These Newark Street Guilds are filled with surprises

mad dog

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
1,269
Reaction score
240
Location
Montclair, NJ
Case in point: A 2021 Guild Polara S-100 in white. I just traded for it. Had never even seen one of the Newark Street S-100s, but did get to try a couple of the USA made S-100s from the late 90s, somewhere around there. And owned a vintage S-100 from the 70s, though it came to me minus the HB1s.

Two surprises. This particular 2021 is lighter than the USA RI of that model. And - at least so far - the RI HB1 pickups are much more to my taste than the SD pickups in the 90s S-100s I've tried. This white guitar is beautiful, impressive to look at and to play. I guess you could say the overall quality is a surprise too. The neck is a bit more substantial than the vintage S100 was. Different feel altogether, the painted Polara neck vs the lacquered mahogany of the old one.

Haven't had it long, but already this white S-100 is my favorite of the Newark Street Guilds. Excellent guitar for not much money.
 

matsickma

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
4,280
Reaction score
1,028
Location
Coopersburg, PA
Interesting summary. I would have said a similar thing in a comparison. I sold a 90's S100 I owned years ago but kept the 70's S100. In regard to the NS i have one of early models with the smaller Guild humbuckers. A different sounding guitar in transparent red with a light poly clear coat.
M
 

mad dog

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
1,269
Reaction score
240
Location
Montclair, NJ
Interesting summary. I would have said a similar thing in a comparison. I sold a 90's S100 I owned years ago but kept the 70's S100. In regard to the NS i have one of early models with the smaller Guild humbuckers. A different sounding guitar in transparent red with a light poly clear coat.
M
I was not aware the p/us had changed on the S-100 from the earliest years of the Newark Street production. The p/us in my 2021 are full size HB1s. I had not expected to be so enamored of them. At least in this particular guitar, they have the coolest sounds. A distinct type of edge or drive as volume goes up. I can understand why people use the for high gain stuff, dropped tuning heaviness. I won't be doing that. But I am appreciating the clarity, how the guitar can sound so pretty at lower volumes, then bluesy and fat as volume goes up.
 

Boneman

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,624
Guild Total
6
I agree with the sentiment on the NS models. The S-100 I recently picked up from Richard is a 2014 and the neck feels substantial, it’s easy to both play barre chords and appregiate open chords with the string spacing on the 43mm neck. The HBs in them are clean and glorious for most of the volume range but then about 6.5/7 they slam into overdriven heaven. Good stuff. Then on my 2017 Starfire, another NS model, the neck is virtually the same, but the attention to detail and appearance is superb. That has the Little Buckers with a slightly different maybe softer clean, but same thing, increase volume until BAM! They really get grittier and sounds awesome as well. I love my Newark Street models, and they didn’t break the bank acquiring them.
 

barrycreed

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2020
Messages
71
Reaction score
47
Location
Granada, Spain and Limerick, Ireland
Guild Total
2
I picked up a white NS S-100 recently, after selling one a few years ago. I got the white one, where I'd prefer the black, but no dramas. So far so good. Heavier than a Gibson SG to me, and if I am not mistaken is the neck angle less obvious than on a Gibson SG? Having had both, the Guild certainly is a different beast. Still getting used to it. I have GAS for another NS model, but not sure yet, a 200 / tbird .....
 

mad dog

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
1,269
Reaction score
240
Location
Montclair, NJ
I have GAS for another NS model, but not sure yet, a 200 / tbird .....
My new S100 is no heavier than the 2005 SG Standard I had for years. No doubt that varies from one to the next, with both models. The S100 plays much easier. Not sure why that would be.

The other NS model I'm curious about is the Bluesbird. I had one of the 90s Bluesbirds. Wanted to love it, but didn't. Neck angle was too much ... bridge had to be way up to may it playable. Sounded great - though SD 50s are not my favorite p/us - but was a stiff player. Heaver than expect for a chambered-body guitar. Of course I'm curious how different the new Bluesbird is. Should be pretty different. Not the same guitar in many ways.
 
Joined
Jul 4, 2022
Messages
9
Reaction score
5
Guild Total
0
Interesting, I had a NS S-100 which was almost 11 pounds. No joke. I was shocked because my S-60 and X-79 were both about 7lbs.
 

