Please Identify the Guild machine heads tuning keys

scotrock

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I am a brand new member, I was steered here by a member of the Ibanez Collectors World forum and I am looking for some help.

I recently acquired some tuners and was at a loss to know what they came off, after someone on the ICW pointed me to them being used on a Guild guitar I came cross your forum.

I am having difficulty posting pictures, but here is a link to my post on ICW

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=33263.new;topicseen#new

Here are chrome tuners up for sale on Ebay

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...stomid=SMF&ext=181480667893&item=181480667893

As you can see the ones I own are gold coloured and are tarnished, could someone tell me what Guild guitar they came from and could they also confirm my hunch that these tuners are somehow connected to Grovers, my research showed that guitars in the mid 70's either had these, or open back or sealed Grover tuners.

If someone could take the photos off the ICW link and post them I would be very grateful.

Could you also tell me if they are likely to be of use to any of your members?

John

[edit: mod: put in pictures]
--- picture of his machines ---







-- someone else comparing them to a D-40's machines ----

 
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GuildFS4612CE

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Welcome.

The link to your photos is for registered members to that site only. To post photos you need to use an online hosting service such as photobucket...there are other free sites as well...you cannot directly post photos to this forum. I'm sure some one knowledgeable will be along to help you soon.
 

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Jane, the ebay link shows those enclosed ovalish tuners. I can't figure how to copy and paste the bay pic urls with the fone.
 

GuildFS4612CE

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From his post, I think that those are just an example of something he thinks are similar to his that he's posting, not his tuners. If he could post the photos, it would help. Maybe if you pm him he can send you the photos to post for him.

Can't help you with your fone...
 

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These are Gotohs, if I read Ken Nash's website correctly. Do yours look like the ones on the left?

gtune9.jpg
 

chazmo

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Greetings, scotrock. I'm pasting the photos into your post. I hosted them on photobucket for you. (I'm also an ICW member)
 

scotrock

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Thank you all very much for the enormous help you have given me, the photos were a real problem and now they have been inserted by chazmo it is a lot clearer! Thanks again!

Thanks also for the information, when I saw the "JAPAN" stamp on them I thought they were GOTOH. The chrome ones seem to be popular in the mid 70's on Guild acoustic guitars, can some one tell me what model of Guild would have had gold tuners similar to mine. Where they used exclusively on Guild guitars or are there other makes?
 
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chazmo

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My pleasure, scotrock.

I don't know... The keys look Grover-esque to me... But, the machines themselves don't.

Hey, y'know, you could probably contact Gotoh or Grover directly if no one chimes in with a specific answer for you. I would've steered you to one of our friends in New Hartford who would've had distributor access, but alas they no longer build Guilds. :(
 

SFIV1967

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On quick look I don't think those Gotoh tuners in gold came from a Guild guitar. Out of my head I only remember the nickel version with the other knobs like on the D-35 and D-40 (or the picture from Ken Nash above), but I don't remember those Gotoh tuners in gold with those "Grover style" (not exactly) knobs on any Guild. But I have no idea from which other guitar they might be. Hans Moust might have an idea.
Ralf
 

scotrock

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As you know I am no expert on Guild guitars but my quest for answers has driven me to search the image section of google fo gold finished guitars. Could these tuners come off a mid 70's Starfire VI , I have found it very difficult to identify a Guild guitar with gold finishes and the Starfire fits the bill?

I notice Hans Moust is quoted in some of the other forums as one of the experts on Guild, perhaps he could be encouraged to help.

This quest is becoming compulsive!
John
 

hansmoust

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I am a brand new member, I was steered here by a member of the Ibanez Collectors World forum and I am looking for some help.

I recently acquired some tuners and was at a loss to know what they came off, after someone on the ICW pointed me to them being used on a Guild guitar I came cross your forum.




As you can see the ones I own are gold coloured and are tarnished, could someone tell me what Guild guitar they came from and could they also confirm my hunch that these tuners are somehow connected to Grovers, my research showed that guitars in the mid 70's either had these, or open back or sealed Grover tuners.

