My 1974 S-100

Nilfisken

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Hi,
first time poster after lurking around a while. I have a road worn 74 S-100 in need of some TLC, which almost certainly will include a full fret job. I bought this guitar over 20 years ago, and never really managed to get along with it, but also never got around to selling it somehow knowing I would regret it if I did. I recently picked up my guitars again after a ten year hiatus and started by fixing up my old main guitar (Japan Squire with all swapped hardware) and have now started to mess around with the S-100 again. There is just something in this guitar that speaks to me so I decided I am going to get it back in fighting shape.

The frets are badly worn down, especially on the 3d string position close to the head stock and it also buzzes out on a few places further up the neck suggesting the frets are uneven. Also a few of them have gotten a bit loose at the edge sometimes catching the strings when bending hard (which I often do). Otherwise the guitar is in good condition, but with lots of scratches and chips. The pickups are what I believe is the originals HB-1s, and the electronics looks mainly untouched. It had clearly had a different bridge pickup at some time as the pickup ring is a hacked up Gibson sized one. It does crackle like mad from the pots, but assume that can be sorted with a bit of cleaning.

I live in Glasgow, UK, and have found a very well regarded luthier close by that I hope to contact shortly to have the guitar assessed, but I am wondering if anyone here know what fret sizes Guild used on their 70s guitars? I just crudely measured them with a ruler and they clock in close to a 6105. Having mainly played a Strat with maple neck, vintage radius and small fender frets I cant decide wich route to go down with the Guild. I'm worried 6105 might be too high and that medium jumbos might be a better option?

Any thoughts on frets for S100s most welcome!

Cheers,
Oskar

[Edit - title changed on March 7, 2020 by GAD at OP's request. Was "Fret size on 70s S-100"]


Serial.jpg


No_strings.jpg


HB-1_2.jpg


HB-1_1.jpg


Electronics.jpg
 
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Quantum Strummer

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I haven't measured the frets on my '73 but to my fingers the feel is very medium jumbo. IMO they suit the guitar really well.

-Dave-
 

adorshki

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HI Nilfisken welcome aboard!
I just got reminded our member Fixit (Tom Jacobs) actually worked at Guild in '78 and '79 and is also highly regarded for restoration work here.
I see you're in UK but at least I bet he'd be happy to advise via email:
http://www.jacobscustomguitars.com/
And I'd bet Hans Moust would be able to tell you as well:
http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/
 

Nilfisken

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Hi guys,

thanks for your replies and sorry I havent followed up until now!

Yesterday I had the guitar thoroughly checked by a local luthier with over 40 years of experience of refrets and very good reviews (https://www.jimmyegypt.com).

He was impressed with the sound of the guitar and besides frets the neck will need a bit of work on some badly fixed binding with lots of old glue showing, but otherwise he felt it was in good shape and wont need much work. He will replace the nut as well with one made from tusq.

He also suggested changing the tuners as some are a bit worn and dont stay in perfect tune, but we decided to change those a bit further down the road as I cant decide which ones to get. The guitar currently have either kluson deluxe or grover deluxe with ivory pegs (cant remeber the brand now) and I really like the look of those and am inclined to stick to something similar.

We had a long chat about what frets to use and in the end decided to go for 6105 that will be close to what the neck has now and that he thinks will suit both the guitar and my playing style (mainly blues rock with lots of bending).

With a bit of luck I get the guitar back by the end of next week and will post photos!


Cheers,
Oskar
 

Nilfisken

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Hi again,

got the guitar back a few days ago, havent had time to play much, but the new frets have totally transformed it!! The action is now quite low (about 2mm) and plays much better and smoother than ever before without 'dead' spots or buzzing. Really like the fret size choice and look forward to start playing the guitar frequently. Fretboard also got some repairs around the ivory inlays as they had shrunk a bit leaving small gaps. Top job from the luthier!

Found the old purchase reciept in a drawer showing me that I bought the guitar on March 29th back in 2000 so it has soon been with me for 20 years! About time I gave it some well deserved playtime!

Below is a bunch of photos I just took to show you all the guitar. I will need to change the tuners soon as they dont hold the pitch great when bending hard. Really like the look of the ivory keys so planning to find something similar. Also thinking about changing the pickup selector knob for a metal one to make it look more stock, but cant find something with the flattened top I seen on lots oof photos of other guitars.

Finally three questions:
1) Is the pickguard original or not? All images I see of these gutars from this era appear to have the Guild logo on the pickguard?

2) What way should the truss rod cover be, and is it usally blank? I sometimes see them with the S-100 text in white.

3) Anyone know the specs for the pickup height screws. The bridge pickup have non orignal screws with too tall heads and thinking about changing them out. Since the first pictures in this post I replaced the modifed Gibson pickup ring for the bridge pickup with a nicely made repro ring.


Cheers,
Oskar

Top.jpg


Back.jpg


Top_details.jpg


Back_detail.jpg


Frets_6105.jpg


Strings.jpg


Bridge.jpg


Switches.jpg


Headstock_front.jpg


Headstock_back.jpg
 
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chazmo

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Oskar, I love that guitar. Looks fabulous and indeed a very clean fret job! TRC looks correct. Congratulations on a beautiful player S-100.
 

S100

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Wow! Love that one!

Pickguard looks correct. Truss rod cover should have the fat end toward the tip of the headstock.
 

Quantum Strummer

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I can recommend Gotoh's Kluson-style tuners as replacements. They're very well made with a finer-than-vintage gear ratio.

