Guild Bluesbird

I don't see any special features other than this one has P90 pickups and really thats why I bought it. Ididn't have a guitar with these in both positions . But I am very glad that this is the one I got.
The finish is glossy tobbaco sunburst with a stunning AAA flame top that blew me away the first time I saw it. The neck is a fifties style big neck. This is the only thing about the guitar that I might change but I feel like the big neck has something to do with the way this guitar sounds so even if I could i wouldn't.
The body is Just a Bit larger than a Les Paul. (Not Much)
Tuners Grover.
The scale is a 25 1/2" witch I would have thought I might not have liked as much on this type of guitar but this has turned out to be something else that is great on this instrument.
Nice Hardshell case (Gibson Type). 1 Tool I bought it used so I don't know what else may have come with it.
Frets I would say medium.
Rosewood fretboard, mahogony neck and body chambered.
Lite weight, Very nice on the back when your 51 years old.
I've tried to look up how old it is but the serial number does'nt make any sense from what I got on the Gretch website. I think maybe the info I have is just for there now acoustic lines.

This thing lites up the room with tone either warm or brite depending on your settings. The sound is astonishing. Anyting from B.B. King to ZZ Topp this thing kicks but.The sustain is incredible.
Lets just this is for sure a keeper.

Set-up is perfect action vary nice and smooth even though I'm not use to the big neck.
The front like I said before is AAA flame and matched to perfection. The nut has one tight spot on it when tuning the G string. I'll have that fixed this weekend at tha studio. Though I bought it used it is in mint condition and I dopn't think it was played hardly at all. Other than that this guitar is Beautifully crafted and there is not anything about it that I would change.

Live Playing, I'm already using it. I don't know about anyone else but I load my own guitars and I see no problem with almost any guitar being used live unless your going to do something stupid.
Don't get drunk and don't slam it into the floor or the amps like Your Hendrix (because your not) (remember your doing a job and all the employers I know don't want someone drinking or on drugs) and it should last 100 years.
The finish is not a lacquer,and that is really a good thing. It should almost hold up forever. I don't believe that a thin lacquer finish makes a guitar sound better.
Strap buttons have been changed to the american fender type. I still have the old ones and don't care.
Very dependable,
I never go to a job without a back up everything. Even the mixing board. If you are proffessional you won't either. But yes I feel like if I had to this guitar would do fine with no backup. As dependable as any Les Paul.

No repairs yet. The only thing I think it needs is the filing of the one place on the nut. (Simple fix)
I wasn't givin a warranty
Never delt with the company

I'm 51 years old and started playing when I was 13.
I have an ES335 custom shop, Standard Les Paul, Studio Firebird, (I went with the studio for the pickups),a Strat Texas Special HSS, Custom Shop Classic Strat, and a Delux Strat. all American, 1 Standard Tele, 1 James Burton Paisley Custom Shop Tele, 1 G&L Asat Bluesboy, the Guild Bluesbird and 1 Ibanez Acoustic. I'm not much on playing acoustic guitar I like electric Blues and Blues Based Rock.
My Amps are 1 Twin amp, 1 Hot Rod Delux (the white one), 1 Super Sonic, 1 57 Twin Reissue, all Fenders. 1 Top Hat Club Royalle 18 watt.
If it were lost or stolen I would definitly try to find another one, and I would pay more than I did for this one. I happened to stumble up on this one when the guy really needed some money.

This guitar features a mahagony back / neck with carved maple top. One very unique aspect is the fact it has a chambered body - and for this reason I purchased my bluesbird! The tonality extracted from the Seymor Duncan pickups (one of the best pickup manufacturers) is stunning, but more on this later. Other features are the same design cues as a Gibson Les Paul - 3 position toggle switch, 2x volume and 2x tone controls (one for each pickup)... Grover tuners (another highlight of this guitar).
These come in a variety of colors, but mine features a beautiful tobacco-burst flame top - very remeniscient of Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page's "#1" Les Paul. Also, the scale is 25 1/4" (this is the length from the nut to the bridge saddle - the "working length" of the string if you will)... Like a Strat. This is another item that sold me. I've got big hands and... in my early years I preferred the shorter scale but realized it was limiting me, becuase it keeps the frets width workable above fret 12. I dont have little elf fingers and I need the extra space. I rate this a 8 (instead of a 10) because the only thing I wish it had was push/pull pots for pickup options. This can be, however, added without too much trouble. Otherwise I'd give it a 10 since the features that ARE on this guitar are executed with top notch craftsmanship and quality materials.
Another thing I love about this guitar is the shape - I actually like it better than the Les Paul shape.

This is where this instrument shines, plain and simple. The internal sound chambers are sized just right to "open up" the tone a bit from a standard solid body Les Paul and give it some more definition - but the tone is still balanced and full. This guitar doesnt have the feel of a cheap, hollow shell, either - I've never dropped mine but if I did I'm sure it'd be just fine. At any rate, using the switch offers significant tonal variety, but always well-defined, balanced, and dripping with harmonics / overtones. One very small grip is the notes bend very easily so it requires or rather demands that equal pressure is applied on all strings when playing, although this is probably due to my sometimes clumsy playing. The duncan pickups are a good choice for this guitar. I give it a 9 because it "sounds great". I'd take this guitar over a Gibson any day. You could play a high variety of music with this - blues, jazz, metal, etc.

I've studied the guitar up close and personal and examined everything. I simply cannot find a flaw anywhere on this guitar. The neck joint is perfect. Surfaces line up with respect to eachother. The nut is aligned and even. There simply aren't any factory blemishes. The neck is laser straight - no twist / warpage, etc. the action is lower than my Heritage H-150 CM, which is really saying something since I thought I had the lowest action setup known to mankind prior to buying my Bluesbird.
this particular bluesbird is basically in new condition - no belt rash, no dings, scuffs or even fretwear. the previous owner probably bought this and kept it in the closet its whole life.

So far nothing has broken and I wouldnt expect it to under normal use.

Never dealt with customer support. Fender purchased Guild a while back and these guitars are no longer made. I personally think Fender WILL NOT BRING THESE BACK becasue of the politics (or pride maybe) involved in cloning their biggest competitor (Gibson). Not surprisingly, these are also going up in value. These used to go for around $600 on ebay but recently it looks more like $1000+.

I've been playing for a while. I've owned many guitars both low and high end. If it were stolen I'd be sad because I dont think I'll find another in this good of condition in the color I like.

Oooh, well I have one of the OTHER 35 holoflake Bluebirds. Let me see the features. Um, basically it is just like the others. Shocking finish, but I am a magpie, drawn to the glitter. Chambered mahogany, maple top, rosewood fretboard with pearly dots. Big 50s style neck. Great case. Grover tuners, SD 59 (SH-1) pickups. 3-way switch. Stupid weird Guild strap button at butt end that can't be swapped easil for the Dunlop straplocks I like. All the usual guitar parts, nothing cheapo. Features... hmmm. I don't WANT lots of "features" so...

