does anyone have more info about the Guild S-25 1981-1983

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I am presently selling on eBay my Guild S-25 in mahogany finish with what seems to be HB-1 pickups!
I searched the net to get as much info on the guitar but information is scarce!
According to http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/guildS25.php the guitar came stock with 2 Guild XR-7 pickups and was available in finishes: Sunburst, Candy Apple Red, Black! My guitar does not fit in all with the description can you help? You can see the guitar on eBay item number is 130465697929!
 

capnjuan

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Hi; I'm not the strongest person here on your model but if that clear mahogany finish wasn't a factory option, then maybe it was refinished? Guild had a finish ID'd as NB 'Nature Boy'(?). If you take the control cover off, maybe the original tag is still in there. If it says 'NB', then it might be the original finish. It's also not uncommon that if a guitar undergoes a complete re-fin, the p/u's get changed out. Good luck with your sale.
 

matsickma

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On a discussion we had months back Hans Moust commented that Guild HB-1 pickups were always an option. Possibly they were the default configuration and XR7's were an option. I considered swapping the XR-7's off of a S-275 and installing HB-1's.

M
 

Thunderface

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An S-25 with HB-1s? How cool would that be. Send a PM to Guildmark. I know he was looking for and S-25 from time to time. Great guitar. I wish I was in buying mode.
 

Thunderface

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This one is throwing me for a loop.

S25V.jpg


S-25s are usually seen with two control knobs, not three, Guild XR-7 pickups, not what appear to be HB-1s. The natural finish was not listed as an option either. According to Ted Beesley's Guitar History Volume #5: Guild Guitars, the tailpiece would be angled, with SP6 tailpieces on later models.

I guess any way you slice it, this is an even rarer version of the pretty rare as it is S-25.
 

fronobulax

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Thunderface said:
I guess any way you slice it, this is a rarer version of the pretty rare S-25.

I don't know S-25 history, but is there any chance it is from the beginning or end of production? For example we have seen a JS bass body with the PU, bridge and controls of what became the replacement/successor B-30x. The guitar in question looks to me like a collection of Guild parts, just assembled in a non-catalog way.
 

Thunderface

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The serial number (AC100320) puts it as one of the last ones produced ... they went up to AC100339. I originally thought the angled tailpiece was rare, but it is shown (on the left) with the angled tailpiece in the '82 catalog. Also in the '82 catalog was the S-250 (right), with the three control knobs like the S-25 on eBay...

guildS25.jpg
guildS250.jpg


... however, the first S-250s produced in 1981, had four control knobs, like mine.
IMG_0015.jpg
 

tonepoet

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Both of my S-25s have the angled stoptail and they are from both ends of the prodution run. One from the first ten and one from beyond the 339 they say were made. My late one is #342 and I've seen one stamped #350. So, I think the Guild records are inaccurate about how many S-25s were made.

They did make one-offs and custom orders, so the finish may be factory done.

Have fun,
tonepoet
 

beinhard

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I am a bit puzzled by this one.

guitarlovein was confident it was not refinished. I tend to agree, because there are no traces of a previous finish, and no signs of heavy sanding that you often see on refinished guitars.

On the other hand I am not fully convinced that it has a factory finish either. There are finish flaws like pinholes and insufficient grain filling. It is by no means bad, just not up to normal Guild standards.

The finish has also been rather crudely sanded, but this I am sure happened after it left the factory, probably done by an owner that wanted a satin finish.

I guess it is possible that it is some kind of one-off. Both body and fingerboard woods are certainly a grade above the average. I would have expected more care with the finish though if this was a special order.

Anyone have an interesting theory?

beinhard
 

hansmoust

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beinhard said:
I am a bit puzzled by this one.

guitarlovein was confident it was not refinished. I tend to agree, because there are no traces of a previous finish, and no signs of heavy sanding that you often see on refinished guitars.

On the other hand I am not fully convinced that it has a factory finish either. There are finish flaws like pinholes and insufficient grain filling. It is by no means bad, just not up to normal Guild standards.