-Dave-
 

adorshki

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Looks great!
Sorry can only help w/ a couple of these
Finally three questions:
1) Is the pickguard original or not? All images I see of these gutars from this era appear to have the Guild logo on the pickguard?
Looks original to me, and actually I'm used to seeing no logos on the black guards, although I see it a lot on the clear ones.
And Guild's production methods made it easy for an instrument with what looked like for example a '73 s/n to have "waited around" for a while and then finally get completed with hardware from a later production period.
Here's an ad from '71, and yep, does have the logo but also appears to be shaped slightly differently, and note the "Old" TRC shape, too.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...UDCAU#imgrc=O8x_wPsnV8rp4M:&spf=1579538957760
A Google image search for "1974 Guild S-100 returns a bunch of shots of dark finished instruments with black guards with no logo, like this '71 (assuming it's dated correctly):
57333_02__58022.1386185915.jpg

Note that one also has the "old" TRC (visible in the full listing).
2) What way should the truss rod cover be, and is it usally blank? I sometimes see them with the S-100 text in white.
It's oriented correctly now, but it's a standing joke around here to spot upside down TRC's on otherwise pristine looking pieces.
And it's so common now that it's almost a joke when they're right side up.
Think the white inscribed TRCs were a little later, I associate 'em with late '70's or even the re-issues (90's) in the case of S-100's.
And in fact it just hit me, they even had inscribed "STEREO" TRC's but yours may be just a wee bit too early for that?
 
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Nilfisken

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Thanks for all comments!

I have had a look around for tuners (never thought it was such a jungle!) and as far as I can tell from the look of this guitar it should have the 10mm peg head holes. The Gotoh Kluson style suggested by Quantum Strummer looks great, but I can only find them with thinner diameter meaning I would need to use conversion bushings?

Is the quality of Grover Deluxe (the same on there now) bad or would a new pair work better than my busted ones. The original were likely Grover Rotamatics(?) which would be an option, but I would hate to loose the fake ivory pegs.

Noted one odd thing. The current tuners says 'DELUXE' to the left and 'GROVER' to the right, but all images I see in online-shops have the order of the words reversed. Wonder if this one was fitted with bad copies and thats why they failed?

Cheers,
Oskar
 

Quantum Strummer

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Ah, I'd figured your guitar was already fitted with conversion bushings. The original tuners were almost certainly Grover Rotomatics.

-Dave-
 

Nilfisken

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Done some more digging and found out my pickup selector is not the original, and it also looks like someone drilled out the original hole for the switch.

I knew the pickup selector tip was not original as it was in yellowish plastic so when it cracked some time ago I decided to buy a metal knob as close to the original flat top as possible. Assuming I had a US made Switchcraft switch I bought the thread size for that, but when it arrived it was way to wide to attach to the threads on the switch. Solved the problem for the moment by adding some thread tape before screwing it on.

While doing that I decided to remove the switch to check what I got, and it turns out is an Epihone switch! Not visible in the photos (since I removed it beforehand) was a rubber gasket placed on the threaded portion of the main switch body to make it fit the hole in the body better. The hole in the guitar body is about 15mm in diameter so I guess someone must have drilled it out at some point to fit something else?

Will leave this switch in for the moment as it works fine and filling in the hole would need sorting at the same time, but will also keep my eyes open for an original switch and if possible that illusive Guild "flat-top knob". Do anyone know exactly which Switchcraft switch part number I need? Is it the same as for Gibson SG, and if so do I need the "Deep Thread Nut" or not? The switch hole is about 5mm deep.

Cheers,
Oskar

Selector_switch_1.jpg


Selector_switch_2.jpg


Selector_switch_3.jpg


Selector_switch_4.jpg
 

hansmoust

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Not visible in the photos (since I removed it beforehand) was a rubber gasket placed on the threaded portion of the main switch body to make it fit the hole in the body better. The hole in the guitar body is about 15mm in diameter so I guess someone must have drilled it out at some point to fit something else?

Selector_switch_1.jpg

No, the original "Deep Thread Nut" that was used by Guild at the time had some sort of a collar that was wider on the top and the part that went into the hole was 14 mm wide, so the hole was not drilled out.

Switchcraft.jpg


Here's what the original switch would have looked like and the "Deep Thread Nut" upside down:

Switchcraft_angled.jpg


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Nilfisken

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Thanks Hans!

Really good to know the wood have not been enlarged. I might have found an original switch online using your image as a guide, will keep you posted on how it goes. Tempted to buy the used one I found even if it is quite worn since I guess neither the tip, nor the nut, are easy to come across anymore?

Cheers,
Oskar
 

walrus

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Great looking guitar! Lots of mojo there, play it often!

walrus
 

DThomasC

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The deep thread nuts are available from a number of sources. In the US, MojoTone offers them. There is likely a source in UK that I don't know about. The Switchcraft switch you want is the 12013X. That's the same as used on Gibson SG guitars, which is how it's usually described.

If you can get an original switch from a Guild of that era. it might be worth buying just for the tip even if you toss the rest in the garbage. That's assuming it comes with the tip. If it doesn't come with the tip then there's little point in buying it.
 

hansmoust

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The deep thread nuts are available from a number of sources. In the US, MojoTone offers them.

Personally I would not advise to use the standard 'deep thread' nut on an older Guild. It does not have the extra wide collar and the top part is just slightly wider than the 15 mm hole in the body.
When you tighten the nut it will 'eat' into the edge of the hole unless you can find some sort of a washer that's a bit wider and that will protect the top.

Take a look at the photo and compare the 'vintage' and the standard available 'deep thread' nut:

Switchcraft_nut.jpg


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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