Guild M-75 Aristocrat enthusiasts/owner

[Blues&BebopFan]

Hi everyone,

Last night I had the idea to create a group dedicated to the M-75 Aristocrat. This is my dream guitar and I would really love to hear about those who own one or are familar with it or have played one etc. share your experience with us!

What do you love about it, what kind of music do you play, etc. Also a description of the model you own, the year, what is original and what is not and of course some beautiful pictures !

What do you recommand to check before buying one/what is important to keep in mind etc.

If you also have similar models like the M-65 I'm very curious to hear about it.

Finally if anyone know about the history of the model I would be delighted to hear about it.

To sum let's talk and share about this wonderful model !

 

[swiveltung]

I had a ...'69? back then. Bought new from Seattle Music on 1st avenue. Gold hardware, super light weight. It was called an M-75 Bluesbird. I loved the thing. The ebony fretboard was so tight grain it looked and felt like satin black plastic.
I was playing loud R&R through a Marshall Stack with it! Probably exactly what the guitar wasn't meant for. But being a hollow body without F holes it was perfect if you stood in front of the stack andadjusted the volume such that it could sustain forever.
Stupidly I cut a hole for a middle pickup in it.... the triple pickup Gibson Black Beauties were popular at the time...

I've always hoped to see it somewhere with a repaired hole or 3rd pickup and maybe reacquire it.

I got a cheaper model vintage M-75 off Ebay in about 2005 in a bargain, but it just wasn't the same.

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

Thank you swiveltung for your reply!!

It's very nice to hear about your experience on it! The guitar seemed amazing! Concerning the style you play, it's what I adore with these guitars ; even if they were inteded for jazz, the fact it is a hollow body without F holes allows to play every style. I'm not surprise you could play Rock with a Marshall and I'm sure it sounded full and beautiful.I understand your envy to find it again and I'm curious to know what the next person did and if they repaired the hole or not.

Last year a kind collector borrow me his for more than a week. The beauty was from 1958 all original and in the rare blonde finish. We were preparing to record an album and he allowed me to take one of his many many many guitars. I played for hours, I couldn't stop... I was astonished by how full the guitar sounded despite the small size. I adored everything about this guitar : the weight being ridiculously light, the Franz pickups, the ability to play different styles with accuracy, the neck.. so easy! The tuners were also amazing, the guitar stayed in tuned even after hours and hours of playing. After the week of preparation I had to give the guitar back. I was truly sad, I've never been so fan of an instrument. It's still the best guitar I've ever played. So I completely understand your hope to find yours again.
Now that I know your story I'll be careful and warn you if I ever see a Bluesbird with three pickup.

Thanks again for sharing your experience !
Have a good day,
Alexis Nootens

 

[mavuser]

Hello Alexis,

You may want to check out this thread:

Bluesbirds: Owners & Long Time Borrowers List

Ok all...I have seen so many nice looking Bluesbirds on LTG that I figured we needed to have a list and thread dedicated to these beautiful creatures.... DK (aka lostdog) and I came up with an idea to start a thread that would run much like the S-100 owners thread. I have started to build a...

letstalkguild.com

And also, don't forget to check out Guild Nightbirds and Nightingales.

ps F-holes on a Guild never hurt anybody, I promise!

cheers

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

Thank you Mavuser for your answer!!

I'll dig into this thread for sure! It seems to be mainly about the bluesbird ? I'm very curious about this model too even if my deep love is for the m-75 aristocrat as it is the one that really spoke to me.

I've never seen those two models, the nightbirds and nightingale!! I'm very intrigued now!!
Do you own one ? how is it ? What are the similarities with the M-75 ? What style of music do you play ?

About the F-holes... I know of course! I have a Guild X175 from the seventies but the feedback are sometimes out of control. I love the aristocrat for the very light weight and the fact you have no feedbacks. It's also a very versatile guitar. My X175 is quite heavy and difficult to control with a larger band.

Thanks again for your answer, it's so nice to be able to talk and share about Guild's stuff!

