and it doesnt look like additional holes were drilled in the headstock. i wonder what kind of offers he has turned down so far.

Well, it's missing a grover tuner at the G. and there's a gouge (scrape I guess) on the front of the finish in 2 spots... They turned down 775 (for 850 total) from me....

 

[cupric]

Really? I've been scouring those pictures I would swear the black one was thicker... even the Frankie hannon videos look thicker than that san jose shop one...

The lack of binding adds to the illusion. I would have thought so too! Very interesting posts. Thanks all!

 

[mavuser]

Well, it's missing a grover tuner at the G. and there's a gouge (scrape I guess) on the front of the finish in 2 spots... They turned down 775 (for 850 total) from me....

possibly a blessing but if u decide to give them another chance at an even 800...try writing "cyber monday" in the message box!

 

[grmps]

possibly a blessing but if u decide to give them another chance at an even 800...try writing "cyber monday" in the message box!

Ha Ha. Good thinking... I may later today. If it sells before then, then there will be another one, I'm sure. If I do end up with it, I'm gonna have to have my tech set it up... I may have him put bone in at the nut and saddle... I'd wanna get another grover tuner so I'm looking at another roughly 200 dollars to the price of it. So there's that... I don't know... I'm not rushing into it.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

mavuser already answered this, just to summarize: By the end of 1992 the rotary control knobs moved from the waist to the sholder of the body. Those bodies were still 1 7/8" deep. The deeper body with the slider controls came only in 1995 as far as I read from Hans previous posts.

Now that is something new to me. Do you have a picture of such a model with knobs at the sholder and access plate?

First gen before 1992 with knobs at the waist:

Second generation 1994 S4-CE with knobs on the sholder and no access plate:

Ralf

The plate is for battery access...the ones without the plate were probably accessed thru the soundhole.

 

[SFIV1967]

The plate is for battery access...the ones without the plate were probably accessed thru the soundhole.

That is correct. On the 1992-1994 models without any back plate the battery is found just above the soundhole.
The >1995 deeper body models with the slider controls have a 9V battery compartment on the back.

Edit: Left a Westerly made one, on the right a Corona made one without slider controls.

Ralf

 

[mavuser]

That is correct. On the 1992-1994 models without any back plate the battery is found just above the soundhole.
The >1995 deeper body models with the slider controls have a 9V battery compartment on the back.

View attachment 10226

Ralf

is it possible your photo is the hybrid unicorn i speak of? it looks like the skinny Songbird and no Fishman or waist knobs are pictured. perhaps this has shoulder knobs and the lower back door, just after the shoulder knobs w no back door at all, and just prior to the deeper/Fishman side door configuration?

 

[SFIV1967]

is it possible your photo is the hybrid unicorn i speak of? it looks like the skinny Songbird and no Fishman or waist knobs are pictured. perhaps this has shoulder knobs and the lower back door, just after the shoulder knobs w no back door at all, and just prior to the deeper/Fishman side door configuration?

Oh! Great catch! I missed that, that is actually a Corona made S4CE with S/N CXR000195 (see below) which had just a piezo pickup and no controls! So you were totally right! But the >1995 Westerly made models had the battery at the same position! I edited post number 55 above to show this.
What I don't know is how deep the Corona made one was. They were not in the catalogs or pricelists. But it looks like the 2-1/2" body version like the >1995 models to me.

That's such a Corona built one: (disregard the description under the video as it is wrong).





Ralf

 

[mavuser]

I may just be thinking of the Corona one then- I had no idea they went back to the skinny one in Corona! that blows my mind a little bit.

so the shoulder controls have "no back door at all" and the Corona model with the lower back door has "no controls at all."

 

[mavuser]

that red Corona bird is looking nice (without a pickguard and random nipples about...)

 

[grmps]

What I don't know is how deep the Corona made one was. They were not in the catalogs or pricelists.


Ralf

It does look pretty thin, still, I wouldn't be surprised to find it's 1 7/8 deep.