Members Tweedledee Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 I'm a sucker for old Guild guitars. it's true. One of my dream guitars is a late 1950s Aristocrat, but they're so expensive that I'll probably never buy one. As a compromise, I decided to get this 1960 Freshman. It's kind of a one pickup, short scale (22 3/4"), simplified version of the Aristocrat. The pickup is a P90 style "Franz" pickup that is low output. Combined with the fully hollow body and short scale, this thing delivers the most airy, woody tone with really articulate highs. I've never heard anything like it. I may have to record a demo through my Mustang I to see if it can capture the tone. I wish I had my '66 Vibro Champ with me... The short scale is actually not nearly as cramped as I feared it might be. Then again, I have really small hands so I like short scales. Plus, the nut is a normal width so it's not like playing an "A" width vintage Duo Sonic/Musicmaster neck. I think it's strung up with 10s right now, but I might put some 11s on it and see how it feels. The "bad": the bridge, tailpiece, knobs, and tuners aren't original. Also, at least the back and neck have been refinished. It's difficult to tell if the finish on the top of the body is original or not. I probably paid a little more than I should for it, but it's a crazy little guitar that I couldn't pass on! On to the photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 really cool looking guitar... love it... congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExiledCrow Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 It's different and funky, and that makes it cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoeBoy Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 Very nice. You could frame it as art, but that would be a sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 woo hoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted February 8, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 Thanks for the comments! I just spent some time pulling the pots out of the F hole so I could get some contact cleaner inside them. They were having some issues after 50 years. Now that they're cleaned, all the issues are gone! No more scratchiness or cutting out. There must have been a lot of buildup inside there. This little task reaffirmed that working on the electronics on hollow body guitars is not high on my list of favorite ways to spend an evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Malcolm Ramone Posted February 8, 2011 Members Share Posted February 8, 2011 Love those old Guilds! -Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 I don't know how I missed this thread...I was anticipating it. I think I like the looks of the florentine cutaway on your guitar more so than the venetian style on my T-100. Happy NGD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wulver Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Short-scales make a lot of sense to me on those jazz-stereotyped guitars. Tricky chords and such, it's good you can get more reach on that thing. And John Lennon sure dug that short-scale Rickenbacker a lot.... Really cool, man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hubert Stumblin Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Cool guitar. Great score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tnetennba Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 if you need correct replacement parts, email this guy: jpilzer@guildguy.comHe's called "the guild guy" for a reason. Nice man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted February 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 if you need correct replacement parts, email this guy: jpilzer@guildguy.comHe's called "the guild guy" for a reason. Nice man Thanks for that! Are you into old Guild guitars as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 super nice score there! congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 That's too cool. Congrats. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Dang that's nice! Congrats on the beautiful guitar. I'd love something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted February 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Thanks for all the positive replies, guys! I've been working on getting a nice feedback howl going with it so I can play some dirty, nasty blues. I think I need to practice more because it gets out of hand pretty quickly and the whole guitar starts vibrating like mad! I still need to find that sweet spot where I can control it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Oh, man, it's like taming the wild beast, ain't it? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted February 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Oh, man, it's like taming the wild beast, ain't it? EG Yep! This is actually the first time I've owned a hollow body electric so it's a whole new adventure. I've owned lots of semi-hollows, but they're nothing like this thing when it comes to feedback. I love it, though! Feedback done right can be so musical and I'm taking it as a challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ralph onion Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 The best of simple! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 I've come so close to owning a Guild on at least three occasions. Yours is divine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Yep! This is actually the first time I've owned a hollow body electric so it's a whole new adventure. I've owned lots of semi-hollows, but they're nothing like this thing when it comes to feedback. I love it, though! Feedback done right can be so musical and I'm taking it as a challenge. And, when it's hot like that, you fret a note & frequently don't even need to pick it...it just leaps out at you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members profgalen Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Very cool! Congratz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Wow, congrats! (o)(o) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tnetennba Posted February 11, 2011 Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Thanks for that! Are you into old Guild guitars as well? Not like Jay is, i actually am more into the avnet and later solidbodies. I do love me the M series and later bluesbirds.The CE100's are sweet too. Nice score there bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted February 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 11, 2011 Not like Jay is, i actually am more into the avnet and later solidbodies. I do love me the M series and later bluesbirds. The CE100's are sweet too. Nice score there bud. I had a '73 Bluesbird that is one of the few guitars I regret selling. One of my dream guitars is a late 50s Aristocrat, but that's not happening any time soon. There's a guy about half an hour from me who listed two CE100s on Craigslist for $800 each. One natural, one sunburst. We exchanged a few emails but he seemed a little sketchy so I backed out of going to look at them. I kept asking him for photos (because he said in the posting to email him for them) and more info about the guitars, but all he would ever do is propose times and places to meet in less-than-spectacular neighborhoods and say the guitars were in great condition. No thanks. I didn't want to take the risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.