GGJaguar's Guitarium and Ampeteria 1989 Guild Nightbird II

All images and text copyrighted and property of Greg Gagliano.

FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

Introduced in 1985, the Nightbird model design was conceived by vintage guitar expert George Gruhn and realized by master luthier Kim Walker. The basic idea was to use a semi-hollow Les Paul type body with a carved spruce or maple top and a Maccaferi style cutaway. The headstock is the "snakehead" style that Gruhn specified for several acoustic models introduced the previous year. According to Gruhn, this style headstock has a straighter string pull for better tuning stability. The ornamentation is fancy with the headstock sporting 5-ply binding and G-shield inlay and the fingerboard inlaid with Epiphone inspired notched diamond markers. The Nighbird was fitted with three different pickups -- Guild HB-1 humbuckers, Kent Armstrong humbuckers, or EMG active humbuckers. The Nighbird line is confusing and the best overview can be found in GAD's Guide to Guild Nightbirds. The most basic progression of the model would be Nightbird, Nightbird II, Nightbird CU and, arguably, the X-2000 all of which led to the re-imagined Bluesbird of the 1990s and early 2000s. The differences are relatively minor (fingerboard inlays, top wood) and the confusion is mainly a result of unnecessary name changes. However, someone in the Guild marketing department likely thought new models names generate more interest. So, change the fingerboard inlays and we'll change the model name while we're at it. The Nightbird II runs faster and jumps higher than the Nightbird so get one today! Enough snarkiness, back to the Nightbird. The model shown here is the second iteration of the Nightbird, known as the Nightbird II. It was available from 1987 to 1989 and has thin notched diamond inlays instead of the fat notched diamond inlays used on the 1985-86 Nightbird. It also has a phase switch that was not available on the first run Nightbirds. This Nightbird II is fitted with Kent Armstrong pickups that are wound in the "normal" PAF range (7.1K ohm neck, 8.0K ohm bridge). The overall sound is pleasant and usable with good articulation and no muddiness. The only drawback to this particular guitar is its weight. No semi-hollow Nightbird or Bluesbird should weigh this much.

GUILD NIGHTBIRD II (1989)

Body: Semi-hollow; 1-piece mahogany back and sides with 2-piece carved spruce top, 8-ply bound top