The Protoype Classic/Excellence Has Arrived

[West R Lee]

I've got to tell you guys that I've been extremely apprehensive about an eBay purchase I made last week that arrived today. It was delivered to my wife's office and I called her this afternoon to discuss some other matters. She said, "By the way, you have a package here" and I asked her to open it. As she opened it...she too sounded very apprehensive and said, "I'm not sure you're gonna like this." Well I was deflated, but committed.

First of all, this sucker smells like it sat in a forest fire for 20 years. The absolute worst cigarette smell I've ever smelled and it almost knocked me down when I opened the very tattered oversized case. Then I looked at the guitar, sold as "mint", my impression of mint and other people's sometimes are very different.

Having said all of that, this thing is in incredible condition. Strings are almost rusted through and being a thin body, I didn't expect much.

I'M IN LOVE.....so very different from anything I've ever had. 1/8" saddle, but the action is too close for me, right on the fretboard. This thing sounds great with these old strings and unplugged. I can't wait to clean her up (she's filthy), slap some strings on her and plug her in. Now I've always been a sucker for ivory binding, but against this sunburst......very striking, the rosette is ivory too and the pickguard is tortoise. Chesterfield logo with rosewood bridge and fretboard. The maple on this thing is awesome. Tuners look fantastic and she looks as if she's never really been played.

I may have found another toy , I'll post pictures after I get her strung up and cleaned. I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

West

 

[cjd-player]

Glad to hear you're happy with it so far, Jim.

One of my Bluesbirds came in a smoke-smelling case. I put a bunch of Carpet-Fresh (or some name like that) powder into the case and let it sit for a few days. Vacuumed out the powder and the smoke smell was gone. But then it did smell a bit like the Carpet Fresh.

Much preferable to the smoke smell, and then the Carpet Fresh smell was gone after a couple of months.



Count your blessings, it could be worse. It could smell like Jerry.

 

[West R Lee]

I'll try that Carl, thank you. I just cleamned her up and only had a 12 string set here... :lol: so I used the big strings. It's the first time I've really had a good look at her, man she cleaned up nicely. I still don't know what model to call her? On the name tag in the sound hole it says:

Model: Prototype

West :?

 

[JimBetts]

Can't wait to see it...

 

[Graham]

Gotta ask you Jimbo. You're a rosewood dread nut, why a maple F body thinski? :shock:

 

[West R Lee]

Gotta ask you Jimbo. You're a rosewood dread nut, why a maple F body thinski? :shock:

I can't give you a good answer Graham. Sometimes, like with the Mark IV, I figure if she's in good shape or unusual or both, and she's not my cup of tee, I can at least get my money back. I haven't made any money on one yet, but haven't lost a dime either. I've been wanting to try a small bodied guitar and thought if this one was in good shape, at the price, it might be a bargain. I also like the way maple records and thought it might sound good amplified. I haven't plugged her in yet..electronics probably don't work. I don't know....just took a shot.

West

 

[Graham]

Gotta ask you Jimbo. You're a rosewood dread nut, why a maple F body thinski? :shock:

I can't give you a good answer Graham. Sometimes, like with the Mark IV, I figure if she's in good shape or unusual or both and she's not my cup of tee, I can at least get my money back. I haven't made any money on one yet, but haven't lost a dime either. I've been wanting to try a small bodied guitar and thought if this one was in good shape, at the price, it might be a bargain. I also like the way maple records and thought it might sound good amplified. I haven't plugged her in yet....electronics probably don't work. I don't know....just took a shot.

West

Fair enough! :mrgreen:

PS, If you want a smaller bodied guitar, go for the F47XXX.

I'll be bringing two of them this year.

 

[West R Lee]

What ya bringin' big boy? I may take the D30 to Arlington this year, she's really growing on me.

West

 

[Graham]

What ya bringin' big boy?

West

Smitty, Ken's F47 and the F47RCE I picked up in Ohio. Both are stellar guitars. Great size, you might just fall in love.

 

[West R Lee]

I know I want to play that F47R......right around the corner .

West

 

[West R Lee]

Hans,

What would you call this thing? Is it a "Classic"?

West

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Way to go Jim! It's an acoustic that plays like an electric! That's why the action is so low. It also might take a little while to get used to the thin neck.

I have the "Classic" model of the "Prestige" series:

If yours has a bound neck, the triangle inlay blocks, a G-Shield and gold tuners, it's the Excellence model. (Or should I say it went on to be.)

The description in the catalog for the "Prestige Series" says;

"A new breed of electric acoustic guitar, the prestige series. is specifically designed by Guild for ease of playing. It feels and plays like a traditional electric guitar with that acoustic sound. It plays like a dream. Guild designers shaped the body like a top jazz guitar...flat top delivers great acoustic resonance. The prestige Guitars feature an original jazz scale neck for ease of play and have perfect weight and balance."

For the "Excellence" model it reads;

"Slimline body for high performance. Spruce top. Curly maple sides and back. Multiple bindings. Guild Transducer with active pre-amp. Blonde and Sunburst."

I believe it's essentially a "flat-topped" X-500.

