Guild Pilot bass club?

[RMay]

holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..... i have just scored the holy grail of pilot basses. advanced 5 string!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

these are pics from the guy i bought it off of. i will post pics once this bad boy get in my hands!!!

This is awesofrickintastic news!!! Nalapit13, congrats and well done.

 

[Pilgrim]

I thought I'd ask.....if you folks feel like welcoming a cousin, I recently picked up a very nice Dearmond Pilot Deluxe 4-string neck-through. Not sure if you want it in the club - if so, let me know and I'll post photos. If not, no heartburn.

 

[nalapit13]

finally had a chance to snap a couple of pics.....this bad boy sings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kitsapbass]

finally had a chance to snap a couple of pics.....this bad boy sings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks awesome - how does it sound? Got any samples...?

 

[nalapit13]

it sounds awesome. i have no means on which to provide sound clips.

 

[RMay]

^ Very, very cool to see an Pilot SB-905. That makes me desire an SB-605 which would be my first 5-string.

Here is my '86 Pilot

 

[Pilgrim]

Well OK then, here are some photos of my Dearmond Pilot Deluxe....

 

[spectorj]

I just picked up this bass today. I sounds and plays fantastic! I have not seen one like it on this thread and was wondering if somebody else might know what the model number for this bass is. The bass has a HAZ Lab style board in it. The controls are volume, blend, bass and treble.

 

[Kenner]

serial number?

 

[RMay]

I just picked up this bass today. I sounds and plays fantastic! I have not seen one like it on this thread and was wondering if somebody else might know what the model number for this bass is. The bass has a HAZ Lab style board in it. The controls are volume, blend, bass and treble.

Pilots with the 'AL' letters prefix have a new headstock, body, gold hardware and 4 knobs they are known as the reissued Pilot line of PRO 4 and PRO 5 basses. These were the last Pilots produced by U.S. Music (pre-Fender). Guild PRO 4 & PRO 5 basses were introduced around late '93/early '94 eh maybe?? there are prototypes that pop up with the 3 knob configuration that date earlier and have the 'BK' letters prefix.

You done well!


link to Dating Your Guild Guitar
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^ this should help ya.

 

[nalapit13]

I just picked up this bass today. I sounds and plays fantastic! I have not seen one like it on this thread and was wondering if somebody else might know what the model number for this bass is. The bass has a HAZ Lab style board in it. The controls are volume, blend, bass and treble.

if this is the one that was on ebay with all the crazy price changes, it is the 4th to last pilot(pro 4) made. i thought about buying this one a few times but i couldnt bring myself to do it with the weird dents in it. let me know how bad the damages r if this is the same bass. im curious.

 

[spectorj]

This is the same bass. The dents are not that big of a deal, they are mostly on the back. I still can't believe that I won this bass. I put new strings on it as soon as I got home and WOW-what a sound. This bass is going nowhere anytime soon. The serial number is AL040134. Thanks to everyone who posted a reply for me.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I had a Pilot five during the 1980s. It was a great bass. I can see how it could be called a poor man's Sadowsky. I would love to pick up another one some day.

 

[Kitsapbass]

I had a Pilot five during the 1980s. It was a great bass. I can see how it could be called a poor man's Sadowsky. I would love to pick up another one some day.

I think I have your old one now...

 

[martyrX]

Just saw a guild pilot 902 and I am thinking about buying it. It has obviously been used A TONNE, best evidence of that is the tell-tale thumb wear by the pickup. It has some scratches and dents, but nothing that will effect the sound as far as I can tell. Pretty orange flame. Sounds great, plays very smooth.

All that being said, I have a few questions for you knowledgeable people:

1) Is $500 a reasonable price for this bass?
2) I don't understand what the Bartolini TBT knob does. Could someone please explain?
3) Is the bridge supposed to have a sort of 'rusty' look? I don't think it is actually rusty, but it sort of has a black + orange look to it. Is that normal?
4) Is this bass supposed to sound better than pretty much every other bass in the store? To my ears, it was better than the mm stingray and american fender jazz i tried. The only bass i liked better was a warwick, but $3000 is beyond my price range.
5) 13 fret on the g string is buzzy. is this easily fixable?
6) Can I get a number if I buy it?

Thanks!

 

[RMay]

Answers:

1.) Yes, $500 is a fair price for a player grade SB-902 that includes minimal dents, thumb wear and scratches. Sound and feel is most important, if it is a player $500 IMO is worthy.
2.) The Bartolini TBT is a treble-bass tone boost circuit, which gives them a bit more a sonic flexibility the older Pedulla MVPs were equipped with the Bartolini TBT circuit. A bonus is that the "advanced" model (the 902) has an ebony fingerboard with the fancy block inlays.
3.) Not really is it 'normal'. It could the result of the previous owner's acidic perspiration while playing near the bridge pick up and utilizing the bridge as a thumb rest or the palm. My Pilot has a similar discoloration on the bridge on the bass side.
4.) Sound is objective. I have never played a SB-902 so I can not answer.
5.) The OP will help ya.
6.) 9/10x a good setup will fix this problem. 1/10x it can be the result of a heighten fret on the treble side of the neck. Link to setup guides:http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125382

I consider Nalapit13 the most experienced of Guild Pilots especially the Advanced Pilots. Perhaps he will see your post and provide the best answers.

Edit: Plse post a picture of the bass.

 

[martyrX]

2.) The Bartolini TBT is a treble-bass tone boost circuit, which gives them a bit more a sonic flexibility the older Pedulla MVPs were equipped with the Bartolini TBT circuit. A bonus is that the "advanced" model (the 902) has an ebony fingerboard with the fancy block inlays.
.

How, exactly, does this work? Is it 2 shelving eqs, from 0 to +something?

 

[nalapit13]

i love me some advanced pilots

whats the serial number just out of curiosity?

500 is a good deal. the controls on all of mine were volume, volume, treble, bass.

there were only 195 of the four strings produced.

some of the older bridges wear exactly how you are describing. nothing to be scared of its just been loved alot.

want to sell it?

 

[Whiskeyjim]

Greetings fellow Pilot People!
I've been playing this one for years, although I guess it actually still "belongs" to my buddy who converted to acoustic/lead vocals years back, and I've never actually "bought" it from him. Not sure of the year.
Awesome player!!
Since posession is 9/10 of the law, Can I join the club?

-Jim

 

[nalapit13]

they changed to your headstock sometime during 87 so it is at least that old. you can look up the serial number on guildguitars.com