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Pulled out the old Guild B302...

MattyH

MattyH

Jul 20, 2010
1,314
349
Long Island
#1
aaaand I think it's going back into the stable of basses I use every gig. Which is 2-4 gigs a week. It's my dads old bass, from I'd saaaay 1978-79. He traded up to it after having a B301. He rarely plays, and I just cant get over the tones I get out of this thing through my Hydrive 410. It's a tank, but it gets buttery smooth. I've always loved this bass. I learned on this bass! I'm glad I re discovered it! This and my AM Reissue 62 Jazz is all I need...for now.

Anyone else out there still gig their Guild?
 
#3
I had a '77 B302 for a while. The tone was killer, as was the neck dive. Those pickups sound really good. I still have one in my parts box that I bought off ebay years ago when someone parted one out. One more future project in progress......
 

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#5
Webtroll said:
Are the tuners particularly heavy? Maybe some UltraLites would do the trick
Click to expand...

The tuners aren't terribly "big", but this thing NEVER goes out of tune. And the strings on this have to be pushing 4 years. But the intonation and the neck never budge either! But without ever having taken the tuners off, I can assume they probably do have some bulk to them. But I personally never had a problem with the dive. I think it's more because of the placement. The neck sits practically right at the edge of the body like a Ric, but the cut outs are smaller. My dad's strap that was on the bass is an old school 4 incher with a real gummy type of leather on the inside. It grips wonderfully to my shoulder.
 
#6
bassclef112 said:
I had a '77 B302 for a while. The tone was killer, as was the neck dive. Those pickups sound really good. I still have one in my parts box that I bought off ebay years ago when someone parted one out. One more future project in progress......
Click to expand...


Damn that finish is incredible. I have the natural, and GAS all the time for one of those (What Fender calls) wine red type finishes. Now I'm just imagining having a spare set of these B302 pups, and throwing them in a Jazz bass. It would be like my two worlds colliding into one SuperBass.
 
#7
MattyH said:
Damn that finish is incredible. I have the natural, and GAS all the time for one of those (What Fender calls) wine red type finishes. Now I'm just imagining having a spare set of these B302 pups, and throwing them in a Jazz bass. It would be like my two worlds colliding into one SuperBass.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I had heard a guy playing one many years ago and knew I'd have to get one someday, so when the white one showed I grabbed it. You don't often see white. Factory Natural finish was the Ash model.

Like I said, some gal parted one out and had the pickup on ebay. I grabbed it, and she said to look for the other one soon. I never saw it (or I just missed it). I think they sound great. I'd love to combine it with a P or a J.
 
#13
Just got this yesterday.
IMG_0688_zpsf49f358f.jpg

It's a 78' originally came with big wonky control knobs like this on for sale on e-bay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUILD-B-301...N-/380587494180?pt=Guitar&hash=item589cc84b24
The seller was nice enough to provide me the sleeker looking G reflector knobs. I was a little worried about the tilt adjust on the bridge though. Mine looks like this.
IMG_0687_zps5e518492.jpg

IMG_0685_zps996f6912.jpg

Most of the other B300 series bridges I've seen have a star wheel adjuster. Althogh the one on Ebay seems to have the similar screw set up as mine. Is it possible my bass was originally constructed this way? I love the sound and the bridge seems functional. I'm going to have the bass set up with new strings but I was wondering if I should try to improve the tilt adjust screw.
 
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#18
SturmUndDrang said:
Anybody have a B-301 or 302 with a bridge tilt screw like mine? Probably on a 1978 or earlier model.
Click to expand...

Yup, my 1978 B302 has the tilt screw. These bridges are essentially the Gibson 3-point bridge but with a very small tilt screw: even more of an engineering oddity than the Gibson "masterpiece". The way these things sustain (and they surely do) kind of belies the notion that extensive contact between bridge and body is essential for that purpose.
 

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