Guild S-200 Thunderbird Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966)
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Item # 11118
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Guild S-200 Thunderbird Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Hoboken, NJ, serial # SC-132, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
Guild's top-drawer entry in the 1960s solid body sweepstakes was the utterly distinctive S-200 Thunderbird, an all-time "love it or hate it" design. Its unique body has been described as "melted" or "misshapen," but is actually perfectly functional and more ergonomic than many, the distinctive concave upper bass bout giving its "shark fin" look. The shape is a Fender offset body with two "feet" added for a probably ill-advised addition: a built-in stand ("Patent Pending!"). This cheerfully optimistic device (offered "at no extra cost!") is a metal bar hinged out from the back; extended, it supports the guitar upright at a rakish if dangerous angle!
Another eccentricity is that the body wood varied with the finish; cherry S-200s are mahogany, but sunburst models like this one used alder like a Fender. The neck is usually mahogany, but this example has a maple neck with some subtle flame to the back. It carries a bound, block-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, topped with a symmetrical round-peaked headstock adorned with a gold decal of a bird in flight under the Guild logo. Earlier Thunderbirds had the eccentric asymmetrical peghead designed by Merle Travis for his stillborn signature model.
The wiring scheme was "inspired" by the Fender Jaguar. There are tone and volume controls for the "lead" circuit, with double-pickup selection controlled by the bank of switches near the cutaway. The single switch under the lead pickup selects that set of controls OR a separate "rhythm circuit": the neck pickup, controlled by two knobs above the first set. The 3 switches on the lower panel are color-coded with the Jaguar-inspired "strangle" switch in black and the pickup selectors red. Early S-200s had Guild humbucking pickups but this 1966 model has more Fender-like "Mickey Mouse" units with white plastic covers, giving a crisper tone. The S-200 always carried a Hagstrom-made vibrato and "Adjusto-Matic" bridge.
Thunderbirds are rather rare guitars; only 52 were sold in 1966, another 13 in 1967, and the final 25 shipped in 1968. They did see some high-profile use in the 1960s. During the Lovin' Spoonful's 1965-6 heyday Zal Yanovsky was nearly always seen with a sunburst '64, bought at Manny's on New York's 48th Street. A Guild endorsement deal resulted in one other high-visibility gig: the Muddy Waters band. Around 1967-8 Muddy himself showcased a 1965 S-200 in cherry finish, with the "Mickey Mouse" pickups like this one but the older "Travis" headstock.
The Thunderbird has lately expanded from its devoted cult following; Peter Holsapple of the DBs and Jeff McDonald of Red Kross gave the guitar solid indie cred in the past decades, and Dan Auerbach's more recent use was influential enough for Guild to re-issue the model. This original 1966 S-200 was sold not too long ago as having belonged to Marc Ribot; we don't have direct provenance but no reason to doubt the story. Like many of Marc's guitars it has some battle scars but still sounds and plays excellent, as always is an unmistakable six-string statement!
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is an original and generally attractive example of this rare bird, but does show wear in a number of places. There are dings, dents, nicks and scrapes to the finish overall. The lacquer has flaked noticeably on the upper side in the cutaway above the neck and heel, and also on the bass side of the peghead below the low E tuner. The lacquer is original except for an area of touch-up above the bridge and tailpiece, decently well done but visible on close inspection.
Most of the hardware is original and complete with a couple of exceptions. The larger volume knobs are the originals but modified, with the lower skirt cut off and the silver cap painted black; why we can't say! There are thin laminate cracks to the pickguard under several knobs but the area is stable. All other hardware is original except the trem arm and securing screw have gone missing, as they often do.
The frets appear to be original and do not show much wear. This is a fine playing and sounding example of a rare Thunderbird variation with the "Mickey Mouse" pickups, sunburst finished alder body and especially maple neck as close to a Fender in character as the S-200 gets. The very rare original grey hardshell case is well-worn with some inscrutable graphics on the lid but is still perfectly functional. Overall Very Good + Condition.
