So many 90s Bluesbirds in near new condition.

gilded

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GAD, that must be what the Center of the Galaxy looks like on Saturday night!
 

kakerlak

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Thanks! Neither of them holds a candle to this one. I've owned a lot of guitars, but holy crap is this one magic.

_B0Z75501_1600.jpg

GAD, that's the coolest top!
 

GAD

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GAD, that must be what the Center of the Galaxy looks like on Saturday night!

Heh - it is a damn pretty guitar.

Here's a closeup of the top. Pro tip - right click "open pic in new window", and hit the plus for zoom!

_B0Z7549_1600.jpg
 

JohnW63

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Stop showing the guitar porn !!!!

It makes me covet my neighbors instrument(s). I haven't learned to make the SFIV cry or sing yet, and this stuff doesn't help.


So......

What pickups came on these Bluesbirds, and which ones are THE spec to get ? ( I've never be able to grab a Nightbird, so I'm not even pondering it. )
 

S100

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Seymour Duncan '59 and Seymour Duncan JB

(I think, if they're the same as the S-100s)
 

guitarslinger

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LA has it nailed. I'd like to add this. I've played Guilds almost exclusively since I was 8 years old. That was 1960. Guild has, for most of it's history, lacked cachet amongst the de riguer. It was never a great big company with a great big advertising budget, nor was it in a huge number of stores. Many of the up and comers who loved Guild guitars were snatched up by the major manufacturers with lucrative endorsement deals once they became very well known. George Benson comes to mind. So, for most of the years I've played guitar I would get a blank stare when I said I played a Guild. There was just not substantial awareness out there of the brand or it's manifest quality and value. That remains mostly true today, though, less so on the acoustic side.
 

Quantum Strummer

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I really should get a Photobucket or somesuch account so I can post of a pic of my counterbalance to GAD's guitar. :) It's a beat-up dark brown (except where the finish is gone) SG with the original Bigsby removed and a stoptail installed over the Bigsby's upper screw holes…that is, way lower than it should be. Thus it also has a piece of bright pink sponge fitted under the strings behind the bridge to stop a-harmonic ringing. The lower Bigsby screw holes are hidden by a "Custom Made" coverplate. Plays & sounds amazing.

-Dave-
 

dougdnh

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Interesting discussion. I picked up a 2000 BB on Craigslist 4 years ago for $600 (!) in pretty decent shape. Love this guitar. I was in a band that played BBDM (baby boomer dance music) everything from T-Bone walker to Chuck Berry to Springsteen to Tim McGraw, and the BB did it all. I especially love the neck and action. I also had a Blues 90 which I also picked up on Craigslist for $800, but I couldn't get into the super chunky neck. I can't imagine why these guitars never got more attention. I do remember a few Fender catalogs that featured a BB on the front cover, so they were promoting them. Unfortunately, nobody famous plays one - that's a big drawback. Back in the late 50's early 60's there were several jazzers that endorsed Guild, including George Barnes, who was a consultant on the development of the Aristocrat.
 

walrus

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Smitch

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To me it's one of the best kept irock and roll secrets out there! I exclusively gig with my 'Birds as they're the most versatile humbucker guitars that I own. I wouldn't leave home without one!
 

Hobbesickles

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I've had a lot of guitars come and go through my hands but I've always held on to my Bluesbird and my Blues 90. In fact the Bluesbird beat out a Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop R0 I had. I just wish they were finished in nitro as I prefer the feel over poly. I'm not in these guitars as an investment so I hope the price stays low in case more pop up within reach!

d5GEPVC.jpg

IKq9oVw.jpg
 

GAD

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I've had a lot of guitars come and go through my hands but I've always held on to my Bluesbird and my Blues 90. In fact the Bluesbird beat out a Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop R0 I had. I just wish they were finished in nitro as I prefer the feel over poly. I'm not in these guitars as an investment so I hope the price stays low in case more pop up within reach!

d5GEPVC.jpg

IKq9oVw.jpg


Cool pics showing off the light weight of these great guitars.

I agree about the poly, and I think that has a lot to do with the feel of the guitars not being up to a Les Paul lover's expectation. There's just something about a lacquered guitar.
 

kakerlak

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It really is something else. I get lost in it almost every night when I finish playing!

Holler at me if you ever want to trade that thing (for virtually anything, lol)!

I've seen some killer tops on these BBs, but a lot of them have that heavy cross-grain that I don't really like too much. This is the best I've ever seen and it's great they finished it in natural!
 

dougdnh

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Hobbesickles, Very nice! I had the same two BB's in the same colors, but my blonde's top isn't quite as curly as yours. As I said in a previous post, I sold the 90 because I wasn't a fan of the neck. They are both great guitars however. The poly finish is ok by me - a little more bomb proof.
 

Tiki295

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I always liked those Guilds much better than Les Pauls. Balance and weight was perfect. I'm still hoping to trip over a nice Blues 90 or a goldtop Bluesbird at the same time I have money in the bank. In a perfect world, it would be a goldtop Blues 90 with a Guildsby! I wonder if CMG is going to start building this shape again?
 

jp

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Wow! It's so gorgeous that it almost doesn't look real. Kinda like one of those swirly bowling balls after too many Schlitz beers! Thanks for showing it off!
 
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