That board and those magnificent inlays - amd the cream binding really light up the bass, yes...
No, I am not a drummer - but the drummer in my band is one...
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That board and those magnificent inlays - amd the cream binding really light up the bass, yes...
No, I am not a drummer - but the drummer in my band is one...
You know, I did notice something seemed "off" with the first inlay looks-wise even from the first time I saw the seller's fotos on Reverb - didn't really register until about an hour ago when I started the initial TLC work...
What's wrong with this picture...?
Oh, you sneaky little previous owner, you...
I know why you did it, but it could have been done much better, but from a distance we're all fooled...It slipped right by me even though I knew there was "something" about that inlay - you got me...
What's wrong with this picture...?
Oh, you sneaky little previous owner, you...
I know why you did it, but it could have been done much better, but from a distance we're all fooled...It slipped right by me even though I knew there was "something" about that inlay - you got me...
Are the other inlays intact or were they all decals?You know, I did notice something seemed "off" with the first inlay looks-wise even from the first time I saw the seller's fotos on Reverb - didn't really register until about an hour ago when I started the initial TLC work...
What's wrong with this picture...?
Oh, you sneaky little previous owner, you...
I know why you did it, but it could have been done much better, but from a distance we're all fooled...It slipped right by me even though I knew there was "something" about that inlay - you got me...
Yes, the fretboard underneath is just fine it was obviously done purely for the looks - to give the first fret the appearence of having block inlay as well - I wish also the Advanced had an inlay in the first fret...The previous owner made a decal that was the right size and correctly placed, indeed - it even looked like the real thing from a couple of meters away, but the closer you got to it, the more it really didn't match - especially the triangle was too thin and too short...It just looked too strange in my eyes so, off it came - no harm, no foul...
You can have my Pilots when you pry them from my cold, dead hands...
Two missing, an Advanced and an unlined fretless both in transparent charcoal finish I got this year.
I didn't buy my first Pilot until 2018, but now I've got a 1983, 1984, 1986, 2 1987's, and 4 1988's.
I gig the Advanced with flats the most, but they've all been out of the house at least 2-3 times.
Wow, a number of you have great collections!
So for those of you who have more than one Pilot, what is it that you like about these compared to other brands and models? I personally have 50 basses, give or take, all high end production models, all US. I am still getting to know my new Pilot to see what it does well, and what it does not. I haven't yet come to any solid conclusions about where this fits in with the rest.
Curious to know what people here think this bass does best. What can you get from a Pilot that you just cannot quite get with anything else? What makes the Pilot unique and special?
So for those of you who have more than one Pilot, what is it that you like about these compared to other brands and models? I personally have 50 basses, give or take, all high end production models, all US. I am still getting to know my new Pilot to see what it does well, and what it does not. I haven't yet come to any solid conclusions about where this fits in with the rest.
Curious to know what people here think this bass does best. What can you get from a Pilot that you just cannot quite get with anything else? What makes the Pilot unique and special?
Ahhh, Flashback - yes, you are presently holding two of my future basses - nr. 6 and nr. 10 from the left...
I've asked you in the past for them and I'll probably ask you again in the future...
I am expecting one of my "Grail" Pilots ca. mid-july, so my collection should be up to 6 soon...
You have other impressive Guilds as well - but tell me, how can it be that you do not own these - especially the Purple "Star" bass with the SB-604 type headstock...!?
Here's my thoughts...
I too, have a large "A to Z" bass collection - but none of them have the look, the curves, the feel, or the characteristic sound of a Guild Pilot...It's a genuinely awesome, underrated miracle bass...
The Pilot's looks and sound easily fit into any style band - country to punk, reggae to metal...Since the first time I ever saw a Pilot with my own eyes in a music store waaay back in 1985 or 1986, I was immediately attracted to it's elongated, thin, sleek shape and cakeknife headstock - it was the sexiest bass I'd ever seen - even sexier than my B.C. Rich Mockingbirds which, until then, was the prettiest guitar/bass body on the planet in my world...I bought 2 after playing a demo for less than 10 minutes...(To my eternal regret, I had to sell them in 1989.)
