NS Aristocrat vs Bluesbird

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New member here. Not even sure if this is the right forum. I'm looking to buy one of these two, but am not in a location where a test run is an option. I'd appreciate all opinions on both guitars. Thanks.
 

Default

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Yup, you're here! The Aristocrat is completely hollow - a real featherweight. I had a goldtop and that was one I wish I had back, I haven't any experience with the Bluesbird though.
 

GAD

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Biggest differences are the pickups and the tailpiece. I'm sure the build matters, as Default pointed out, but I'd bet that you'd notice the pickups most of all.

The top is spruce on the Aristocrat and Maple on the Bluesbird, but I've postulated that the top is a veneer on the Bluesbird. I can't prove that, though.

The pickups in the Aristocrat are the same as the pickups in the T-Bird-P90 that I reviewed here: http://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/03/27/guild-newark-street-t-bird-st-p90/

Hmm. Maybe I should be on the lookout for a NS Aristocrat to review...
 

PittPastor

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Yup, you're here! The Aristocrat is completely hollow - a real featherweight. I had a goldtop and that was one I wish I had back, I haven't any experience with the Bluesbird though.

Being hollow, but with no F-hole, I'm just curious, is feedback every a problem?
 
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Biggest differences are the pickups and the tailpiece. I'm sure the build matters, as Default pointed out, but I'd bet that you'd notice the pickups most of all.

The top is spruce on the Aristocrat and Maple on the Bluesbird, but I've postulated that the top is a veneer on the Bluesbird. I can't prove that, though.

The pickups in the Aristocrat are the same as the pickups in the T-Bird-P90 that I reviewed here: http://www.gad.net/Blog/2019/03/27/guild-newark-street-t-bird-st-p90/

Hmm. Maybe I should be on the lookout for a NS Aristocrat to review...

Do the Franz pickups produce more him than a Strat or Tele?
 

PittPastor

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No; that's the whole point of the no f-holes.

I only ask because I saw online someone said they got feedback from the Aristocrat, and that surprised me, for that very reason.

Biggest differences are the pickups and the tailpiece. I'm sure the build matters, as Default pointed out, but I'd bet that you'd notice the pickups most of all.

The neck on the aristocrat is 9.5" radius, is that right? IIRC the bluesbird's neck is a 12"...? I get that the tone is different because of the pickups. The weight is much different because it is hollow. How does the neck feel compared to the Bluesbird? Are they basically the same?
 

AcornHouse

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I only ask because I saw online someone said they got feedback from the Aristocrat, and that surprised me, for that very reason.
That's more a function of the pickups now. You can feedback with any guitar, regardless of solidness, if your amp settings are a certain way. And that can be a good thing. (Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix...)
No f-holes control the uncontrollable feedback you can get with a hollowbody, or flattop. Look at Neil Giraldo with Pat Benetar. He uses a Starfire III at full volume with the f-holes stuffed, and his feedback is now a choice.

I've never had a problem with my Aristocrat.
 

Walter Broes

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Biggest differences are the pickups and the tailpiece. I'm sure the build matters, as Default pointed out, but I'd bet that you'd notice the pickups most of all.
The body difference is just as big in this case, and really does make a substantial difference in sound, sustain, feel,...

The Aristocrat really is a mini archtop, fully hollow body with a floating bridge that isn't supported by anything else than the top. The Bluesbird is a chambered solidbody - routed out block of mahogany with a maple top on it.
And those really are pretty big differences. The Aristocrat feels and sounds like a mini archtop - short on sustain, big on resonance and bloom. The Bluesbird in comparison is more like a lighter weight, more resonant Les Paul.
 

PittPastor

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The body difference is just as big in this case, and really does make a substantial difference in sound, sustain, feel,...

The Aristocrat really is a mini archtop, fully hollow body with a floating bridge that isn't supported by anything else than the top. The Bluesbird is a chambered solidbody - routed out block of mahogany with a maple top on it.
And those really are pretty big differences. The Aristocrat feels and sounds like a mini archtop - short on sustain, big on resonance and bloom. The Bluesbird in comparison is more like a lighter weight, more resonant Les Paul.

Very nice delineation. I'm not the OP, but I thank you.

FWIW:

Guild Bluesbird in action on an Eve 6 song played on the David Lettermen show. Not the usual demo, because this is in the mix, but that's usually where we end up playing a guitar...

 

mavuser

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the aristocrat has to be significantly lighter than the bluesbird. the aristocract is fantastic, i briefly owned one. people like the bb too, newark streets are nice
 

krysh

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and a comparison with the aristocrat, here the american patriarch model:


i believe soundwise the eve6 sound should be doable with the right amp and or pedals.
 

