cd_david Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) I’ve been a sucker for the Guild B series of basses since being a fan of Ali McMordie of SLF when I started playing. Over the years I’ve owned two B301F fretless single pickup versions, one B301 a fretted one pickup, but the holy grail had always been a 302 or 402. The 301/302 are passive and the 401/402 are actives. Without a suffix the basses are mahogany and with an ‘A’ suffix they are ash. A 402A is an active 2 pickup with ash neck and body. I finally found and got hold of a B302 nearly 18 months ago, pictured below. I fell foul of cites regulations. I could have risked having posted without the certificates but having waited over 20 years to find one without a headstock repair I wasn’t prepared to do that. It took 502 days from purchase to having it in my hands. That was down to English and US processes and my procrastination. Ironically the regs had been amended during this time and longer applied to instruments containing rosewood. 🙄 Anyway, it was well worth the wait. 😎 Picture 1: The B302 Picture 2: B301F fretless I had about 15 years ago. Picture 3: B301 repaired headstock, sold to fund the 302. Edited August 3, 2020 by cd_david 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Wowee! Stunners, those... I have a 301F bought in the late 80s from Andy’s in Denmark Street on an impulse. It has taken from then till now for me to use regularly in a band, despite my first ever bass (1981) being a fretless Jedson Jazz copy. I gigged that merrily before becoming concerned about intonation, etc. Curiously it has no serial number at all. Age has given the back a rippled effect but nothing there has flaked off yet. It’s superbly light and resonant and is similar to that played by my favourite fretless player, Mick Hawksworth. I saw the Groundhogs’ current bassist playing a fretted just before lockdown. I would love a fretted 301! Here’s a pic of me playing it with folk-roots combo State of Undress. Edited August 3, 2020 by Mickeyboro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 It took me years to work out what bass it was that Ali McCordie used, thankfully Basschat helped out. I suppose at some point I really should at least try one out given how much I loved (still do btw) SLF. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Hello Gentlemen and fellow Guild fans/owners...🍻 Allow me to brazenly state that I consider your B Series basses to be mere erotica - softcore porn at best...😉 However, fear not - shortly, I will provide you with some hardcore Guild porn and send you through puberty all over again...🤪 It will be just like when you were 13 and found where your Dad kept his dirty magazines stashed - you will overload and become raisins...🤯 Prepare yourselves...😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd_david Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 I’ve stared a Vintage Guild FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/3239641099392762/?ref=share Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 What is the name of the group...? Better for me to search in FB than sign in through BC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd_david Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, EWH said: What is the name of the group...? Better for me to search in FB than sign in through BC... Vintage Guild Basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 I joined it - now there are 2 members...🤣👍🍻 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd_david Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 3 hours ago, EWH said: I joined it - now there are 2 members...🤣👍🍻 It’s a select group, exclusive of you will 😆😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 I love the look of these 301/302s. Something simplistically elegant about the design. My inevitable question is - how much do they weigh? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd_david Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Paul S said: I love the look of these 301/302s. Something simplistically elegant about the design. My inevitable question is - how much do they weigh? Not as much as you’d think for a mahogany bass. My 302 is very light. Probably around 8lbs. edit: Just weighed it and it is 8lbs. Edited August 22, 2020 by cd_david 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 Nowhere near as light, you are quite right. And I'd guess the 301 would be lighter still, with only the one pup and associated electrical gubbins. Oh dear..... I fear this may end up being expensive 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 This arrived at my home today - Boris Johnson sent it over to me...I can understand Brexit, but why you people allowed this Pilot to fly away is beyond me... This isn't like your toothbrushes, you know - you don't just throw such things over your shoulders, devil may care... Fools - it's mine now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 I think Darryl Jones was endorsing Pilot basses years ago. Were the fretboards really interchangeable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 10 hours ago, itu said: Were the fretboards really interchangeable? Yes, but only on the 6 string models, sadly...😝 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 My 1991 SB-602M and my 1994 Pro 5...😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 I had a new guild bass a couple of weeks ago (https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/438065-nbd-tomorrow-hopefully-the-saga-continues/) but it had to go back as there was an issue with the neck. I should be receiving a replacement within a week or so, so hopefully the new one won't have any issues. I'll post some pics when it comes as it is a bit of a looker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWH Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: I had a new guild bass a couple of weeks ago (https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/438065-nbd-tomorrow-hopefully-the-saga-continues/) but it had to go back as there was an issue with the neck. I should be receiving a replacement within a week or so, so hopefully the new one won't have any issues. I'll post some pics when it comes as it is a bit of a looker. Hi Captain Pickguard... I hit that link and read that thread - sorry that your Starfire only went to 9 and was a dud...I hope the replacement goes to 13 and actually does get there within "a week or so" and not the 21 days we all know it's going to take OOPS to actually deliver it - to the house at the end of your block, on the opposite side of the street where the weirdo with the australian accent lives...🤞 I look forward to seeing more of it...😁 Edited August 28, 2020 by EWH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebethell Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Not a B series but my 90s Starfire. Love this thing 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lapisi Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 On 24/08/2020 at 12:26, itu said: I think Darryl Jones was endorsing Pilot basses years ago. Were the fretboards really interchangeable? That was a mod called the Novatone Switchboard. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Lapisi said: That was a mod called the Novatone Switchboard. Thank you, very interesting. I found this short story about the idea: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Further_Adventures_in_Fretboard_Design Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd_david Posted November 1, 2021 Author Share Posted November 1, 2021 I found a B402-A. Collected it from Edinburgh IKEA yesterday. It needed a deep clean. I put new strings on and set It up to my preferences. The active circuit is very powerful. It reminds me of the Spector Haz circuit. I’m very pleased with the Bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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