Sound is at once really predictible (it's a plank of wood with PAF-style pickups screwed in, so how weird can it be?) and a little different. Pretty much a Les Paul sound. There. Maybe a bit brighter than how people expect a Lester to sound, and what is cool is that it can get really controllable feedback. Low-gain, high-gain... let it ring and aim toward the speaker and it slowly builds. I think the maple is not SUPER-thick on these Holoflakes, though the Bluesbird cap is supposedly much thicker than the Nightbird spruce top. I think the sound chambers really work on this thing to give it a hint more "raunch" and feedback than a titally solid instrument might have. Makes me wonder how it'd be with P90s.

Though it was made in July 2002 and I bought it in February 2007, I don't think anyone played it for more than a few minutes. The neck was TOO straight, having a hair of reverse bow, the bridge saddles were "pretty all in a row", the plastic as on the control covers, and the warranty card, manual, and wrench were in the spotless case. So I was disappointed in the setup. Maybe it just hung at a NAMM display (they were made in a run of 20 to 40 for the Summer 2002 NAMM). I let the enck relax, got the intonation on, and set the action up pretty easily. Workmanship is just astionishing. Falwless. The binding, inlays, thickness of the rosewood, the clearcoat, just impeccable. Frets polished like glass, bullet ends. Dang!

If this won't withstand live playing nothing will. No corners were cut at any point making this thing... Fender custom shop, baby!

My other electric guitar is a 70s Hagstrom Swede. I play sort of indie-power-pop-retro-glam stuff... like T Rex meets Sloan? If stolen I'd have to get another Bluesbird I think, as it is such a solid, balanced, sounds-like-dadgum-rawk guitar and I like big necks and chambered bodies. But I'd never find another holoflake! I wish the dot markers on the side of the neck were bigger... that is the biggest "d'oh!" And wish it had normal strap buttons. Since Fender has sent Guild back to being a high-end acoustic maker (sensibly) I doubt we'll see more Bluesbirds.

This is a '97 standard Bluesbird, chambered body, dual Seymour Duncans, stop tail-piece, grover tuning pegs. The usual set-up. Much has been written, so I won't duplicate the details.
Each pick up has its own volume and tone controls--which actually affect the sound. I'm not a tech-head, so I can't recite the run numbers and country of origin of each transistor and capacitor. What I can say is "Holy crap! What a guitar!"
Not a lot of bells and whistles, but I'm a minimalist. I like to use my guitar,my amp, and my technique to make my sound. This guitar has everything I need.

I play a lot of different music, and a lot of what I play is influenced by the people I play with and the instrument I use. When I play a Strat I've been told I sound like Clapton (yeah, right), when I play my 335 I've been told I sound like Larry Carlton (as if). The Bluesbird brings out the Santana and Gary Moore in me. In the bridge pick-up position with the tone pegged, this guitar will smoke any Les Paul in a sleepwalk. Roll of a little treble and, voila! 335 ala Justin Hayward (Moody Blues). Kick it over to the bridge pick up and roll just a touch of treble off and the jazz tones just ooze out of her. Of course, a lot of what I say is directly tied into the amplification I use with it. More on that later.

The sound is definetely not bright, but it's also not dark. It's just not "single coil" harsh. I'd compare it to a G&L Legacy Special in character.

This is the ine guitar in my arsenal that I have problems putting down. Even if a song calls for a tele or a strat, I find I can locate what I need in the Bluesbird. The rest have been relegated to back-up status. Sad, but true.

I love thi sguitar, and I can truthfully say there is nothing I dislike about it. I especially enjoy the fact that my shoulder isn't falling off after a night of kickin' out the jams. I wish I could give higher score than 10. This guitar is me.

I bought this used on e-Bay, but still got for a song. It was set up well enough. I always tweak for my tastes. She had her share of dings and dents, since she was a player, but the hardware, finish, and neck set are all solid.

It's a '97 that been played mucho, and it's still kickin' like new. Longevity has a lot to do with how a person treats their instrument, so thi squestion is relative. I would never play without a back-up, but that being said--I've NEVER had to use my back ups. I have never even broken a string on stage with this--after three years! That's unusual, to say the least, but it's one of those little miracles that adds to my adoration of this ax.

Who? What? Guild? Never had to ask, so I can't say. Bought it used. No warranty.

I've been playing for more than 35 years. I have my Bluesbird, a '73 hardtail Strat, a '72 Tele, a Gibson Dot (with Kent Armstrongs), various acoustics and acoustic/electrics (this isn't about them, though). Important stuff is here: I play the Guild through one of three amps. 1) Fender Cyber-Champ. All you bare-bones tube guys should give this amp a work out. I near crapped my pants when I started playing through this thing. A few bells and whitles, but I just use the Fender Bassman and Tweed sounds. It kicks ass--seriously folks. 2) my beloved '67 Deluxe Reverb. It takes a real guitar man to master on of these. It certainly keeps me honest. I use it mostly for jazz now, since I've fallen in love with the Cyber Champ. 3) A Dean Markley hybrid amp. 112 solid state power amp with a 12AX7 in the pre-amp phase. It's another kick-ass amp that I found on e-Bay. Cheap, but oh so sweet. It has a removable amp section that can be used in a rack. If you ever see one, pick it up. You won't be sorry.

I'm currently looking for a few other Bluesbirds. Perhaps the P-90 to start.

I like this guitar because, first--it's a Fender. A lot of people poo-poo Fenders but will go out and spend a grand on a Ibanez. Whatever. I'm a Fender guy, and it's just logical that my favority humbucking, Les Paul type ax would come from Fender. If it were lost or stolen, I'd inform the police, give them the serial number, and start looking for another Guild Bluesbird.

Bluesbird is a Steve Marker Holoflake I don't know who the heck he is but he must be cool. gloss sparkle over black all over the whole guitar minus the fretboard which has grain to worship.two S-
D humbuckers.Grover tuners. A case I dream of being stored in.What else could a hippie want?

Sometimes I can't believe it is me playing it sounds so good.Crate tubedriven 70 is being pushed too the limit, will upgrade I promise!!!Metal zone pedal makes the fish tank start to foam.Love both pickups with the knobs to 10 that equals 40. The "glow" is still happening ,haven't had any dislikes yet.

received from Cream City in Milk.,WI set up like a dream (or I just don't know better) Action is set lowere than my DeArmond The pickups are earning their keep. no buzzes Plastic was still on pickups and backplate.Three years old and still brand-spanking new.The finish is so cool,and thick so much that the serial number is almost filled in(had to do a rub reminding me of my youthful graveyard adventures).Cream City made a fuss out of a finish flaw I never would have seen and I am a picky housepainter. Relax everybody its beautiful.

