1961 Guild Aristocrat M-75 'Baby' Starfire

I received this 1961 Guild Aristocrat recently...sporting a pair of DeArmond Dynasonics, a cherry Starfire like finish and Bigsby B7.

Thought maybe someone here would have some info or experience with this version of the Aristocrat.

Nope, but I would LOVE to see a pic!!!

Pics would be helpful.

5-22-13

I'm a bit frustrated & confused. I have tried to figure a way to post pictures but currently when I post it states "You may not post attachments"...basically I do not have permission or the ability to add photo attachments. I have PM'd three different times to two different administrators to persue the proper way to get authorization/permission with no response...can anyone help me navigate to a position where I can add pics to this post or suggest a protocol to follow to get the proper authorization. I must be doing something wrong. It is a cool guitar to see...I'd like to post some pictures.

MARICOPAA said:

5-22-13

I'm a bit frustrated & confused. I have tried to figure a way to post pictures but currently when I post it states "You may not post attachments"...basically I do not have permission or the ability to add photo attachments. I have PM'd three different times to two different administrators to persue the proper way to get authorization/permission with no response...can anyone help me navigate to a position where I can add pics to this post or suggest a protocol to follow to get the proper authorization. I must be doing something wrong. It is a cool guitar to see...I'd like to post some pictures.

Click to expand...

We can't post pictures directly to LTG. So open an account with a web-based photo hosting site (photobucket is popular and free) and upload your pictures to them. Once you've done that, you can grab the address for the picture, and enclose it in tags, using the "Insert Image" button on LTG's reply toolbar.

There used to be a "sticky" for this on the old LTG site, but I can seem to locate it here in the new world.

Good luck. Once you've done it a few times it's pretty simple.

Dave

OK...with the help of the administrators this ludite is making an attempt at including a photo of the guitar mentioned in the subject...hope it works ;-)

She's a beauty!

Niiice! That one is going to show up in my dreams for the next few nights...

Don

OOoo!!!! That is super nice and super rare. Shame about the Grovers, but otherwise....wow!!!!!!

Cool guitar.

According to Hans' book , a cherry-finished M-75 with DeArmonds is pretty rare. He has one pictured with gold hardware on page 71.

Dave

IwannitIwannit!

Yes, that's a nice and somewhat rare guitar, but don't call it "Baby Starfire" as it has nothing to do with a Starfire (except the Cherry-Red, which was the Starfire finish in 1961)...Otherwise I recommend getting the Bible for more info.
Ralf

I think the Les Paul sort-of shape, the same cherry finish and the single coil DeArmond Dynasonics are reason enough to call this Aristocrat a 'Baby Starfire' of sorts...of course it's a squint your eye kind-of-thing ;-) No 'F' hole...rounded lower horn vs the sharp Starfire design...still...of all Aristocrats it is the closest.

These pics are really not close enough but they give the general idea ...well sort of:





I gotta say she plays beautifully...intonates spot on and works exactly like you'd hope she would.

O.k., I get your point of view, I just never heard anybody to refer to it as 'Baby Starfire'.
By the way, the neck pickup seems to be mounted 180deg around?
Ralf

Interestingly the pickups come in both orientations. Here is an example of a 1962 GUILD STARFIRE II with the same orientation as the 1961 ARISTOCRAT. It should be noted that neither guitar sounds like anything is 'out-of-phase' with the pickup selector toggle switch in the center position and both pickups up and running:

Whooa! That's quite the rare gem you have there, especially with a Guildsby B-9. I'm guessing that the tailpiece and the bridge are later add-ons, like the tuners, although I'm sure the whole package sounds killer.

I'm very interested in hearing whether Hans has any factory records on it as well.

Well, it wouldn't be out of phase unless one of the pups had the leads reversed.

Disagree with the baby Starfire moniker, because Aristrocrats are rarer and more valuable that Starfires. ;-)

Default said:

Well, it wouldn't be out of phase unless one of the pups had the leads reversed.

Click to expand...

Or the magnets flipped so top would become bottom.

I like the Baby Starfire idea. I would love one of these in black to keep my Starfire III company!

I like the 'BABY STARFIRE' moniker as it sets this version of the Aristocrat apart. It is really a nice guitar and fairly rare I think. The Bigsby came on this guitar according to the original owner (he's the guy I got it from...his name is Steve). He bought it in late 1961 from Pampalone Music (owned by Vito Pampalone) in or about Boston. He was 17 years old when he got it. He ordered it with the Bigsby...or it arrived with the Bigsby. Possible Pampalone Music installed it on this guitar but I don't think so from everything I've heard.

Here's what he wrote me:

"I purchased it in the fall of 1961 directly from the Guild guitar salesman who said it was the first one made and asked if I would promote it to my musician friends so Guild could make a decision on whether they wanted to produce more units. So, unless my memory is incorrect or the sales guy was making it up, this is the first one. I made two changes to the Guitar for playability purposes. First, I changed the bridge. The aluminum one could not be adjusted for proper intonation and secondly, I replaced the original tuners with Grovers for much improved tuning. Other than that what you see is original."

He sent me this cool picture of him playing the guitar at The Green Frog circa 1961 ( a venue just down the street from Fenway Park). I love getting some history with an instrument...being able to hear about the life of this guitar has been fascinating and much appreciated. It was a one owner instrument and so uncirculated and under the bed for over 50 years...

Lovely guitar, great picture. Congrats & enjoy!