’Street Style

It’s seven years since we saw the very first Guild Newark St Collection. Today, there’s plenty on offer…

GUILD JETSTAR ST £545

The first Newark St model to be made in China instead of Korea, this Jetstar was relaunched in 2018 and is loosely based on the original Guild S-50, one of the first Guild electric solidbodies, originally released in 1963. The Jetstar ST differs from most of the other Newark St models with its 648mm (25.5-inch) scale and features all-mahogany construction with a pau ferro fingerboard. Powering comes from the pair of Guild LB-1 mini-humbuckers. It’s available in Black, Sea Foam Green and Vintage White finishes. “A retro vibe that’s matched by the sounds we hear,” we said in issue 437.

GUILD S-100 POLARA £725

While the original S-100 Polara appeared in 1963, it didn’t adopt this more Gibson SG-like style until 1970. This contemporary version was the only solidbody in the original Newark St range and launched in 2013. It’s a 629mm (24.75-inch) scale, all-mahogany guitar with a pau ferro fingerboard (originally rosewood) and is still made in Korea. The pickups here are a pair of Guild HB-1 slightly oversized humbuckers that certainly chase the original Guild versions known for their low-output, slightly edgy humbucking voice. The Polara is available in Black, Cherry Red and White finishes.

GUILD S-200 T-BIRD £819

This bonkers creation (that originally featured a flip-out stand) appeared as the S-200 Thunderbird in 1963 and was famously adopted by Muddy Waters. The Newark St version, without the stand, is a close cousin, again with 629mm (24.75-inch) scale, all-mahogany construction and Guild LB-1 mini-humbuckers wired with four rotary controls and four slide switches in a seemingly Jazzmasterinspired ‘dual mode’ fashion. The Hagstrom Vintage Tremar vibrato closely replicates the original but is a bit of an acquired taste. It comes in Antique Burst or Black. The T-Bird ST P90, with Franz P90s and a hardtail bridge, is available in Pelham Blue only.

GUILD M-75 ARISTOCRAT £909

As discussed in our preceding review, this is the original-style M-75 Aristocrat, as introduced by Guild in 1954, and again one of the original relaunched Newark St models. It’s a true hollowbody – unlike our chambered Aristocrat HH and P90 review instruments – and features a pair of Franz ‘frequency tested’ P-90-style single coils that screw directly to the laminate spruce top. It might have a Les Paul-style solidbody appearance but its weight and sound look back to the jazz age. Available only in Antique Burst, it’s the epitome of Guild’s slightly different style.

GUILD BLUESBIRD £909

Its roots might lie with the original M-75 Aristocrat, but this Bluesbird is closer to the later Guild single-cuts made by the then Fenderowned brand. However, it uses the original M-75 outline and is chambered with a maple veneered top; it’s thinner in depth, too, than our reviewed Aristocrats. Pickups reflect its more modern style – Seymour Duncan’s classic JB and ’59 humbucker setup – as does the hardware, which switches to TonePros’ locking tune-o-matic and stud tailpiece. We still get that classic headstock, though, and this Bluesbird is available in Iced Tea Burst or solid Black (£809) finishes.

GUILD STARFIRE V WITH BIGSBY £1,180

Guild’s response to the Gibson ES-335, the double-cut centre-blocked Starfire V was originally introduced in 1963 – and it has style. There’s its wooden foot bridge base for one, and its master volume control just below the three-way toggle pickup selector (placed on the treble horn) is very different from the Gibson design. The Newark St version, again one of the original models, is a pretty close reissue, including its mahogany laminate construction, ‘Guildsby’ vibrato and a pair of those LB-1 mini-humbuckers. It’s available in Cherry Red, Black and Snowcrest White. One of our favourites.