Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $2,160
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$400
$1001+
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Description
The Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar is a striking blend of retro flair and modern playability, perfect for musicians who appreciate both style and substance. Initially introduced in the 1960s, the Thunderbird's iconic asymmetric body design and unique headstock shape set it apart in any lineup. Whether you're strumming power chords or executing intricate solos, the Thunderbird delivers a smooth and resonant sound. Its dual LB-1 humbucking pickups are a standout feature, offering a range of tones from warm and mellow to bright and biting, adaptable to any genre.
This solid body electric guitar is constructed with a mahogany body and neck, ensuring durability and a rich tonal quality. The rosewood fingerboard adds a touch of elegance and enhances playability, making it comfortable for both beginners and seasoned players. The guitar's set-neck construction contributes to its exceptional sustain and resonance, while the adjustable bridge and stopbar tailpiece provide stable tuning and easy adjustments. The S-200 Thunderbird is not just an instrument; it's a statement piece that connects the past with the present in a truly unique way.
Key Features:
- Iconic asymmetric body design
- Dual LB-1 humbucking pickups for versatile sound
- Mahogany body and neck for durability and rich tone
- Rosewood fingerboard for enhanced playability
- Set-neck construction for increased sustain
- Adjustable bridge and stopbar tailpiece for stable tuning
Product specs
| Brand | Guild |
| Model | S-200 Thunderbird |
| Finish | Red, Sunburst |
| Year | 1963 - 1966 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Solid Body Electric Guitars |
| Body Shape | Double Cutaway |
| Body Type | Solid Body |
| Bridge/Tailpiece Type | Tremolo Tailpiece |
| Color Family | Brown, Red |
| Finish Pattern | Sunburst |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Neck Construction | Set-Neck |
| Number of Frets | 22 |
| Number of Strings | 6-String |
| Offset Body | Offset Body |
| Pickup Configuration | SS |
| Right / Left Handed | Right Handed |
FAQs
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What type of pickups does the Guild S-200 Thunderbird have?
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The Guild S-200 Thunderbird features a dual single-coil pickup configuration, providing a bright and articulate sound that is well-suited for various music genres, including rock and blues.
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Is the Guild S-200 Thunderbird suitable for beginners?
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While the Guild S-200 Thunderbird is a quality instrument with vintage appeal, its unique features and historical significance may be better appreciated by intermediate to advanced players who can fully utilize its capabilities.
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What is the scale length of the Guild S-200 Thunderbird?
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The Guild S-200 Thunderbird has a scale length of 24 3/4 inches, which contributes to a slightly warmer tone and easier playability, especially for players with smaller hands.
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Does the Guild S-200 Thunderbird come with a tremolo system?
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Yes, the Guild S-200 Thunderbird is equipped with a tremolo tailpiece, allowing players to add vibrato effects to their playing, enhancing musical expression.
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What is the neck profile of the Guild S-200 Thunderbird?
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The Guild S-200 Thunderbird features a set-neck construction with a comfortable and accessible neck profile, making it suitable for various playing styles and techniques.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Review Demo - Guild S-200 T-Bird
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar.
Comparisons
Setup and maintenance
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Owners recommend replacing the bridge with one featuring roller saddles to accommodate varying pick attacks.
Source
User experience
Mods and upgrades
Features and functionality
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Challenging to perform on-the-fly electronic switching without practice due to complex control layout.
