Guild Nightbird

wmcalin · Apr 25, 2007

Hi Folks

I've recently purchased a Guild Nightbird left handed 86 model from eBay, I've been after one of these for over 15 years, this is a rare treat as guitars of this standard are hard to find for left handed players.

The guitar plays really well however I'm not that keen on the EMG's.
I've heard that some of the Nightbirds were fitted with Seymour Duncan PAF pickups and that these were the best match for the guitar, can anyone tell me which model was fitted to this guitar and also are these PAF pickups still available.

Also someone in the past has been playing with the wiring, does anyone have a schematic for the current EMG setup.

I would really appreciate your input on this subject

Many thanks

Will

capnjuan · Apr 25, 2007

Welcome:

Try EMG:
http://www.emginc.com/support.asp

Scroll to find your model #, if known...otherwise...go to plan B....

wmcalin · Apr 25, 2007

guild nightbird

Hi

Thanks for the info, I've already tried EMG support, they inform me their records dont go back as far as 86 so cannot provide any info.

Regards

Will

capnjuan · Apr 25, 2007

Ugh...Well, I can relate a little. I used to play golf left-handed so too suffered the limitations of the commerical market.

At the risk of being burned at the stake for heresy, what's to keep you from buying new, or-equal PAFs or older, working units? I rebuild old tubes amps and struggle with 'as original' v. 'good as can get'; sometimes these aren't the same.

If I want to play the amp, I think about 'good as can get'. If all I'm gonna do is show it off as if it were a '59 Bassman, then it's 'as original'.
Since I can't afford '59 Bassmans....you see where I'm going.

Good luck!

Kap'n · Apr 28, 2007

The EMG's that came with Nightbirds were the white-label "60" model.

The Duncan pickups that came on only a handful of instruments were a special design that doesn't match any stock SD pickup. Seymour once told me that they were supposed to resemble Filter'trons in a humbucker size. The screwheads looked similar. However, IIRC, the coils were in series, not parallel like a Gretsch. They sounded pretty nice, but there are a number of other nice passive pickups out there.

I'm not a big fan of the Armstrongs that came on a lot of them.

wmcalin · Apr 28, 2007

Thanks for your help regarding my post, I've started looking at some of the seymour duncans.

Regards

Will

Darryl Hattenhauer · Apr 29, 2007

William Callin',

You can't go wrong with Seem More Drunken..., I mean See More Dunkin'..., I mean Dunk More..., oh forget it.

wmcalin · Apr 30, 2007

pickups,

Hi Folks, ok I'm going to change the EMG's for Seymour Duncans, but they have a massive selection on their website, can anyone let me know what models they have tried in their Nightbirds. I play anything from jazz to rock currently looking at a SH2 in the bridge and a SH4 in the bridge.

Any pointers will be appreciated.

Darryl Hattenhauer · Apr 30, 2007

You wouldn't appreciate my neighbor's. It barks all night.

coastie99 · May 1, 2007

Re: pickups,

wmcalin said:
Hi Folks, ok I'm going to change the EMG's for Seymour Duncans, but they have a massive selection on their website, can anyone let me know what models they have tried in their Nightbirds. I play anything from jazz to rock currently looking at a SH2 in the bridge and a SH4 in the bridge.

Any pointers will be appreciated.

Peter Green's would be pretty nice !

Darryl Hattenhauer · May 1, 2007

Not as nice as Dolly Parton's.

coastie99 · May 4, 2007

Nah, not for me.

Those over-sized bobbins yield too much "top end" for my tastes.

Though the exposed pole pieces are probably quite responsive !

wmcalin · Aug 7, 2007

Hi

Now fitted new seymour Duncans in my night bird, luckily had the chance to try loads of different models
In the end went for a SH2 and a SH4, this has made a great differnce to the sound.
Kim Walker infomed me the first couple of prototype nightbirds did have Seymours and these did sound better than the EMGs or the Kent's also fitted in some night birds, but they could not source these easily due to an agreement between Krammer guitars and Seymour Duncan mid 80's.

Regards

Will

FNG · Aug 7, 2007

Hey Will...post some pics if you can!!

Kap'n · Aug 7, 2007

wmcalin said:
but they could not source these easily due to an agreement between Krammer guitars and Seymour Duncan mid 80's.

SD signed an exclusive OEM agreement with Kramer sometime in '86, IIRC.

I'd bet some TV'trons would sound awesome in a Nightbird, personally.

wmcalin · Aug 8, 2007

Hi

As requested here are a few pics of my lefthanded night bird.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/56 ... good-times

FNG · Aug 8, 2007

wmcalin · Aug 9, 2007

Hi

Here are some pics of my 86 lefthanded nightbird

http://community.webshots.com/user/wmca ... =community

Regards
Will

danerectal · Sep 9, 2007

wmcalin said:
Hi

Now fitted new seymour Duncans in my night bird, luckily had the chance to try loads of different models
In the end went for a SH2 and a SH4, this has made a great differnce to the sound.
Kim Walker infomed me the first couple of prototype nightbirds did have Seymours and these did sound better than the EMGs or the Kent's also fitted in some night birds, but they could not source these easily due to an agreement between Krammer guitars and Seymour Duncan mid 80's.

Regards

Will

Isn't that supposed to be Seymour's favorite combination? I know it's mine when it comes to Duncans.

Guild Nightbird

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