It has.It will.The sprkle will hopefully hide the bangs and bumps I have given every guitar I have owned for 20 yrs.When I grow up I am going to invent useful Guild strapbuttons.I will depend on it.I would do pretty much anything without a backup.

Lifetime commitment,I have heard that before.

This is the guitar John Lee Hooker would have played if he was playing the Acid tests of the 60's.It plays like butter(thanks mom and dad for the big hands) for such a wide neck.Was happy with my DeArmond M-75(that tailpiece woud rock on this guitar) but this thing is in a different class. I understand only 35 of these were made I feel lucky and sad at the sametime.Anybody can play a figured top I figure.

1969 Bluesbird - Hollowbody. Shape of a Les Paul, but hollow without F-Holes. Mine actually has F-Holes cut into it, I got it that way. The pickups are about the same vintage Gibson Humbuckers. Maple Neck, Grover Tuners, dont know waht the body is, very well made though?? Had a floating bridge but I put in a fixed, also has the Stop Tail Piece with the little "G". The neck is top heavy with the solid Grovers. The guitar is very light over all. As far as features, TONE is everything and this has it!

I play mostly classic rock, jazz, blues. I have put it through an Ampeg V4, Musicman RD112, Fender Siverface, 66 Fender Princton, Mesa Mark II, Mesa Studio 22, Mesa SubwayRocket to name a few - sound graitthrough all!! Quite a range of sounds to dial in all fat.

It has been refinished with a mongrol paint job - nice brush strokes.

Guild are very nice, I called up about 10 years ago when I got the guitar and they gave me the year no problem.

I bought this in 1989 and it is my favourite guitar of all and I have had many in 20 years! I would never sell this one and I have sold many great guitars! The sound is sweet as it gets for anything - Rock, Jazz, Blues. If you can ever find an old one of these GET IT!! I dont know about cutting F holes in like mine - it has a lot of sustain with them, Id imagine it would kick ass without the F Holes too. Very warm sound. I have always liked smaller hollowbodies, and when I saw this - I got it. It was butchered a bit, but if it wasnt I probably wouldnt have been able to afford it back then. I have never seen another one? Very will made guitar, I have played it hard and it has held up very well, some loose electrics, got it serviced and it is fine. The one thing as I said before is the Guitar is Neck Heavy, but it is very light otherwise and this has never presented a problem in how it plays, as I usually put my hand on the neck when I play. ;-)
I would definitely look at a newer bluesbird too, as I thick Guild guitars in general are excellent guitars, irregardless of the money.

This is not a review but an important notice.
If you are planning on buying a Bluesbird be sure to get a case with it.
They are impossible to find.
After much searching I gave up and bought the next closest thing to a Bluesbird case.
An SKB case for a Gibson ES-335.
It would have been nice to have the correct case.

I have a very rare 1986 or 87 Guild Bluesbird which I think is solid maple with Active elctronics, two single coil EMGs and one EMG humbucker in the bridge. I has a ltach locking Kahler stringlock and a Kahler trem, black grovers, ebony fretboard w/ beutiful MOP/abalone inlays and a bound neck. It has a very different six inline tuner headstock. It has tone and volume controls and coil split for the hum. It gets a ten because what else is there in an electric guitar.

How does it sound. This guitar KICKS A%&!!!!!!!!! This is the greatest electric I own. I have sold numerous strats, LP's, and even a newer Bluesbird and would never sell this axe, unless some real hard times were stirred up. It goes from crystal clear clean tones I use for JAZZ to huge powerful distortion and thick metal tones, and of course the BULES BIGTIME. Played through solid state Marshalls the metal tones are more than achievable, and through my vintage tube amps this thing is so SWEET.

This guitar plays like butter. the action is low and the medium jumbo frets play nice and were perfectly setup!! NO BUZZ, intonation GREAT, . Thsi finish is a polar white and it looks pretty durable, but I dont bang her around, she is too good. I only issue I had was the locking string mech. Which is the older Kahler deluxe with locking latches instead of a Allen key. Much easier to use and effective, but a little more delicate too, so I must give a 9. I replaced it once to to a broken pin, an easy fix but I has to find the part to keep it to Specs. It is a smaller body than a new Blues bird and it is slim and comfortable. Craftsmenship top notch, after approx 20 years the neck seam is still invisible. SOLID

I have not gigged with it and this is a solid guitar, no worries, again the string lok and trem can be tricky if you are not accustomed to keeping them conditioned. Otherwise they are very functional and the tremelo is smooth keeping nice tuning. Finish still shines, few very small marks. Strap buttons Solid and it is in general a reliable and extremely well built guitar

No contact and I am pretty sure there will not be a need

This is my main and favorite electric guitar and I have had probably over 100 of them. (STRATS< LP< JACKSON) I have played for about 20 years and this Guild is a perfect guitar for me plugged in. I mostly play acoustic now a days (6 old Yairi's, Guild 78 F40CE, MARTIN H-42, Gibson J-45 ri, BOZO Bell western). I have numerous old and new Jazz boxes too. One notable is the tone and looks of a Richard C. Allen all flame 17 inch archtop it sounds better than an older L5 I had.

If lost someone wold truely PAY DEARLY!! I would absolutely buy again and will if I see another out there again. They are obviously tough to find. They look feel and sound like a handmade custom guitar and interestingly a lot of the newer customs are looking alot like this one with the EMG s/s/Hum config. It is just BAD to the BONE!!!

My Bluesbird was - I think - a new instrument that had been gathering dust somewhere, as the strings were rusted when I got it. My best guess is that it's a 2002. It has two SD-1 pick-ups ('59s, in other words), 22 frets, semi-hollow chambered body with a killer red flamed top. Two volume, two tone controls. Nice Grover tuners that put the factory-issued ones on my Gibson SG to shame. Though some might find the neck to thick and wide, I think it feels perfect. Made at the Guild factory after Fender took over. Nice hardshell case included.

This is simply the best-sounding electric I have ever played. I can't believe these things aren't selling like crazy. I play mostly classic rock-sounding stuff, from Zeppelin to White Stripes to Def Leppard. My set-up is simple...plugged through a Dunlap Crybaby - and occassionally a Boss flanger or Ibanez digital echo unit - into a F-50 MesaBoogie tube. Before I bought this, I had played Les Pauls, fat Strats, PRSs; just about everything with two 'buckers. But the sound of this guitar just floored me: a huge, bright, full sound that sparkles. Though called a Bluesbird, this could just as easily be called "RockBeast", because I play with a fair amount of distortion and this baby just sings. Even when wound up, it maintains its sparkle, and never gets muddy or dull, which is what I found with some of the Pauls I played. Some people have said this bridges the sound gap between a Paul and a ES-335, and I think that's a fair assessment. People who are looking for the sound of a Strat or a Tele should run and hide from this thing, because it can play a mean Jimmy, but not the best Jimi.

