SOLD: Guild S-100 NB: All Original - If you loved Soundgarden ...
For all you Soundgarden fans, here's an old Guild S-100 guitar - Guild's answer to Gibson's SG Standard. Kim Thayil used a 70’s S-100 on at least the first 3 Soundgarden albums.
This guitar is equipped with two factory Guild humbuckers, with volume and tone controls for each pickup, wired through a pickup selecter switch, plus a smaller (factory original) phase switch for the two pickups. The phase switch allows the two pickups to be put in or out of phase: the out of phase sound is similar to what Peter Green (early Fleetwood Mac) got from his rewired ‘59 Les Paul - a kind of compressed humbucking sound. The in-phase setting gives a nice full-throated double-humbucker sound.
This guitar dates to mid-1973 based on the serial number. The pots date to the 10th week of 1973, which is consistent with the mid-73 serial number. The wiring is 100% original and untouched - in fact when I opened the back control panel I’m pretty sure it was the first time it had ever been opened judging from the appearance of the internals and the screws.
Note the factory label on the inside of the control cover.
The only on-original parts on the guitar are the strap-pegs - there is one extra strap-peg hole (filled) on the butt-end of the guitar body. This is illustrated in one of the pictures - its not too noticable. Everything else - pickups, electronics, Grover tuners, frets, bridge, tailpiece, etc. etc. - is original.
The clear plastic pickguard is in excellent condition, with a clear clean logo. There is some wear on one of the volume knobs, as you can see in the close-up view. The headstock overlay and pearl inlays are in PERFECT condition, with no evidence of peeling at the edges.
The finish is also a completely original natural finish over mahogany - though there is wear on the back of the guitar down to bare wood. 
There is also some arm wear on the front that has dulled the finish - visible in the 2nd picture if you look carefully. There are of course various nicks and chips in the finish on the edges, as this guitar is 36 years old! The primary structure of the guitar is just two pieces of very evenly grained mahogany - one for the neck and one for the body. There are two small “wings” of mahogany glued on for the sides of the headstock. The grain of the mahogany on the body and neck is beautiful - as I tried to to illustrate with some of the close-ups.
The back of the guitar could easily be refinished in clear nitrocellulose, but I chose to leave the guitar as-is since it was very close to 100% original. However, if the winner of the auction DOES want the back of the guitar refinished in clear nitro, I would do that for an additional $100.
The guitar plays extremely well - with low even action across and along the entire neck. The guitar has obviously been played over the past 36 years, so the frets do show some wear - with a little less wear on the highest frets - as would be expected (unless some one constantly played shrieking leads on it!!). There is plenty of fret height left to allow dressing. but in my opinion the frets are NOT in need of any dressing - the guitar plays great as is. The rosewood fretboard is also in excellent shape -with no scratches or gouges and excellent mother of pearl inlays.
The total weight of the guitar is approximately 7.5 lbs - making it medium weight - roughly the same as a mid-70s Gibson SG Standard.
Finally, the guitar comes in a non-original TKL hardshell case, which is an excellent fit and will protect the guitar.
This is a rare opportunity to own an unmodified, unbroken Guild S-100 - a guitar that was arguably superior to the Gibson SG’s of the same period and produced in much smaller numbers.
SOLD!! Thanks to Richard in NJ - hope you enjoy the guitar and play it mightily !!!
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