 

[krysh]

Here is mine, a hollow 1971 M-75C Bluesbird with HB-1's. It has a soundpost under the bridge, too, was rescued and refinished in 2017, and is a Killer Guitar and my absolute No1. This was the last series (with HB-1 pickups 1971-1972) of hollow M-75 until the NS reissues came up, except the limited American Patriarch series and M-75 made in New Hartford with the wrong alligned and mismatched LB-1 Pickups. The Aristocrat M-75 first appeared in 1954 with Franz pickups and was first discontinued in 1963. Reappeared in as M-75 Bluesbird (1968) 1967 with LB-1. other neck set in at 18th fret 1969.
sounds like this in a completely improvised jamsession last year.


when I got it in 2020



more used 2023

 

[mavuser]

Here is @GAD 's Nightbird/Nightingale page:

GAD's Guide to Guild Nightbirds | GAD's Ramblings

Guild Nightbirds are some of the best electric guitars every produced at the Westerly Guild plant. I own more than my fair share of them, and since I have a pile of Nightbird reviews pending I thought I would consolidate some of the repeating information I had into a single article. Nightbirds...

www.gad.net

 

[drc]

Here is mine, a hollow 1971 M-75C Bluesbird with HB-1's. It has a soundpost under the bridge

Do all the early hollow 70's models with HB1's have soundposts?

 

[BradHK]

Do all the early hollow 70's models with HB1's have soundposts?

No. There are both fully hollow ones and ones with the sound post. The bridge is how you can tell the difference. The fully hollow use the floating bridge with the metal feet and the ones with the sound post use the non-floating muller Guild bridge.

 

[GAD]

Here is mine, a hollow 1971 M-75C Bluesbird with HB-1's. It has a soundpost under the bridge, too, was rescued and refinished in 2017, and is a Killer Guitar and my absolute No1. This was the last series (with HB-1 pickups 1971-1972) of hollow M-75 until the NS reissues came up, except the limited American Patriarch series and M-75 made in New Hartford with the wrong alligned and mismatched LB-1 Pickups. The Aristocrat M-75 first appeared in 1954 with Franz pickups and was first discontinued in 1963. Reappeared in as M-75 Bluesbird (1968) 1967 with LB-1. other neck set in at 18th fret 1969.
sounds like this in a completely improvised jamsession last year.


when I got it in 2020



more used 2023

Your commitment to the color orange pleases me.

I'm sure I've said this before, but that is a Glorious rig.

 

[krysh]

Your commitment to the color orange pleases me.

I'm sure I've said this before, but that is a Glorious rig.

Thank you Gary, and it sounds the same!

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

Here is @GAD 's Nightbird/Nightingale page:

GAD's Guide to Guild Nightbirds | GAD's Ramblings

Guild Nightbirds are some of the best electric guitars every produced at the Westerly Guild plant. I own more than my fair share of them, and since I have a pile of Nightbird reviews pending I thought I would consolidate some of the repeating information I had into a single article. Nightbirds...

www.gad.net

Yes! I started reading it this morning after I saw your message! Amazing stuff!! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

Here is mine, a hollow 1971 M-75C Bluesbird with HB-1's. It has a soundpost under the bridge, too, was rescued and refinished in 2017, and is a Killer Guitar and my absolute No1. This was the last series (with HB-1 pickups 1971-1972) of hollow M-75 until the NS reissues came up, except the limited American Patriarch series and M-75 made in New Hartford with the wrong alligned and mismatched LB-1 Pickups. The Aristocrat M-75 first appeared in 1954 with Franz pickups and was first discontinued in 1963. Reappeared in as M-75 Bluesbird (1968) 1967 with LB-1. other neck set in at 18th fret 1969.
sounds like this in a completely improvised jamsession last year.


when I got it in 2020



more used 2023

Hi krysh,

First, thank you so much for your reply. The guitar is gorgeous !! It's also very nice to be able to hear you playing it! I'm very happy to learn about the model thanks to you. There are so many informations I didn't know... First thing first, can you explain what is the soundpost you're talking about (sorry if it's a silly question) I've never heard of those. Also, I'm aware of the Franz pickups because the one I've tried was from 1958 so with those, (I really liked the sound!). However, I don't know the difference between the LB-1 and the HB-1. I have a 1975 Guild X175 that sound amazing but I have no idea of which pickups are on it. I just loved the sound when I bought it 5 years ago. Here are some pictures.

