Guild B-302

Basic bass guitar.

deep and melodic.

good to great.

drove it from coast to coast and never missed a beat!

outstanding

I am not sure what year it was made but I would guess 1978. there is the typical 2 volume two tone and a pickup selector the typical set up for the brand. It still has the single coil stock pickups, with the passive electronics. I am not sure what wood is used but I assume someone else gives a better discription than me. Comes with really good Schaller tuners, best tuners I have ever used, keeps it's tune even after it has been thrown around during normal travel. Big neck not for someone with small hands.

It suits me fine has a great low end sound, very good for just laying a slow smooth bass line. I am currently using a Peavey mark 3 with a 4x10 cab, a boring standard amp for someone on a budget, no effects let the bass do the work. I find it does not feed back or give any problems. Again real smooth tone and when playing a quick James Jameson type fill it really performs. I have never used it for a studio but it really sounds great live and works great for all occations. Some of my dislikes is that it is really heavy. It has a set neck whitch I have never liked but am willing to work through, and my neck is a little worn which is only getting worse.

I did not get it brand new but the tech guy who set it up must have been having a real off day cause the electronics where a mess. I had to take to another guitar shop to get it properly set up. Pickups are fine and I am not going to mess with them in fear of losing the sound that I have come to enjoy. The G string (quit laughing) was not properly adjusted it took me a couple of minutes to reset the way I wanted it.

I love this instrument so I am affraid to use it. I play it at home pretty much, but when I was pertforming with it I never needed a back up and after I got it properly set up I never had a problem. I would use it all the time and never have a backup if I wasn't so paranoid about using it.

I never dealt with the Guild company but when I went through an authorized dealer they seemed more compitent than a non authorized dealer. I had it repaired because the input jack was improperly sodered and I had a 6-month warranty on it so I thought I would take it to the dealer I got it from, Big mistake. When I went to another dealer to fix it job was done right. As well had pickguard fixed had to get a new pickguard cause Original was beyond repair. It is very difficult to find replacement parts for this instrument so It is better to get a pro to fix it than an amateur

I have been playing for about 6 years I also play a rick 4001 from 1976, a completly different bass for a different sound but i find the contrast between the two instruments very interesting. and my amp is nothing special nor worth repeating, I am not a pro just a fan of the bass. I love the Guild 302, Its sounds, its looks, everything. If it was lost, stolen, broke I would be really sad for a while and then I would try and find another.

I purchased a used 1978 Model Guild B302F fretless bass in 1999 in excellent condition for $350.00. Both it's build quality as well as its sound are quite remarkable. The ebony fingerboard woodgrain is as straight as a die and was obviously hand selected. The 34" scale neck is also just as straight and true, and with only about a day spent cleaning the grunge from the fingerboard and doing a careful setup and intonation with new strings (Thomastik/Infeld brand Jazz Flatwound Steel)it performs as beautifully as it looks with it's gloss black lacquer finish complemented with a black pickguard with white edging. It has 2 passive single coil pickups; one at the heel of the neck and one at the bridge. Both pickups have a separate volume and tone control. There is a 3 position toggle switch to select either or both pickups, and the sound I like the best is when both pickups are selected which gives a unique almost phase-shifted sounding tone to the instrument. It appears that the entire bass is made from solid mahogany and it does not seem to be a neck-thru style construction. I believe that the neck is probably attached in a kind of a dovetail type method, but nonetheless, it far superior to a bolt-on style neck. The tuners are original Schallers and the bridge is a fully adjustable type made by Guild. The original case is form-fitting with a royal blue interior and it is by far the easiest bass to take with me when I travel. I have owned and played my 1960 fretted Fender Precision since 1967 and I also own a 1978 Fender Precision Fretless with rosewood neck as well as a fretted Rickenbacker 4003 Laredo, all of which make me try to compare their sound to the Guild B302F. I really can't offer much of a comparison because its sound is so unique, but I agree with a previous reviewer that it has a darker and woodier sound; not as live as the Fender or the RIC, but definitely unique in character with great sustain and tonal balance between strings. I bought it as a temporary measure before I could afford the '78 Fender fretless, but I could never part with it now...it's just too good in its own way to do that to what has been such a great musical companion over the years.

