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I'm not disagreeing with any of your assertion, but it is curious they call out the Mueller bridge in the sale brochure I posted. I would think they did that because they saw it as a selling point. The brochure is dated effective 1/1/88.Hi winston...
The date info on the Schaller and Müller bridges comes from Brian Bowdren's Guild Pilot ""Bible", The Workingman's Bass...
However, since I wrote that post and while I am STILL waiting for f'king FedEx to deliver it, I have been thinking that I may have misunderstood what he wrote...
Brian wrote that the Schaller roller bridge was the first bridge used on the Pilot line in 1983-'84 and that the Müller bridge, the second and most commonly found on Pilots, was (also) OEM from 1984 - 1994...I took these dates literally, thinking that Guild went FROM Schaller OVER TO Müller exclusively in 1984 - and it seems obvious to me NOW, that Brian probably meant that the Müller bridge was brought in as a "second option" from 1984 and that from then on, a Pilot would get either a Schaller OR a Müller depending on stock, worker preference, model, usw...
So, "my bad" as they say - sorry...But, in my defence, until this most recent Pilot purchase, none of the dozen or so Pilots I have owned, do own or had my hands on since 1987, had a Schaller - ALL of them were/are equipped with Müllers, with the single exception being my '94 Pro 5...
The PDF a few posts back says Pilots were only ever made in poplar or maple. Well....
I bought it in this condition and it's clearly something in the mahogany or mahogany looking family. You can see remnants of what looks like an original butter colored finish in the pockets. Serial is BK100799. It's awesome whatever it is. Especially now that it's super funky.
I bought it in this condition and it's clearly something in the mahogany or mahogany looking family. You can see remnants of what looks like an original butter colored finish in the pockets. Serial is BK100799. It's awesome whatever it is. Especially now that it's super funky.
That’s a pilot pro which is what fender changed them to after they bought guild. I also have a mahogany 4 string pilot from that era.
If you'd like to see some Guild Price Lists and Catalogs please check out my friends GAD's website:
https://www.gad.net/Blog/guild-guitar-price-lists/
Here's my SB-603:
Now if you want to see and interesting Pilot, check this out!
What's wrong with this picture?
https://www.gad.net/Blog/guild-guitar-price-lists/
Here's my SB-603:
Now if you want to see and interesting Pilot, check this out!
What's wrong with this picture?
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THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU...!!!
What's wrong with the picture - the 5 string bass is only a 4 string bass posing as a 5 string with a Hipshot trying to take the load...
That's beautiful, before and after! I love mahogany bodies with maple necks.
You know, I am a big fan of the Schaller roller bridge - it's even the bridge I selected on my Custom Shop BCR Mockingbird bass and I've got that bridge on a couple of my other basses as well...With that said, I can see that on my newly- accquired '86 Pilot, that the bass would definately been better off with the Müller...I think the neck is shimmed back too far and the bridge's "extra" backplate and the jacked-up saddles are compensating for it...The Schaller has a much lower profile than the Müller, but the Müller is a "stand alone" bridge with higher saddle height - no need for backplates...ever...
We've chatted about your Pilot and it's refin before - it's a very cool and attractive refin and it looks great...I would love to have an old solid color, poplar body 602 to refin myself...
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU...!!!
You're welcome I hope you enjoyed it. A lot of the Price Lists were loaned to GAD by me.
What's wrong with the picture - the 5 string bass is only a 4 string bass posing as a 5 string with a Hipshot trying to take the load...
Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner!
I see that TalkBass now allows direct photo posting as to having to use a host, [cough] photobucketsux!
So you all might be in trouble now!
Here's another cool Pilot of mine. Blonde on Blonde:
It's a little on the heavy side being solid maple! Especially when you are used to playing the poplar versions.
So you all might be in trouble now!
Here's another cool Pilot of mine. Blonde on Blonde:
It's a little on the heavy side being solid maple! Especially when you are used to playing the poplar versions.
***DROOOOOOL***
As your back can no longer handle this maple Masterpiece, I will be very happy to take your burden upon my shoulders and buy this Pilot from you, Flashback - just say the word as this is one of the most beautiful, if not THE most beautiful Pilots I have ever seen... <3
Were the Bartolini's OEM or did you put them in yourself...?
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Here's another interesting Pilot. It's a first year (#19) in fact. 22 frets. Not having an arm bevel makes it very uncomfortable to play.
(This might be the Pilot I got from nalapit13.)
(This might be the Pilot I got from nalapit13.)
It most certainly is!!! This one went when I started purging my pilots and started getting Elricks built.
Do me a favor and post a pic or two of your Elricks.
My last bass decision was between Elrick and Smith. Decided on Smith.
just one or two???!?!? Here’s the family. I can PM you details on any which one you’d like. They are fantastic.
I know. And beautiful.
It was a tough decision between the two because I loved the look and the sound of them both. (I think I listened to dozens of recordings of both) The “Ken Smith sound” edged out the decision for me. And the fact that the factory is in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania.
Beautiful family you’ve got there.
Thanks for posting.
I was not aware that the Pilots with the pickguards were "flattops"...It's the same with my flattop BCR basses - very nice to look at but can only be played with a double-sized wristband...
