Question to my 1959 T-100

[vibroverb]

Hi,

I have a T-100 with one Franz Pickup, think it's from 1959

Do you think the knobs are original?
It does not have a serial number at the back of the headstock....?

Regards from Germany, Ben

 

[Wilmywood]

There is a 1959 on reverb with those same, or similar, knobs

Guild T-100 DP 1959 - Dark Burst | Reverb

1959 Guild T-100DP . Double Franz Pickups. Very original and including the original Ostrich Tolex Guitar Case. Everything electronically works fine. The frets are still in good shape. This is an Extremely rare guitar and case. The only flaw is the binding on the inside of the cut away has pulled...

reverb.com

 

[vibroverb]

Thanks, looks like they are original

Can it be that there is no number on the headstock? Unfortunately, you can no longer read it on the sticker inside....

Regards, Ben

 

[Wilmywood]

Others will know more about the serial number thing, but that is strange for sure.

 

[GGJaguar]

It appears that the guitar was refinished and the serial number on the headstock was removed during the refinishing process.

 

[SFIV1967]

Unfortunately, you can no longer read it on the sticker inside....

Not sure if using ultraviolet light might make it visible again.

Ralf

 

[vibroverb]

Hi,

I took a close look at the guitar, it could actually be that it was repainted.

I'll take a few detailed pictures later and wait to see what the experts here think

Thanks, Ben

 

[jp]

Those knobs do look original and are in amazing condition. They're very sought after. They often tend to yellow with age, but occasionally we see them nice and clear. I had them on an all original '59 I used to have. The Waverly tailpieces were common for the period before the Guild harp tailpieces were used on these.

Too hard to tell if it's refinished from the pics, although the variation in the color of the surface seems to indicate that it might be. The serial number looks to be sanded off, most likely from "funny" business when an instrument is stolen. Binding shrinkage is common on vintage Guilds, esp. when the guitar has endured high temperatures.

 

[vibroverb]

Hi,

thanks for your assessments

I took a closer look at the guitar, I almost think it was repainted......but probably a long time ago, the blonde paint feels and looks old.

I'll write to the previous owner and see if he knows anything

but no matter, the guitar is great to play and sounds great

Best regards, Ben

 

[Minnesota Flats]

First Guild I ever owned was just like yours: single Franz pup and "open-book" headstock but in sunburst. I paid $75 or $100 for it in about 1977 or so. Wish I hadn't sold it.

 

[hansmoust]

I took a closer look at the guitar, I almost think it was repainted......but probably a long time ago, the blonde paint feels and looks old.

Hello Ben,

Looks like the original finish to me. Have no idea what happened to the back of the headstock, but I would expect this guitar to have had a serial number with the really small digits stamped into the back of the headstock, so maybe you could try to make a high resolution detail photo and maybe we could figure it out.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Wilmywood]

Indeed, Hans, this is the serial on the reverb listed guitar I posted above, barely perceptible ...

 

[vibroverb]

Hi,

A serial number is definitely not recognizable.....the sticker inside looks like it was somehow twisted. On my other Guilds made in hoboken, this sticker is glued in the other way around...?

It also looks like there is another sticker under the current one, see the picture

 

[hansmoust]

A serial number is definitely not recognizable.....

I may be seeing something in the second photo, but it's not really a high resolution one. Can you do better than that?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Wilmywood]

I think I see a very faint 1 and 4 on it where the 0 and 2 are in my other photo in post 13.
Perhaps it was repainted and filled them in somewhat?
Maybe some light slightly from the side to create shadows will help?

 

[vibroverb]

Hi,

Your eyes seem better than mine
I mean there's definitely nothing to see

Regards, Ben

 

[fronobulax]

I could convince myself that there is evidence of a stamped serial number in the circled area. I could further convince myself that lighting was a factor in revealing the evidence since some of the other pictures and angles don't seem to have anything there, especially when rotating and zooming.

If the options are:

• There was never a stamped serial number because, well, Guild and consistency.
• The serial number was obscured because of a repair or refinish.

then I'm inclined towards it was never there but then my opinion and $50 will still get you kicked out of a lot of coffee shops.

 

[matsickma]

I suggest you remove the harp stop and look at the bottom of the guitar. I have a 50's aristocrat without headstock numbers but found numbers on the bottom under the stop. In my case someone replaced the harp with a Bigsby and when I removed it I saw the numbers. I had seen that occur on one other Aristocrat that sold on ebay a long time ago.
M