Pretty good, but not perfect. Like I said, I think this guitar had been sitting around a while before I bought it off some big,I-sell-everything-type guy off Ebay. Still, some problems - while small - are still annoying. For instance, after a couple of weeks, the "G" decal on one of the volume knobs just fell off, exposing a half-assed Superglue job. Amd while the maple fingerboard feels great, it looks a little lacking, with a couple of imperfections. Having said that, the flame top is perfect, and the guitar itself feels like Gibralter. Action is very fast, and to me, the guitar is the perfect weight and feel, again somewhere in size and weight between a Les Paul and a ES-335.

I am band-less right now, but I play often at home, and I think this thing will last at least as long as I will; probably longer. The Seymour Duncans prove just why SD is such a popular choice, and the wood and tuners are all great. Very solid. I would have no problem depending on it and just bringing an extra set of strings to a gig. And bring glue to glue the stupid decals back on to the knobs.

No dealing yet.

I have been playing for about 17 years. I still own the Kramer Pacer I got for my 16th birtday, but sold the SG Standard after I got this guitar, because the SG seemed...irrelevant. If it were lost or stolen, first I'd go give Fat Tony a couple thousand and a mugshot of the suspect, then I'd be out looking for another Bluesbird. This thing is not only a tone monster with increbile brightness and fullness, but it feels awesome. I played Les Pauls (expensive, somewhat muddy at times, varying degrees of quality) PRSs (the best Strat I ever played) and ES-335s (nice, but not rocking enough) before I found this machine. I still would like a LP Custom for the chutzpah as much as anything else, but this will always be my favorite. If you are looking for a Les Paul but can't afford it, buy this and you will probably forget about the Paul unless you are obsessed with having the "Gibson" logo on the headstock. These are a relative bargain to boot. No excuse me while I plug in and let the chambered body sing. My girlfriend will have to wait.

Just like the other reviews. LP shaped but a little bigger with a much lighter chambered body. USA made. Two SD humbuckers, 3-way switch, 2 vols, 2 tones. Tune-o-matic like bridge w/ LP like bar tailpiece. Grover tuners. This one has a pretty flamed top. 24 3/4 scale, with 22 frets. For my own personal taste, this is a comfortable size and weigh guitar. A 335 is too heavy and big, a Les Paul is too heavy. It has a fairly meaty neck--which suits me because I have big hands and I think a bigger neck enhances the tone.

No guitar can do it all, but this covers a wide tonal spectrum. Excells in fatter, rounder, warmer tones. I use a Peavey Classic 50, 1966 Tremolux, or a Hot Rod DeVille. All sound mighty fine.

Above average for a mass produced guitar. I do my own set up anyway, so as long as a guitar is reasonable, I can tweak it to my specs.

It's solid and well made, though not finished like a PRS, it is in the better Les Paul class, and a better value. I play it in 2 bands--it's versatile for my country club band (country, pop, whatever) and my jazz/blues band. I don't play without a backup. I usually take a Tele or Strat along because different guitars inspire me to play different ideas, and I don't get bored.

never dealt with them

Been playing gigs since I was 11 and I'm 59 now and still doing it. I have owned very many guitars from Les Pauls, 330's, 335's, PRS, Teles, Strats, blah-blah. This ranks with the best and is the best value. A Les Paul in this catagory would cost you $1350, a PRS $1700.
(used prices) There's no doubt a PRS will out class it, but all that counts to me is what comes out of the amp and how well it plays--- in that order. Beauty is in the ear.......

I bought this '73 Bluesbird off ebay as a "working project" for $250. It was covered with a cheap coat of spray paint which I have sanded off the top to reveal a really beautiful piece of wood. The person who sold it put a Seymour Duncan in the bridge and a Dimarzio PAF in the neck. Most of the parts are not original.

This guitar has amazing sustain and resonance. The pickup combination gives a great range of tones.

The guitar was not very well set up and should still be taken to a pro for set up. Despite this, I just played a show last night and it played fine.

This guitar is very sturdy looking. The neck joint is incredible and is probably why the guitar has such great tone and sustain. I would (and did last night) play a show last night without a backup.

I wanted to fill this review out because I think people should know what a great deal these old Bluesbirds are. Even a much nicer and more original example than mine could be had for much less than a Les Paul. I have a '70 SG Standard too and I am now thinking I might make it my #2 guitar.

'73 US-made, mahogony body & neck (thin & fast) - all original including pickups (2 Guild HB) & tuners, OHSC, 2 vol, 2 tone, phase switch (disconnected when bought), roller bridge, trapazoid fixed tailpiece, natural mahogony finish, black pickguard. I've heard some say that these are chambered, others say no. All I know is that from the control cavity, there is a wide "chamber" leading to the pickups for wiring, and when you play it unplugged, it has a loud, resonant sound. That, along with the fact that it is relatively light, makes me believe that there may be a chamber in the upper body also.

I play many styles - use it with an Ampeg JetII & Fender Frontman, along with an array of effects & also straight to amp. I've never been so happy with a guitar - It can wail and be amazingly toneful. I've never been a Les Paul type and was afraid this would be a copy, but it isn't. You can get a LP sound if you try, but between the pickups, roller bridge & possible chambers, it has such an array of sounds - and I haven't even had the chance to fix the phase switch.

Action is unbelievable - fits like a glove. 30-year-old finish is used but not abused. Superb quality. "Feels like home".

This guitar is a survivor - just the slightest corrosion on the pickup covers, etc.. I would depend on this guitar for anything.

No need.

Have been playing 39 years, own several guitars - G&L Legacy, DeArmond M75T, Tokai Ric Copy, Epiphone Howard Roberts, Epiphone EM-1, Hagstrom III, Peavey T-15, Dano Hodad 12-string, Harmony Stratotone, Kramer bass, 3 acoustics, Ovation Mandolin. I spotted it in a pawnshop the day it came out of pawn, and snatched it up at $300. I can't believe after all these years of playing that I overlooked these gems. I love everything about it - the sound, feel & vibe. If stolen, I would definately buy another if I could find one reasonably priced, but not a new one - they are a different animal.

