Incoming Guild B-301

dadagoboi · January 15, 2015, 02:12:18 PM

Trading my Cataldo Eighter to an early customer for this:

I'd prefer a blonde mahogany, been looking for a while but none has turned up. I'm sure they'll start coming out of the woodwork now...

Dave W · January 15, 2015, 09:17:51 PM

Looks to be in very nice shape. The ash seems to be much less common than the brown stained mahogany finish. I've never seen one in a blond finish mahogany.

dadagoboi · January 16, 2015, 06:24:38 AM

It does seem to be in good shape except for the less yellowing on the back where stickers were removed. I'm a little concerned about weight, late 70s ash bodies are generally heavy IME. The cherry mahogany one I had for a few days was very light but balanced great. Everything is original except for the TRC...WTF?

I guess technically the mahogany ones were white:

They're out there but more than I want to pay for the condition they're in.

While searching I did see a blonde ash one pictured. It was really sharp but I can't find it again.

Pilgrim · January 16, 2015, 09:11:42 AM

I had two thoughts looking at it:

1) Purty!

2) Bet it's heavy.

4stringer77 · January 16, 2015, 09:25:27 AM

I had the stained Mahogany and the bass was light overall but unbalanced because of the heavy tuners and large headstock combined with location of the strap pin. I would think the heavier ash body might be a better compliment to the neck for balance. If anyone's looking for my old B301 it should be up on the GC used listings in the Nashua NH store.

Nocturnal · January 16, 2015, 05:13:57 PM

You were saying one would show up:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1977-Guild-B-301-Bass-Guitar-W-Original-Case-Fantastic-Pro-Set-Up-/301490220358?pt=Guitar&hash=item463237ad46

Dave W · January 16, 2015, 09:14:00 PM

I have seen the white ones before. Ali McMordie played a white B-302 in Stiff Little Fingers.

dadagoboi · January 17, 2015, 06:12:19 AM

I saw that one last week, Andy. I thought it was a little too expensive for the condition. I'm trying to enforce a 'one in one out' bass acquisition program this year, so a straight trade is ideal.

Thanks for the video, Dave.

dadagoboi · February 12, 2015, 08:57:19 AM

Arrived about 10 days ago, I've had other pressing matters including meeting my grandson and celebrating his first birthday (same day as my mom's 93rd) down south with family.

Here's a first look. Weight is 9.8 lbs, body is 1.5 inches thick, balance is perfect. The single coil DiMarzio really provides a wide range of tone. I'm thinking of getting ThunderBucker to clone it for my builds. I think DiMarzio only did it for Guild. It 's sort of Jazz pole magnets in a fat short P-90 coil, goes from ultra trebly to very deep. I'm digging it!

gearHed289 · February 12, 2015, 09:26:55 AM

Ah, so many basses, so little cash. I would love a mahogany 302. Hell, I could tell people the B stands for BOSS.

But then I'd have to paint it orange...

I did not know DiMarzio made those pickups.

Highlander · February 13, 2015, 02:23:40 AM

Looks minty...

Pilgrim · February 13, 2015, 07:58:59 AM

That has a layer of cool applied all over it.

dadagoboi · February 13, 2015, 09:05:13 AM

Quote from: gearHed289 on February 12, 2015, 09:26:55 AM
Ah, so many basses, so little cash. I would love a mahogany 302. Hell, I could tell people the B stands for BOSS. But then I'd have to paint it orange...

I did not know DiMarzio made those pickups.

Luckily(?) my event horizon is sooner than yours so I have less restraint with buying what I want when I want it. I hope you come across one when the time is right, Tom.

According to Guild literature Dimarzio made the pups. Just a little taller than a 60s TBird humbucker, less than 5/8". It threads into a brass plate, mahogany shimmed on the bridge side to keep the angle correct.

Quote from: Highlander on February 13, 2015, 02:23:40 AM
Looks minty...

Very close. Just stripped it to do a general detailing and fret dress. Pickguard is more bakelite-like than on any other bass I own. Really polishes up nicely.

Quote from: Pilgrim on February 13, 2015, 07:58:59 AM
That has a layer of cool applied all over it.

As well as a residue of tobacco goo from living in North Carolina most of its life!

4stringer77 · February 13, 2015, 10:52:10 AM

They're nice pickups and definitely unique. I felt like they sounded best when clean. The overdriven characteristic seemed more harsh in a similar way to the split coil mfd pickup I experienced with G&L. Glad to hear the bass balances well, guess my hunch about the ash body was right. My hog B-301 was even lighter than yours overall but much more imbalanced. I'd rather have a heavier bass with better balance. Will you be keeping the chobester on there?

dadagoboi · February 13, 2015, 03:08:47 PM

I didn't have a problem with the mahogany one I had. I wear basses very low and that helps counter neckdive IMO. 'Chobester', whatever it means, is staying until I find a correct B-301A cover or make one.

Micromeshed it, dressed the frets and put it back together with $5 flats. Sounds good so far through 5 watt 'BluesMaster' and 1-15 cab. Need to intonate it and dial in the setup.