GAS Strikes - Dearmond Pilot Deluxe inbound!

Pilgrim · December 19, 2009, 07:04:12 PM

So against my better judgment I stopped at the local Guitar Center tonight, and ran right into a used-nice condition Dearmond Pilot Deluxe bass. Oil finish, active electronics, two flat soapbar pickups, hi-mid-bass EQ pots, plus fader pot and one master volume pot. Schaller-style bridge. Neck-through with three strips of wood separated by what appear to be thin walnut strips, and ash body outside the center area. I'd estimate it weighs only 7-8 pounds...I'd say closer to 7. it may be 35" scale - but I didn't measure. Reviews indicate that these may be 35".

It was sitting there used at $199.

So I played it - and I liked it. It was a bit rattly on the lower frets, but I checked and the neck had a touch of back-bow and the action was pretty low. Releasing some tension helped with the clatter on the bottom frets. I'll have to learn how to use the EQ, but I'm encouraged because the bottom strings sounded quite deep and had solid impact. The top strings sounded a bit tinny but I am a complete newcomer to active EQ on a bass and didn't figure out which pots did what until the end of the time I spent noodling on it.

Dropped a $100 deposit and it's mine on layaway. I'll pick it up before the end of January.

I took a couple of lousy cell phone pix before I left, but I'm having trouble getting them out of my phone. Here are some photos I grabbed off various online sites. The top photo is a dead ringer for mine - wood, pickups , bridge and control knobs. The bridge, tuners and control knobs are a satin chrome finish. The body is oiled and not as shink as the top photo...although down the line I may add a more sealing-type oil finish. The colors are reasonably accurate in these photos, except in the last one - its body is darker than mine:

note headstock in this photo:

godofthunder · December 19, 2009, 07:11:51 PM

Neck through for 199.00 ? Sounds like a deal to me. That bass looks killer !

Pilgrim · December 19, 2009, 10:16:58 PM

Finally got my own pix to come through.....I'm thinking the body is ready for another oil treatment.

SKATE RAT · December 20, 2009, 06:44:09 AM

VERY NICE

exiledarchangel · December 20, 2009, 10:53:11 AM

Damn, what a bargain!

chromium · December 20, 2009, 11:12:16 AM

Congrats. I remember playing one of the Guild Pilots in a store years ago, and it left a very favorable impression. Nice basses!

Pilgrim · December 20, 2009, 12:25:25 PM

I'll probably think about improving the oil finish - it's pretty minimal right now. The very top picture in this thread (found on Talkbass) is a more smooth, glossy finish than mine has - I think that a few coats of Tung oil might produce that type of finish. If not, Birchwood-Casey's Tru-Oil would almost certainly do it.

Checking history on this...I found this info at: http://www.musiciansbuy.com/Fender_History.html which states that Fender bought Guild in 1995. (The following is info from Fender Co.)

"Guild had also introduced DeArmond guitars in 1998. Fender had purchased the DeArmond brand of musical instrument pickups in 1997, and then combined the company with Guild to produce an alternative line of high quality, affordable guitars and basses that are modeled after Guild designs. The guitars themselves are built and assembled in Korea before being sent back to Corona, where they are fitted with American-made DeArmond pickups. Following their successful test runs in European and Asian markets, DeArmond guitars were introduced to American and Canadian consumers and received instant acclaim as an exceptional value."

hollowbody · December 20, 2009, 12:27:31 PM

Wow! Great price. Enjoy that beast!

Dave W · December 20, 2009, 01:20:56 PM

That history appears on a number of sites but it's not correct. Guild had bought Rowe-DeArmond a number of years before. Fender acquired the name when they bought Guild. It's true that the DeArmond name wasn't used on guitars until after Fender bought Guild, before that it was strictly a pickup brand.

AFAIK these were totally MIK, including the pickups. At the time these were on the market, it was never claimed that the pickups were US-made or that the electronics were fitted in the US. If that were true, you would think they would have claimed it, for marketing purposes.

Anyway, it looks nice, hope you enjoy it.

You won't get a gloss from true tung oil, but it's possible with Tru-Oil. Despite the name and the claims, Tru-Oil is actually a thinned wiping varnish, "modified oil" in the MSDS is a buzzword for oil-modified resin.

Pilgrim · December 20, 2009, 01:48:05 PM

Thanks, Dave. The back of the headstock is clearly marked "Made in Korea", so i was on to that.

I'm not surprised that history is a bit off - it was also in my mind that Guild had picked up Dearmond before the sale to Fender occurred.

I don't asusme it's the be-all of basses, but it should be fun. I was thinking that Tru-Oil would be a pretty good choice. I refinished a .22 rifle stock with it in the 60's and it's still very nice. The Tru-Oil website refers to "a blend of linseed oil and natural oils."

Dave W · December 20, 2009, 10:33:02 PM

Yeah, that's because they want you to think it's an oil. But it builds, and oil finishes can't build. It's a linseed oil-based varnish.

Pilgrim · December 21, 2009, 08:38:59 AM

That works for me! Over time, I figure any straight oil finish will allow the wood to gather dirt and discolor...not my style. I'll use something that seals the wood pores. I'm not a fan of unsealed finishes in any case...although for casual furniture I'be been known to use multiple coats of Danish oil (usually WATCO).

Highlander · December 21, 2009, 02:34:48 PM

During my research for my refin, I was truly stunned by how good a finish you can get with Tru-Oil...