1973 Bluesbird, semi hollow mahogany body, very slim mahogany neck, 22 frets with genuine mother of pearl block inlays on rosewood fingerboard, 2 humbuckers, 2 tone, 2 vol, phase reversal switch, master vol. Features? if a guitar sounds good what other features do you need?
i think the pickups aren't the originals, they look like DiMarzios but i don't know if they're super distortions or some other model. they sound ok but i might try something else in there eventually just to see if it improves matters. not bad sounding though but maybe could get more definition with some others in there, particularly the neck pickup. Tuners have been changed to Schallers and the differently positioned holes from the originals are visible. This Bluesbird has been refinished at some point and the label under the back plate says it's black, but now it's natural which i prefer anyway. it's been done well enough although i'm not generally too bothered about that side of things -especially on a secondhand guitar-and if a guitar is pristine and unblemished then there is always the need for extra caution to avoid scratching it, bumping it against things etc which i tend to do a fair bit as i'm a clumsy sod. also that extra caution can take your mind away from really getting into playing the thing.

I have been playing for about 27 years and i hate talk in terms of having a playing style, i just play what i feel like playing at the time but i suppose, to pin it down i am always searching for chords/sounds that sound new together and try not to get stuck in a stale rut. i play through a Lovetone Cheese Source and a Ross phaser into a Mesa DC5 with a Lovetone Doppelganger and a Foxrox TZF Flanger in the effects loop. I'm only giving a 9 because i think it would improve with different pickups (otherwise 10), perhaps p90s or Seymour Duncan super alnico 2s. apart from that this is a beautiful sounding guitar acoustically and it has hands down the MOST sustain i have ever heard on any guitar, unbelievable. beautiful crisp bright resonant sound and not a dead spot anywhere on the neck. i have never found a guitar without weak spots on the neck somewhere but this has none, the woods used on this must be of very high quality. it's also set up with a really low action and has virtually no fret buzz. perfectly in tune all the way up the neck. whoever made this really knew what he/she was doing. a dream guitar? nearly.

this is a 30 years old and it's had some things done to it over the years. who knows what? there are some small dings and the knobs are not original. the electrics look a bit of a mess soldering wise and if i knew how to re wire it all i would do it but i think as long as i don't poke around in there too much it should be ok for a while anyway.
i did need to file the nut slots a little deeper as the first couple of frets were coming up a bit sharp but it's better now.

this is a very well built guitar and looks as solid as a rock. i'd get the electrics checked over before gigging with it but i think it's a pretty dependable axe.

the old Guild company is no longer in existence and i would never bother Fender about anything unless it was like a new guitar with a major flaw or that sort of thing. i've heard from others that Fender are next thing to useless when it comes to their customer support anyway.

if it was stolen i might try one of the newer bluesbirds but i don't think they look as good as this one, i find the shape to be more aesthetically pleasing on the '73-'74 era models. if you find one of these you should grab it with both hands and don't let go. if Gibson made a guitar of this quality today it would be in the #3000 category and still probably wouldn't sound as good. there are several different versions of this going about going back to the early sixties, perhaps even earlier. there's one with six in a line tuners and EMG pickups, as well as a p90 equipped hollow body version and a paf equipped semi hollow version. every review i've read praises this guitar and if i find another one from this period i certainly won't hesitate to fork over the cash.

There are two basic versions of this guitar. The standard and the bluesbird p-90 formerly called the blues 90. There seems to be some confusion on the web about what makes these two guitars different. I am lucky enough to own both so this review will compare the two as more than review them. These two guitars look the same at first glance, but are very different.

The obvious difference is the pickups. Symour Duncan p-90 on the bluesbird p-90 and S.D. SH-1 on the bluesbird standard.

The p-90 has a fully hollow body. The standard has a chambered body.

The Standard has a huge, thick neck: deep, wide and somewhat oval, this neck has more heft than even most guitars from the '50's. It is actually much bigger than guilds from the '50's. The p-90 has the neck profile of the classic guild aristocrat (from which these guitars are derived) still deep but much more round. I would compare it to what gibson calls a '50's neck on their production models, or the neck on the '59 historic, but slightly smaller in depth than the 52-58 historics. It is also wider than a gibson. I find both necks extremely comfortable, but my guess is most player's will prefer the more gracefull neck of the p-90.

Most of the p-90 models (except the AAA top version) have dots instead of blocks, and no binding on the neck. All of the standard versions have block inlays and binding on the neck. The difference in appointments is not reflected in the list price however. The p-90 versions list for more. The reason for this may be the p-90 pickips are more expensive and more routing must be done on the p-90 version.

The features of the standard are more in line with a les paul, while the p-90 would compare more to an es-330. I think either of these guitars is superior to the aformentioned gibson models however.

Both guitars use very nice symour duncan pickups as stock. You would be a fool to change either because your odds of finding better sound ones are pretty slim.

The p-90 has a very versatile single coil sound. It is equally at home soloing and playing rythme. The single coils are very hot, higher output than many humbuckers. Organic, responsive, with great crarity. Never that "ice pick in the ear" fender tone wich I hate more the longer I play. If that tone has you running from anything with single coils give these a listen they will suprise you. The wiring is hum canceling when both pickups are on ala jazzmaster. Compared with the standard I would say these offer a more realistic sound with faster attack, and should cut through better. This will be the clear choice for strumming parts and authentic blues.

The standard has some of the best humbuckers on the market. These are S.D. version of the seth lover P.A.F. They sound at least as good as the burstbuckers in my historic paul, probably a little better even. This is a rock machine thicker warmer tone with more sustain than the p-90. This model is the choice for rock playing and for some jazz styles.

I can't say one version sounds better than the other. You would be better off picking both models up. That will cover any musical territory you can tread, exept if you want a tremelo.

The build and finish on Guild guitars is really nice. The neck joints are better than gibson. Just wonderfull can't think of any complaints.

To new to tell i guess, but I don't anticipate any problem with these guitars.

N/A

These really are the best value for money in guitars I think. You could spend the same money I spent for these two and only get one les paul that wouldn't measure up to either.

I would call the p-90 a reissue of the original Aristocrat which was also totally hollow and featured p-90 style pickups and the same neck profile, but a slightly smaller body. Offers a slightly larger number of tonal possibilites than the standard. A great guitar in every respect.

I would call the standard a reissue of the Guild Nightbird. The Nightbirds were sometimes semi-solid sometimes fully solid and featured humbuckers.

This differs from a Nightbird with it's chunky neck. I love this guitar. It is the only new guitar I know of with a neck that really fills my hand. Even the fabled Jeff Beck Strat and vintage Tele necks will feel like pencils compared to this one. If you can't deal with fat necks stay away because this is one of the biggest necks you will ever encounter.

I am the proud owner of a Guild Bluesbird, My best guess is that it was built in the mid to late 90's, as the paperwork that came with it says Fender. Curly maple top, mahogoney body with weight relief, mahogoney neck w/rosewood fretboard, block inlays, S/D '59 pick ups chrome hardware, standard Les Paul type wiring, Grover pegs. It's not what I would call feature packed, but all the requirements are there.

