NBD - Guild B-301

[Paul S]

I'd always fancied the look of the Guild B series basses but simply assumed they would all be boat anchors and discounted them. 

Back in August @cd_david started a thread on Guild porn, where I discovered that they weren't all heavy.  In fact some of them are relatively lightweight.  So I stuck a 'wanted' post out there for a lightweight one.

@AndyTravis then did me a MASSIVE favour by alerting me to a lightweight 301 for sale on Facebook, collection only in Matlock, Derbyshire.  I got in touch with the guy, he wanted a cash only sale so, after initially toying with the idea of starting off one of the infamous 'Basschat Relays' I decided I'd actually drive there to pick it up.  3.5hrs each way.  I have been further for less.  So that is what I did yesterday.

The auspices were good - not a single hold up en route and I found a car parking space just 50m from the shop via an alleyway.  He took it out of the gig bag and handed it over - it was one of those instant bonding situations.  Love at first sight. 

Weighs in at 3.7kg on the nose.  8.14lbs.  One owner from new, original unmolested condition.  Some honest wear about the body but the frets have been barely worn in by the look of them.    Serial number indicates it was the third from last ever made - 1980!  Pics below are as I got it, I've since taken it to bits and given it a clean.  Fresh strings.  Wow.  The tone is like nothing I have owned.  Not Fender-ish.  Organic, deep, rich but punchy.  Really punchy  Pickup is further back towards the bridge than, say, a P bass which I guess makes it so clear.  The build quality as right up there, as good as anything I have owned.  open back Grover tuners with a cute wiggle to them.  3 point bridge that is a massive improvement over the Gibson version.  I even love the knobs!  A little neck heavy but nothing a grippy strap won't cure.

I've kissed a lot of frogs but reckon this is a Prince among basses.  It has completely blown me away.  Can't wait to give it a try out with my blues rock band!

[AndyTravis]

Here we go again... I’m getting the blame 😊

[luckman67]

Beautiful bass you have there Paul The B-301 was the first bass guitar I ever held or had a go on back in late 1986, The guitar shop were I used to live had a secondhand one in & the owner, let me hold and pluck a few notes on it happy memories I loved the way that bass looked. A few months later I went back and bought a secondhand Marlin Sidewinder, & had a quick go on the Guild again I was so dissapointed in my purchase.

Hope it serves you well 👍

Edited October 18, 2020 by luckman67

[umcoo]

Looks great!  Been turned on to Guild basses recently...they sound fantastic.

Matlock isn't too far down the road from me.  There's a small, but great old amplifier shop there on the main strip.  Don't know the name, but one of the places that seems stuffed full of nostalgia and simpler times.  The guy sells old vinyls and 1970's valve amps.  Brilliant.

Enjoy the new bass!

[Paul S]

17 minutes ago, umcoo said:

Looks great!  Been turned on to Guild basses recently...they sound fantastic.

Matlock isn't too far down the road from me.  There's a small, but great old amplifier shop there on the main strip.  Don't know the name, but one of the places that seems stuffed full of nostalgia and simpler times.  The guy sells old vinyls and 1970's valve amps.  Brilliant.

Enjoy the new bass!

Yup, that's the place.  Vinyls, Juke boxes, Dansette record players, amps and guitars.  Quite an Aladdin's cave.

[cd_david]

That is beautiful 😍 congratulations on the score. They are a hidden gem in the vintage world. I can’t believe more people haven’t discovered them. 

[Storky]

My first bass, I brought a 1979 version in 1980 and kept it until 2012! It was my only bass. Then I discovered GAS and Basschat and the rest is history, but it started with that B301. 

[uk_lefty]

I like the look, looks-wise only its got that EB3 type style to it which I very much like! Seems like you're impressed with the sound too, looks like a great bass for plug in, play, and everything is just right no adjustments necessary 

[Skybone]

Love the Guild B's, though the B302 is the one I'd go for.

Lovely looking bass you have there @Paul S, enjoy!

[gareth]

Nice basses well done Paul 

[silverfoxnik]

That's an absolute corker Paul, congrats! 

Enjoy the bass! 

Got to say, this line from your post made me chuckle out loud .. 😂

"I've kissed a lot of frogs but reckon this is a Prince among basses. " 

Nik

[Reggaebass]

The more I look the more I like it, it looks really great Paul, it’s nice when you find something you’ve been searching for 🙂

[Cato]

Very nice looking bass.

Is that a p90 in there or just a single coil in a big casing?

[casapete]

Good purchase Paul, yet another bass of yours I’m envious of. Well worth the trip I reckon.

[Paul S]

13 hours ago, Cato said:

Very nice looking bass.

Is that a p90 in there or just a single coil in a big casing?

Don't know.

[Cato]

8 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Don't know.

Fair enough.

It'd be ususual to see one on a bass, although I've noticed that Serek have started using their own version of a P90 on some of their shortscales. I can't think of any other examples.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Cato

[casapete]

13 hours ago, Cato said:

Very nice looking bass.

Is that a p90 in there or just a single coil in a big casing?

Guild single coil pickup.

[Paul S]

Just did a little Googling and it seems they aren't called anything other than this, so thanks Pete.

Pic nicked off t'net of one with its clothes off.

[bassbiscuits]

I think the guy from The Feeling was using one of these when I saw them live in about 2013. Really nice, warm fat bass tone too. Nice to see something a bit different from the usual suspects too. Well done. Glad it’s a good un. 

[Storky]

I may be mistaken, but I think the bass player in XTC used one as well?

[Mickeyboro]

Jimmy Dewar of Robin Trower fame had one as a spare... never saw pic of him playing it.

[stu_g]

Andertons has a fretless in stock  looks nice!

https://www.andertons.co.uk/second-hand/second-hand-guild-fretless-bass-b301a-f

[Paul S]

Cheap, too!

[MacDaddy]

I only got rid of mine because the neck was too chunky for my wee hands. It looked great and sounded great. Definitely punchy. Sat well in the mix in a band with guitar and keys.

Yours is in a lot better condition than mine was. Mine had significant 'mojo' 😆

[NancyJohnson]

I remember years ago (in my teens) some mates of mine were gigging in some village hall and as was our want a group of us decided it might be fun to custard pie them at the end of their last song.

The bass player was using one of these Guilds...it sounded amazing.

So the last song in, a few of us pile in, flinging the flans, everyone is laughing.  Set ends.  A few minutes later, I get a tap on my shoulder.  Angry dad of bass player asking whether I was the ringleader of the prank as 'there's shaving foam on my boy's guitar and it's ruined'.  I'm like, 'Whaaaaat?'

I saw the bass a few years back.  It still looked very clean 35 years later.  Ruined, my donkey.  These are so solid they would probably survive a nuke.