NBD - '78 Guild B302F

[Wilbur88]

I have had GAS for a B302 for a while now, and have been keeping an eye out for one Stateside.  This one came a couple of weeks ago, and she finally arrived.  Fretless wasn't the plan, but the rare colour and condition sold me.  The seller said it was in great condition, but that was an understatement.  It is almost pristine, and has clearly worn flats forever, as the board is immaculate.

The case is hammered, which if original tells me the bass has been gigged heavily, but the owner(s) has really babied this bass.  It's gorgeous.

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[Chris P.]

Wow, congratulations! I would have believed it if you told us it was a new reissue by Guild:)

[godofthunder]

Freetless, cool! Looks good in white.

[4stringer77]

Nice axe! I have a natural B-301 and it kills with flats too. Closest bass I have to a Fender. Quirky basses in terms of balance and the bridge but worth it for the tone. Enjoy.

[gearHed289]

Wow, that's beautiful in white. Always been intrigued by those basses. Aesthetically, they remind me of a cross between a Ric and a Gibson. No idea what they sound like though.

[4stringer77]

Best recorded example on youtube. You'll notice the pickups sensitivity to attack when he plucks directly over the pole pieces. The tone knob can accentuate this when full on and the bass can get very dubby when the tone is rolled off, quite a large sonic range.

 

[Dave W]

Beautiful bass.

Ali McMordie, the original bassist for Stiff Little Fingers, played a white (fretted) B-302 which can be seen in early SLF videos on YT. Unfortunately it's usually not heard well among all the other noise.

[Wilbur88]

Best recorded example on youtube. You'll notice the pickups sensitivity to attack when he plucks directly over the pole pieces. The tone knob can accentuate this when full on and the bass can get very dubby when the tone is rolled off, quite a large sonic range.

 

I see what you mean.  The tonal range on the B302F is also good, and it sounds monstrous through a big rig.  I just need to get my intonation up to speed after almost 25 years of not playing a fretless! 

[hieronymous]

That thing looks awesome! I'm partial to those fretless necks - I've got an early-'70s factory fretless M-85 II - neck looks like yours except yours is much spiffier! I think mine saw a lot of action in smoky bars - the white binding and chesterfield are very yellowed...

Question: what are the dot markers like on the side of the neck? Mine are where the fret would be, at 3-5-7-9-12-etc.

Also - maybe a stupid question, but isn't the B-302 long scale?

[nofi]

jean beauvoir played a white one with the plasmatics.

[ilan]

Now I want one too 

[Dave W]

Now I want one too 

The B-302 or Wendy O. Williams?

[4stringer77]

Wendy isn't available at the moment, to put it lightly, but there are plenty of great old Guild basses around! Yes Heironymous they are 34" scale. If you like the pickups but not the shape, the SB 201/202 (more of a precision bass shape) and the radical x-701/702 have the same electronics and hardware.
The single coils kind of have a Bi-Sonic sound to them with the tone full on. Similar to Jack Cassidy's tone on the first Hot Tuna album.

[hollowbody]

That looks great in white! I had a 301-F a few years ago but couldn't deal with the dive combined with my poor intonation.

These pickups are my favorite single coils. I have one in the parts drawer waiting for the right instrument.

[ilan]

They dive? (GAS leak)