Guild S-100 Polara Cherry Red DEMO

First of all, this a beautiful-looking guitar. I've always wanted a Guild, but even the 90's Fender-made reissues cost a lot nowadays. This is a cult piece of gear nevertheless and is rightfully revered among grunge and stoner rock guitarists for it's unique look and tone.

This is a Korean-made reissue which is at least truthful to original looks. It's stunning and feels really well-made. The finish is nice and glossy, the knobs and tuners feel sturdy, no loose frets, and the original bridge piece is made of solid metal. It was alright to play right outside of the box, and all electronics worked, but of course it needs to be taken to the luthier to improve the action and feel. Also, it would be cool to have a roller bridge and coil split option as on the originals, but it always can be done later as an upgrade. It also comes in a nice gig-bag which is always a plus.

As a player, this guitar is really light! Of course it comes at a cost of little neck dive - not that crucial as on the SG but it certainly is here. The neck itself is a little too wide for my taste but pretty comfortable. The sound is somewhere between the SG and Les Paul - meaty and a little nasal (in a good way) but surprisingly bright, which, I suppose, is a matter of Guild's original pickups. They sound (and look) great, and I don't see the need to change them anytime soon.

All in all, the only drawback would be the price. Of course, this item costs less than a half of vintage american-made Guild Polara, and it's really well made, but the purists could consider buying a used Gibson for the money. It's a matter of preference.