A Poor Man's Stringmaster - Guyatone D-8

[Les Anderson]

wow, the name Guya and/or Guyatone has come a long way since I first posted almost four years ago that I bought one and asked for some opinions about them on this forum.

The phrases like "Cheap plank" "J** plywood" "OSB boards" "Pressed cardboard" were abound.

Truthfully, I play my D8 Guya more than I play my D10. I play it straight up (not through any electronic gizmos) except for a volume pedal, , have had many compliments on it's sound and have had lots of offers to buy it. I even have a Mullen S12 man who has been bugging me to let him have it.

As they say dudes' and dudesses, it's all in how it's presented and played.

[Doug Beaumier]

Les, I enjoy playing mine too, but I realize that it's a 'cheapo' guitar, and I accept that. It's not in the same class as Fender, Gibson, Rick, etc. But I don't have to worry about scratching it, wearing it out, etc. I'm the type who stores my mint Stringmaster in the closet... and plays my cheapo copy guitar every day! I want a guitar I'm comfortable with AND sounds good. I have always believed that 90% of the sound is in the hands of the player anyway, not necessarily in the instrument.

Alan, I forgot to mention, regarding the sound of my Guyatone: I play mostly on the front neck (single pickup). That neck seems to have a hotter output, on my G'tone anyway.

[Jimmy Douglas]

Hi, Can anyone tell me what the three switches on their Guyatone D8 do and how to wire them properly. Mine were creatively wired by a (repair man) and don't seem to work well. I also am interested to hear if anyone knows of a good replacement pickup for these guitars.

Regards,

JD

[Doug Beaumier]

Can anyone tell me what the three switches on their Guyatone D8 do...

They are on-off switches for the pickups. 3 switches, 3 pickups. On my D-8 the two switches on the left activate the two PUs on the rear neck, so both rear PUs may be on, or either one could be activated. (one produces a dark tone and the other a bright tone). The switch on the right is on-off for the front neck single PU. As with any double neck guitar, activating both necks at the same time will cause a loss in signal and tone.

Maybe Lollar's Stringmaster replacement pickup would fit a Guyatone, with a little cobbling? Might be worth checking out.

[Jimmy Douglas]

Thanks Doug!

[Alan Brookes]

We had a mild earthquake a few days ago, during which my Guyatone fell off the Sho-Bud it was resting on, and took a dive to the floor, sustaining a few more dents....

I just finished restoring it, and it looks like it just left the factory, except for a bit of scuffing of the chrome caused by past polishing.

I used the remainder of the stock I had of Almond that was left over from Basil's Stringmaster restoration. I like the color, although it's not standard Guyatone or Fender.

[Doug Beaumier]

Beautiful! I really like that color. Thanks for posting the picture, Alan.

[Marty Smith]

how much did you spend restoring it?

\

[Alan Brookes]

I could say nothing, because I already had the cans of paint and undercoat, and various emery papers.

I used one can of primer and three cans of topcoat. Add to that some little dabs of plastic wood and some chrome cleaner. I guess about $25.

[Dan Sawyer]

I like the color, although it's not standard Guyatone or Fender.

I like it too although it looks almost like battleship grey on my computer.

[Alan Brookes]

Dan, your monitor needs to be adjusted. It's like a greeny-cream in reality.

[Doug Beaumier]

It looks like a dark cream from here, with a tiny hint of green. It's a nice color, very warm.

[Jan Viljoen]

I am a newbie from South Africa and I want to tell you about mine.
As you might know very few people play lap steel in South Africa anymore. So we have to make do with what we can get.

I saw the ad in the newspaper and I bought this lap steel with no name on it for the equivalent of $71.
With it came these strange picks made of a thick solid metal.

The seller, a young man of 27, did not play it and neither his parents, so basically this lap steel was in the closet for more than 27 years.

I went home and checked the tuning, it was
E C F# E B F# (H-L)
I think it was meant to be open E.

My next post will be about a Framus lap steel.

Groetnis! [/img][/url]

[Jeff Spencer]

Here's a couple for sale over here in Aus. Out of my price range though . Scroll down to the bottom.

http://www.brissteelguitar.com/for_sale.html

Cheers
Jeff

[Jeff Spencer]

Here is a Guya pedal steel for sale a little while ago. It was mint as the legs still had the brown paper wrapping on them Would have been good for a collector

[Doug Beaumier]

It's nice to see this old thread revived. Jan, that's a nice, clean Guyatone 6 string.

Jeff, I've never seen an 8-string Guya pedal steel. What a rare bird! I think it's from the 1970s. Looks like it was never played. Guyatone is still in business, although they make mostly effects now.

[Jay Fagerlie]

Here's my Guyatone
28" from end to end
20.5" scale
Plywood, without a doubt- warped plywood....


Ry approved:


Warpy



This thing, along with a Roland micro cube is my 'mini rig'.
It sounds great
Jay

[Doug Beaumier]

Those pickups are the same ones Guyatone used in their guitars. They really scream! Jay, it's interesting that your Guyatone is plywood and warped, but "it sounds great". That's how it goes with G'tone... cheap materials, but a real hot sound.

[Jay Fagerlie]

Yes Doug- cheap, warped, plywood, 'budget' 60's from Japan.
But it's a great little guitar.
A couple of weeks ago I dropped off a piece of claro walnut at my Dads place- he's making a duplicate body that I am going to put all of these parts on to.
I'll save the body, even though I can't see these things ever being worth any real money, but I will have it in case I need to put it back to original.
I'll post pics when I get it done.
Jay

[Kevin Mincke]

I have one exactly like the white one Jan has posted above. For an inexpensive non-pedal guitar, they're not bad. It has the two selector switches that can be used in a (4) different combinations. I've owned it for a looong time & don't remember where I got it from.

[Doug Beaumier]

I've owned it for a looong time & don't remember where I got it from.

I too have a couple of guitars and amps that... I can't remember where I got them! I also have memories of several guitars from 40 years ago, and I have no idea what happened to them... can't remember selling them, trading them or giving them away... one was a Gibson ES-175. Another was a Sho-Bud Lloyd Green. I have no idea what I did with those guitars. That's when you know you're getting "long in the tooth".

[Jeff Spencer]

Now your scaring me Doug cant remember what happened to Gibson 175 or a ShoBud please send me any guitars you dont want( and the skill you have packed in the case) and we'll "forget" you ever sent them _ Deal??
Now stare into the screen Doug This conversaion never took place.

[Ray Shakeshaft]

I have just joined the Guyatone D8 'club' and everything works fine so I am very wary about stripping it completely. Currently I am looking to find a matching colour paint to touch up the few dings. I have taken most of the metal work to be re-chromed but fortunately that plate with knobs and switches was in good condition.

Mine came without legs and I would be grateful if someone with engineering experience could tell me the size of the thread of the screw in legs as it looks like I am going to have to get something made up. (I only need sitting down height so I might get away with having non-telescopic legs).

I am looking forward to get it up and running after all the good things you guys have said about them.

Thanks.

[Alan Brookes]

I bought two of the D8s. The one shown earlier in Almond I use all the time.

The other one used to belong to Keith Worley, a Hawaiian guitarist in England who died from cancer tragically young. I bought it from his widow and gave it to a good friend in England. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ith+worley
That instrument is in its original off-white.


I haven't seen any signs that either of those D8s has any plywood in the body. Maybe Guyatone used different materials for different models.

[Doug Beaumier]

At first I thought my Guyatone had a solid wood body, but upon closer inspection and in certain lighting I could see it is laminated. I don't know what kind of wood, but it's lightweight.