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Guild B301 fretless


Beedster
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Anyone know anything about these? There's one on ebay here:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Guild-b301-A-F-Fretless-Bass-late-70s-Rare-Vintage_W0QQitemZ130286464071QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item130286464071&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A3%7C65%3A3%7C39%3A1%7C240%"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Guild-b301-A-F-Fretl...7C39%3A1%7C240%[/url]

I'd appreciate your thoughts folks

Chris

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Thanks guys, I wasn't thinking of buying this particular bass, just hadn't come across this model before and wondered what the score was. If I found one at a reasonable price I might go for it, although I'm still hanging out for a Wal really!
Chris

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The Guild basses get very mixed opinions, another example of a top flight guitar maker that can't quite get basses right. A good place to look or ask if you're seriously thinking of buying one would be the Outpost, for example .....

[url="http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=1447.0"]http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=1447.0[/url]

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I can only speak for fretted versions - and then only from a couple of shop trials.

I found them very comfy to play with some very useable and good , slightly 'different' sounds. This isn't hindsight but I remember at the time thinking to myself that a fretless version would be really good.

Beauty remains in the eye of the beholder , and the look is certainly a bit 'marmite'. I quite like it. The odd body shape wasn't a problem to me for playing purposes though.

At a price approaching half what this ebayer's wanting (IMHO) - why not be a little different.

Edited by Dr.Dave
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Great basses, I've owned two B-301's stpidly let my first one go a few years back
and have recently bought another one from here on the forum that was fretted then had the frets ground down to the tangs to make it lined fretless ! I am currently having it re-fretted and brought back to it former glory !

They soung great, think cross between a P-bass and a Rick very middy with well pronounced bottom end plenty of top end too. They also growl like a baaad dog. A well set up B-301/2 will play like butter.

I love the shape too, bit like a melted Ric I suppose, Cool as Furk

Expect to pay between £300 - 500 tops

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Be careful!! I had one that was an absolute donkey, the whole neck was a dead spot especially round 5th "fret" d and g strings. They are "deep" basses (mine was all mahogany iirc), and I thought the pickup on the 301F was in the wrong place, neither growly nor properly deep bassy.
I did play a 302 which I thought was much better, but what I'm really saying is I would NEVER buy one without trying it first. If you got my old one you would be really disappointed!
I paid £140 originally s/h, got £100 px for it and felt well rid!
Cheers
Jules

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I really like the B-302. I actually really rate Guild - semis maybe more than solids, and earlier stuff more than later, but they made some terrific guitars.

Mine is a fretless (B-302F), and I just can't play it, so it sits sadly waiting for a trade (subtle hint).

It does have some really nice tones - just no really nice frets ;)

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