Brand: Guild
Instrument Categories: Electric, Guitars, SOLD, Solidbody
Originally launched in 1954 as the M-75 Aristocrat, the Guild Bluesbird has had a number of revisions over the years.
The version seen here was built from 1998 to 2003, as a chambered Mahogany solidbody with a solid AAA Maple top and a softened cutaway. The neck is Mahogany with a full C profile and 24.75 inch scale length, and a bound Indian Rosewood fingerboard with Mother of Pearl block position markers. The headstock has a black fibre head plate with the classic Guild ‘Chesterfield’ inlay.
The headstock shape is a classic Guild design that was surprisingly influential – a slightly modified version of it appeared on Ibanez guitars beginning in 1976. This came into use immediately after Gibson’s suit against Elgar / Hoshino’s use of the Gibson open-book headstock shape!
This Guild Bluesbird Sunburst example dates to 1999 and was built in Westerly, Rhode Island and appears to be entirely original, with the stock Grover Roto-Matic tuners, ABR style bridge and stop tailpiece. The pickups are the stock Seymour Duncan SH-1 models, but with the three-screw adjustment support that not only provides for tilt, but also prevents the pickups from rattling in the cavity. The frets appear to be original and over the years, the fingerboard has shrunk slightly; this has resulted in small break lines in the binding at the fret slots. This type of wear is extremely common on bound Gibson necks. The finish has a few small marks here and there, not surprising after 23 years of use!
These are great guitars, perhaps under-appreciated. The chambering provides weight relief and resonance, and the AAA Flame Maple top is nicely set off by the nitrocellulose lacquer sunburst finish.
The original Guild branded hard shell case is included.
- Model: Bluesbird
- Year: 1999
- Finish Sunburst
- Class: Used
- Serial Number: CL001664, built during 1999 in Westerly, RI
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 22/09/2022
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 8.756lbs 3.98kg
- Scale Length: 24.75in 628.6mm
- Nut Width: 1.712in 43.49mm
