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Guild Pilot Bass
- Thread starter Da Funk
- Start date
To clarify some false info over the long time this thread has been here...
FMIC bought Guild in '95 (transfer effective January 1, 1996). The Pilot basses were discontinued before rhat. FMIC infused cash, artist promotions, advertising, etc. that were genuinely helpful to the line. They did close the Westerly RI plant, but not until 2001.
The US Pilots were made of poplar, except the Pilot Pro which did have maple bodies . The Pro also had gold plated hardware, active EMG PUPs, and an active preamp, similar to the one in Spector basses. The regular Pilot had active EMG (the catalog also listed it as available with passive DiMarzios, but I'be never seen one outside of NAMM) PUPs with a passive VVT circuit.
They had at least three headstock shapes for the regular ones, and another for the Pro. Guild serial number data is awful, confused, and highly inaccurate. If you want to date a Guild, check with the "Let's Talk Guild" online forum.
I was a Guild (and Fender, Gibson, Peavey, Yamaha, Takamine, Washburn, Martin, etc.) dealer from '77 -'88. I'm an unabashed fan of Guilds, and think they're criminally underrated. I sold as many Pilots as I did Jazz basses in that time, which is remarkable considering the relative general knowledge people had of the two companies. Most people who came in knowing anything about Guild only knew of John Denver's 12-strings.
FMIC bought Guild in '95 (transfer effective January 1, 1996). The Pilot basses were discontinued before rhat. FMIC infused cash, artist promotions, advertising, etc. that were genuinely helpful to the line. They did close the Westerly RI plant, but not until 2001.
The US Pilots were made of poplar, except the Pilot Pro which did have maple bodies . The Pro also had gold plated hardware, active EMG PUPs, and an active preamp, similar to the one in Spector basses. The regular Pilot had active EMG (the catalog also listed it as available with passive DiMarzios, but I'be never seen one outside of NAMM) PUPs with a passive VVT circuit.
They had at least three headstock shapes for the regular ones, and another for the Pro. Guild serial number data is awful, confused, and highly inaccurate. If you want to date a Guild, check with the "Let's Talk Guild" online forum.
I was a Guild (and Fender, Gibson, Peavey, Yamaha, Takamine, Washburn, Martin, etc.) dealer from '77 -'88. I'm an unabashed fan of Guilds, and think they're criminally underrated. I sold as many Pilots as I did Jazz basses in that time, which is remarkable considering the relative general knowledge people had of the two companies. Most people who came in knowing anything about Guild only knew of John Denver's 12-strings.
Not 100% correct. Only the ones with a covering coating as standard have been poplar (with the option of maple). There also have been some mahogany ones. The ones with a translucent finish have been maple. The few advanced Pilots also had an EMG BTC-"preamp" (4 pots instead of 3). Beside EMG and DiMarzios also korean pickups have been used, so there were two passive options at least on the 5-string Pilots.
There is an absurdly affordable USA Pilot on Reverb right now. no affiliation, it'd be otw here already if I weren't selling other gear already for something else.
Old threads never die ... and some don't even fade away.
I have a 1983 SB-604 (the earlier "hockey stick" headstock variant) that is one of the first 100 off the line. It's not only rare because of its low serial number, but also because it is a custom color in lacquer—Sky Blue (though the clear coat has yellowed and it now looks more teal colored ...).
Super cool bass, great tone and light weight. And this one is VERY '80s!
I have a 1983 SB-604 (the earlier "hockey stick" headstock variant) that is one of the first 100 off the line. It's not only rare because of its low serial number, but also because it is a custom color in lacquer—Sky Blue (though the clear coat has yellowed and it now looks more teal colored ...).
Super cool bass, great tone and light weight. And this one is VERY '80s!
Yeah, they are great. I've owned a dozen or so over the years. This is the earliest example, though I had an '83 602 with the full pickguard that was about the same vintage (around Oct '83).
I've also got a custom color Olympic White '86 602 with a maple board on a gorgeous flame maple neck. THAT one is a total keeper, for sure!
I've also got a custom color Olympic White '86 602 with a maple board on a gorgeous flame maple neck. THAT one is a total keeper, for sure!
You know, I always assumed that Jaco met the Guild people and they just snapped a pic for the heck of it. I never thought that he actually played and endorsed it. Be nice to know the story. I definitely remember that pic, though. If you take notice, the frame setup and camera aperture makes his hand on the fingerboard look bigger than Stanley's!!
Got a '88 today.
Looks are really odd but apart from that pretty nice instrument, cheapest MIA by far.
This one got bassines and dimarzio, and although i have emg already waiting to be installed still gotta keep the original passive tone for a while. Sound wise its typical Pbass with light poplar body and comfy jazz neck. Altogether its nice at the right price.
Looks are really odd but apart from that pretty nice instrument, cheapest MIA by far.
This one got bassines and dimarzio, and although i have emg already waiting to be installed still gotta keep the original passive tone for a while. Sound wise its typical Pbass with light poplar body and comfy jazz neck. Altogether its nice at the right price.
I have a blue Pilot of that vintage, super comfortable bass!
The EMG's will be way better than that arrangement. I added the BTC tone circuit and love it.
Congrats on your Pilot
The EMG's will be way better than that arrangement. I added the BTC tone circuit and love it.
Congrats on your Pilot
Any USA bass from the 80's is a STEAL for $650! Buy it and put whatever passive pickups in it that you'd like
I had a blue '88 or '89 Pilot with the most Fender-style headstock and EMGs. I could never get a tone out of it I really liked, a friend's brother had a black Pilot with passive DiMarzios that sounded a lot meatier on all pickup settings.
Also IIRC - beyond the EMGs and DiMarzios, there was a small run of maple-topped 5s in the late '80s/early '90s with Bartolini J pickups and a 2-band preamp.
Also IIRC - beyond the EMGs and DiMarzios, there was a small run of maple-topped 5s in the late '80s/early '90s with Bartolini J pickups and a 2-band preamp.
You're in luck! The Pilot stock circuit is passive V/V/T … like a Jazz Bass. The EMGs are active, so you get the best of both worlds. Love my '85, they are some of the absolute best basses of the era, IMHO.