This is a very fine sounding guitar! The band I'm in plays classic rock and oldies, plus the occasional country, blues, or jazz tune and this guitar has not failed to come up with the goods. It seems to handle almost any style quite well. Currently I am using this axe with a Rivera R100-212(a very fine amp), this seems to make for a very potent combination. (no effects)

I am very fussy about set-up, so I always do my own as soon as the guitar comes into the house. That said, when I got this guitar it was stage worthy, but, with a new set of Pyramid 11's, and a minor tweak of the bridge it became supurb. Everything fit well, my only disappointment is with some of the inlays in the neck(some filler showing).

We rehearse twice a week, I practise at home and take it out to the job. It has not failed in the three monthes that I have owned it, nor would I expect it to. This guitar is rapidly becoming my right arm. Use a back up,call me old school, but I started playing back when dirt was new, and we were lucky to have anything that would stay moderately in tune. This guitar is as solid as a rock.

Well I bought the guitar used so iI have no factory warrenty. But I have never had a bit of trouble with the fine people at Guild. Also my dealer Elderly Music in Lansing, Mi. has always gone out of their way to please their customers.

I have been playing somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 years. And truth be told I have owned an obscene amount of equipment over that period of time. My Guild Bluesbird is as good if not better than any other instrument I have ever played. Earlier on I tried to convince myself that I needed a historic Les Paul or ES335 the fact is I don't. Guild is building some very fine instruments and IMHO they are very undervalued. I would repurchase this instrument in a heartbeat.

Made in USA, not sure of the year. 22 frets, mahogany body and maple top, black opaque finish, looks BEAUTIFUL. 2 volume 2 tone configuration, H/H Seymour Duncan '59 pickups. The bridge is tune-o-matic and stoptail, chrome hardware with Grover tuners. The neck is medium-fat I would say, but still comfortable to play (my strat is more comfortable, but the Bluesbird still plays like butter!) One thing special about the Bluesbird that makes it unique, which other reviewers have already mentioned, is the semi-hollow chambers of the body, making for awesome tone.

This guitar suits my music style perfectly, I play spacey indie rock type stuff, which means real organic clean tones and then medium overdrive sounds. The '59 pickups I like a lot, the clean is warm and fat in the neck, and the overdrive is clear and articulate in the bridge position, just awesome tone, very rich and full. It is super versatile, from jazz to blues to straight rock. If you're wanting to play grind/thrash you'll probably want to change out the pickups, because the '59 can tend to get a little flubby on the bottom end, so get a JB or EMGs if you want to play metal and this thing will perform flawlessly. To give you an idea of how heavy it can sound, the guitarist in Converge used his EMG-equipped Bluesbird to record Jane Doe, arguably one of the most insane records ever. OK back to reviewing, it's not noisy at all, very quiet! Because of the wood configuration, it's more of a dark-sounding guitar, but definitely not to the point of sounding muddy, hot damn, the guitar's just perfect. I'm using it with a Carvin Bel-Air 2x12 combo, Carvin Legacy 2x12 extension cab with one Greenback one V30, and a Visual Sound Jekyll and Hyde OD pedal, and I get tones that I love. I think that if I could do it all over again, I might switch the '59 in the bridge with a Duncan JB just to get some over-the-top sounds better. When I first bought it, it was equipped with and EMG-85 in the bridge which I took out and put into my other guitar, and put the '59 back into the Bluesbird, but the heavy sounds out of the EMG 85 were just incredible.

I bought this used so I don't know about factory setup, but I had it professionally set up with 11-52 and while it's super difficult for fast Dillinger Escape Plan type runs, it sounds and feels great. I used to think "plays like butter" was a lame and cheesy description, but I can describe this no other way! I love it! The finished neck feels nice and the neck has a good amount of chunkiness to it. I didn't find any factory flaws on this guitar at all. The stock Guild knobs on the outside seem a bit cheap though, but haven't given me any trouble, and the 3-way selector seems a bit loose as well, but hasn't given me any trouble whatsoever.

CHANGE the strap buttons! Mine came with Schallers which seem very solid to me, so I'm happy with those. The finish will show belt-buckle marks and pick scratches, but it will definitely last. I've played it a lot and still haven't broken a string since getting it set up, so I'm pleased with not having any burs in the saddles. If that happens, I might end up having to get Graphtech Graphite saddles, but hopefully not. I can definitely depend on this guitar.

I've been playing for almost five years, and aside from the Bluesbird I own an ESP Strat, and I've also owned an ESP LTD H-300. The neck on the Bluesbird is very similar to that of the LTD's, in case you're wondering. The first time I played guitar guitar, I said "A-HA! So this is what incredible tone sounds like!" This guitar blows away any Gibsons in the price range, and the semi-hollow tone gives it a real uniqueness to it. The tone is just probably my favorite feature, it just sounds perfect. This guitar is definitely one of the best-kept secrets in the $800 range of guitar, if you can find one under $750 used in good condition, snag it, I'm sure I'll be keeping this guitar for the rest of my life.

2001 Goldtop made in the U.S.A. Arched maple top, binding on top and fretboard. Mahogany back and neck with rosewood fingerboard...Mother of Pearl fretboard inlays and stoptail bridge....Grover tuners and Seymour Duncan SH-1 (59 model) pickups. I'm not done yet...The body has select tone chambers giving this guitar a semi-hollow body classification.

This freaking guitar is loaded

Had a PRS CE-22 that I sold to get this...Reason being is the PRS is an excellent guitar, but I wanted a neck-in-body guitar and the 5-way switch got on my nerves. In my opinion, the PRS did not deliver the versatility proclaimed by everyone....Kind of like a strat with the 5-way switch, the 2 and 4 positions sounded a little different, but not enough to justify the high price tag.

The Bluesbird sounds absolutely fantastic. The smaller than 335 body tightens the sound up, and the bigger than Les Paul body warms the sound up if that makes sense. The Seymor Duncan pickups are quiet yet responsive...And the 3-way selector provides true versatility...They just don't use that as their main selling feature like some manufacturers do. And to credit Harmony Central and the user reviews, the sound proclaimed by other reviewers is dead on....Great for just about any kind of music you want to play.

I bought this guitar used and it came to me about as mint as my ordered from the factory Strat.....I took it to my guitar lesson and got compliments on it (something I don't always get when I bring a new guitar in there) The action is perfect and while the stock strings will eventually get bumped up to a heavier gauge, it is too comfortable right now for me to want to mess with it...I will wait until the strings need to be changed before make any tweaks whatsoever.

