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NGD! 1960 Guild M-65 Freshman - Short Scale!


Tweedledee

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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!

 

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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. :D 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.

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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. :)

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Oh, man, it's like taming the wild beast, ain't it?
:rawk:

EG

 

Yep! :D 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.

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Yep!
:D
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...

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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. :D

 

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.

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