Bluesbird ID question for Hans

guildzilla

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Hans, I just picked up what I believe to be a 2001 Bluebird with a black finish. It has the highest Westerly BB serial number I've seen - CL002729.

How much higher (or how many BB's) did they build before closing Westerly?


Thanks!
 

hansmoust

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guildzilla said:
Hans, I just picked up what I believe to be a 2001 Bluebird with a black finish. It has the highest Westerly BB serial number I've seen - CL002729.

How much higher (or how many BB's) did they build before closing Westerly?

Thanks!

Hello guildzilla,

The highest one I've seen so far was this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUILD-AAA-BLUES...ryZ41436QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A few more were made after that one though, but I would like to keep the exact number for Part II of the Guild Book.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Spike1956

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Hi,

I have CL002731, it is lightly quilty in tobacco burst. I also have another one that's in my signature. It's my absolute favorite guitar I have ever owned, so much nicer than any of my older Les Pauls I had in the 70's. IT is a flamed cherry sunburst. I bought the CL2731 from the guy that also owned the CL002777, which I should have bought. As Hans said it the highest I've seen too. The one I got smelled really bad of cigaretter smoke, which I was able to get rid of with dryer sheets. But it was mostly the case. He told me they both stunk becuase him and his wife were chimney's

Hope this helps as I'm trying to track the Bluesbird numbers myself numbers myself.
 
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Hi there... this is my first post! I've got CL002775... cherry burst. I love this beautiful guitar. At first I wasnt sure about the 59's... I was expecting a similar bridge p/u to the JB in my S-100. But the 59 has really grown on me. I changed the way I was dialing in my amp and teamed in some new pedals into my rig... and now that baby just really sings so sweet. I thought that it had that Robben Ford flavour and then lo and behold I hear that he uses 59's too.

I live in Australia but ordered the BB in from US. Bit of a gamble buying a guitar that you have never held... but I was looking at various LP's in the guitar shops and was put off by the build quality on those. In fact I found one Ephone that was way better than all the new Gibbo's Id tried. However, I have an S-100 re-issue which is one of the most awesome guitars I ever layed hands on - Im not sure of its year etc. - perhaps you can help me out with that? Anyway, I decided on the BB because it was around the same price as an off the shelf gibbo LP, and trusted the Guild brand build quality. Plus the photo's of that flame maple cap were irresistable. I was not dissapointed thats for sure. I was a bit surprised about the thin neck profile... but even that has grown on me.

Biggest issue I had with this guitar was that I always kept breaking strings (particularly the A which is a bit weird). I chucked on some graphite saddles which sorted that (although the A still breaks occassionally - this doesnt happen on my other guitars so I dont think its the way I play) and compliment the 'toppy' tone nicely. However because the tailpiece is positioned close to the bridge... and I like an action that doesnt buzz... they strings touch (and bend over) the back of the bridge... which I dont like in the slightest!!! Is this usual? Have I got my bridge set too high? I reckon the positioning of the tailpiece on the S100 (much further back) is a real plus about the design of that axe.

Thanks for listening!

Regards, Guy

Bluesbird CL002775
S-100 Re-issue EB001129
 

hideglue

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Hi Guy,

Is the tailpiece flush with the body?
Or is it raised to alleviate some of the the break angle from the bridge?
 
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Flush with the body... isn;t that how they are supposed to be? Obviously not or you wouldnt ask... you can tell I used to be predominantly a Fender pl;ayer cant you? Ill try raising mine up
 

hideglue

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Guyhunt@berlin.com said:
Flush with the body... isn;t that how they are supposed to be?

Guy,

All of the later, Westerly BBs were set-up with the tailpiece raised - for the exact reason you describe. My assumption is that yours ( SN# CL002775 ) is a late Westerly
 

guildzilla

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Aside from the issue of breaking strings, is there anything else problematical about having a sharper break angle on a Bluesbird?

Mine is a '97, and it is set up with about 1/8" of bolt exposed.

I have sometimes wondered if, by screwing it all the way down, I could get more acoustic sound out of the carved top. But I have yet to perform that experiment.

On the 2001 that I sold a couple months ago, the tailpiece was way-high. So I screwed it down to the position on my '97, figuring that maybe I knew a little better than the young lady at the music store who did the setup before I bought it. I knew that it was the only BB she'd ever touched, though I also suspected she knew considerably more, generally, about electric guitars.

Any further instruction or thoughts, Hide and others?
 

coastie99

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If I were to screw the tailpiece on my '98 'birdie right down, I'd have a big problem with the strings fouling the rear of the bridge.

It's always seemed very strange indeed to me, that the tailpiece cannot be screwed right down; surely that might have a beneficial effect sustain-wise ?
 
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I raised the tailpiece so that it doesnt foul on the back of the bridge. Be interesting to hear how it sounds at tomorrow nights gig. The S100 is awesome for the fact that the tailpiece is positioned so far back... a real plus as far as Im concerned. Thanks for the info re. it being out of Westerly... I had suspected.

I heard tonight a mate of mine has just bought a 2000-ish BB loaded with P90's... apparently it is badly damaged... the result of a domestic violence incident. His dad is a luthier, so he should be able to fix what would otherwise have been a basket-case. Ill get him to post his progress. Apparently the neck / headstock is broken, neck / body joint severed, and a few other nasty dings... needs new binding etc. Ill try to get him to report the progress through this board... will be interesting Id imagine. Cant wait to play the BB with P90's... Im guessing thats a real sweet combo!
 

Tex

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Hi,
I read in Dan Erlewine's book "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great" that with the stopbar screwed all the way down that there is so much pressure on the bridge that it can warp over time. He's got a pic of a Les Paul with that issue.
 
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