Korean date codes

[atiller]

Hi all,

First time post and, shamefully, it is to ask for a bit of information. I am currently shopping for a new S100 and based on the information you guys have shared here it seems I want to make sure I get a 2015 model with the upgraded pickups. I am looking at a second hand one local but I'm unable to tell if it is a 2015 or not. The serial starts with KSG, which I would think means its a 2015 but the pics look like it has the mini hums. Any info here would be helpful! Here's a pic:

What do you guys think?

Thanks from a future owner!

 

[atiller]

Actually I think I found the answer to my question. The full-sized humbuckers have 2 adjustment screws on the bass side, while the mini humbuckers only have the 1 adjustment screw on the bass side. That would make the guitar in question pre-2015.

Are the mini humbuckers that much worse? I mean, I know it would imit the swapping options down the road, but what about soundwise?

 

[hagmeat]

Hello and welcome atiller the hun.

 

[chazmo]

That is shameful, atiller.

Just kidding! Welcome aboard!

I'm not sure about the date code, but I remember that the Newark Street series was introduced during Guild's 60th anniversary (revisonist history) during 2013, so that's as old as it could be. And, yes, these are made in Korea. Awesome products at crazy low prices. They were not meant to be exact copies of their original, USA-built progenitors. But they used the old guitars as templates for these. Really amazing stuff.

Can't speak to the pickup question, but they're so cheap and not really vintage instruments... experiment as you like! No one hear will rip you a new you-know-what for making a NS guitar "your own."

 

[kakerlak]

Speaking of vintage Guilds, there's a lot of love for both the mini-humbuckers and the larger HB-1s. I don't think many consider the latter to be an upgrade of the former, just different (and also good). As for these Newark Street models, I think the general opinion of both pickups is pretty high. The complaint I keep hearing is that the bridge pickups are inexplicably about half the output of the neck ones. I'd think that could be remedied by buying another neck pickup from Guild and putting it in the bridge position.

 

[atiller]

Thanks for the info folks. I may give that one a go, despite the mini hums. Appreciated!

 

[SFIV1967]

The serial starts with KSG, which I would think means its a 2015

Welcome to LTG! No, KSG does not mean a date but "K" = Korea, "S"=SPG (Sound Professional Guitar Co, Ltd., the factory there) and "G"=Guild. If you are interested my original write-up from NAMM 2013 was here: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...2013-Newark-St-%99-Collection-electric-models
I appologize that all the pictures are missing in it, reason is that my picture hosting site (minus.com) went bankrupt and I lost all links to them. It's impossible to repair. Lesson learned to use a more reliable site like Photobucket now.
But back to the year of manufacture: The two numbers after KSG are the year! KSG14xxxxx would mean made in 2014, the 5 numbers after are just a running number, see here this one with large size HB-1s: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/S100CR
The first guitars sold in 2013 actually had KSG12, we never figured out why. We thought the factory simply forgot changing from the prototypes in 2012 to the production run in 2013.
Ralf

 

[atiller]

Thanks very much for the info SFIV. That would confirm that the one above is either a 2012 or early 2013 in that case. Cheers!

 

[S100]

There's been some awesome deals on 2015 models, already. They've gotten great reviews here, too.

Here's one: Guild S-100 Polara 2014 black MIK
https://reverb.com/item/1770013-guild-s-100-polara-2014-black-mik?device=ios-app

 

[atiller]

Wow great price indeed. Too bad he doesn't seem to want to ship to Canada. I'll have to keep my eye out for others. Cheers!