• 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.

Guild Pilot bass club?

#781
Guild Pilot with EADGC tuning?
I've read that the early Pilot SB605 5 string once could be ordered for EADGC tuning with a Drop D tuner. Does anyone have one of those or have you played your standard-nut pilot with that tuning. What was your experience? I'm curious whether the nut would need to be changed or any other mods to try EADGC.
Anyone?
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#782
Regarding Guild serial number lists. I have not seen any truly accurate lists, especially ca. '94-'95. From the sale to Avnet in '66 until the purchase by FMIC in '95, there were multiple owners, offices, serial number systems, and factories. Given that the serial number was intended for invoicing the dealers and registing warranty, it wasn't intended to track manufacture date. So there are a lot of holes.

My A50 acoustic flat-top is #003 purchased Dec 13, 1995, two weeks after it arrived in the store from the factory. The "official" list says the first A50 flat-top is #079 made in '96. There was a list online I can no longer find that said the first one was #005 dated '96.

So nailing down the date of solid body Guilds is really a crapshoot. At least with acoustic guitars you can generally see the date stamped on the neck block, which is the date the neck was completed, so the instrument was likely completed a few weeks later.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#784
JTE said:
Regarding Guild serial number lists. I have not seen any truly accurate lists, especially ca. '94-'95. From the sale to Avnet in '66 until the purchase by FMIC in '95, there were multiple owners, offices, serial number systems, and factories. Given that the serial number was intended for invoicing the dealers and registing warranty, it wasn't intended to track manufacture date. So there are a lot of holes.

My A50 acoustic flat-top is #003 purchased Dec 13, 1995, two weeks after it arrived in the store from the factory. The "official" list says the first A50 flat-top is #079 made in '96. There was a list online I can no longer find that said the first one was #005 dated '96.

So nailing down the date of solid body Guilds is really a crapshoot. At least with acoustic guitars you can generally see the date stamped on the neck block, which is the date the neck was completed, so the instrument was likely completed a few weeks later.
Click to expand...




If your looking on the guild site, they list the last serial number made that year, instead of the first one. Odd to do it that way if you ask me, but that’s the route they went.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#785
gearHed289 said:
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!

Click to expand...

I love my Pilot,got her in a pawn shop in the mid 90s a case of love at first sight.Cherry sunburst circa early to mid 80s.I have thought of a different pre amp circuit for the stock EMG p+j pups.Worked for you did it?
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender and RyanOh
#786
kevmac said:
I love my Pilot,got her in a pawn shop in the mid 90s a case of love at first sight.Cherry sunburst circa early to mid 80s.I have thought of a different pre amp circuit for the stock EMG p+j pups.Worked for you did it?
Click to expand...
The EMG EQ kits are great. I haven't modded any Pilots but the EMG 3-band with a sweepable mid is my favorite on two other basses.

I'd consider replacing the stock EMG's with new solderless system and the 3-band, but I have two of the Advanced Pilots with Bartolini pre and pickups. Same bass, very different EQ/sound. I love playing them, very comfortable!
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender and kevmac
#787
RyanOh said:
The EMG EQ kits are great. I haven't modded any Pilots but the EMG 3-band with a sweepable mid is my favorite on two other basses.

I'd consider replacing the stock EMG's with new solderless system and the 3-band, but I have two of the Advanced Pilots with Bartolini pre and pickups. Same bass, very different EQ/sound. I love playing them, very comfortable!
Click to expand...
Hey Providence,my hometown.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender and RyanOh
#788
kevmac said:
I love my Pilot,got her in a pawn shop in the mid 90s a case of love at first sight.Cherry sunburst circa early to mid 80s.I have thought of a different pre amp circuit for the stock EMG p+j pups.Worked for you did it?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm happy with just the bass and treble controls. I put a 3-way with mid sweep on my Spector NS-2A, and I honestly don't end up using the mid control very much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#789
OldSchool50 said:
Guild Pilot with EADGC tuning?
I've read that the early Pilot SB605 5 string once could be ordered for EADGC tuning with a Drop D tuner. Does anyone have one of those or have you played your standard-nut pilot with that tuning. What was your experience? I'm curious whether the nut would need to be changed or any other mods to try EADGC.
Anyone?
Click to expand...

I've never heard about this, BUT - when I bought my Pilot 5 (used) in late '89, it was tuned EADGC and had a Hipshot. The guy I bought it from was a guitarist, and I assumed he set it up that way. I've never had to change the nut for BEADG, and it's been to at least two techs over the years who felt the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#790
I don't have a Pilot but does anyone know if a 4 string fretted JJ version was made? I cant find an image of one anywhere but I see that a few have them. Someone on this group has a fretless JJ 4. Thanks for the help!
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#792
RyanOh said:
Only 5 strings were JJ, and only because there were no PJ sets for 5's available at the time. I have several 4's, no 5's.
Click to expand...

go back to page 8 of this thread. There is a JJ 4 fretless pic.

beside that pic I’ve only seen one other JJ 4, I saw it years ago when I was heavy into pilot collecting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender and RyanOh
#793
You think it's factory? I'd go as far as saying that is a weird Jazz spacing and the original P got wood filler. The knob spacing is also weirdo. Interesting though, I have never seen a 4 JJ ever at all, not even heard of as a custom one-off.
Pilot4JJ.PNG
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender
#794
RyanOh said:
You think it's factory? I'd go as far as saying that is a weird Jazz spacing and the original P got wood filler. The knob spacing is also weirdo. Interesting though, I have never seen a 4 JJ ever at all, not even heard of as a custom one-off.
View attachment 3790927
Click to expand...

yeah, zoomed in it could be altered. But I know I saw a JJ 4 back in the day. It was white. It was on eBay or bassgear.com(I think that was the website name). I’m combing through my old pics now to see if I saved a pic of it. I remember the one I saw was an 85, it was white, strap button was on the back of upper horn and it didn’t say pilot on the headstock, just guild.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender, FishDub and RyanOh
#796
nalapit13 said:
yeah, zoomed in it could be altered. But I know I saw a JJ 4 back in the day. It was white. It was on eBay or bassgear.com(I think that was the website name). I’m combing through my old pics now to see if I saved a pic of it. I remember the one I saw was an 85, it was white, strap button was on the back of upper horn and it didn’t say pilot on the headstock, just guild.
Click to expand...
Was the JJ 4 you saw fretted?
 
  • Like
Reactions: deepender

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back