Guild's top-drawer entry in the 1960s solid body sweepstakes was the utterly distinctive S-200 Thunderbird, an all-time "love it or hate it" design. Its unique body has been described as "melted" or "misshapen," but is actually perfectly functional and more ergonomic than many, the distinctive concave upper bass bout giving its "shark fin" look. The shape is a Fender offset body with two "feet" added for a probably ill-advised addition: a built-in stand ("Patent Pending!"). This cheerfully optimistic device (offered "at no extra cost!") is a metal bar hinged out from the back; extended, it supports the guitar upright at a rakish if dangerous angle!
Another eccentricity is that the body wood varied with the finish; cherry S-200s are mahogany, but sunburst models like this one used alder like a Fender. The neck is usually mahogany, but this example has a maple neck with some subtle flame to the back. It carries a bound, block-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, topped with a symmetrical round-peaked headstock adorned with a gold decal of a bird in flight under the Guild logo. Earlier Thunderbirds had the eccentric asymmetrical peghead designed by Merle Travis for his stillborn signature model.
The wiring scheme was "inspired" by the Fender Jaguar. There are tone and volume controls for the "lead" circuit, with double-pickup selection controlled by the bank of switches near the cutaway. The single switch under the lead pickup selects that set of controls OR a separate "rhythm circuit": the neck pickup, controlled by two knobs above the first set. The 3 switches on the lower panel are color-coded with the Jaguar-inspired "strangle" switch in black and the pickup selectors red. Early S-200s had Guild humbucking pickups but this 1966 model has more Fender-like "Mickey Mouse" units with white plastic covers, giving a crisper tone. The S-200 always carried a Hagstrom-made vibrato and "Adjusto-Matic" bridge.
Thunderbirds are rather rare guitars; only 52 were sold in 1966, another 13 in 1967, and the final 25 shipped in 1968. They did see some high-profile use in the 1960s. During the Lovin' Spoonful's 1965-6 heyday Zal Yanovsky was nearly always seen with a sunburst '64, bought at Manny's on New York's 48th Street. A Guild endorsement deal resulted in one other high-visibility gig: the Muddy Waters band. Around 1967-8 Muddy himself showcased a 1965 S-200 in cherry finish, with the "Mickey Mouse" pickups like this one but the older "Travis" headstock.
The Thunderbird has lately expanded from its devoted cult following; Peter Holsapple of the DBs and Jeff McDonald of Red Kross gave the guitar solid indie cred in the past decades, and Dan Auerbach's more recent use was influential enough for Guild to re-issue the model. This original 1966 S-200 was sold not too long ago as having belonged to Marc Ribot; we don't have direct provenance but no reason to doubt the story. Like many of Marc's guitars it has some battle scars but still sounds and plays excellent, as always is an unmistakable six-string statement!
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is an original and generally attractive example of this rare bird, but does show wear in a number of places. There are dings, dents, nicks and scrapes to the finish overall. The lacquer has flaked noticeably on the upper side in the cutaway above the neck and heel, and also on the bass side of the peghead below the low E tuner. The lacquer is original except for an area of touch-up above the bridge and tailpiece, decently well done but visible on close inspection.
Most of the hardware is original and complete with a couple of exceptions. The larger volume knobs are the originals but modified, with the lower skirt cut off and the silver cap painted black; why we can't say! There are thin laminate cracks to the pickguard under several knobs but the area is stable. All other hardware is original except the trem arm and securing screw have gone missing, as they often do.
The frets appear to be original and do not show much wear. This is a fine playing and sounding example of a rare Thunderbird variation with the "Mickey Mouse" pickups, sunburst finished alder body and especially maple neck as close to a Fender in character as the S-200 gets. The very rare original grey hardshell case is well-worn with some inscrutable graphics on the lid but is still perfectly functional. Overall Very Good + Condition.