Hey guys,
I'm new here, but I thought I'd share my story anyways, after reading so many great others.
My dad bought his black '79 S-300D back in early 1980 brand new. I think he said it was $350 bucks or something like that, he couldn't afford a Les Paul at the time, thank God
He played in his fairly succesfull rock band around the local clubs and it was his #1 guitar for years and years. Referencing to another post about how someone romaced his wife with a guitar and a good singing voice, and thats what happened.
Fast forward to 1988. My mother is pregnant with me (yeah im a young whippersnapper), and my dad is still playing every Saturday night out with his band. He'd practice down in the basement with a small PA and his Marshall almost every night, so I was loving the sound this guitar made even before I was born.
When I was a young child growing up, I would always love to listen to him sing and play at home all the time. I would sit down there and hang out with him while he played the Guild, while he waxed it and restrung it and I loved being around it.
When I was about 6 or 7 years old I started taking a real interest in music, and learned how to play the bass guitar and the trumpet. I soon got bored of that and wanted to broaden my musical horizon so to speak so I asked my father to teach me how to play the guitar. He grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and sat me down with his Ovation accustic and a few basic chords, and I went from there.
So around 1996 my parents got divorced and I was lucky enough to be able to see both of them about equal amounts. My dad had to sell off alot of his stuff for obvious reasons, and tried to sell the Guild, but to no avail. Thank God again
Fast forward again to December 2006. I consider myself a pretty good musician and I own 3 or 4 nice guitars and a couple good amps. My dad doesn't really play much music any more because of an injury to his left hand. He can still do it, but he gets frustrated easily. He begins to sell off all of his PA equipment and guitars.
So fate lands in my lap as I pop over to his house for a visit one frigid afternoon. He's just about to leave and go to the local music store to trade in a bunch more music gear. I notice the tan color of the Guild hardshell case under a pair of mic stands. I asked him about it and he says that he hardly plays it anymore, and that he hates to see it go. I think to myself "Oh no, no way"
I worked out a deal with him right then before he left for the music store. I went to my car and grabbed my Malmsteen Signature Strat out of the trunk and traded him for the Guilt straight up. I don't care if the Guild isnt worth as much as that Strat, I'm not letting that Guild out of the family, I thought. He sold the Strat and kept the money and I kept the Guild. Best guitar I have ever owned in my life. And what makes it even more special is that my father had me listening to it before I was born, all through my childhood, up untill now. I grew up with that thing, I love it. I truly do. The smell of the black carpeting in the case is one of those smells that brings you right back to when you were 4 years old, sitting on the couch with your dad strummin to "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles.
Theres no more words I can type to describe how much I care about this guitar. It brings a tear to my eye, all of the great memories Ive had with it, and I can't wait to make some more.
Sorry for the long read, but I hope you enjoyed it,
-Alan