Gorgeous True Relic 1965 Guild S-50 Jet Star "Special" Rare Alder Sunburst Featherweight 6.6lb OHSC w/Keys, Hangtag!

Hoboken NJ built, 1965, amazing build quality, featherweight 6.6.6lb ;]  Labeled as Sunburst "Special" on account of the Tremar Tremolo possibly, this is a True Relic with original deluxe hardshell silver flake tolex case, hangtag, keys. Strap seen in 1st pic is missing, not sure why, I can't find it, price has been adjusted accordingly.

You couldn't afford a relic job this good, only time and wear can do it. Sweet crazing, as pictured, a few tasteful old bumps, dings, some wild random picking scratches, strap burns across the back, really very clean overall. Visually stunning guitar.

Incredible Sunburst, only from Guild, surpassing all others from the same time period. Gorgeous contouring.


The wonderful Hagstrom made Tremar, bridge, pickup are in fabulous condition. Knobs and pickguard rather pristine for a student guitar this old. The Tremar is truly a gem, works nice, sounds nice, very easy to restring, in fact much easier than the average guitar. The Tremar is still stiff rotating the arm, like new.


Pots are quiet, and there's a ton of volume on tap between 8 and 10. It can really overdrive a sensitive tube amp at full blast.

Plugged in straight though an amp set up for a Strat, this guitar is louder. Really punchy with that good pickup position. The Tone control is super sensitive and sucks the volume in a way that the the guitar acts as if it has two volume controls, both knobs control volume and punch a really surprising amount. With an overdrive on, both knobs are gain, really fantastic.


Substantial C shaped neck, 1 11/16" nut width, original nut is gorgeous like new, unreal, 1 3/4" @ 3rd fret, 2" @ 12th fret.  Super dark Brazilian Rosewood, frets are in decent shape and not sticking out on the ends too badly, without having had any work done, which is impressive. Tuners are in fabulous shape with case hardened tuner screws. They are a little stiff and could probably use a full clean and regrease. Tunes up well, rings like a bell.

Truss rod may be untouched since new. Nothing to do but just look at pretty cover that's never been goofed with.


The case had some white paint mixed or spilled on the underside, luckily just the underside. I scrubbed it and this is probably as good as it's going to get, but this is the underside, not normally visible. Presents very well otherwise, fancy silver sparkle with reptile grain ends, with stunningly clean stately Burgundy-ish interior devoid of any smells beyond aging. Pretty rare in this day and age to find a case and guitar that doesn't smell like a box of drier sheets because someone couldn't deal with the heavenly smell of a vintage guitar. Case still has both original keys, almost unheard of.

And that this is an entry level guitar but yet they sprung for the best hardcase, highly unusual as it's common to see higher end models in chipboard cases.

Incredibly cool looking guitar, the Alder body with sunburst is a rarity compared to the more common Cherry with the well known tone of Mahogany. The Alder is lighter in weight, and more diverse in tone. Leo's favorite wood for the early Stratocasters, Alder is a very musical wood, sounding full and rich.


The headstock is neat, distinct, really well done. And amazing headstock, burly, angled, unique. The serial # makes it # 33 out of a 100 built that year, the only year to have this reverse inline headstock with this "straight" Guild logo, in '66 a V logo and then this headstock is gone forever.

The straight logo is cool-er because it follows the line of the strings, beauty in simplicity.

Most of these headstocks, commonly on the Cherry finish guitars, were flame Maple veneer, maybe a little over the top? This sunburst model has a black finish that looks much better IMHO, but looks to possibly be flame Maple veneer lacquered black as the overlay has a distinct tiger stripe texture visible. Black flame?

Guild was right, this one is "Special".


Smoke free home studio use only, ships USPS Priority with full Reverb coverage within 24hrs.