Incoming Guild B-301

[dadagoboi]

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]

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]

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]

I had two thoughts looking at it:

1) Purty!

2) Bet it's heavy.

[4stringer77]

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]

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]

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

[dadagoboi]

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]

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]

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]

Looks minty...

[Pilgrim]

That has a layer of cool applied all over it.

[dadagoboi]

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.

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.

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]

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]

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.