Reach For The Star

Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?

- Dave Burrluck

While technically different as far as actual body outline and headstock goes, this guitar makes us all think ‘Gibson SG’, doesn’t it? Back in the day, it was the shape of the second wave of solidbodies that Guild unveiled in 1970 after entering that market quite late, in 1963. Later in the 70s came a much more original and adventurous design, but it’s this SG-style version that’s been a part of the Newark St Collection as the S-100 Polara since Fender introduced them in 2013; Guild was purchased by Córdoba Music Group in 2014 and, as of 2023, it’s now owned by Yamaha.

Back in 2023, legendary grunge guitarist Kim Thayil shone some welcome light on the S-100 with a very limited USAmade model and a still-current Newark St version. The low-end is taken by the standard twin-pickup Polara, which is available in three solid colours, and there’s a single-pickup Night Edition in Tungsten with an ebony fingerboard, which entered the fray earlier this year alongside our Polara Deluxe.

If that standard Polara with its snazzy colour options, black hardware and through-body stringing looks a little 80s, the Deluxe opts to recreate the original 70s style with a choice of three colours, that distinctive angled ‘compensated’ stopbar tailpiece and new covered HB-2+ humbuckers. As with the original 70s design, compared with the SG, the Polara’s bass-side horn is pulled up a little in terms of outline, the waist very slightly offset, but otherwise it’s a close cousin, not least with those distinctive edge chamfers.