(I hope I'm not annoying Hans by giving away anything from Vol. II! :wink: )

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Oh, and one more thing.

From the 6/1/90 price list, the Excellence listed for $1,695 (US).

 

[hansmoust]

I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

West

Hello Jim,

Glad you like the guitar except for the smell.

It looks like you misunderstood what I wrote about the guitar. I said:

They made 6 prototypes during 1989, of which your guitar (#FF000005) was the fifth and the prototype for the Prestige Excellence ( the top model of the Prestige series) was # FF000002, which made it the second one that year.

I guess I make my sentences too long! So, what you have is a prototype for the Prestige Classic. The prototype for the Prestige Excellence was serial # FF000002.

Cheers! Hans

 

[12stringer]

Good goin West! I can feel your excitement....so many guitars...so little time :wink:

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

Oops! I guess I need to read the posts a little better!

 

[cuthbert]

I've got to tell you guys that I've been extremely apprehensive about an eBay purchase I made last week that arrived today. It was delivered to my wife's office and I called her this afternoon to discuss some other matters. She said, "By the way, you have a package here" and I asked her to open it. As she opened it...she too sounded very apprehensive and said, "I'm not sure you're gonna like this." Well I was deflated, but committed.

First of all, this sucker smells like it sat in a forest fire for 20 years. The absolute worst cigarette smell I've ever smelled and it almost knocked me down when I opened the very tattered oversized case. Then I looked at the guitar, sold as "mint", my impression of mint and other people's sometimes are very different.

Having said all of that, this thing is in incredible condition. Strings are almost rusted through and being a thin body, I didn't expect much.

I'M IN LOVE.....so very different from anything I've ever had. 1/8" saddle, but the action is too close for me, right on the fretboard. This thing sounds great with these old strings and unplugged. I can't wait to clean her up (she's filthy), slap some strings on her and plug her in. Now I've always been a sucker for ivory binding, but against this sunburst......very striking, the rosette is ivory too and the pickguard is tortoise. Chesterfield logo with rosewood bridge and fretboard. The maple on this thing is awesome. Tuners look fantastic and she looks as if she's never really been played.

I may have found another toy , I'll post pictures after I get her strung up and cleaned. I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

West

West you're making me regret to have chosen the CV-2C....this prototype was my second choice, I dropped it because I wanted a full size guitar, I also dropped a F-65 CE... :x :x

Anyway, action is never too low, and you never play fast enough...

 

[West R Lee]

I've got to tell you guys that I've been extremely apprehensive about an eBay purchase I made last week that arrived today. It was delivered to my wife's office and I called her this afternoon to discuss some other matters. She said, "By the way, you have a package here" and I asked her to open it. As she opened it...she too sounded very apprehensive and said, "I'm not sure you're gonna like this." Well I was deflated, but committed.

First of all, this sucker smells like it sat in a forest fire for 20 years. The absolute worst cigarette smell I've ever smelled and it almost knocked me down when I opened the very tattered oversized case. Then I looked at the guitar, sold as "mint", my impression of mint and other people's sometimes are very different.

Having said all of that, this thing is in incredible condition. Strings are almost rusted through and being a thin body, I didn't expect much.

I'M IN LOVE.....so very different from anything I've ever had. 1/8" saddle, but the action is too close for me, right on the fretboard. This thing sounds great with these old strings and unplugged. I can't wait to clean her up (she's filthy), slap some strings on her and plug her in. Now I've always been a sucker for ivory binding, but against this sunburst......very striking, the rosette is ivory too and the pickguard is tortoise. Chesterfield logo with rosewood bridge and fretboard. The maple on this thing is awesome. Tuners look fantastic and she looks as if she's never really been played.

I may have found another toy , I'll post pictures after I get her strung up and cleaned. I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

West

West you're making me regret to have chosen the CV-2C....this prototype was my second choice, I dropped it because I wanted a full size guitar, I also dropped a F-65 CE... :x :x

Anyway, action is never too low, and you never play fast enough...

:lol: Oh believe me, I know I never play fast enough. Ya never know though, I may let her go one day. Sometimes I think owning guitars is sort of like owning land....they're never really ours, we just take care of them for a while :wink: .

West

 

[West R Lee]

[quote="West R Lee":1wcd15t4] I'm not sure what model to call her......a Classic I suppose, but the Excellence prototype. The real Excellence has the D55 type trim with the arrow/block inlay, this one has dot fret markers.

Oops! I guess I need to read the posts a little better! [/quote:1wcd15t4]

Ah no biggy Kurt, I'm the world worst about not ready back in these threads.

West

 

[chazmo]

[...] :lol: Oh believe me, I know I never play fast enough. Ya never know though, I may let her go one day. Sometimes I think owning guitars is sort of like owning land....they're never really ours, we just take care of them for a while :wink: .

West

Exactamundo, West! We are merely caretakers of these fine instruments.

Ever see the movie "The Red Violin?" Have a watch some time. It's a wonderful piece of historical fiction, loosely based on one of Stradivarius' violins. It puts instrument "ownership" into some perspective.