 

[Rocky]

First thing first, can you explain what is the soundpost you're talking about (sorry if it's a silly question) I've never heard of those.

A soundpost is simply a piece of wood internally that connects the top and back of a hollow guitar or other stringed instrument. By connecting the front and back, it reduces vibration (and acoustic output) of the guitar, and changes the resonant frequency of the top. By doing so, it reduces the low end woofy feedback you can get from an electric archtop. The guitar will still sound hollow, and will still feed back, but at a higher sound pressure level and pitch. By placing it under the bridge, it deadens the spot of maximum excursion.

Heavier bracing can also be used. A combination, brought to it's logical extreme becomes Gretsch 'trestle bracing.'

The next step above that is the center block used in ES-3x5 guitars and some small bodied modern Gretsches.

The step above that is a chambered hollowbody like a Nightbird, Nightingale etc. Each incremental step gives the guitar more sustain, more attack, and less hollow sound, all things being equal.

 

[Rocky]

Interesting that those trestle braces are marked "hi" and "lo." I wonder if that is to reflect the curvature of the face that connects to the top, or if there are other differences.

 

[SFIV1967]

However, I don't know the difference between the LB-1 and the HB-1. I have a 1975 Guild X175 that sound amazing but I have no idea of which pickups are on it.

Here are some great links to start:

Guild Anti-Hum and LB1 Mini-Humbucker Pickups | GAD's Ramblings

One of my most popular articles is Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations where I put into writing all the nitpicky details about those pickups that I’ve learned over the years. I often get people asking me about the Guild “mini humbuckers” from the 1960s and thanks to a recent project...

www.gad.net

Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations | GAD's Ramblings

One of the questions I see on the guitar forums quite a bit is, “What kind of pickups does this Guild guitar have?” Since I’ve posted in many of these threads, I seem to get a lot of emails with the same question. I thought that I might write up a quick summary of the …

www.gad.net

Guild AntiHum Mini-Humbucker Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today’s mad science experiment involves me tearing apart a vintage Guild AntiHum pickup from the mid-1960s. This rare item is pretty valuable, so if you’re sensitive about gore, best to look away. You and I both know that you’re not going to look away. Like with the vintage Guild HB1 I...

www.gad.net

LB-1 Reissue teardown

I finally got some time to diassemble the reissue LB-1 bridge and neck picks that I had laying around the house. It seems to be pretty much what I expected. The reissues are very close to the originals in most aspects. The most notable differences are the chrome plating instead of nickel like...

letstalkguild.com

Guild HB-1 Pickup Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today I tear apart a vintage Guild HB-1 pickup. Why would I do such a thing to one of my favorite pickups? For the same reason that I used to take the phones apart when I was a kid in the ’70s: to see how it works. Don’t worry, this pic of a pure unmolested …

www.gad.net

Ralf

 

[GAD]

Here are some great links to start:

Guild Anti-Hum and LB1 Mini-Humbucker Pickups | GAD's Ramblings

One of my most popular articles is Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations where I put into writing all the nitpicky details about those pickups that I’ve learned over the years. I often get people asking me about the Guild “mini humbuckers” from the 1960s and thanks to a recent project...

www.gad.net

Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations | GAD's Ramblings

One of the questions I see on the guitar forums quite a bit is, “What kind of pickups does this Guild guitar have?” Since I’ve posted in many of these threads, I seem to get a lot of emails with the same question. I thought that I might write up a quick summary of the …

www.gad.net

Guild AntiHum Mini-Humbucker Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today’s mad science experiment involves me tearing apart a vintage Guild AntiHum pickup from the mid-1960s. This rare item is pretty valuable, so if you’re sensitive about gore, best to look away. You and I both know that you’re not going to look away. Like with the vintage Guild HB1 I...