Transluscent finishes with flamed or curly maple may be the "in thing" right now, but this gold top was a pleasant surprise...Plus, painted guitars usually use the hard maple which can give you better consistency over the cosmetically correct wood. Just because it's flamed doesn't mean it sounds better. The Gold-Top is a beauty...It's not that flashy, sparkly rockabilly crap either, it's a nice subtle color that goes good with it's dark stained mahogany body.

This guitar refuses to lose its tune which is a huge plus for me. I wouldn't drop this(or any) guitar off a bridge and plan on using the case when it goes anywhere, so I believe this guitar will be a keeper and will last as long as I take care of it. Guild already was a good brand and with Fender owning Guild, and with the guitar being made in the USA, you can only expect quality. Just check out the harware and electrical components they use...

Never used them, but I'm sure they are great.....No company who has been around and continues to excell has bad customer service...If I ever have to use them and they are bad, I will certainly amend this part of my review.

I hate reading how long people have been playing because I really don't care....However, I do notice guitars like this and other more professional caliber guitars have a higher review majority from 10 + year players....Myself is in that club and I assume once you are past the cheap, heavy metal, cool metallic I need to have sex and be noticed look, you start paying attention to other qualities other than how badly the guitar will distort and pick up chicks.

I've had a 335 (which was a great guitar) and a Les Paul (another fine instrument), and this guitar shares a place with those two. Actually, I sold the 335 and Les Paul when I was mentally ill and got the PRS to compensate my post pardom syndrome.......Again, I will say the PRS is another fantastic guitar that if I had a million dollars I would have kept, but I really enjoy the overall playability, tone and versatility the Bluesbird gives me. The PRS was not semi-hollow, nor was the les paul and the 335 was too big for my every day enjoyment. In addition, the bluesbird has a little more punch than the 335 did, yet is warmer and more jazz sounding than the two solid body electrics I mentioned....One reviewer said "all you need is a strat and a bluesbird and you are set" maybe not in those exact words, but I do believe he was on to something....

This perhaps is one of the most under appreciated American-made guitars on the market. Unlike Hamer and Heritage which are great guitars but have little to no resale, the Guild does a pretty good job of holding its value. Not quite as much as a Gibson or Paul Reed Smith, but it still does better than other american made non-Gibson/PRS guitars. Luckily with Fender's name and money behind Guild, I think the resale issue will only improve. This guitar may not be for everyone, but it has very little limitations I know of. Only that when you go to the store to check one out, every teenager hasn't scratched it up and tarnished the finish and played speed metal on it.

You should do yourself a favor and check one of these best kept secrets out.

This bluesbird is a kind of strange bluesbird. I don't know wich woods are used for this guitar but i think its maple. It has a telecaster-like head and a kahler tremelo. It is a h/s/s configuration with EMG active pickups. The tuners are made by grover.
It has a les paul body style and the color is blue.

I play mostly rock and blues and i must say that the guitar performs very well. I has a very rich/full sound when playing the neck pickup and a very bright sound when playing the humbucker with the toneknob pulled out. This guitar can make sounds from metallica to dire straits. I never had a versitale guitar like this one.

The setup of the guitar was good but what else can you expect from a guitar that cost so much money. The only thing to complain about is the kahler tremelo. It's a pity that they deliverd the guitar with a bad tremelo like this one.

I can use it on a gig without a backup but as i have more guild guitars is will take them on my gigs, but it's not nessecary.

I have never dealt with the company, the guitar is great.

I'm playing for about 36 years. I've had a tube-marshall combo wich made the guitar sound great. At the moment i have a roland bolt 60 tubeamp and a laney tubeamp. The guitar performs well on the roland. On the laney there's not enough low. If i find this guitar again i will surely buy a second one. I i compare the sound with other guitars like the strat, les paul or prs this guitar is the best sounding axe i've ever heard. I anyone has a guitar like mine i would be pleased if someone contact me to change some information.
Since i bought this guitar i've never seen a second one so it must be a special model.

Made in the USA. 2002 Model. Black. The same features as cited in the other reviews. I bought it new from a dealer on Ebay. The guitar came to my home in perfect condition. I am so happy to have found a new one for under $1000. I was ready to pay $1500 for a new one at a local shop in Colorado Springs.

I play Jazz with this guitar. To me, this is a Jazz guitar. I don't say that to mean that you cannot play any other style with it, because you could. You could adapt this guitar for ANY style. From heavy, distorted rock to the lighest of blues and Jazz. But, the Jazz tones produced by this guitar is what I am amazed with. I've owned a Gibson ES-175 some years back, but sold it since I stopped playing Jazz to concentrate on classical guitar. I am now back into playing Jazz and was looking for a guitar that would give me the traditional warm/fat Jazz tones AND could provide some addtional sustain for some more effect driven stuff. This is THE guitar. It has awesome, fat sound and enough sustain to satisfy anynone looking for a guitar that can cry! This is THE most complete guitar I have ever played. The LPs are way too expensive and lack considerably in the tone department when compared to the BB. The BB's body is lighter, wider and longer than the LPs. It has a very balanced feel to it. Not that heavy unbalanced LP feel.

The action is SUPERB. The neck is wide and the fretboard flat. It is very easy to be inspired to play very fast runs with this guitar because of the great action. The pearl inlays and white binding make the fretboard stand out and allows for easy navigation of the fretboard. No flaws whatsoever. Adjusted perfectly out of the case.
The black finish is beautiful. The shape of the body(longer and broader than a LP) is perfectly balanced. The tuning pots are a bit different looking; sort of a "retro" look. I don't have a problem with them though.

My 6 year old son will be playing this guitar one day......

No opinion

I've been playing for 14 years. Mostly recorded material. I own a Martin 000-16GTE a Raimundo 610 Cutaway Classical and the BB. This is a professional guitar. The tones that it can produce are fat and warm. And if you want it to scream, it can do that to. This(IMO) is one of the most versatile guitars on the market. Some PRS, Hamer and Gibson products were of interest to me when I purchased the BB, but none of those other manufacturers offered a "complete" guitar(per my requirements). The Gibson ES models were the closest thing, but lacked considerably when played side by side with the BB. I give two thumbs up to Guild for making this magnificent instrument! The BB is the Guitar World's best kept secret. I would rate it at an 11 if I could. :-)

Made in the USA (as is stamped on the back of the headstock).
22 fret neck, Mahogany, 1 piece with at least one headstock wing, Rosewood board, pale (ish).
Two Volume and Two tone controlling two Seymour Duncan SH1 hummers (I think), entirely passive.
Mahogany body routed out for weight and tone, Maple front, with a cherry red trans finish. Oversize Les Paul type body, but a nicer cutaway, more open looking and neater. Fitted with a Les Paul style bridge and stop tail.

