Guild S-100

Overview

The Guild S-100 is a solid mahogany electric guitar with a deep double-cutaway body, produced by Guild from the early 1970s. With twin humbucking pickups, a slim mahogany neck, and a body shape comparable to the Gibson SG, it represented Guild’s main entry into the solid-body market during a period when the brand was best known for archtops and acoustic flat-tops. Variants included the S-100 Standard, the Polara, and the Deluxe.

Origin & History

Guild introduced its S-series solid-bodies in the late 1960s, and the S-100 — first catalogued around 1970 — became the line’s flagship through the decade. Made in Westerly, Rhode Island, the S-100 used carved mahogany bodies and a 24.75-inch scale similar to Gibson’s. Some examples were offered with carved relief panels, hand-decorated bodies (the “Polara”), or coil-tap wiring. Production paused in 1978 when Guild redirected its solid-body efforts elsewhere, and the model has been periodically reissued since.

How It’s Played

The S-100 plays much like a Gibson SG — light body, easy upper-fret access, and a slim mahogany neck. The twin humbucking pickups (most often Guild HB-1s) deliver a slightly clearer top end than equivalent Gibson humbuckers of the era, making the instrument well suited to blues, rock, and crunch-rhythm playing. Coil-tap-equipped examples expand the tonal range toward single-coil voices for cleaner work.

Cultural Significance

The S-100 is one of the more respected non-Gibson solid-bodies of the 1970s. Players including Kim Thayil of Soundgarden later used the instrument extensively, raising the model’s profile among grunge-era and indie-rock guitarists. Today the S-100 remains a quietly admired alternative to the SG — similar ergonomics and weight, but with the slightly different voice of Guild’s pickups and construction.

Related Instruments

• Gibson SG Special – the closest mainstream rival
• Gibson SG Junior – stripped-down sibling concept
• Gibson Les Paul Doublecut – a related double-cutaway lineage
• Gibson L-6S – a contemporary solid-body
• Gretsch BST 1000 – another non-Gibson solid-body of the era

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Guild S-100 a Gibson SG copy?
It is comparable in body shape and scale length but uses Guild’s own construction, electronics, and pickups; it is not a copy.

What was the “Polara” version?
A variant with hand-decorated relief work on the body, produced in small numbers in the early 1970s.

Are reissues currently available?
Yes — Guild has reintroduced the S-100 in several runs since the 2000s, including under the Newark St. Collection.

Image: Guild S-100, photo by Mikhail Mokeyev (Mishaimpsbl), Chicago, IL, public domain (Wikimedia Commons).