Guild M75 Aristocrat RI

[Devin]

Anyone get to play one...? what do you think. Worth it for a Korean guitar?

 

[scottguitar]

I've played one and really liked it. The guitar was well built and played very nicely. I felt maybe the price was a tad high, but not unreasonable.

 

[aussie_owner]

I played one a while back and liked it a lot. Lightweight, nice neck, decent build quality. The only thing I didn't like was the volume knobs - they were basically on/off switches. 1/3 turn and the pickup was pretty much off. It's on my short list of hollow bodies, but I would be replacing the pots as soon as I got it home.

 

[Devin]

the youtube vids sound amazing... As long as the $$$ goes to good pickups, setup, fretwork and construction I'm ok with changing pots.

 

[jimbugg]

Bump on this. Has anyone compared to a real-deal Aristocrat? I'm really interested in these...I believe a limited-run Goldtop version will be released at NAMM, in which case I'll almost surely be buying one.

 

[Black Squirrel]

I had one M75 Reissue and a 1959 Guild m-65 at the same time,(same as aristocrat But with only a neck pickup and the 65 Has F holes) The reissue is a great guitar The pickups are Closer to the original then you would expect, (Almost dead nuts clones) The Reissue also had Real Nice pots (Franz pickups Orig and RI are not adjustable) so You really only have your volume and Tones to get your sound The post on The RI have a perfect sweep for this.

 

[Devin]

non-adjustable pickups? That's a little troublesome.... I always find that bridge p-90's are set too low. Were the RI pickups balanced well? I like my bridge slightly louder than my neck.

 

[axiology]

Here's mine. It's a Korean reissue. Finish and fretwork is flawless. I believe the black one's are a limited edition of 40 guitars. They've also done a limited edition of goldtops.
I really like the clean rhythm sound. Lead tone has a trebley edge to it, not at all like a Les Paul.
Pickup height is not easily adjustable, though I have heard that many aristocrat players put shims underneath to raise them closer to the strings. I have yet to try that, they're already quite close by my standards, anyway.

http://axiology.bandcamp.com

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Close to original pickups because they're clones.

 

[pete kanaras]

Here's mine. It's a Korean reissue. Finish and fretwork is flawless. I believe the black one's are a limited edition of 40 guitars. They've also done a limited edition of goldtops.
I really like the clean rhythm sound. Lead tone has a trebley edge to it, not at all like a Les Paul.
Pickup height is not easily adjustable, though I have heard that many aristocrat players put shims underneath to raise them closer to the strings. I have yet to try that, they're already quite close by my standards, anyway.

http://axiology.bandcamp.com

my next guitar, in that color too. i had one come thru my shop recently for a setup, and compared to the real '55 i had on extended loan i liked the korean reissue Better. yeah, i did; slightly beefier neck and frets, better neck/ body angle, tunamatic instead of the wood bridge, and spot on perfect pickup heights. and the asian pickups are Great. done deal

 

[WahmBoomAh]

anyone have issues to report in respect to dead notes or dead spots in the sustain up and down the neck?

 

[pete kanaras]

no, but just because it Looks like a les paul clone doesn't mean it is. it's a fully hollow archtop in every way. archtop as in "look honey, i shrunk the L-5!"

 

[e???]

I loved the idea. P90's and hollowness are what I'm after these days. Went and tried one and loved the feel and playability. Then I plugged it in and was real disappointed in the pickups. Struck me as bright and cold. But if you throw some antiquities or something on there I think you'd have a seriously great guitar.

 

[pete kanaras]

P90's won't fit without modding the guitar, and they'd have to be dogear P00's at that

 

[Hugh DaMann]

I played a few in a store and have been completely jonesing for one since. Played and sounded great. It's a good blues and jazz guitar and probably do some of that Airline Tuxedo vibe. I've only played it clean or slightly overdriving an amp. Love it!

Look at Greg Koch's Wildwood You Tube videos for a good idea of what it's about.

 

[WahmBoomAh]

no, but just because it Looks like a les paul clone doesn't mean it is. it's a fully hollow archtop in every way. archtop as in "look honey, i shrunk the L-5!"

if you respond to my request ....it`s BECAUSE it`s hollow that I ask . I have a 69 that`s hollow and some notes can lay flat sometimes

 

[Tony Bones]

P90's won't fit without modding the guitar, and they'd have to be dogear P00's at that

The magnets in the reissue Franz pickups are the same size as standard PAF/P-90 magnets. So, you should be able to swap in some A2 or A3 magnets to tame them a little. (I'm assuming they have A5 magnets. )

 

[pete kanaras]

P-90's are physically larger pickups and so the cavities need to be enlarged. a soapbar P90 would only fit if you glued the pickup to the cover, because a Franz-style pickup mounts onto the braces with four small screws. yes, mounted On the braces. as to dead notes and "sustain" both the real '55 i had and the reissue i recently set up both were fine; no dead spots anywhere and the sustain is like that of a normal archtop