S-90 Move volume and tone locations?

Hellz Kitchen · Oct 18, 2016

Hey,

Just became the happy new owner of a 1971 S90. It sounds incredible! I'm used to strats and having that convenience of the volume and tone (but mostly volume) at a much more accessible location for quick volume changes and swells especially. Is it sacrilegious to cut a new hole and move the volume knob closer to where I play? The guitar already has some mods on it so not too worried about originality in a sense but also don't want to destroy my chances of worth if I wanna sell it some day. has the current s100 saddles, schaller bridge, other 70s gibson tuners, input jack replaced and is cracked along there, knobs are not original, pickups are original but missing pickup covers, nut replaced. Might get it refretted as well. Also anything to watch out for on refrets from these types of guitars?

Thanks
Steve

DThomasC · Oct 18, 2016

You're asking a bunch of Guild nuts if it's ok to take a vintage Guild and drill holes in it? Most of the members of this forum are probably just shaking their heads after reading your post.

How about this: can you swap the volume and pickup selector without actually modifying anything? Hmmm... probably not as the switch requires a bigger hole than the pot.

Maybe if you post some photos of how modified it is already you can get some support, but it'll be tough going here.

GAD · Oct 18, 2016

It varies on who you ask.

Once a mod has been done, it's not worth much of anything *to me* unless the mod is easily reversible and leaves no visible holes. Your guitar is nowhere near mint, so I wouldn't worry too much about resale value.

But then, I'm a collector as much as a player.

AcornHouse · Oct 18, 2016

With the various changes, I wouldn't worry about resale value anymore. Treat it as a player and just play it. I was looking over my '71 S-90. One thing you might consider is drilling 2 extra holes

and rewiring it as an S-100 with separate Volume and tone for each pup.

Hellz Kitchen · Oct 18, 2016

Hmmm that is a pretty good idea about switching the pickup selector and the volume if I can swing it with my luthier. I don't usually adjust tone so that can stay but the volume is so far and I like to do some volume swells and adjustments that are easily accessible.

mavuser · Oct 18, 2016

the existing condition and hardware of the guitar that you currently describe...does not justify nor devalue the guitar enough to cut holes in the top. It will be worth very little in a resale scenario if you do that, and the pool of interested parties will be much smaller. changed tuners, changed knobs, and missing pickup covers (and new frets) are not deal breakers. 2 new holes in the body of the guitar is a deal breaker. it is not a strat for sure, and changeing the location of the knobs wont make it a strat, and will make it less of a Guild. might just take some getting used to. congrats and welcome!

jp · Oct 18, 2016

Hellz Kitchen said:
Hey,

Just became the happy new owner of a 1971 S90. It sounds incredible! I'm used to strats and having that convenience of the volume and tone (but mostly volume) at a much more accessible location for quick volume changes and swells especially. Is it sacrilegious to cut a new hole and move the volume knob closer to where I play? The guitar already has some mods on it so not too worried about originality in a sense but also don't want to destroy my chances of worth if I wanna sell it some day. has the current s100 saddles, schaller bridge, other 70s gibson tuners, input jack replaced and is cracked along there, knobs are not original, pickups are original but missing pickup covers, nut replaced. Might get it refretted as well. Also anything to watch out for on refrets from these types of guitars?

Thanks
Steve

I think that it's your guitar, and you should do what you want to it to make you happy. If you don't have concerns about resale value or destroying a pristine example, then you should mod it to your heart's content!

Since this model doesn't have a bound fretboard, I don't think you have anything to worry about with a refret.

txbumper57 · Oct 18, 2016

I am all for keeping something original especially a Guild but this is my opinion and advice on your S90. I would much rather see a Guild be modified, Played regularly, and enjoyed as opposed to being kept original and sitting in it's case unused for the next owner. Bottom line, it is your guitar and if modifying the volume and tone position allows you to enjoy it more then go for it. You are the one who is playing it, not anyone else. Best of luck and I hope you get it how you want it!

TX

S-90 Move volume and tone locations?

Hellz Kitchen

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DThomasC

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GAD

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AcornHouse

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Hellz Kitchen

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mavuser

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jp

Senior Member

txbumper57

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