The finish has also been rather crudely sanded, but this I am sure happened after it left the factory, probably done by an owner that wanted a satin finish.

I guess it is possible that it is some kind of one-off. Both body and fingerboard woods are certainly a grade above the average. I would have expected more care with the finish though if this was a special order.

Anyone have an interesting theory?

beinhard

Hello beinhard,

It's a 'satin' finish and the reason it looks a bit cheap is because it was supposed to be cheap to do it, unlike the regular high gloss finishes. It is however a regular Guild finish; just somewhat unusual on a solid body.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

beinhard

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hansmoust said:
It's a 'satin' finish and the reason it looks a bit cheap is because it was supposed to be cheap to do it, unlike the regular high gloss finishes. It is however a regular Guild finish; just somewhat unusual on a solid body.

Interesting. So this was a lower priced option?

Guild were way ahead of their time with this, today people happily pay lots of money for guitars with deliberately ruined finish. :)

And what about the pickups? Were the optional Guild humbuckers considered an upgrade?
I vaguely remember that DiMarzios were very popular here in the late seventies / early eighties, but at least today the HB-1 seems to be well respected.

beinhard
 

hansmoust

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beinhard said:
Interesting. So this was a lower priced option?

Hello beinhard,

No, I don't think it was a lower priced option. It was something they used on other models and I guess they just tried it, like so many other things they tried. A lot of stuff was never catalogued and you will only know about these try-outs until you come across 'm.

And what about the pickups? Were the optional Guild humbuckers considered an upgrade? I vaguely remember that DiMarzios were very popular here in the late seventies / early eighties, but at least today the HB-1 seems to be well respected.

When the first 'aftermarket' pickups became available during the second half of the '70s, they definitely were a 'selling' feature and consequently Guild offered them like a lot of other guitar makers. However, Guild always made it clear in their own literature that all instruments, that came standard with DiMarzio pickups, were also available with the 'traditional' Guild HB-1 pickups at no extra charge.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Nuuska

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Hello

I am waking this old thread up - there is one S-25 for sale.

How does it compare to S300? Sound? Quality?

thx
 

DThomasC

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I have an S-25 and three S-300's. I was not fond of the XR-7 pickups that came on the S-25, but that's a personal thing; some people like them a lot. I installed a set of HB-1's and now the thing absolutely roars! As a point of interest, the HB-1's would not quite fit on the body route which leads me to guess that HB-1's were not a factory option on this instrument.

I'd say the quality is equal to 70's S-300 and S-100 models. I don't think Guild was sloppy about building the lower priced instruments. It's possible they used the nicest wood on more expensive models, but my S-25 has a nice one piece body and the neck actually has some interesting figure to it - slightly curly. Except for it having only three knobs instead of four there's no evidence of it being cheap.

The neck is narrower than my S-300's. But, even though I usually prefer a wider fingerboard, I find this instrument exceptionally easy to play.
 

hansmoust

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As a point of interest, the HB-1's would not quite fit on the body route which leads me to guess that HB-1's were not a factory option on this instrument.

I can think of several reasons why the HB-1s would 'not quite fit' in your S-25; however HB-1s were an option on all solid bodies that were set up with XR-7 pickups as standard equipment.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

DThomasC

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Thanks for the info, Hans.

In any case, Nuuska, if you hope to install HB-1's, be prepared to do a little woodworking. My S-25 was definitely not machined to accept them.
 

Nuuska

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Thanks for the info, Hans.

In any case, Nuuska, if you hope to install HB-1's, be prepared to do a little woodworking. My S-25 was definitely not machined to accept them.


Hi

I´m still contemplating. The guitar is black - my least favourite colour on musical instruments . . .

As for getting HB-1 pups afterwards would be a completely new story then. Routing the cavity a bit would be no problem.
 

mavuser

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Hi
I´m still contemplating. The guitar is black - my least favourite colour on musical instruments . . .

many of us like like black guitars...especially Hans!

join the dark side!!
 
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