CHRIS HILLMAN SIGNATURE BYRDS BASS

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This guitar is no longer in production. 

Semi-hollow.  The Chris Hillman Signature Byrds Bass is Guild’s latest limited edition model, in celebration of the Byrds’ 50th Anniversary. Faithful to the original Guild Starfire Bass used by Hillman on recordings like “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, “Eight Miles High” and “The Times They are A Changing”, this new “Byrds Bass” features a semi-hollow all-maple body, rosewood fingerboard, three piece mahogany neck, and single BS-1 BiSonic pickup. The Byrds Bass features the Byrds’ logo inlaid in the 12th fret, Hillman’s signature on the truss rod cover, and a vintage sunburst finish that matches his original. Another feature that was integral to Hillman’s sound was the use of flat wound strings, which were the industry standard  in the 1960s, and remain Hillman’s preferred choice for their mellow, smooth tone. Every Byrds Bass includes D’Addario flat wound strings, a hardshell case, and a numbered certificate of authenticity personally signed by Chris Hillman. I loved being in The Byrds,” Hillman said. “My Guild Starfire was an integral part of the sound we created.”

This bass is available through any Authorized Guild Dealer. Find one near you by clicking the button above. If you have any troubles finding a dealer near you, please don’t hesitate to contact us and a Guild Representative will be happy to help. 

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The Guild BS-1 BiSonic pickup was originally found in many of the solid and hollow body Guild basses in the 1960s and 70s. The BS-1 has developed a cult following resulting in several reissue versions and designs, including the famous Darkstar by Fred Hammon and BS-DS by Curtis Novak. Wound to 6.4K Ohms, similar in specification to a Hammon Darkstar, the Guild BS-1 provides a refined modern tone in a classic package.

Specifications

Body:

Body ConstructionSemi-Hollowbody
Body TopArched Laminated Maple
Body BackArched Laminated Maple
Body SidesLaminated Maple
Body ShapeStarfire™ Bass
BracingCenter Block
FinishGloss Polyurethane
Body Depth Upper Bout1 3/4″ (44 mm)
Body Depth Lower Bout1 3/4″ (44 mm)
Body Length18 1/4″ (464 mm)
Body Width Lower Bout16 3/8″ (416 mm)
Body Width Upper Bout11 5/8″ (295 mm)
Overall Guitar Length46″ (1168 mm)
Guitar Weight8.5 lbs
Body BindingIvory White with Black/White Purfling
PurflingBlack/Ivory White
Soundhole/F-Holes BindingUnbound F Holes

Neck:

Neck Material3-Piece Mahogany/Maple/Mahogany
Neck ShapeVintage Soft “U”
Neck FinishGloss Polyurethane
Scale Length30 3/4″ (781 mm)
Nut Width1 1/2″ (38.1 mm)
Nut MaterialBone
Fingerboard MaterialIndian Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius12″ (305 mm)
Fingerboard InlaysPearloid Dot with Byrds 12th fret inlay
# of Frets21
Fret SizeNarrow Jumbo
Tuning MachinesGrover® Vintage 142 Series
Hardware Finish/PlatingNickel Plated

Truss RodDual-Action
Truss Rod Wrench7mm Hex Truss Rod Wrench

Features:

BridgeGuild® Adjustable Bass Bridge with Rosewood Saddles
StringsD’Addario® ECB81 Flat Wound Bass, Light, 45-100
Case or Gig BagTKL Deluxe Hardshell
Bridge PickupGuild® BS-1 BiSonic Bass
Pickup ConfigurationS
Control KnobsBlack Plastic
ControlsMaster Volume, Master Tone
Strap ButtonsVintage-Style
Item Number379-2490-800

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