As part of Guild's 70th anniversary and in collaboration with Kim Thayil, Guild introduces the USA Artist Edition S-100 Polara Kim Thayil, a limited run of 30 master built guitars celebrating the Soundgarden guitarist’s over 30-year connection to the S-100 Polara. A pioneer of the Seattle Sound, Thayil is synonymous with the iconic grunge tone of the ‘90s, all of which originated from his Guild S-100. The Guild USA Artist Edition S-100 Polara Kim Thayil replicates the construction, tone, and aesthetic of his favorite Guild S-100 Polara.

This signature model takes its specs from two of Thayil's most iconic guitars—his favorite 1978 Guild S-100 Polara in natural, and his go-to stage guitar, a white model with gold hardware. Specs and measurements taken from the 1978 model were replicated by Master Luthier Chuck Sanzone. Hand-built utilizing one-piece bodies of old-growth Honduran mahogany, the Guild ’70s neck shape and large headstock reflect Thayil's favorite features of his '78 S-100.

These ultra-limited guitars also include pickups hand-wound by Jason Lollar—a fellow Seattle native who is world renowned for his designs. Lollar worked with Guild and Thayil to authentically produce Guild's flagship HB-1 humbuckers. Hand-wound by Lollar himself, these humbuckers replicate the warm but articulate timbre of ’70s S-100 Polaras. A perfect match for Thayil's heavy tones, the added clarity of the HB-1s allow the guitar to cut through the mix. Also equipped with a phase switch, accurate to vintage specs, these features are essential to recreating the magic of Thayil's favorite S-100 Polara models.

Additional features include a bound Indian rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays, reproduction Guild/Mueller style bridge and a compensated stopbar tailpiece. It also features a King Animal truss rod cover and Badmotorfinger back cover hand-signed by 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 Thayil and his bandmates.

Per Thayil's request, the signature model also 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.

Using his Guild S-100, Thayil created his own original style that helped propel Soundgarden to the top of the Seattle rock heap in the 1990s, and they are still considered one of the greatest grunge bands of all time. The Guild USA Artist Edition S-100 Polara Kim Thayil captures the same magic Thayil discovered while playing his first S-100 Polara.

Includes are a custom hardshell case and Certificate of Authenticity signed by Kim Thayil.