GUILD POLARA DELUXE

A’70s staple gets a bit of are-jig, o4 years after it was introduced

- Dave Burrluck

Proof, if needed, that the electric guitar market has one eye firmly fixed on the rear-view mirror is everywhere, and Guild is certainly doing its bit. Yes, we’ve seen some recent new designs like the viable Surfliner range but the majority of its current Newark St. range wouldn’t look out of place in a catalogue from the ’50s, ’60s or ’70s. Guild entered the solidbody electric market quite late, in 1963, and then, in 1970, thought it would be a smart idea to ape the Gibson SG before later in that decade re-designing those for a more original style.

But it’s that Gibson-cloned model, specifically the S-100 Polara, that’s stood the test of time. Last year grunge legend Kim Thayil shone some welcome light on the S-100 with a very limited USA-made model and a stillcurrent Newark St. version. At the other end is the standard twin-pickup Polara that’s available in three solid colours (and there’s a single-pickup Night Edition version) leaving our Polara Deluxe as the poshest non-signature model.