Discover the exclusive Amazon Memorial Day offer for guitarists: snag an incredible $190 discount on a highly-rated 4.5-star retro offset guitar that you’ll adore!]

I don’t know what it is, but I think offset guitars are just cool. Over the years, I’ve owned many crooked electrics from a couple of Jazzmasters, a Jaguar, and a flock of Firebirds, but I’ve never owned a Guild, and that may well be about to change. I’ve just spotted 27% off the stunning Guild Surfliner Deluxe in Scarlett Red Metallic in Amazon’s Memorial Day sale. It’s not often you see a deal this good on a guitar that looks and plays like a million bucks – so I’m more than a little tempted to pick one up.

Guild’s Surfliner Deluxe builds off the original Surfliner, which hit the scene in 2022 and quickly became a favorite for its retro offset vibe. The Deluxe version takes everything to the next level. As our glowing review noted, “Fair play to the Guild team for taking the perfectly credible design of that original Surfliner and kicking it up a notch or two in style, vibe, and sound. This Surfliner feels much more like a good offset with quite mean intent, and frankly, something Guild actually could have come up with back in the day.”

Along with that Jazzmaster-esque vibrato, we get modern-style rear-locking tuners and a HSS pickup configuration, with a seriously beefy HB-2 humbucker at the bridge, replacing the mini-humbucker from the original. Switching is handled by a classic five-way lever, ditching the quirky toggles.

(Image credit: Future / Olly Curtis)

Guild didn’t just tweak the electronics; they gave the Deluxe some real upgrades, too. There’s a bound, block-inlaid rosewood fingerboard and a two-piece roasted maple neck, which feels like a big step up from the original’s plainer maple. The oversized headstock is color-matched to the body and features a raised silver Guild logo for extra flair.

We described this guitar as feeling somewhere between a “Stratocaster and Guild Jetstar.” The C neck profile is very mainstream, with enough shoulder to feel substantial, and the frets are quite wide and low, making speedy runs easy and comfortable.

In terms of sound, the Deluxe is as versatile as it gets. There’s good contrast with the relatively low-output bridge humbucker and the sparkle and bite of those single coils.

At 27% off, the Guild Surfliner Deluxe is stellar value for anyone wanting a fresh offset guitar loaded with style and versatility. As we concluded in the review, “Overall, there’s a bit more of a grunge and garage-y attitude here, rather than ‘pretty’ 60s surf. Things can get quite nasty – in a very good way indeed.”