HNGD! DeArmond "Bluesbird" M72

[u6crash]

DeArmond M72 Bluesbird. Found it on Reverb. I had been eyeing it for months. Price was probably fair, but couldn't justify it. Then one day it seemed it had sold. Then the listing reappeared. I don't know what I was waiting for because I'd pull up the Reverb app almost every day and look at it. Then it went on sale for 15% off and I couldn't take it anymore.

 

Looks good. Plays well. Strings feel a little funky to strum, but it might just be because they aren't my brand. I really enjoy how the tone controls change the sound. With the tone at zero using the bridge pickup it almost sounds like there is a passive subtle phaser effect built in. Might open up the control cavity later and see what kind of values it has.

 

There isn't a lot of information on these that I can find. I'm assuming a maple top and mahogany back and neck. Anyone else remember that kind of ugly guitar that DeArmond was blowing out in the 00s? I think you could get one for $199 on eBay and the funds were going to music education or something. I just remember people buying them up for the Goldtone pickups.

 

This is my second new guitar day this year. It's been a positively awful year and this month was super bad, so this is a nice pick me up.

 

[Danocoustic]

HNGD! Looks nice.

[badpenguin]

Congrats and HNGD! I had a late 70's M75, and it was a killer beastie! Seriously can't remember what happened to it. I think it went in a trade deal for a Paul, and I remember regretting it.

[Phil O'Keefe]

I had a friend who had one of those back when they were new... they're nice. Congrats - I'm glad it worked out for you, and I hope this is a sign of things starting to improve for you in the new month!

 

 

[jtr654]

Those were Jet Stars. I prefer it to the New Guild S200/Thunderbird with all those switches and that vibrato tailpiece.

 

[DeepEnd]

Congratulations and Happy New Guitar Day. Loving the top and the clear pickguard. New strings of your preferred brand plus a setup if needed will probably make a difference. Hope it sounds as good as it looks.

[Mikeo]

I owned a 75T along the way. I had the Dearmond 2k pickups in my 75T, not to be confused with the Dearmond or Dynasonc picks ups, which is a whole nother topic

 

Guild owned the company and the pups are said to American made. IDK. The guitars were made in Korea.

The early to mid 90's ones have the larger headstock and are not tone chambered. The 75T weighed a ton.

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Around 2000-2001 or so after the Fender buy the Dearmonds have the smaller headstock and were tone chambered, and the Gold tone pups were used.

 

 

 

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[u6crash]

I owned a 75T along the way. I had the Dearmond 2k pickups in my 75T, not to be confused with the Dearmond or Dynasonc picks ups, which is a whole nother topic

 

Guild owned the company and the pups are said to American made. IDK. The guitars were made in Korea.

The early to mid 90's ones have the larger headstock and are not tone chambered. The 75T weighed a ton.

 

 

Around 2000-2001 or so after the Fender buy the Dearmonds have the smaller headstock and were tone chambered, and the Gold tone pups were used.

 

That's more info than I found prior to purchase. I did read that some were chambered and I believe mine is a 2001 manufacture so that makes sense. It doesn't feel terribly heavy to me. Seems like it is in really good shape. Can't help but wonder if it's just been sitting on the wall of a music store for 17 years.