Introduction and my new 1957 Guild M-65 Freshman

[Justin Douglas]

Hi! This is my first post on the forum. Fell in love with an Aristocrat a couple years ago and have been looking for an M75 or M65 ever since.

Finally got my '57 Freshman yesterday - quite a story behind getting it.

I live in central TX, bought it off a fellow in northern CA. In the time between paying him and receiving the guitar, he moved, had his cell phone disconnected, and went to jail. Took 4 month of tracking him down to get it in the mail. When it got here, it needed some attention so I took it to my tech. He had laisk eye surgery that went horribly wrong and wound up keeping the guitar for another 2 month. But now it's here and amazing and I've finally got a reason to post on this wonderful board.

Cheers!

 

[skinny]

Welcome Justin,
Thats quite the story, but all's well that ends well !!
That guitar sure looks like it was worth the anxiety :wink:
It's just oozing with mojo!!

skinny

 

[hansmoust]

Hi! This is my first post on the forum. Fell in love with an Aristocrat a couple years ago and have been looking for an M75 or M65 ever since.

Finally got my '57 Freshman yesterday - quite a story behind getting it.

Hello Justin,

Welcome! Nice M-65 you got there. The 1957 dating is probably a little bit off; more like 1960 or somewhere around that time. If you give me the serial number, I might be able to tell you exactly on what day your guitar was completed.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[bluesypicky]

Welcome Justin! Beautiful oldie you got here.... and it seems you kinda got lucky to be able to track this guy down and have the guitar shipped after what happened!! You must have put on a detective suit for a while there?....
Congrats! Sure looks worth it. :wink:

 

[killdeer43]

Welcome JD.
Great looking guitar you have there!
You'll like it here so stay tuned and stay in tune. :wink:

*Nice photos with the old fence in the background!!

Joe

 

[jmac]

very cool guitar. welcome aboard.

 

[Justin Douglas]

Thanks all - yep just checked the serial (12520) puts it at 1960, good eye! Looks like my jailbird seller wasn't so accurate!

 

[killdeer43]

Looks like my jailbird seller wasn't so accurate!

Yeah, you just can't count on those jailbird types! :lol:
Still, you have the guitar now and a great story to boot!

Enjoy,
Joe

 

[Justin Douglas]

it seems you kinda got lucky to be able to track this guy down and have the guitar shipped after what happened!! You must have put on a detective suit for a while there?

Yeah - it's actually pretty scary what a couple hours and google can come up with if you're determined!

In all it was certainly worth the trouble. Someone did a terrible neck reset at some point and it'll need another sooner or later, but I wound up getting it for $400 + shipping so no complaints despite the ordeal!

 

[zizala]

Congrats on a great find.....bet its worth the wait!

I just acquired a '58 M-65 with the long scale and its light as a feather and a blast to play. My new love.
Its got the hottest Franz of all my Guilds, or it seems that way....but with the shallow neck position and angle that pickup's sitting close to the strings.

Its interesting and quite pleasing to go back and forth between a 17" Guild like an X-150 and this little thing.

Yours looks great....lots of character....enjoy.

ziz

 

[Justin Douglas]

That pickup cover was way too close for me too. My neck needs a reset at some point which will even out the action and i got a new bridge for it, but had to bring the pup down about 18" so the top frets cleared the pickup cover.

About the woodiest sounding guitar I've ever heard.

 

[Thunderface]

Welcome Justin, and like your M-65 Freshman. Let me ask, with the back story, are you constantly tempted to play "Folsom Prison Blues" on it?

 

[Justin Douglas]

I have yet to play folsom prison on this guitar - man I've played that song in so many honky tonks and dancehalls I wouldn't mind never playing it again.

Mean Eyed Cat though, now that's a song I just can't get tired of playing!

 

[adorshki]

I live in central TX, bought it off a fellow in northern CA. In the time between paying him and receiving the guitar, he moved, had his cell phone disconnected, and went to jail. Took 4 month of tracking him down to get it in the mail.

Ahhhh...one of those Craigslist ads.... :lol: :lol: :lol:
Welcome aboard!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Nice story and a nice guitar.

Welcome!

 

[thetragichero]

i love my 1965 m-65
it was my first guitar, bought at a yard sale ~1993 for 35$, and i always keep coming back to it

 

[Justin Douglas]

tuners for m-65 freshman

anyone know what good replacement tuners for this guy would be? the originals are fine, but for gigs it'd probably be good to have something a little more sturdy.
thanks!

 

[murkat]

I would look into the vintage Kluson line up. there should be a drop in replacement for the stock ones where no modification would be required. My original waffle back Klusons on my 72 Les Paul custom were shot, the New waffles dropped right in with no problem, the machining and ratio of the new are far more Superior than of late.