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Post subject: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bridge
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:42 am
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Hello all,
I need some help identifying a Guild electric guitar. A long time ago in the mid to late 90's my cousin gave me an electric guitar. I was the only one in the whole family that knew how to play. The guitar was a Guild and had a matching hardshell case. The guitar was black with black hardware. I know that it had a humbucker in the bridge position and am pretty sure that it also had one in the neck as well. It had two knobs and a Gibson style selector switch. The bridge was a Floyd type bridge with the fine tuners. I clearly remember those. I was stupid and fresh out of high school and sold it super, super cheap so that I could purchase the limited edition Squier P-bass. It was called pewter metallic and had a black guard with all black hardware. I am trying to find this guitar so that I can buy another one. Can anyone here help me with the description that I've provided? PLEASE!

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:36 am
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The only things you describe are hardware -- things that were used on multiple models.

You have to give us at least a vague description of the shape/style of the guitar.

3x3 headstock or 6 inline? Set-neck or bolt-neck? Double cutaway body, single cutaway?

Guild was struggling a bit in the '80s and '90s, particularly in the solidbody market. So they tried lots of things -- Strat-ish things, Tele-ish things, Explorer-ish things, Mockingbird-ish things, some really unusual things.

Also, you were given the guitar in the mid to late '90s. Floyd Rose bridges were invented in the '70s, so there's at least a chance that it was a late '70s or '80s model rather than a '90s.

Try doing a Google image search for "Guild solidbodies". Don't look at the hardware -- many models offered a choice of tailpieces and pickups. If you find one that has the right shape/design, that's probably it.


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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:58 am
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I know a lot about vintage Guilds, as I own one.

Give me a body shape and I'll do my best, that's the easiest way to narrow a search with them.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 6:49 pm
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The tuners were 6 in line. The body was a double cut away. The style wasn't anything radical. If I had to pick a common shape similar to it, I would say that though not a perfect match, it was closest to a Strat. From what I remember, the guitar had a set neck. Hope this helps! Thanks!

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:40 pm
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The guitar you are describing could be a Guild Detonator,they were made for only a couple of years before the Fender takeover and are consequently very rare.The Detonators had 2 EMG humbucker pickups with a single coil pickup between them.The Detonator was shaped almost identical to a Strat. Another Strat like Guild was S-280 or 281 or the S-281 Flyer made only in 1985 and with a Kahler vibrato.These were somewhat Strat shaped but the body from the bridge back on the lower bout is strangely shaped-like it was melted out of shape.They were made in the mid-80s and there wasn't a large number of them made,compared to the production figures of the popular S-100,S-100 NB and the Polara or the S-90.They were made with 2 active EMG 'buckers or with a HSS layout like you see in some Strat models these days and both models had a great sound.The 2-EMG model-the S-281- could be a real heavy metal screamer or it could also turn out some really mellow jazz tones just as the Guild pickup equipped S-100s and Polaras could.Depending on condition,these guitars can go for anywhere from $500 to $1000.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:29 am
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Did it have a pointy Charvelle style headstock?
I seem to remember the Guild Aviator had a set neck and black hardware.
It was along time ago, I think it had 2 knobs and a Kahler trem.
Look them up. Maybe that's your axe. Good luck.


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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:53 am
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guitslinger wrote:
The guitar you are describing could be a Guild Detonator,they were made for only a couple of years before the Fender takeover and are consequently very rare.The Detonators had 2 EMG humbucker pickups with a single coil pickup between them.The Detonator was shaped almost identical to a Strat. Another Strat like Guild was S-280 or 281 or the S-281 Flyer made only in 1985 and with a Kahler vibrato.These were somewhat Strat shaped but the body from the bridge back on the lower bout is strangely shaped-like it was melted out of shape.They were made in the mid-80s and there wasn't a large number of them made,compared to the production figures of the popular S-100,S-100 NB and the Polara or the S-90.They were made with 2 active EMG 'buckers or with a HSS layout like you see in some Strat models these days and both models had a great sound.The 2-EMG model-the S-281- could be a real heavy metal screamer or it could also turn out some really mellow jazz tones just as the Guild pickup equipped S-100s and Polaras could.Depending on condition,these guitars can go for anywhere from $500 to $1000.


There was also the Liberator Elite, a spectacular souped-up version of the Detonator featuring a solid mahogany body with a bound, bookmatched flamed maple carved top. The glued-in mahogany neck had the “seemless heel”, a two-octave bound ebony fingerboard and wonderful pearl “rising sun” inlays. Pickups were active Bartolini units with an active onboard boost function. Pickups were controlled by a trio of 3-way mini-toggles with off in the middle and reversed phase orientation in either end position. Other features included master volume and tone controls, gold hardware and a Floyd Rose double-locking vibrato. This guitar was available in amberburst, cherry sunburst and transparent charcoal.

The Liberator Elite was a special edition guitar produced in 1988.

Other variants of the Liberator series were the set-neck Liberator Standard with DiMarzio pickups and the Liberator II with EMGs.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:12 am
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Thanks for all of the responses. After reading posts and searching the net I believe the bridge to be the brand that starts with a K. The pickups were not EMG's. I know this for a fact. I remember being able to see the bobbins and ribbon that wrapped around the pickup. The finish was just plain black. No metallic flakes or special appearances. Just plain black. I also remember the locking nut. It had three little screws that had Allan heads. There is some more info for you guys. Thanks so much for trying to help me find this guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:29 pm
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I believe you might be referring to a Kahler tremolo...a dive-bomb-worthy whammy usually installed with a locking nut. Be sure to lubricate the mechanism, or it will lock up on you. (A friend of mine had a G&L Rampage with a Kahler back in the late 80's).

As for the guitar, I have no knowledge regarding 80's Guilds, so I'm useless to you.

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Last edited by Screamin' Armadillo on Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:47 pm
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You mentioned a pickguard. Not a lot of guilds had them in that era.
I'm still thinking "Aviator". Here's an '85. Yes this one has EMGs, but is this at least the body/headstock?

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:19 pm
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I apologize for the confusion. The bass that I sold the Guild for had the black pick guard. The Guild had a black body. No pick guard. I was only talking about the LE Squier P bass.

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Post subject: Re: Guild solid body electric 1990's black w/ Floyd type bri
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:44 pm
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I think I found it! I think what I had was the S284 I looks exactly like what I had, as long as it has a set neck that is! Thanks for all the help!

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