GAD

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The body difference is just as big in this case, and really does make a substantial difference in sound, sustain, feel,...

The Aristocrat really is a mini archtop, fully hollow body with a floating bridge that isn't supported by anything else than the top. The Bluesbird is a chambered solidbody - routed out block of mahogany with a maple top on it.
And those really are pretty big differences. The Aristocrat feels and sounds like a mini archtop - short on sustain, big on resonance and bloom. The Bluesbird in comparison is more like a lighter weight, more resonant Les Paul.

Yeah, I'm not sure why I seemed to discount the build, but you're absolutely right, of course.
 

GAD

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the aristocrat has to be significantly lighter than the bluesbird. the aristocract is fantastic, i briefly owned one. people like the bb too, newark streets are nice

The Bluesbird is very thin - much thinner than the '90s and '00s BBs, and was surprisingly light on its own.
 

adorshki

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I've postulated that the top is a veneer on the Bluesbird. I can't prove that, though.
Only looked because you got my curiosity up.
Laminated tops are better for inhibiting feedback so it seemed logical even on a chambered body, besides which that's some expensive looking maple, but from the website today:
"Today’s reissue features a carved maple top"
Carved normally means solid, and I assume the description is correct but we have seen errors before, so?.....
But unless it's show to be incorrect, now assume it's there for the sustain enhancement.
I'm thinking once a pickup/mounting ring's out, one should be able to check the edge of the top to see if it's layers?
Or is that not actually possible?
 

GAD

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Only looked because you got my curiosity up.
Laminated tops are better for inhibiting feedback so it seemed logical even on a chambered body, besides which that's some expensive looking maple, but from the website today:
"Today’s reissue features a carved maple top"
Carved normally means solid, and I assume the description is correct but we have seen errors before, so?.....
But unless it's show to be incorrect, now assume it's there for the sustain enhancement.
I'm thinking once a pickup/mounting ring's out, one should be able to check the edge of the top to see if it's layers?
Or is that not actually possible?

It's an inexpensive guitar with a top that's WAY too nice given it's price point. I don't think sustain has anything to do with it. I think there's a carved ugly maple top with a veneer of pretty flame on top. Again, I can't prove it short of using a bandsaw, so I'm just stirring the pot as it were.
 

DThomasC

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The body difference is just as big in this case, and really does make a substantial difference in sound, sustain, feel,...

The Aristocrat really is a mini archtop, fully hollow body with a floating bridge that isn't supported by anything else than the top. The Bluesbird is a chambered solidbody - routed out block of mahogany with a maple top on it.
And those really are pretty big differences. The Aristocrat feels and sounds like a mini archtop - short on sustain, big on resonance and bloom. The Bluesbird in comparison is more like a lighter weight, more resonant Les Paul.

I was trying to figure out how to express the difference when Walter did it for me, better than I could have.

The Aristocrat won't feedback as easilly as a big hollowbody, but it will do it MUCH more easily than a BB or any solidbody. It's fairly controllable, so it can be kind of fun.

The Franz pickups are similar to P90s, but to me they are brighter and sparklier without quite as much midrange. This makes them easier to get a good clean sound out of. They - like P90's - respond well to adjustments in the tone and volume controls which means not only do they still sound good with the knobs turned down, but they sound different. I.e. there's a lot of flexibility, more than most humbuckers. You can roll the tone back and the volume up and get a very good blues tone, but they don't quite bark and growl like a P90. They are higher output than a Strat pickup. Slightly lower than the lowest wind humbucker. Lots less than an overwound humbucker.

The Aristocrat top is laminated spruce. To me, they sound very different from laminated maple or mahogany archtops. There's less of a thud on pick attack and more of a shimmer. With the right settings I can get mine to be reminiscent of a flattop acoustic. Not exactly the same but strummed chords have some of the same bloom and swirl.

The neck is a little on the narrow side, but it's a full round carve, so I find it very easy to play. The test of any neck is whether I do or don't think about it while playing. I completely forget about the shape of the neck and radius of the finger board once I start playing. So from me it gets a passing grade.

As Walter said, the Bluesbird is closer to a solidbody, but with a little added resonance. They are wonderful sounding instruments, but not at all like an Aristocrat. My playing style changes when I switch from one to the other. In most cases the BB necks are a tiny bit wider as well as deeper. But again, it's not so big that I can't forget about once I start playing.

Finally, I can confirm what GAD said about the top on a NS Bluesbird. It is solid carved maple covered with a veneer of fancy curly maple. It's purely a cosmetic thing.
 
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