MGR/R.Rocke « Guild B301 »
Published on 05/04/07 at 15:00I have played about 25 years. I have tried other instruments, but I've only felt right playing bass. I currently have three children, teach high school and have little time for a band. However, I frequently play for my own satisfation. My musical tastes tend towards alternative rock and rockabilly/country.
I purchased a 1978 B301 at a flea market for $300.00. It was in such nice shape I couldn't pass it up. I then took it to The Guitar Factory in Orlando,Fl to have it set up.
The Guild is a solidly built bass with a unique shape. It set up nearly perfectly, and is very easy to play. It's tone is very smooth, with a good deal of bottom end. It falls somewhere between a P-Bass and an old EBO. Yet it responds very well to the passive tone and a great deal of treble can be dialed in. I think the combination of set-neck, mohagony wood, and fat single coil pickup provide some of the best attributes of gibson and fender basses without some of their shortcomings.
The bass is has a fairly small body with a horn that only extends past the 10th fret. This combined with the classic headstock and Schaller tuners do make it neckheavy. Additionally, while not a back-breaker, mohagony is a heavy wood. This bass is better than most 70's era Jazz Basses, but it is a little heavier than my precision. Additionally, While the range of tones is sufficient for old school funk, it doesn't have the extreme high range of modern active basses.
As I have stated, the B301 is a solidly built set-neck bass with a full 34 in scale. The neck is slightly deeper than the average P-Bass width. It is a 3-piece neck with a strip of maple sandwiched between two wings of mohagony. The truss rod adjustment is located on the headstock, and one large(and quiet)single coil pickup is located in the P-Bass position.
The Guild B301 is solid, unique, and has a distinctive tone. At a time when vintage basses are at a premium, it has managed to sneak under the radar. What a great deal for collectors who want to play with their pieces. It is also a graet deal for players who want to play something with a vintage vibe that also sounds great.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
I purchased a 1978 B301 at a flea market for $300.00. It was in such nice shape I couldn't pass it up. I then took it to The Guitar Factory in Orlando,Fl to have it set up.
The Guild is a solidly built bass with a unique shape. It set up nearly perfectly, and is very easy to play. It's tone is very smooth, with a good deal of bottom end. It falls somewhere between a P-Bass and an old EBO. Yet it responds very well to the passive tone and a great deal of treble can be dialed in. I think the combination of set-neck, mohagony wood, and fat single coil pickup provide some of the best attributes of gibson and fender basses without some of their shortcomings.
The bass is has a fairly small body with a horn that only extends past the 10th fret. This combined with the classic headstock and Schaller tuners do make it neckheavy. Additionally, while not a back-breaker, mohagony is a heavy wood. This bass is better than most 70's era Jazz Basses, but it is a little heavier than my precision. Additionally, While the range of tones is sufficient for old school funk, it doesn't have the extreme high range of modern active basses.
As I have stated, the B301 is a solidly built set-neck bass with a full 34 in scale. The neck is slightly deeper than the average P-Bass width. It is a 3-piece neck with a strip of maple sandwiched between two wings of mohagony. The truss rod adjustment is located on the headstock, and one large(and quiet)single coil pickup is located in the P-Bass position.
The Guild B301 is solid, unique, and has a distinctive tone. At a time when vintage basses are at a premium, it has managed to sneak under the radar. What a great deal for collectors who want to play with their pieces. It is also a graet deal for players who want to play something with a vintage vibe that also sounds great.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com