The neck is finished in the same trans red as the body, which makes it more sticky to sweaty hands, but there you go. Came with a Hiscox case for a 335, they didn't have the relevant Guild case in the shop. Partly explains the lower price.

Lower features rating simply reflects the elegant simplicity. High features ratings are often a bugbear!

Played primarily through a Mesa Heartbreaker and WEM Dominator MKII. These amps are both lower gain, rich sounding amps. The guitar is perfectly suited to them, the humbuckers pushing them both into a great natural sounding overdrive that is very satisfying.
The sound of this guitar bears some of the classic mahogany/maple trademarks, being thick but with plenty of clarity, but also has the added bonus of some cool twanginess coming from the hollowed out body. The most enjoyable thing is that the pickups sound quite like the guitar does acoustically, a bit square sounding like a Les Paul, but less of the midrange fuzziness that said instrument can have.

The bridge pickup is good for crunchy rhythm stuff, as well as more ripping leads, where the neck pickup has a more blues-y feel to it. The neck unit can get a little woolly on some amp settings, but this is a minor niggle, and as long as thought goes into all the settings, is not a problem at all. I only notice this because I primarily use the bridge unit and set my sound for it.

In comparison to my Big Apple strat (also H/H) it is bigger and thicker sounding, and you can hear the set neck. The warmth comes from the wood, and there is a feeling of resonance about every note played. Excellent.

Anything to dislike? Other people playing it...
Perhaps the fact that it doesn't do really clean, but then I don't use really clean. The pickups are a bit too square sounding and honky for a real hi-fi clean, but I generally use a more NMV amp turned up sound for 'clean,' which suits this thing well.

Well set up. Good alignment, intonation and so on. The strings were far too light, so I gave it some 10-52s, and had a look at the bridge. Brought the stop tail down to increase the tension and resonance as well. Pickups have stayed where they started, good balance in output. The top is very attractive, I like the solid colour finishes more than sunburst types.

The niggle is of course the back strap button, which has actually failed me on a gig. So now it is glued in.

Heavy, thick, solid. Well chosen pieces of hardware, the bridge, tuners and so on look as solid as anything. The jack socket needed tightening, but the nut style ones will always have this problem, and it looks better than a recessed one on this type o' guitar.

Always worry about the headstock, which would hit the floor first if it fell backwards. It isn't that far proud at the back, but plenty of guitars with this design survive forever.

No idea...

FMIC is a bit of a bugger, really. Too big to get hold of the relevant guy to sort you out.

For me, this guitar replaced the Les Paul on my list of things to buy. Whilst it might be different, it has enough of what I wanted from the LP to satisfy that craving, and a whole lot more. Now all I want is to get the Blues 90 in green.

Definitely my top guitar, above my Fender. Basically, for the money, I would have got a Les Paul studio at best, and then one of the newer inferior ones. It's great to play, and it sounds good while you do!

Everything of a Les Paul Standard.Plus two Seymour Duncan humbuckers,chambered solid mahogany body,grover tuners that always stay in tune,also like the pickup selector switch big and chrome not cheap plastic.Comes with very nice hardshell case.Has it all

Don't let the name fool you it's not just for blues.I play everything from jazz to metal and it's perfect for all.I play it through a JCM 2000 DSL half stack they go together perfectly.put it on the bridge pickup add some distortion and you have the recipe to a thick killer sound.The neck pickup is one of the best I've ever heard.It's so warm and rich perfect for any clean or softer stuff.

set up perfect no complaints about anything.

built like a rock all hardware is solid and has a nice finish.it was said before about the rear strap button does not come off .just have to buy new strap locks.Like I said before this thing never comes out of tune so I could depend on it at a gig.

Haven't had it long enough for any problems but has life time warranty

I've been playing for over 3 years,I also own a Gibson Les Paul Special P100s,Gibson Flying V with Floyd Rose,Fender Acoustic.I Played A few Les Pauls before buying this and it was the best of them all.The chambered body gives a great tone and the neck pickup I can't put into words.If your wanting to be a shredder like Steve Vai obvisously this ain't the guitar for you,but if you want greay versatile guitar this is it

1998 U.S.A. made $1100.00
Standard Red Blues Bird. Red transparent beautiful quilted maple (I guess). Bought new in Oct. 2000. I think that it is really beautiful.
Grovers are the best. The neck is a little thick, but I am getting used to it.

I play blues based rock and Chicago blues on it. It is really quiet.
The amps that I play it through are a 60's Ampeg and a new Marshall.
Not a very bright sound, but it is really full!.
For really bright I've got a Tele and a Strat.
THe Blues Bird is more versatile .Again it is really quiet no buzz
or hum at all. Sounds great with Ampeg on loud.

The set up is fine. Action is nice. The bridge pickup was loose on low E side and flopped around at first. All the rest of the fit and finish
is beautilul

I've only had it 2 months. I agree about the press fit strap button, but haven't changed mine yet. It feels like a very dependable workhorse.

N/A

I am 47 and have been playing scince I was 12 or 13 mostly play alone but have done the odd gig over the years . If it was stolen I would but another. I sold an ES340 TD to buy the Guild. The guild has a nicer neck it also sounds better to my ear.
If I need a Fender I have a Strat and an 60's Tele.
I love my Strat and Tele, the B.B. has much more gain and more sound.
It is to my mind as nice or nicer than a Les Paul, some are great but cost an arm and a leg, and aren't really any better. This guitar is a slepper best bang for the buck in my book

The basic upper end features for USA MADE Guitar. Very Much like a Les Paul but much more inexpensive, sleek look, light weight, and no pickguard(at least on mine) which I prefer.

Maple Top, rosewood finger board, Seymore Duncan Pickups (SH1 Classic 59's), Grover Tuners, slim neck very easy to play, and beatiful finish.

The best sounding guitar I ever played. I love playing Zeppelin, Rush, Neil Young, as well as hard and heavy stuff like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I play through a half stack with a carvin tube head, and Zoom 505 multi-effects pedal.

The finish was slightly scratched when I purchased from people playing it (no pickguard). Also some tarinishing was apperent on the pick-up covers. Although beacuse of these minor cometics faults which were very slight I only paid $750 which turned to be a blessing in disguise. The guitar was setup excellenet from the factory!!! Although I recently had it setup for 9 gauge strings instead of 10's. The action is low and intonation is perfect. However I do recommend to get the guitar set-up at least every 6-12 months.The guitar is beatiful!!!!

I have had the guitar for about a 8 months, no problems, and had it set-up once. Rarely goes out of tune. I even do some drop tuning stuff like 1 and half steps and still the guitar amazingly stays in tune.

This would be my only complaint. Since Fender bought Guild you can't directly talk to the Guild Folks. However I did mangage to find a forum devoted to Guild/DeArmond Guitars.
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