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Guild Pilot Bass

#21
I bought my first 5 string back in 1985-ish - the little Ibanez RB885 - not a bad bass, BUT way too narrow of a neck - like it was a regular 4 string width with 5 strings on it. There wasn't much available off the rack back then. Yamaha had the BB5000, but the body on that thing seemed so huge - like a Gibson Grabber. Long story short, when I saw that Guild Pilot 5 at NAMM in 1986, I was really impressed. The body shape was totally cool - like a Jazz Bass, but smaller and more sleek. The string spacing was perfect too - at both ends. I bought one in 1987 in Amberburst, the body had some nice flame in it, rosewood board and EMG J pups. It was a really nice bass! Then I discovered Tobias and the Pilot took a back seat. I had it converted to fretless, but then ended up selling it. It's one of the basses I wish I had kept!
 
#22
TRichardsbass said:
Neck was great to play, build was exceptional. One of the best production basses of its time ( I say all time) and it was used heavily in the 1980s by:

Ben Orr
Garry Tallent
a bunch of other guys
Me.
Jaco had one for a while.
Click to expand...
You can add Darryl Jones to that list. (From Sting’s “Bring on the Night” film (1985)).

95772_large.jpg
 
#25
@ Jazzgalore -- Amen brother you hit the nail on the head... Awesome neck action so thin a baby could get their hand around it. My black 4-string (85-86?) is still alive, but alas, no low end like you said. Still nice instrument.
 
#27
Reviving this once again...jus bough one online early this morning, all black with the huge canoe paddle peg head-mid '80's?...Got it for $375...Pics when I get it delivered.

Jaco Pastorius endorsed and played them...amazing they are still so inexpensive.

The Pilot I ordered yesterday arrived about 11 AM today... (!)

It's beautiful, some scratch wear on the back and a bit of age, but almost no fret wear and the neck is just the best I have played since I started in 1962.

The SN is BE 102323, all black, passive, EMG pickups and very fine rosewood fingerboard.
It appears identical to the bass pictured in post #11 above by LAPetrarca, but painted black...a beautiful, great playing and s whole lot of tones.

Looked up the SN - it's a 1987 model.

I own 9 basses now, and after playing this one for just a few minutes, I can see I will be selling a few of them off...

DSCN0587_zpsa207ce82.jpg


DSCN0588_zpsf5fe3a31.jpg


What a great bass!
 
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#30
old mark said:
Reviving this once again...jus bough one online early this morning, all black with the huge canoe paddle peg head-mid '80's?...Got it for $375...Pics when I get it delivered.

Jaco Pastorius endorsed and played them...amazing they are still so inexpensive.

The Pilot I ordered yesterday arrived about 11 AM today... (!)

It's beautiful, some scratch wear on the back and a bit of age, but almost no fret wear and the neck is just the best I have played since I started in 1962.

The SN is BE 102323, all black, passive, EMG pickups and very fine rosewood fingerboard.
It appears identical to the bass pictured in post #11 above by LAPetrarca, but painted black...a beautiful, great playing and s whole lot of tones.

Looked up the SN - it's a 1987 model.

I own 9 basses now, and after playing this one for just a few minutes, I can see I will be selling a few of them off...

DSCN0587_zpsa207ce82.jpg


DSCN0588_zpsf5fe3a31.jpg


What a great bass!
Click to expand...
That's beautiful man.
 
#31
okay, lets revive this once again...It's only a 16 year old thread. On the real Guild V's, how does string spacing compare to the DeArmond version? I like the DeArmond's landing strip wide neck. It's difficult to tell exactly how wide it is, but it appears the Guild is narrower than the DeArmond. Check this out too....I have a Squier Pro Tone V that has recently made me sell a bunch of my basses. I love the 2x4 wide neck on it. If you have ever seen one, one the back they say "crafted in Korea", not "made". The DeArmonds also say "crafted in Korea" too...I'd bet a dollar these rolled out of the same factory. If that's the case, there's no questioning the quality of the DeArmonds as the Squier still kills me every time I play it. Having an old Guild would be cool too. Headstock is a lot prettier on them versus the DeArmond with that weird contour on one side.
Still, my main thing I'm looking for is that wide, flat neck.
 
#32
Player said:
When Guild was aquired by Fender the quality declined.
------------------
Paul
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I know I'm responding to a 16 year old thread, but just to clear the air the above is a fallacy. If fact, when Fender purchased Guild quite the opposite happened! Fender instituted a lot of quality control procedures that Guild never worried about. As I've heard it, quite a few instruments went through the band saw early on before Guild adjusted to the new requirements. It is generally agreed upon by Guild fanatics that the best instruments to come out of the Westerly plant was about the last three years of it's existence under Fender command.
 
#33
Flashback Bass said:
I know I'm responding to a 16 year old thread, but just to clear the air the above is a fallacy. If fact, when Fender purchased Guild quite the opposite happened! Fender instituted a lot of quality control procedures that Guild never worried about. As I've heard it, quite a few instruments went through the band saw early on before Guild adjusted to the new requirements. It is generally agreed upon by Guild fanatics that the best instruments to come out of the Westerly plant was about the last three years of it's existence under Fender command.
Click to expand...
this is not necessarily true. built quality of guilds has always been better than the other "big names". In 35 years I never played a bad guild guitar and I still own 6 guild guitars and two pilots.
 
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#35
UNICORN BASS said:
I have a MIK Pilot Pro in natural ash with the 5 piece neck. I have it strung with black beauties and it kills. Yes, the pre amp isn't the greatest but with careful use of the E Q it works nice. One of the best necks i have ever played. Get e'm while they are off the radar.
Click to expand...

That's how I feel about the Pro Tone I have. I call it the Homewrecker because I sold 5 of my basses after getting that bass. Found that I really like wide necks which is why I'm asking about the DeArmond and the Guild. These are both really good options for me since I finally know what I like but I wonder if the Guild has the landing strip wide fretboard like the DeArmond does. Any idea of fretboard radius?

Thanks.
 
#37
I'm with krysh on this one. In terms of build and quality, my '89 (pre-Fender) Pilot is still as good as any bass I've picked up. I've kind of outgrown it these days, and it doesn't get used much anymore, but I'll never part with it and will always be a big Guild fan.
 
#40
ClubSexyCool said:
Got mine in 1989 and have loved it ever since!! Bringing it to The Whiskey in early December!
Click to expand...
Why not... let's get a post in 2018! I bought a pilot new in the late 80's. It's the only bass I've never flipped. I gigged that bass hard for about 10 years and recorded with it. It is still in tremendous shape and I'll likely not part with it.

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