As part of their 70th anniversary, Guild is excited to introduce 2 all-new signature models celebrating Soundgarden’s iconic lead guitarist Kim Thayil and his connection of over 30 years to the S-100 Polara.
POLARA KIM THAYIL
Crafted with a Mahogany body and neck, adorned with a Guild 70’s headstock, the Polara Kim Thayil pays tribute to Kim’s favourite features from his ’78 S-100. Equipped with Grover Original Rotomatics® tuners for stability, Guild HB-1 Humbuckers with Alnico II Magnets for warm yet articulate timbre, and a phase accurate to vintage spec. The Polara Kim Thayil features the “Badmotorfinger” back cover and “King Animal” truss rod cover, emblematic of Soundgarden’s legacy. A bound Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid block inlays, Tune-o-Matic bridge & compensated stopbar tailpiece enhance playability. Celebrating Guild’s 70th anniversary, this model embodies Kim’s distinctive style and connection to the S-100 Polara.
Soundgarden “King Animal” truss rod cover and “badmotorfinger” signature back cover
Honouring the long-standing legacy of Soundgarden’s 1991 album, “Badmotorfinger” and their 2012 album, “King Animal,” these symbols are quintessentially grunge and pay tribute to Kim and his band mates.
Additional features include a bound Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid block inlays, Tune-o-Matic bridge & compensated stopbar tailpiece. Available in a Black gloss finish with gold hardware.
Grover original Rotomatics® tuners
Per Kim’s request, the signature model features Grover Original Rotomatics® tuners for stability and ease of use. Standard on vintage S-100 Polara models, these tuners are a reliable industry favourite.
Guild HB-1 humbuckers with alnico II magnets
Guild’s flagship HB-1 Humbuckers replicate the warm yet articulate timbre of 70’s S-100 Polaras. A perfect match for Kim’s heavy tones, the added clarity of the HB-1’s allow the guitar to cut through the mix. Also equipped with a phase switch, accurate to vintage spec, these features are essential to recreating the magic of Kim’s favorite S-100 Polara models.
USA ARTIST EDITION S-100 POLARA KIM THAYIL
Exclusive release, limited to 30 guitars! Featuring old-growth honduran mahogany body and neck with guild 70’s headstock and neck shape. Hand-built utilizing one-piece bodies of old-growth Honduran Mahogany, a Guild 70’s neck shape and large headstock reflect Kim’s favourite features of his ’78 S-100.
Custom USA Guild HB-1 humbuckers handwound by Jason Lollar w/ phase switch
World renowned for his pickups, Jason Lollar worked with Guild and Kim to authentically reproduce Guild’s legendary, flagship HB-1 Humbuckers. Handwound by Jason himself, these humbuckers replicate the warm but articulate timbre of 70’s S-100 Polaras. A perfect match for Kim’s heavy tones, the added clarity of the HB-1’s allow the guitar to cut through the mix. Also equipped with a phase switch, accurate to vintage spec, these features are essential to recreating the magic of Kim’s favorite S-100 Polara models.
Grover original rotomatics® tuners
Per Kim’s request, the signature model features Grover Original Rotomatics® tuners for stability and ease of use. Standard on vintage S-100 Polara models, these tuners are a reliable industry favorite.
Soundgarden King Animal truss rod cover and Badmotorfinger back cover hand signed by Kim Thayil
Honoring the long-standing legacy of Soundgarden’s 1991 album, “Badmotorfinger” and their 2012 album, “King Animal,” these symbols are quintessentially grunge and pay tribute to Kim and his band mates.
Additional features include a bound Indian Rosewood fingerboard with Mother of Pearl block inlays, reproduction Guild/Mueller style bridge & compensated stopbar tailpiece. Available in a White Nitrocellulose gloss finish with gold hardware. Ships in a custom hardshell case with Certificate of Authenticity Hand-Signed by Kim Thayil.