I play my Guild B302F fretless bass using a Gigpro strap-worn FET preamp driving 2 Carver A760X stereo 600W RMS/channel into 4 Ohms power amplifiers connected to 4 Ampeg B series 4 x 10" 4 Ohm cabinets (2400 W RMS total). It is an awesome combination, especially with this particular bass.

As this was a used 1978 model bass when I purchased it in 1999 it took some TLC and time to clean and set up properly, but it was worth it. There were no noticieable flaws in the original factory setup, just previous owner negelect.

The only comment on the finish is that it appears to be an old style nitrocellulose lacquer type finish which reacts with the rubber of my guitar stand causing local discoloration. I solved this problem by wrapping the guitar stand arms with surgical stretch gauze. The hardware is very nicely plated with a durable bright and thick chrome finish that still looks good even after all these years.

None.

I have been playing bass for 37 years now (yikes!)and I still have my very first bass that I purchased in 1967: a 1960 model Fender Precision fretted bass, as well as a 1978 Fender Precision fretless and also a 2000 model 4003 Laredo Rickenbacker. I love them all for their unique characteristics and features, and I play each of them as much as possible in both live performances and in the recording studio. The Guild model B302F fretless bass is rare and unique in so many ways that I simply could never part with it. Unlike some other B302 owners, I have no desire to change anything on it; especially the pickups.

Peter did an excellent job in listing all the specs in his review. I have modified the electronics in my B-302 to active, and will be installing new pick-ups to further enhance and update this wonderful bass.

I have incorporated several techniques into my playing style...slap; finger; pick; and a percussive emulating full string strum with pick. I have owned a Fender American Jazz Deluxe, and an Ibanez SR 1200...which are newer and technologically advanced by comparison, yet the Guild allows my overall playing style to cut through with very little E.Q. adjustment. I presently have an SWR SM-900 head paired with the SWR 4x10 Goliath series Cabinet, and for larger shows in tandem with the SWR Big Ben 1x18 Cabinet. Even with the upgrade to active electronics by Jerry Loy at Players Guitars in Chicago, I have never had problems with noise when using this bass. Prior to the upgrade, the bass always had a very warm, deep tone, that could put out some very bright sounds if I wanted. I often heard comments of sound being similar to a "Rickenbacher" sound from those supporting our lives performances. Since the upgrade, the instrument has kept much of its tone properties - which I am happy for, and will return to Jerry Loy to update the pick-ups. My Fender and Ibanez are good for the studio, and I regularly play my Ibanez in live applications for technical reasons (longer fret-board, and wider range of sound variation), but the Guild is by far the most consistent in balanced sound. Where I have experienced full sounding "E" & "A" strings in both the Ibanez and Fender, these two basses lose the fullness of volume in the "D" & "G" strings. The consistency in fullness of sound and volume of all 4 stings of the Guild come across very noticeably.

I bought this bass used in 1982, and it was new to me then. The set-up was excellent, and really the guitar did not need any adjustment. I have had some weather checking in the finish, but it adds to the character of the instrument, its a work-horse! It's never been in the shop for a single repair.

This is by far the most solid, reliable instrument I have owned. It has been in some of the harshest conditions and remains in excellent condition, no bowing of the neck, and the only visable signs of stress are the weather checking patterns in the lacquer. I know some will gasp at this comment - but I have had the truss rod adjusted only 3 times in the 21 years I have owned it. It RARELY goes out of tune, the tuning heads are unbelieveable! This Bass has one characteristic the Fender and Ibanez I own do not...it's ALIVE - I swear it takes care of itself. I will not part with it, its a lifer!

Not a single Repair/Defect issue at all in its 24 year history, so I have no rating for this catagory.