D30Man

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
2,949
Reaction score
998
Location
Rockwall, TX
Guild Total
5
I really like S-100's. I think NS has done a really good job with their lineup. I owned an Emerald SF4 back in 2017 for a bit. Though I didn't bond with it, it wasn't for lack of valuable characteristics on the part of the guitar. It sounded and played amazing. I will likely own another one at some point. I wish Oxnard would put out an electric model or two. I think the SF and Polara would be great models to start with.
 

Boneman

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,624
Guild Total
6
I picked up a white NS S-100 recently, after selling one a few years ago. I got the white one, where I'd prefer the black, but no dramas. So far so good. Heavier than a Gibson SG to me, and if I am not mistaken is the neck angle less obvious than on a Gibson SG? Having had both, the Guild certainly is a different beast. Still getting used to it. I have GAS for another NS model, but not sure yet, a 200 / tbird .....
If you don't have a NS Starfire, I would plant that seed in your head, can't go wrong with the semi hollow body they are putting out now, its glorious.
 

Boneman

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,624
Guild Total
6
Good to know. I just bought one on Ebay today.
Congrats on the purchase! And welcome to LTG. When your new guitar arrives, you’ll need to post photos for all of us to ogle 😀
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,466
Reaction score
7,128
Location
Central Massachusetts
My son enjoys the NS S-100 (originally bought from GAD) that I gave him a couple of years ago. Indeed, nicely built and within a great price point (at least at the time).
 

barrycreed

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2020
Messages
71
Reaction score
47
Location
Granada, Spain and Limerick, Ireland
Guild Total
2
If you don't have a NS Starfire, I would plant that seed in your head, can't go wrong with the semi hollow body they are putting out now, its glorious.
Yeah, I am thinking of a hollow or semi hollow. I have an Epiphone Joe Pass, but can't get on with the body depth.

By the way, is it possible to buy a blank Guild Polara reissue pickguard. Nothing really wrong with the stock one, but a blank one would be nicer I think without the name on it.

Also, which semi hollow / hollow NS models are made in Korea? I am guessing the more expensive models on the website are Korean made in those categories?
 
Last edited:

7GuildsandanSG

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
577
Reaction score
663
Location
Woodland Hills, CA
Guild Total
8
Yeah, I am thinking of a hollow or semi hollow. I have an Epiphone Joe Pass, but can't get on with the body depth.

By the way, is it possible to buy a blank Guild Polara reissue pickguard. Nothing really wrong with the stock one, but a blank one would be nicer I think without the name on it.

Also, which semi hollow / hollow NS models are made in Korea? I am guessing the more expensive models on the website are Korean made in those categories?
I think your right.
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,466
Reaction score
7,128
Location
Central Massachusetts
At this moment, I'm pretty sure that the SF1 models and the Surfliner are not made in Korea -- they're from Indonesia. I'm also pretty sure that a number of the Newark Streets are coming from China these days (but I don't know which ons). Those you won't be able to obviously distinguish based on price.
 

7GuildsandanSG

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
577
Reaction score
663
Location
Woodland Hills, CA
Guild Total
8
At this moment, I'm pretty sure that the SF1 models and the Surfliner are not made in Korea -- they're from Indonesia. I'm also pretty sure that a number of the Newark Streets are coming from China these days (but I don't know which ons). Those you won't be able to obviously distinguish based on price.
My SF-1 SC ST is made in Indonesia and my SF-4 and S-200 ST are from Korea. The Korean makes seem better quality, with a more professional feel too me. They are also at the higher end of the Newark St. price points but maybe it's in my head.
 

Boneman

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,624
Guild Total
6
Yeah, I am thinking of a hollow or semi hollow. I have an Epiphone Joe Pass, but can't get on with the body depth.

By the way, is it possible to buy a blank Guild Polara reissue pickguard. Nothing really wrong with the stock one, but a blank one would be nicer I think without the name on it.

Also, which semi hollow / hollow NS models are made in Korea? I am guessing the more expensive models on the website are Korean made in those categories?
Here you go, this ought to help. I’d recommend the SF-IV based on my own experience with it, but others are made in Korea as well.
As for the pickguard, can you simply remove the Guild logo if that is your preference?

 
Top