Source
Build quality
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Older versions feature a built-in stand; newer models like those from 2018 do not include this feature.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 9 Ratings
Artist usage
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"This is the one that is his current favorite. It's a '64 Guild Thunderbird. It has a Bo-Diddley look to it. You don't see too many people through the history of rock-n-roll guitars playing this model for some reason. And I don't know why because it's awesome. It's got an amazing headstock shape. It's just not symmetrical. And I don't believe it's on any other Guild model either. I did have to do some work to it, but it's largely original. Of course, I did a setup, I did some fret work, I carved the saddles a few notches and other stuff to fine tune it. This bridge pickup didn't work so we had to have some coils made for it. Dan bought this shortly before we did Saturday Night Live last December. In fact, very shortly. He came in and said 'I need this guitar to work,' and it was a bit of a project. You would see this bridge and tremolo arrangement on a Hagstrom from the mid to late 60s too. I'm not sure who made them, maybe Burns or something like that. It's a great tremolo; it stays in tune great. Dan uses the tremolo a lot but he uses it gently, or fast but still gentle. He never tries to get crazy with it. The most amazing weird feature is that it has a stand built right into the back. It has a magnet too to keep it from coming up, but it doesn't work that great. We don't use that because I have a fancier stand that holds the set of guitars," says Dan Auerbach's guitar tech about the Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar.
Listed for sale on Reverb.com on July 21, 2021.
This Guild Thunderbird is owned by Mike Campbell
Serial: 38785 There are general scuffs, scratches and dents throughout the guitar. There is some buckle rash on the back. The headstock veneer is separating from the headstock. The pickups sounds great. This also has the super cool built in kickstand. The knobs have been replaced to these new glow-in-the-dark ones.
All items in The Official Mike Campbell Reverb Shop ship fully insured with delivery confirmation and a signed and embossed Certificate Of Authenticity from Mike.
In 2:17, at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in '68, Muddy can be seen using this type of guitar.
Dallas Green used a Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar from 2013 to 2015, as seen in a performance captured by Paste Magazine on March 15, 2013, at Stage On Sixth.
In the image available on Equipboard, Chad Hugo is seen playing a Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar.
In this article There's a picture of Tito Playing the Thunderbird in some Festival. He uses it on the studio too.
In this performance of 'Come on', Arson is playing a Guild Thunderbird in white. You can clearly see it at 0:37.
https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Jefferson_Airplane_and_the_Psychedelic_1960s
what I was using on Surrealistic Pillow is a Guild Thunderbird. Yeah, a Guild Thunderbird
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DujhH14XgAApoat.jpg
In the image captured during Takes Off session Jorma can be seen playing a Guild Thunderbird.
These two are probably two different guitars of the same model, see the headstocks.
In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he says: "I realized that my beautiful old L-5 was inadequate for rock and roll, so I sold it for $250 and bought a Guild T-Bird...We had seen the Lovin' Spoonful at some bar in North Beach earlier, and Zal Yanovsky was playing a Guild Thunderbird. He was a great guitar player so of course I checked out his gear. The T-Bird was one of the most different-looking guitars I had ever seen. It was a solid-body guitar with a shape like Mr. Tooth Decay. I had to have one ... and I got one. This was the six-string guitar I used on the Takes Off, as well as the Rickenbacker twelve-string...I also bought a Standel Super Imperial because Zal was playing through one...it's the gear I used for the solos on "Somebody to Love" as well as "White Rabbit". It worked out OK for me...Around the time of Pillow I was transitioning from the Guild Thunderbird guitar and the Standel amp to the Gibson and two Fender Twin Reverbs, but I was still waffling between two setups. The solos on "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" were done with the Thunderbird and the Standel (minus the horns [he had added an upholstered box from Kustom with two high-frequency horns]). Saturating the sound with spring reverb was the deal. The other tracks were done with the Twins and the ES-345 Stereo.
https://books.google.by/books?id=TntJDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false
In this Youtube Video since 0:15, Chad Ubovich can be seen using the Guild S-200 Thunderbird Guitar. Judging by the natural refin it may be a 60s version. He has been using this guitar since the album “Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom”.
Album Usage
The Guild S-200 Thunderbird Electric Guitar has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Similar
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The PureSalem Tom Cat is a more modern take on the now-very limited and expensive vintage Guild Thunderbird.
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The modern day reissue version of the Guild Thunderbird is a faithful recreation of the original, with improved tuning stability and modern build quality.
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