Hello John,

Welcome! Those tuners were not used on any model that was made by Guild. The tuners were made by Gotoh and they were used on a variety of brands during the '70s. In those days ( and actually up to today) most Gotoh tuners were available with a variety of knobs. The standard knobs were more or less modeled after the Grover, Kluson and Schaller knobs that had been on the market for quite some time, but it was also possible for manufacturers to order machine heads with knobs of their own design. I'm not 100% sure if those 'special order' knobs also meant that they were an 'exclusive' for that particular brand, but that is very well possible. The knobs on the tuners that you have I've only seen on 'Aria Pro II Professional' acoustics from the second half of the '70s.

Here's a photo that shows these tuners on an Aria Pro II copy of a Martin guitar:

Gotoh_Aria.jpg


The version in 'gold' would have been used on the 'higher end' models of the 'Professional' line.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

scotrock

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Hi Hans

Thank you for your prompt reply and the photo, the moderator is sitting on my last comment where I was asking about Guild guitars with gold finishes, I have observed from a cursory look through Google images that most had chrome fitting, the only one I could find was the Guild Starfire VI, I was wondering if they used these machine heads in the mid 70's but I think you recent answer squashes that thought?

I take it the Starfires were built in Japan during that period?

Thanks again, I am most impress with the quality and quantity of the members who are willing to help.

John
 

fronobulax

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I take it the Starfires were built in Japan during that period?

Absolutely not. Until the introduction of the Newark Street line circa 2013 all Guild Starfires were made in one of the US factories - which one depending upon when.

We make a clear distinction between Guild and the import brands such as D'Armond by Guild, Burnside by Guild and Maderia which were made in Asia.
 

scotrock

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Sorry fronobulax as I said earlier I am no expert on Guild guitars, I collect Ibanez, Yamaha and Fender guitars all of which build in Japan. I have few USA made guitars a Custom shop 56 NOS Fender Stratocaster and a very early 1966-67 Baldwin made during the time they were linked to Gretsch.

My apologies.

John
 
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chazmo

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John, no apologies needed! Frono's just setting you straight! :)

There was a line of guitars known as "Madeira" that (I *think*) were MIJ back in the '80s (maybe '70s)... These were sold by Guild. I think there might've been some other partnerships with Asian production facilities along the way, but I think there was always a clear distinction in the name / branding on the headstock when such a thing happened.

Things got blurry in 2004/2005 when Guild introduced the MIC "GAD" series of guitars. Since then, we've seen production from Mexico, and Korea as well with Guild headstocks.

Welcome aboard, again, John, and it sounds like Hans has answered your question about the source of those tuners, apparently not used by Guild.
 

fronobulax

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Sorry fronobulax as I said earlier I am no expert on Guild guitars, I collect Ibanez, Yamaha and Fender guitars all of which build in Japan. I have few USA made guitars a Custom shop 56 NOS Fender Stratocaster and a very early 1966-67 Baldwin made during the time they were linked to Gretsch.

My apologies.

John

No apology required. I was just trying to stick to facts but sometimes when I am terse people think I am critical. Or something :)
 

GuildFS4612CE

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John, even though your tuners are not Guild...please stick around...Guild ownership not required...though if you stick around long enough...:love-struck:
 

scotrock

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Thanks GuildFS4612CE, I certainly know where to find a bunch of friendly people and Guild experts in abundance.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions.
John
 

jthrel

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Gold tuners (Grover) on a Guild

As you know I am no expert on Guild guitars but my quest for answers has driven me to search the image section of google fo gold finished guitars. Could these tuners come off a mid 70's Starfire VI , I have found it very difficult to identify a Guild guitar with gold finishes and the Starfire fits the bill?

I notice Hans Moust is quoted in some of the other forums as one of the experts on Guild, perhaps he could be encouraged to help.

This quest is becoming compulsive!
John

Hello John and welcome,

Guild used gold-colored tuners on guitars other than the Starfire. Below is a pic of my 99' D-30 maple-bodied guitar. As you can see, these are Grover tuners. I consider the gold hardware the perfect accent to the maple body and white binding.
14Tuners1.jpg


Al
 
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