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Guild S-200 T-Bird

Guild re-introduces the asymmetrically shaped S-200 T-Bird, a replica of the ones released back in the mid ’60s.

Guild S-200 T-Bird

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Looks like Guild’s production is now in full swing, two years after the brand was acquired by Cordoba, and it appears that they are looking to their roots for inspiration. This peculiar looking instrument is the latest to come out of their production line, carrying over vintage correct specs while applying modern improvements to the design.

The original S-200 T-Bird was first produced in 1964, and were in production until 1968, its asymmetrical shape makes it easily standout from the usual symmetrical designs prevalent in the era. Now that it’s back in production, its peculiarity still stands even after decades of absence, which just goes to show that conventional guitar design hasn’t gone too far from how it were back in the ’60s.

While it does look odd, the unique looking body is actually carved from conventional tonewood, namely mahogany. So in terms of materials, this guitar is really not that much different than regular shaped guitars. Still the shape of the body is definitely unique, and to my eyes, it appears like a Strat (with its upper cutaway) that has been shaped to be more fluid like. In an interesting contrast, the uniquely shaped body is wrapped in sunburst finish, which makes the guitar look somewhat familiar.

The neck is also crafted from mahogany, carved into a vintage “C” shape. It joins the body via a set-neck joint and features a bound rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays. The asymmetrical headstock is also adorned with period-correct cosmetic details which include Grover Sta-Tite open-gear tuning machines, Guild’s logo and mother-of-pearl Thunderbird icon.

Giving this guitar its voice are two Guild LB-1 Little Bucker pickups. The pickups are routed to a standard 2-way pickup selector, a pickup on/off switch, master volume and master tone knobs. There’s also a tone capacitor that can be engaged to get single-coil tones without the hum associated with them. These pickups and circuitry are said to be designed to replicate the tones of the original, but with more flexibility, described by the company as going from sparkly clean single-coil-esque spank to thick and warm humbucker sounds that work great with overdrive.

The new Guild S-200 T-Bird is available in either Black or Antique Burst finish, and it has a street price of $799, bundled with Guild’s deluxe padded gig bag. More information will soon be available, at Guild Guitars.

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