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Guild Basses

cool breeze

cool breeze

May 13, 2016
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#1
Hi All,
Thirty plus years ago when I was an active player I played a Guild B-301 and then graduated to a B-402-A bass in Sunburst. Since I've become a fairly new member of TB there seems to be little or no interest in Guild! I'm interested in opinions on these instruments as it seems the 402A was quite rare.
Thanks for your feedback
 
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#3
I recently played an early 70s JSII and it was fantastic (i'm surprised I even picked it up off the wall, it was 100% not the kind of thing I'm usually into). Sort of like an EB3, but I preferred the tones across the board. Went from big and boomy to articulate and nimble, but no mud anywhere. It seemed to me to have a very high build quality. Unfortunately, the asking price on this one was too high (both for me, and compared to what the going rate seems to be). The only one that gets much attention around here is the pilot.
 
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#4
Old Guild basses are great, not that I'm biased or anything. They are generally regarded highly for build quality and their pickups. There's another site Let'sTalkGuild where you might find others who share a high opinion of these, although I've found a few threads here at TB too.

I have a SB-202, the series after the B's. I prefer these to the previous models for a more rounded full body shape. Necks and pickups are similar. I had a B-301 long ago.
 
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#6
I've been a fan of the early Pilot basses ever since first hearing Jerry Peek.

IMG_20140615_190312866.jpg
 
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#7
image.jpeg
Oh, I think there's quite a bit of love for Guilds here. I have both a B302 and a '73 Starfire II that get some stage time. I also used to have a Pilot that was a light, sweet-necked beauty. Kicked myself just last night for letting that one get away—and constantly hoping it shows up again on Kijiji so I can buy her back. The B302 is a particularly interesting mutant: mahogany body and set neck like a Gibson with single coil pickups that are rather Fenderish in character. The bridges on both these basses are nonsense and setting action/intonation is an exercise that requires considerable patience. I redid the electronics in the B302, putting 500k volumes in for a bit brighter character, and added a Tonestyler on the neck pickup only. The range of tones is now very wide indeed!
 
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#12
RyanOh said:
Old Guild basses are great, not that I'm biased or anything. They are generally regarded highly for build quality and their pickups. There's another site Let'sTalkGuild where you might find others who share a high opinion of these, although I've found a few threads here at TB too.

I have a SB-202, the series after the B's. I prefer these to the previous models for a more rounded full body shape. Necks and pickups are similar. I had a B-301 long ago.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'll check that site.
 
#17
I first learned of Guild basses after watching Michael Apted's film "Bring on the Night" (1985), in which Darryl Jones backs Sting. As a result, I lusted after a Guild Pilot for a long time, but ultimately ended up pursuing the Jazz route. I'm still tempted to grab a Pilot if I can find one in decent shape.

(Fast forward to about 02:20 to see/hear Darryl and his Pilot.)

 
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#18
garp said:
I first learned of Guild basses after watching Michael Apted's film "Bring on the Night" (1985), in which Darryl Jones backs Sting. As a result, I lusted after a Guild Pilot for a long time, but ultimately ended up pursuing the Jazz route. I'm still tempted to grab a Pilot if I can find one in decent shape.

(Fast forward to about 02:20 to see/hear Darryl and his Pilot.)

Click to expand...

Man, that is a great sound.
 

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