Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 Like, for instance, an S 284 Aviator?
carfish7 Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 High-quality made in USA and crap resale value.Sound familiar?!?
Thundersteel Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 Guilds are underrated, IMHO. Top quality at a decent price, but never got to be as well-known as Fender and Gibson.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 High-quality made in USA and crap resale value.Sound familiar?!?I think I've heard that before, somewhere...can't quite remember where.Sounds like $500 might be well within actual value, but below market value?Meaning, I overpaid, but I won't feel like it when I play it?
cmatthes Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 Some of the mid-80s Guilds I recall were total boat anchors.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 Some of the mid-80s Guilds I recall were total boat anchors.By that, you just mean "heavy", right? Not "so lousy I want to throw them into the nearest ocean"?
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 Well, if they're heavy enough...maybe?It does have the double-cutaway to more easily catch on rocks. So maybe.I just couldn't resist transparent blue over flame, set neck, with an ebony fingerboard. Weight has never bothered me.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 Lookout Carvin!Or a Cali Elite, of which I have two.
cmatthes Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 Pretty sure that isn't going to unseat a Cali.
it's me HHB Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 Pretty sure that isn't going to unseat a Cali.Maybe as yard art
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 Pretty sure that isn't going to unseat a Cali.Right.But no one is getting a Cali Elite for $500, either.
Steve Haynie Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 The Guild Pilot Bass was nice in the 80's, but not as nice as a Music Man.
Biz Prof Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 "Art" is such a subjective term, Bill! My college roommate and I once mused that if a piece was debated as to whether it was actually a work of "art" based solely on one's perspective or philosophy; it wasn't so much "art", but rather "ph'art". I think what we have here with this Guild is "ph'art".
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted August 24, 2015 Author Posted August 24, 2015 At least it isn't a Heritage.
JohnnyB Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 The Guild Pilot Bass was nice in the 80's, but not as nice as a Music Man. Speaking of boat anchors, what about Ernie Bll era Music Man basses? I have two Pilots, one a 1985 or so and the other one of the very last Westerly's made, in 1994. I'd take them any day over an EBMM bass for sheer balance, ergonomics, and playability. Tone would be a draw.
cmatthes Posted August 25, 2015 Posted August 25, 2015 At least it isn't a Heritage.That my friend, is sig-worthy!
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted September 2, 2015 Author Posted September 2, 2015 Well, it's here.It isn't a boat anchor. Medium weight, great neck.The transparent blue has faded to a deep aqua. Pickups have been swapped for Seymour Duncans (can tell both by the slightly smaller and slightly skewed pickup ring that reveals the old finish, and by the fact that the pickup has "Seymour Duncan" written on it, which they didn't do in 1986). If I did my research on SD's site right, it is 4 Hot Stack Strat pickups in an HSS configuration. Very nice, very easy to play, and sounds almost as good as the Salmon Blush Cali with the PATBs. While the Cali sounds the best to me, this does have a different character that makes it worth having in complement.Glad I bought it, and I may do a NGD writeup about it soon.Or not. Depends on my mood and free time.
JohnnyB Posted September 3, 2015 Posted September 3, 2015 I don't know if this guy is being optimistic, but maybe you got a pretty good deal after all. The Guilds listed on GC's Used website seem to be holding good value.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted September 3, 2015 Author Posted September 3, 2015 I don't know if this guy is being optimistic, but maybe you got a pretty good deal after all. The Guilds listed on GC's Used website seem to be holding good value.It is so hard to know what the market value is for something that appears for sale so rarely as a guitar like this.Even on eBay, this has been the only one of these even offered for sale in searchable history. There were two other superstrats, but this one has ebony fretboard and transparent finish over flamed maple. Its value should be increased by the fact that it included the trem arm and the original Guild hard shell case (thick and heavy!). The fact that it doesn't have factory pickups might lower its objective value, but again, it is difficult to determine what that value is.So for me, I have to look at its subjective value: how easy would it be for me to get an ebony-fingerboard, blue transparent (beautifully faded to aqua) finish, set neck guitar with Seymour Duncan pickups, low action, good ergonomics, and good tone, to this level of build quality?To be honest, I'd probably have to go to Warmoth and have one built or look for an ebony-boarded Hamer USA Chaparral to get an equivalent guitar. Maybe a Carvin, but they don't have that same air of quality that a USA Hamer does. Now, with an ebony-boarded Chaparral I'd get boomers instead dots, and with a set-neck version, I'd probably (though not necessarily) get mini-switches instead of a 5-way. And 24 frets instead of 22. But with the exception of those three aspects, I consider this an equal to a USA Chap Elite. Moreover, I have enough 24 fret shredders that just 22 frets isn't a negative, and being brutally honest, boomers don't make a lick of actual difference in playing or tone......so I basically feel like I got a rare guitar, more or less equal to a Hamer USA set-neck Chap, in very good condition, for $500. I wouldn't say I got a steal, maybe, but I would say I got a good deal. And the fact that mid-80s Guild superstrats are so rare just increases its subjective value to me. Since I'm not planning on selling it (yeah, I know, but there are some guitars I said I wouldn't sell and haven't), I won't really need to find out its objective value.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted September 3, 2015 Author Posted September 3, 2015 Did a little research, because "flamed maple" top just didn't feel right. From the front, it looks like flamed maple, but from the side, you see clear alder/ash grains. Not maple-like at all. So here are some pictures of flamed alder: https://www.google.com/search?biw=1763&bih=879&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=flamed+alder&oq=flamed+alder&gs_l=img.3..0i24.11302.12018.0.12174.5.3.0.2.2.0.125.220.1j1.2.0....0...1c.1.64.img..1.4.224.YPN1yEdjsys You're welcome, America. this seems to be more like what the flame on my Guild looks like: flame, but doesn't go all the way across, or less regular in width like in flamed maple.
LordsoftheJungle Posted September 3, 2015 Posted September 3, 2015 Man that's uglyNathan's aesthetic tastes can be unconventional,,, I do love the Guild brand though, nice geetars to be had.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted September 3, 2015 Author Posted September 3, 2015 Man that's uglyNathan's aesthetic tastes can be unconventional,,, I do love the Guild brand though, nice geetars to be had.I also like traditionally-pretty guitars, like the Salmon Blush Californian.But in the end, function kicks the holy hell out of form, for me.
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Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame
Like, for instance, an S 284 Aviator?
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