© Jason Hawkes/Corbis
Once again we reach back into the GT archives for a trip back in time. This time we're heading back to the turn of the millennium, to a year full of ups-and-downs for guitars, music and world events…
2000
Apart from losing the musical talents of Ian Dury, Kirsty MacColl and Julie London, some of the most well-loved actors went too. Sir John Gielgud, Sir Alec Guinness, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Walter Matthau, David Tomlinson and Hugh Paddick all left their mark as did sportsmen Sir Stanley Matthews, Len Shackleton and Colin Cowdrey - may all your innings be remembered.
Britain weathers arctic conditions causing traffic chaos and gridlocks, the trawler Solway Harvester sinks in the Irish Sea; the Concorde jet fleet is grounded following a fatal crash during take-off in Paris; high fuel prices spark a blockade of filling stations; the Millennium Dome opens on January 1st and closes December 31st with an uncertain future.
Once again Guild's Polara S-100 guitar fails to feature in the popularity stakes and after a five-year run production is ceased. The SG inspired model first saw light of day in 1963 and featured a mahogany body with a distinctive concave bottom bout but in spite of good quality fixtures, fittings and fine build it was withdrawn in 1968. Curiously that was a five-year run as well.
Top selling albums include Santana - Supernatural, Coldplay - Parachutes, Robbie Williams - Sing When You're Winning, Shania Twain - Come On Over, Travis - The Man Who, Moby - Play, Gabrielle - Rise, Bon Jovi - Crush, The Corrs - In Blue, Radiohead - Kid A, U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind and The Beatles - 1.
Rage Against The Machine play in front of Wall Street; The Spice Girls receive a BRIT Award for their outstanding contribution to music; Michael Douglas marries Catherine Zeta-Jones; fantasy reigns with Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass, Terry Pratchett's The Truth and J. K. Rowling's novel Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. Pope John Paul II publicly apologises for past wrongdoings by members of the Roman Catholic Church - ah, so that's okay then!
Wembley Stadium is closed for complete reconstruction having served well for 77 years; the Tate Modern art museum opens its doors for the first time; and the prestigious Millennium Bridge is opened but is soon closed due to excessive swaying. Ken Livingstone is elected Mayor of London; the Royal Bank of Scotland succeeds in a hostile takeover of the NatWest Bank; and the Queen Mother celebrates her 100th birthday.
Danelectro expands on its Hodad range that was successfully introduced the year before. Now there is a long-scaled Hodad Baritone guitar and a 12-string. Both feature three Lipstick pickups, 7-tone Select-O-Matic switching and a variety of flake or pearl body finishes.
Jackson reintroduces the JS30, with its Strat shaped body, vibrato system, double humbuckers and pointy headstock. The original production run lasted from 1997-98 but it was prematurely discontinued and since the relaunch this guitar has remained a firm favourite among rock and metal fans.
