Technically a Solid Body, but Designed as an Acoustic in the 80s/90s

[RickAdams]

Hi I recently bought an all maple Guild F-55 which I couldn't be more happy with, so thank you Guild for making such great guitars!

I've been thinking about getting a 12-string again at some stage, and I remembered back to the late 80s or possibly early 90s when I worked in a guitar store called Soho Soundhouse in London, England and I purchased a Guild 12-string direct from the distributer. It was a thin, solid body, but in the shape and look of an acoustic, and with a piezo pickup.

I have looked and looked online but I see no mention whatsoever of this guitar - it's like it never existed! Do you have any records of this guitar please? As I said it was completely solid body, and thin like an electric, but it looked from the front just like an acoustic, with a centre hole that had actually been partially routed out and painted black so from a distance or say from the crowd to the stage looking straight at it, the guitar really would look just like an acoustic.

If you know what the model was and where I might be able to source on please let me know!

Thanks,

Rick

 

[adorshki]

Hi I recently bought an all maple Guild F-55 which I couldn't be more happy with, so thank you Guild for making such great guitars!

I've been thinking about getting a 12-string again at some stage, and I remembered back to the late 80s or possibly early 90s when I worked in a guitar store called Soho Soundhouse in London, England and I purchased a Guild 12-string direct from the distributer. It was a thin, solid body, but in the shape and look of an acoustic, and with a piezo pickup.

I have looked and looked online but I see no mention whatsoever of this guitar - it's like it never existed! Do you have any records of this guitar please? As I said it was completely solid body, and thin like an electric, but it looked from the front just like an acoustic, with a centre hole that had actually been partially routed out and painted black so from a distance or say from the crowd to the stage looking straight at it, the guitar really would look just like an acoustic.

If you know what the model was and where I might be able to source on please let me know!

Thanks,

Rick

Hi Rick, welcome aboard!!
Sounds like you're describing an FS4612ce ("ce" meaning cutaway electric, the only way they were made). Only made ca. '83-'85 ( I only see s/n's for '83 in the s/n list, but that's a section rife with error and omission and Guild didn't stop or start production of given models with the change of calendar year).
In fact the s/n lists show "FS46ce12" and an '85 price list shows "FS4612". One can begin to understand the dearth of info out there.
'83 catalog:

So in any case, pretty low production so I'd be prepared to be hunting for a while.
We also have a member Jane, @GuildFS4612CE, who's the proud (and only one here, that I can recall) owner of one of those puppies.
She's typically glad to answer any Q's you might have.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

No, not many around...

They did not all have the TASS system noted above which I think took two AA batteries...3 Volt...note, Fishman employees some years ago didn't even remember they'd made the system...

Mine was a custom factory order, not by me, with both the UST and a MAG PUP and is 9 volts, probably the Fishman AGP-2, modified...and, yes, even this system is antiquated...heck, it's almost 40 years old...at least the preamp allows the use of one or the other...just don't try to use both at the same time...on the other hand, if I had money, which I don't, the existing wiring is there which would allow a new system to be pulled through and installed...but it's only recently that technology has caught up with the impedance incompatibility of the two-pickup systems...Brian S developed the system that Fender uses on the acoustisonic tele and strat shaped offerings...he shared a bit of the secret: Ohms Law and a CPU...basically, without his technology, you cannot blend the two systems in the guitar to use them at the same time...there certainly are those that tried...stereo systems going to different amps, for example.

So, if you do find one, and it's not structurally damaged, you will have to do something about the electronics...or just use either the UST or the PUP...just not at the same time...even if they're still working.
Since it doesn't have an actual soundhole, without amplification it will sound just like any other solid electric guitar...you won't hear much of anything even if just sitting on a sofa...of course, your family might appreciate that.

Oh, Adorshki...Grot has one.

 

[hearth_man]

With regard to mixing a magnetic pickup and UST I have used the Fishman Powerchip preamp module that enables you to mix the two pickup technologies and with a 3 position selector switch use UST or magnetic alone. I have an FS-48CE Deceiver (noted in Adorshki post) that I installed the Powerchip into and it works very well. I had to modify it a bit to fit into the FS-48CE by removing the volume control from the Powerchip and wiring it to the original volume control. In my case I only ran the original tone control through the magnetic pickup. The Powerchip PCB also has a balance pot for setting the volume of the UST and the magnetic pickup mix to your liking.

I will be listing an FS-46-12 as well as a few other Guilds in the next few weeks. They will be available to LTG members in the FS area. At this point I am only going to list them here. A few hard to find Guilds.

 

[adorshki]

If you know what the model was and where I might be able to source on please let me know!

Thanks,

Rick

I will be listing an FS-46-12 as well as a few other Guilds in the next few weeks. They will be available to LTG members in the FS area. At this point I am only going to list them here. A few hard to find Guilds.

Man I don't remember if I've ever seen such a quick reply to a unicorn search!
"Is this a great place or what?"

 

[RickAdams]

Wow that was an amazing response! I am sure what I had was indeed an FS4612CE because that's exactly what it looked like and the specs sound exactly right, including the 1.5 inch body thickness and the fact it was solid mahogany yet still with a spruce top and a soundhole just as if it were a normal acoustic, which of course is hardly something you'd mistake easily. I had forgotten that the soundhole was an oval shape not round, and I'd forgotten the cutaway had such a sharp horn - the photo brought back fond memories!

I don't recall any issues with the one I had when it came to the electrics. So far as I recall it just had the one pickup in it which I thought was a piezo, but we are talking about a loooong time ago here, and I do not remember it needing two batteries so perhaps mine was fitted with something else. I do recall it was an expensive purchase at the time and I was disappointed when it came without a case, given the cost, but I was also very pleased with it from a performance perspective. Very low action, and comfortable and easy to play all the way up the neck, and not a bad tone all things considered. Obviously they are very quiet compared with an acoustic and dull sounding if you don't plug it in, though perfectly comfortable to play, as mentioned. It was built really as a stage performance guitar I guess, and obviously they could not have been too popular if they only made them for two or three years. I remember selling it but I do not remember why, except I was not gigging at the time, so it was probably just that I was not using it fully enough to justify the value of it.

Now I know the model number it will be a little easier to look for them when I am ready. Meantime I have my nice new maple F-55 to keep me happy, which it definitely does - its voice is HUGE in both volume and range. I wouldn't say it's the most delicate or subtle of guitars but frankly neither is my playing ability, and I've never heard anything with such a commanding "listen to me" voice as this guitar has, and for my robust, blues/folk/rock, singer/songwriter style of playing I absolutely love it!

Thanks everyone who contributed above, you're wonderful and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to my request!

 

[Nuuska]

I added more information about old Guild preamp in an old thread, that has very fine writing by @hearth_man

MKS10CE / F45CE 1980's vintage fishman electronics info...

1983/1984 seems to be the time when Guild started to produce guitars with built-in under saddle pickups and preamps by one of the pioneers of this technology, Larry Fishman. I recently bought a VERY used Guild MKS10CE classical solid body guitar circa 1984. This guitar was in rough shape...

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