Me too...
I have mine in the shop getting a new truss rod and fingerboard epoxied.
(photo from when I purchased in 2011)
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Me too...
I have mine in the shop getting a new truss rod and fingerboard epoxied.
(photo from when I purchased in 2011)
Here's a clip of me with my Pilot 5 string. Bought used in late '89 for $450! It was pretty much my main bass through the 90s, but I started moving back to 4 strings by '99. Around that time I routed the bridge position to fit a 40DC pickup. It gives the bass a very different sound if you want, but can also sound close to stock by adjusting the balance. I had also installed a BTC pre-amp which really brings the EMGs to life. I recently got involved in a Peter Gabriel tribute band, so it's back in action with a fresh fret job. Great bass!
Not sure why I never looked for you guys.
I hooked up with a another Pilot forum somewhere else, but it didn't live very long.
I'm sorry I don't have a good pic of mine, but it's a twin to this one. I'll take a fresh pic when I can.
Oh, and mine is fretless.
Don't know if you do membership or numbers or anything, but I'd appreciate being considered to be included.
I hooked up with a another Pilot forum somewhere else, but it didn't live very long.
I'm sorry I don't have a good pic of mine, but it's a twin to this one. I'll take a fresh pic when I can.
Oh, and mine is fretless.
Don't know if you do membership or numbers or anything, but I'd appreciate being considered to be included.
It's a small world.That's one of the online fotos of my 5 string pro... ;-) I own exactly THAT bass...
His sister is over here in Maryland USA.
Her flame is not as nice and she has lines instead of frets, but otherwise they could be twins.
I've actually used your pic a few times since I found it on a random search for a nice pic of a green Pilot Pro 5.
Might I say, your bass looks very nice.
Thank you...
My green Pro 5 has an interesting back story (go back a few pages or so in this thread and you will find it...) and I had to fly to Zurich, Switzerland to pick it up. I live outside of Copenhagen, Denmark - it's always very funny to find out where these magnificent basses are in the world...
I look very much forward to seeing the fotos of your bass, deepender... I'm traveling right now.Thank you...
My green Pro 5 has an interesting back story (go back a few pages or so in this thread and you will find it...) and I had to fly to Zurich, Switzerland to pick it up. I live outside of Copenhagen, Denmark - it's always very funny to find out where these magnificent basses are in the world...
When I return and get things in order, I'll try to snap a pic.
I am afraid not. I am resigned to knowing only that I have something unusual...
Do you have any objections to sharing your serial number...?
Why is that? I always see people cover part of a number, but I don't know the reason , please explain.
For the same reason that the numbers are there on instruments, appliances, electronics, vehicles, etc.. That number identifies that individual item, and the fact that you alone have that number and proof that that number belongs to you helps to prove your ownership of that item.
If you broadcast that number in public, and someone out there thinks that item is something they'd like to have, they can make things very complicated for you by claiming that they own that item. Some are even pretty good at falsifying documents to prove their ownership.
It would be almost like posting a pic of your charge card.
My Ms. Green.
@EWH
Not the best pics. The lighting isn’t great in my shop and soundroom.
Interestingly, the flame is better on the back than the front.
The serial has the AL0 prefix, but isn’t listed on any chart.
im pretty sure this was a defret job, because one fret line is not perfect.
@EWH Not the best pics. The lighting isn’t great in my shop and soundroom.
Interestingly, the flame is better on the back than the front.
The serial has the AL0 prefix, but isn’t listed on any chart.
im pretty sure this was a defret job, because one fret line is not perfect.
Yes, that is true, but the last two numbers are not on any chart.
Therein lies the mystery.
Saw this one hanging for a LONG time in our local music store. I test drove it a couple of times, and knew that the fretboard needed work. I told the store owner that it had hanged long enough, and he should just give it to me. He said that they were having an event on the upcoming Saturday and that he could make me a sweet deal on it then. I went home and told my wife about the bass, and she said, “You can only play one bass at a time, so until you grow more arms, I don’t want to hear about any basses”. So I came in on Saturday, and it was gone. He was also avoiding me. I finally cornered him and said, “I see the fret less sold”. He looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. He said yeah, and then got away from me pretty quick. So, since my wife bought me a bass I told her about a few years before, my devious mind had me hoping to see a case under the Christmas tree. It wasn’t there. When we visited her sister’s house to watch our niece and nephew open their gifts, my wife’s sister said, “We’ve got one more gift to open”. Then she brought out what was undoubtedly a bass case. Ms. Green became part of the family. Sent the bass to Bob Bowdren, the last Guild bass specialist. When Guild stopped making basses, they gave him all of the parts and jigs. He had his own line of hand made basses, B Bo Butterbasses. They were made from butternut wood. Anyway, I didn’t know he was sick, but I read in Bassplayer magazine that he died about a month after he reconditioned my bass. Leveled the fretboard, put a marine epoxy finish on the fretboard and gave it a good setup. Mine was likely the last bass he worked on.
Last edited:
I never took it as a mystery, my take on it was that is when fender fully took over and guild stopped keeping track. My friend has one that isn’t listed and that’s why I always thought it wasn’t listed.
To the best of my knowledge, the PP4 & 5s weren't offered in fretless versions...
I would say that yes, your PP5 has been de-fretted by it's previous owner...
The original (bone) nut has also been replaced - did you buy it like that or was that done by Bob Bowdren...?
It looks great though - you can always re-fret it...
I think along the same lines, nalapit - Fender's takeover brought chaos to Guild and I'm sure that the last runs of guitars and basses were hurried and kept track of poorly...As Fender didn't give any f'cks about the brand/models they were about to kill off, proper records likely did not matter and whatever serial number info/records that were kept towards tge very end wound up being used as toilet paper, I'm afraid...
Bob did that.To the best of my knowledge, the PP4 & 5s weren't offered in fretless versions...
I would say that yes, your PP5 has been de-fretted by it's previous owner...
The original (bone) nut has also been replaced - did you buy it like that or was that done by Bob Bowdren...?
It looks great though - you can always re-fret it...
I never mentioned the nut to him. In fact, I asked for an ebony board, and he talked me out of that and said that the rosewood nut would make my open notes match the fretted notes.
Here's my Ms. Green's latest outing.
She's very polite and modest here, but with the new setup with the straighter neck, her next time will no doubt show a bit more attitude.
She's very polite and modest here, but with the new setup with the straighter neck, her next time will no doubt show a bit more attitude.