www.gad.net

LB-1 Reissue teardown

I finally got some time to diassemble the reissue LB-1 bridge and neck picks that I had laying around the house. It seems to be pretty much what I expected. The reissues are very close to the originals in most aspects. The most notable differences are the chrome plating instead of nickel like...

letstalkguild.com

Guild HB-1 Pickup Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today I tear apart a vintage Guild HB-1 pickup. Why would I do such a thing to one of my favorite pickups? For the same reason that I used to take the phones apart when I was a kid in the ’70s: to see how it works. Don’t worry, this pic of a pure unmolested …

www.gad.net

Ralf

Man, that guy used to write a lot!

 

[GGJaguar]

Man, that guy used to write a lot!

I'm sure he'll write again! Hi ho Silver away!!

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

A soundpost is simply a piece of wood internally that connects the top and back of a hollow guitar or other stringed instrument. By connecting the front and back, it reduces vibration (and acoustic output) of the guitar, and changes the resonant frequency of the top. By doing so, it reduces the low end woofy feedback you can get from an electric archtop. The guitar will still sound hollow, and will still feed back, but at a higher sound pressure level and pitch. By placing it under the bridge, it deadens the spot of maximum excursion.

Heavier bracing can also be used. A combination, brought to it's logical extreme becomes Gretsch 'trestle bracing.'

The next step above that is the center block used in ES-3x5 guitars and some small bodied modern Gretsches.

The step above that is a chambered hollowbody like a Nightbird, Nightingale etc. Each incremental step gives the guitar more sustain, more attack, and less hollow sound, all things being equal.

Thank you so much Rocky !! It's very clear now!

I saw a soundpost in my harmony h70 meteor, right under the bridge, a simple piece of wood like you describe. Very interesting!
What is your opinion on the various soundpost like the gretsh or the center block in ES.. ? Also, I guess on 1950's M-75 aristocrat, the body is fully hollow without one, the absence of the F-holes were supposed to resolve the feedback problem. Can I assume that in these guitars there are no soundpost at all and they are fully hollow ?

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

Here are some great links to start:

Guild Anti-Hum and LB1 Mini-Humbucker Pickups | GAD's Ramblings

One of my most popular articles is Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations where I put into writing all the nitpicky details about those pickups that I’ve learned over the years. I often get people asking me about the Guild “mini humbuckers” from the 1960s and thanks to a recent project...

www.gad.net

Guild Full-Sized HB1 and SD1 Pickup Variations | GAD's Ramblings

One of the questions I see on the guitar forums quite a bit is, “What kind of pickups does this Guild guitar have?” Since I’ve posted in many of these threads, I seem to get a lot of emails with the same question. I thought that I might write up a quick summary of the …

www.gad.net

Guild AntiHum Mini-Humbucker Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today’s mad science experiment involves me tearing apart a vintage Guild AntiHum pickup from the mid-1960s. This rare item is pretty valuable, so if you’re sensitive about gore, best to look away. You and I both know that you’re not going to look away. Like with the vintage Guild HB1 I...

www.gad.net

LB-1 Reissue teardown

I finally got some time to diassemble the reissue LB-1 bridge and neck picks that I had laying around the house. It seems to be pretty much what I expected. The reissues are very close to the originals in most aspects. The most notable differences are the chrome plating instead of nickel like...

letstalkguild.com

Guild HB-1 Pickup Teardown | GAD's Ramblings

Today I tear apart a vintage Guild HB-1 pickup. Why would I do such a thing to one of my favorite pickups? For the same reason that I used to take the phones apart when I was a kid in the ’70s: to see how it works. Don’t worry, this pic of a pure unmolested …

www.gad.net

Ralf

Thanks Ralf! I found GAD's website yesterday while reading about the Guild Nightbirds as suggested by mavuser!
I was dreaming while watching the old catalogs describing the models available in the fifties...
I'll dig into the pickups explanation!

Thank you so much for sharing and for replying !