I've been playing music for 29 years, this was my first bass. If it were lost or stolen I too would be at a huge loss - this one has a life of its own. The only thing I ever could have wanted more from this bass would be more frets. I upgraded the electronics, and soon will upgrade the pick-ups to update the instrument not because I was unhappy with the sound capabilities. It still has its original tones, the active electronics allow me to utilize my amplifiers' technology to its full potential. If you have an opportunity to purchase a Gulid B-302, and it has been well-maintained - you cannot go wrong in purchasing it.

This was a cool bass, but I noticed feedback when used with a high powered amp of 200 watts or greater

Very High quality except for the truss arm. I was told by two set up guys that the truss rod could not be turned anymore, so I sold it. This was back in 1990.

It really didn't like temperature changes. The bottom strap button closes to the bridge was not screwed in. It was a peg.

Not needed.

I learned how to play bass with this guitar. I loved it and hated it, but wish I never sold it.

1970's Guild B302 Bass, 4 string, mahogany body and neck, neck appears to be 3 piece with maple skunk stripe, neck thru, rosewood fretboard, 20 frets, large headstock, passive electronics, 2 humbuckers, 2 volume, 1 tone, 1 blend, 3 way switch. Overall looks will remind you of a Rick in design, but it's got a cool look all its own. Original B302s came with 2 single coils pickups, but I got this used and previosu owner routed body for two large humbuckers. Since the electronics are not the originals, I'm not sure if my review is valid here, but I'll give it an 8 because the features could be expanded further with coil tapping, series/parallel switching, etc.

Unbelievable warm, deep tone. This bass has it's own tones, but due to the pickup placement the best I can do is compare it to other basses out there and cite the differences. It falls somewhere between a Rick and a PJ combination, but it's warmer and rounder than a Rick. Back pickup only can replicate the Fender J growl but with less bite and awrmer, rounder tone. Both pickups on has a beautiful, warm Fender P-like tone, but again warmer, darker, and a nice blend of depth and clarity without any harshness whatsoever. Neck pickup alone is Telebass II-like, but with more clarity. Sounds great fingerstyle, picking. It's not really a slapping bass, but it doesn't sound bad at all.

Since I got it used, I cannot comment on the original setup or pickup configuration, however, I bought it used over months ago and I have had no need to change the roundwounds that came on it. There's still plenty of clarity and punch left. The bridge is a large, Rick-like contraption with some interesting revelations. Although each saddle cannot be raised, the overall bridge can be raised or tilted. In addition, there's a little wheel under the bridge that raises and lowers the bridge in order to angle the front of it either up or down. And, the most interesting thing of all, each string saddle screwsonto a horizontal screw enabling you to adjust the spacing between the saddles! The construction seems solid, light weight, and well-built with absolutely no neck bowing whatsoever. The tuners are super solid also, I haven't had to retune the instrument since purchasing it! Action is superb, and the tension is smooth and comfortable without feeling rubbery or tight. The back of the neck is noticably rounder and wider than a standard Jazz from nut to body, and it feels very thick when you first start playing it, but after awhile you get used to it and it plays like butter. I've played Jazz basses for 16years, and I have to say that I can fly on this neck more easily and effortlessly than on a Jazz.

This is a solid, well-built neck thru that feels more durable than a Rick to me. First rate.

I've been playing bass for 16 years. I am also a collector of rare and unusal basses, and I presently own most of the industry standards (Fender Jazz, Precision, Rick, Stingray, Thunderbird). I've come to appreciate basses for their own identities and "idiosyncrasies", rather than expect a bass to do everything. This bass can't do the active, high end stuff, but it's a great warm passive bass with darker woodier tones that other basses don't possess. If it were stolen or lost, I'd be very upset, because they're not easy to find again. These are not made anymore, and they should be. This is a very underrated bass, and luckily you can still get a used one cheap on the used market, if you can find them. I highly recommend the B302.