This is an acoustic-electric guitar with a routed mahogany body, solid spruce top, one-piece mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard. The electronics include a piezo-electric pickup with pre-amp and dual band EQ. Officially, (according to Guild) no S4CEs were produced the year that this guitar left the factory. The serial number is officially the serial number of a Songbird. The mahogany body of this model is also used to produce the Guild Bluesbird (but not the Songbird).

Guild Guitars was founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a music store owner in New York City. Mr. Dronge obtained many of his first employees from among the most experienced luthiers of the Epiphone Company. The Epiphone influence is still visible in many of Guild's top models even today.