Guild Unveils New M-85 Bass Models

Guild is reviving the M-85 with two new models this year: the Newark St. Collection M-85 bass and the GSR M-85 II bass. Each of the instruments is a take on the vintage bass, which was the companion to the Guild M-75 Aristocrat guitar.

Guild Newark St. Collection M-85 Bass

Guild Newark St. Collection M-85 Bass

The Newark St. M-85 is a singlecutaway, semi-hollow body bass with an arched spruce top and maple back and sides. Its body is finished in black with ivory white body binding, black and white purfling. The 3-piece mahogany neck has a “soft U” profile with a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard adorned with pearloid dot inlays.

The pickup on the M-85 is a Guild Bi-Sonic in the bridge position. Hardware on the bass includes a Guild Combo Bridge-Tailpiece with rosewood string saddles and Grover die-cast tuners. Another unique feature is dual finger rests on either side of the pickup.

Guild Newark St. Collection M-85 Bass Specs:

Body Material:Laminated Spruce Top with Laminated Maple Back & Sides
Body Finish:Gloss Polyurethane
Bracing:Partial Center Block
Purfling:Black/Ivory White
Body Depth:2.75″ (70 mm)
Body Length:17.25″ (438 mm)
Body Binding:Ivory White with Black/White Purfling
Neck Shape:Vintage Soft “U”
Number of Frets:21
Position Inlays:Pearloid Dot
Fingerboard Radius:12″ (305 mm)
Fretboard:Rosewood
Neck Finish:Gloss Polyurethane
Nut Width:1.5″ (38.1 mm)
Scale Length:30.75″ (781 mm)
Neck Binding:1-Ply White
Truss Rods:Dual-Action Head Adjust
Truss Rod Nut:Hex
Bridge Pickup:Guild “Bi-Sonic” Bass
Controls:Volume, Tone
Hardware Finish:Nickel-Plated
Bridge:Guild Combo Bridge-Tailpiece with Rosewood String Saddles
Tuning Machines:Grover Die-Cast
String Nut:Bone
Strings:D’Addario Custom Light, (.045-.105 gagues)
Case Gig Bags:Hardshell Case
Control Knobs:Black Plastic

Guild GSR M-85 II Bass

Guild GSR M-85 II Bass

As part of the Guild Special Run series, the GSR M-85 II Bass will only be available as a limited edition and made in small numbers. It steps things up from the M-85 with a fully hollow body featuring a laminated spruce arched top that is supported with parallel tone bar bracing. The back and sides are mahogany and the whole body has black and white binding. Its three piece mahogany and maple neck is topped with rosewood with mother-of-pearl dot inlays.

The GSR version adds a second pickup and volume and tone knobs for each pickup. The upper bout also had a three-way pickup selector switch while a two-way mini toggle by the knobs offers a low end roll-off. Other features include a combo bridge/tailpiece with rosewood saddles, Gotoh tuners, a vintage-style “Chesterfield” inlay, and a nitrocellulose lacquer finish in Cherry Red.

Guild GSR M-85 II Bass Specs:

Body Material:Spruce Top with Mahogany Back and Sides
Body Finish:Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Bracing:Parallel Tone Bars
Body Depth:2″ (50.8 mm)
Body Length:17.25″ (438 mm)
Body Width Lower Bout:13.25″ (336 mm)
Body Binding:Ivory White with Black/White Purfling
Number of Frets:21
Fret Size:Vintage-Style
Fingerboard Radius:9.5″ (241 mm)
Fretboard:Rosewood
Neck Material:3-Piece Mahogany/Maple/Mahogany
Neck Finish:Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Nut Width:1.5″ (38.1 mm)
Scale Length:30.75″ (781 mm)
Pickup Configuration:HH
Bridge Pickup:Guild “Bi-Sonic” Bass
Neck Pickup:Guild “Bi-Sonic” Bass
Pickup Switching:3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Special Electronics:2-Position Mini-Toggle (for low-end rolloff)
Controls:Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware Finish:Nickel-Plated
Bridge:Guild Combo Bridge-Tailpiece with Rosewood String Saddles
Tuning Machines:Gotoh Die-Cast
String Nut:Bone
Pickguard:None
Strings:NPS, Gauges .045-.105
Unique Features:Chesterfield Headstock Inlay, Special 2-Position Mini-Toggle Switch for Low-End Rolloff
Case Gig Bags:Deluxe Hardshell
Control Knobs:Black “Speed” Knobs

Guild will be debuting the Newark St. M-85 and GSR M-85 II Basses at the NAMM Show. The carry MSRPs of $1,699 and $4,499, respectively. For more info, check out the Guild website.

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Leave a Reply to Wouter Jaegers Cancel reply

  1. I think Guild should reissue the B-301 and 2. I thought those were nice looking basses.

  2. laminated top on a 4500 dollar bass? Guild has officially gone gibson :D