They sit right against my body, hang perfectly balanced on the straps, my pick hand falls naturally to the perfect playing area between the P & J pups, the knobs are placed just right, the Schaller & Müller roller bridges are the best on the market both then and now...All of the components together make the Pilot one of highest quality, bulletproof production basses I've ever known - the necks are slim and fast - your hands instantly feel "at home" as soon as they get onto the Pilot and the sound these basses make is as unique to the Pilot as it's curves are...The woods are perfect choices, the finishes are always individual (the maple bodied, trans finished bodies, anyway) and amazing...Overall, Pilots are "flawless", tough as nails and as sexy as your most favorite lover...
In my humble opinion, it is the single most potent and underrated production "J-type" bass ever made and that's one realistic reason Fender ceased production of them - Pilots were quite simply better than overrated Fenders (just look at that cheapo, craptastic bridge Fender still uses on it's P&Js then and now compared to what was standard on Pilots 35 years ago, as but one example) and they were probably hurting Fender sales...So, kill off the competition and drop the product altogether...
At this very moment, I am having a ridiculously expensive USA Custom Shop B.C. Rich bass made for me - and that bass is being built with many Guild Pilot specs - THAT'S how incredible the Pilot is to me and my hands...
Hope this helps...
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Here's my thoughts...
I too, have a large "A to Z" bass collection - but none of them have the look, the curves, the feel, or the characteristic sound of a Guild Pilot...It's a genuinely awesome, underrated miracle bass...
Since the first time I ever saw a Pilot with my own eyes in a music store waaay back in 1985 or 1986, I was immediately attracted to it's elongated, thin, sleek shape and cakeknife headstock - it was the sexiest bass I'd ever seen - even sexier than my B.C. Rich Mockingbirds which, until then, was the prettiest guitar/bass body on the planet in my world...I bought 2 after playing a demo for less than 10 minutes...(To my eternal regret, I had to sell them in 1989.)
They sit right against my body, hang perfectly balanced on the straps, my pick hand falls naturally to the perfect playing area between the P & J pups, the knobs are placed just right, the Schaller & Müller roller bridges are the best on the market both then and now...All of the components together make the Pilot one of highest quality, bulletproof production basses I've ever known - the necks are slim and fast - your hands instantly feel "at home" as soon as they get onto the Pilot and the sound these basses make is as unique to the Pilot as it's curves are...The woods are perfect choices, the finishes are always individual (the maple bodied, trans finished bodies, anyway) and amazing...Overall, Pilots are "flawless", tough as nails and as sexy as your most favorite lover...
In my humble opinion, it is the single most potent and underrated production "J-type" bass ever made and that's one realistic reason Fender ceased production of them - Pilots were quite simply better than overrated Fenders (just look at that cheapo, craptastic bridge Fender still uses on it's P&Js then and now compared to what was standard on Pilots 35 years ago, as but one example) and they were probably hurting Fender sales...So, kill off the competition and drop the product altogether...
At this very moment, I am having a ridiculously expensive USA Custom Shop B.C. Rich bass made for me - and that bass is being built with many Guild Pilot specs - THAT'S how incredible the Pilot is to me and my hands...
Hope this helps...
Very interesting and well written. Curious to get your thoughts on the pups as well. Where do you think they shine? Where do you think they come up short? Amazingly, this is my first bass with active EMGs. I am want to find that sweet spot where this bass truly excels and has its own voice that other basses cannot quite reach. In my experience, every (high quality) bass has that. It just takes some time to find it.
I can't be too much help there - I play and have always played rock/hardrock/heavy metal music and, as a rule the basses I bought were stock equipped with EMGs - which are perfect for these genres, so I almost don't know what anything else sounds like...! That new BCR bass I mentioned earlier will have Bartolini b-axis double PB4s JUST to try something completely different for a change...
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Soundwise, nothing.
Mine is just a P bass and most are just PJ's, but EMG makes great sounding pickups that are dead silent as far as unwanted noises, which means that studio engineers love them because it makes their job easy.
As far as the rest of the bass, no other bass has that exact neck size and shape, and "fretless wonder" frets...that combination is very appealing to some people and may feel wrong to others, this is true of many basses with non run of the mill necks.
The petite Jazzy body shape hangs well on a strap and is light.
Guild chose quality bridges and small/light tuners.
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