Headstock “stinger” on Artist Award?

[BradHK]

I am looking at an early 1960’s Artist Award and it has a “stinger” on the back of the headstock. It is not painted but rather an overlay like on the face of the headstock. The serial number is imprinted into this overlay. I have not seen this on any other Guild from this era. Is this original? If so, when did Guild do this style overlay on the back of the headstock? This could be covered in Hans’ book but I don’t have mine handy at this time. Thanks!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Ooh, I love a good Guild mystery!

 

[GGJaguar]

I wonder if it was custom ordered so it was more Gibson-ish or maybe there was a headstock break and it was repaired by the factory.

 

[Uke]

I've never seen one of these on any guitar.

 

[BradHK]

The only Guild I have seen with something similar from this era was a 1963 X-500 that was supposedly special ordered from the factory with an artist award neck. Interesting that they are both from 1963. Here is a photo of the X-500 headstock. I thought it was painted at first but upon closer inspection it looks like you can see the different layers and some shrinkage at the bottom left corner. It is also not as obvious that the serial number is stamped in the back on this guitar but that just might be the angle of the photo.

Guild Artist Award/X-500 Special Stereo 1963 Sunburst | Reverb

Just in from the second owner, here is one you don't see everyday! Custom ordered 1963 Guild Artist Award/X500 in STEREO! Full feeling neck with 24 5/8 inch scale length, 1.692 inch nut width, 2.122 wide at 12th fret, weighs 8 1/4lbs. The early full size Guild humbuckers sound remarkably like P.A...

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[Rocky]

I've never seen one of these on any guitar.

As Greg said, they can be used to hide repairs. The Gibson factory used them on Super 400s to hide the grafting on the headstock sides used to create their trademar ridiculously large (IMHO) headstocks.

 

[hansmoust]

I am looking at an early 1960’s Artist Award and it has a “stinger” on the back of the headstock. It is not painted but rather an overlay like on the face of the headstock. The serial number is imprinted into this overlay. I have not seen this on any other Guild from this era. Is this original? If so, when did Guild do this style overlay on the back of the headstock?

Hello Brad,

That's a design feature that was tried out around that time, but it didn't make it to 'regular' production.
Here's a close up shot on another guitar which gives you a good view on the beveled edge that was part of this design feature.

The same beveled edge was tried out on the early versions of the Thunderbird, but on the front side of the headstock; that was also discontinued after a short while.

The sample X-500 that you posted doesn't have that feature; that's a regular painted 'stinger'.
I'm not even sure if the 'stinger' on that guitar is original, because it was refinished at a later date; most likely when the HB-1 pickups were installed.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[BradHK]

Thanks Hans!

 

[Midnight Toker]

Looking closer at the OP pic, it doesn't look like a 2 tone plate w/ beveling, but rather a solid black beveled plate w/ shrinkage.

 

[GGJaguar]

That's really cool, thanks Hans! I swear Guild is just as bad as Ampeg with all the uncataloged and experimental things that they did.

 

[chazmo]

I was also thinking that that stamping of the serial number on the backstrap doesn't look at all like the Guild stamps I'm used to seeing. Anyway, it looks pretty good... although I think I'm seeing some shrinkage where wood is exposed where it attaches the headstock/neck (as Midnight Toker noted).

Interesting beastie, Brad!

 

[GGJaguar]

I am looking at an early 1960’s Artist Award and it has a “stinger” on the back of the headstock.

If that's the one at GC in Emeryville, the price has been lowered from $6500 to $5860.

 

[chazmo]

Dang, I was just there a couple of weeks ago. I wish I'd known... I could've given it a deep inspection.