Can someone help me ID this S-100?

Hey all. I just picked up what I think is an S-100 for $500 (good deal? ripped off? what do you think?), mostly because I thought it plays well and sounds great. However, I was hoping that someone here would be able to help me ID what's been replaced and what's still original. Also, the Guild logo is completely gone from the headstock, which just baffles me.

I picked up the guitar from Guitar Center, who identified it as a "Guild SG 7.0 845". I have no idea what that means.

Serial number is 52628, which marks it as a '71, according to teh Internets.


No phase switch. But those weren't introduced as standard until '72, correct?


I've seen other fairly low-res pictures of S-100 bridges via Google, and they don't look like this one.


I used to have a '78 S-60D, and I don't remember the strap pegs looking like this. In fact, I remember being a little annoyed, because I couldn't install a strap-lock.


And the head. The tuners are Grover Deluxe. My old S-60 had Guild-branded tuners, IIRC. And finally? WTF? Perhaps I'm a little dense, but I don't understand how the Guild logos could be removed without some sort of visible markings.

I can provide more pics if anyone needs them, or higher-res shots if desired. Any help would be much appreciated.

Howdy! Sure looks like some sort of variant on the S100... the headstock throws me for sure but everything else looks pretty normal to my untrained eye. Whatever... how does it play? To me, five bills is a seriously great price to pay.

Maybe the headstock's been refinished? The shape is right, but I've no clue why someone would get rid of the Guild logo, unless they were somehow embarrassed and wanted to pass it off as some kind of SG. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The tuners you have look good on it, though. I replaced my original ones on my '71 with Schallers back in the mid-80s.

Very handsome guitar. It also looks like it's in really good shape, which is very nice if it's actually a '71. Could this be a 90s S100? Probably not... but someone else in here will know for sure. The bridge looks looks right, too, as do the strap pins; I just took mine out last year and replaced them with Schaller straplocks.

Whatever... congratulations. You got yourself a fine guitar for the money.

justthisguy said:

Hey all. I just picked up what I think is an S-100 for $500 (good deal? ripped off? what do you think?), mostly because I thought it plays well and sounds great. However, I was hoping that someone here would be able to help me ID what's been replaced and what's still original. Also, the Guild logo is completely gone from the headstock, which just baffles me. Serial number is 52628, which marks it as a '71, according to teh Internets.

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Hello justthisguy,

Welcome! From what I can see in the photos, it looks like you have an early '70s S-100 that has had quite a bit of work. I have not seen a photo of the serial number, but if it is the original serial number, it would mean you have an S-100 from 1971, which you've already figured out yourself.

No phase switch. But those weren't introduced as standard until '72, correct?

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Yes, that would be correct.

I've seen other fairly low-res pictures of S-100 bridges via Google, and they don't look like this one.

Click to expand...

Yes, by that time the S-100 already had the 'roller bridge' that was made by ABM, so that one is not original.

I used to have a '78 S-60D, and I don't remember the strap pegs looking like this.

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That's correct! It's not the original one......... and by the way, an S-60D doesn't have a strap button in that location but I assume you're talking about the style of the strap button.

I've shot a quick photo of an S-100 from that same period that shows the same area of the heel and an original strap button.




However the reason for the photo is not the strap button. I wanted to show you what the shape of the heel should be like. The guitar you have had the original finish removed and in the process of stripping and sanding they changed the contours of the heel and the body, which are now much more rounded.

I can't tell you exactly what sort of finish is on your guitar, but finishes like that were not done during the early '70s. It was definitely done after the guitar left the factory.

And finally? WTF? Perhaps I'm a little dense, but I don't understand how the Guild logos could be removed without some sort of visible markings.

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Normally an S-100 would have a separate plastic peghead overlay that has the pearloid Guild logo and 'Chesterfield' column inlayed into the material. Peghead overlays from this period have a tendency to shrink and sometimes curl up at the edges. The overlay on your guitar was completely removed and with that all the traces of the original logo. It looks like a thin mahogany veneer was glued to the front of the peghead because you cannot see the 'ears' that are usually glued to both sides of the peghead to get the desired width. The headstock was refinished with the rest of the guitar.

And the head. The tuners are Grover Deluxe.

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The original ones during this period were usually Grover StaTites.

I'm not sure about the pickguard but it doesn't really look like the right material, so it could be a repro. Not really a big deal!

Hope this is of some help and in spite of all the changes, the most important thing is that you like the guitar!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitargalore.nl

Ah, much thanks, all. Beers all around the next time any of you are in Richmond, VA!

Maxer: The guitar plays beautifully. It has a warm, dark tone that I'm totally digging, especially as a nice contrast to the sparkly bright twang of my Tele. The neck's a bit thicker than I'm used to, but it hasn't really slowed me down. Originally I was just going to keep this in the studio, but I'm really tempted to take it on the road with me.

And much thanks to you, Hans! Like Maxer, the headstock really threw me for a loop. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it at first, even though I was pretty damn certain that I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to pick up an S-100 for five Bennies. I mostly had a very paranoid concern that the neck might have been replaced at one point, even though I didn't see anything to indicate such repairs (the finish is very regular, there are no cracks, etc. etc.). It's good to know that it was probably just a refinish job.

Anyone know if replacement peghead overlays are still available? I'm slightly vain like that.

Once again, thanks much. Cheers all!

Oh, also:

I originally didn't snap a shot of the serial, because I thought it looked pretty legit, but if anyone is curious...



Cheers all!