NS Aristocrat vs Bluesbird

Quantum Strummer

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I play my NS Aristocrat unplugged nearly as often as plugged in. It's quite loud & punchy with nice high end presence. Very little bass, as you'd expect from a soundhole-less small body. Plugged in and at full guitar volume & tone the pickups hit an amp's initial gain stage pretty hard, a lot like P90s but with with more treble and less midrange. It's a guitar that benefits from being plugged straight into an amp…much more interactive via the pickups' direct output impedance than when using effects gizmos (which lowers the impedance of the signal hitting the amp quite a lot).

-Dave-
 

GAD

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Whelp, I went and got myself a NS Aristocrat so I'll add that to the review pile.
 

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Brought to you by the Undisclosed Location, New Jersey chamber of commerce, America's Home Of The Review Pile!
 

dougdnh

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Little off topic, but the EVE 6 clip shows probably a USA Westerly Bluesbird, not the same beast as the current Bluesbirds. Just out of curiosity how different is the late '90's early 2000's Bluesbird from the current one? I own a 2000 made in Rhode Island BB, best solid body I've ever had.
 

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Little off topic, but the EVE 6 clip shows probably a USA Westerly Bluesbird, not the same beast as the current Bluesbirds. Just out of curiosity how different is the late '90's early 2000's Bluesbird from the current one? I own a 2000 made in Rhode Island BB, best solid body I've ever had.

They are very different. The Westerly/Corona Bluesbird is much thicker more like a Les Paul. They also just exude that Westerly/Corona quality guitar vibe in a way that the NS guitars can't match, and given how good some of the NS guitars are, that should give you an idea of how great the older Bluesbirds are.

My Fender Custom Shop Bluesbird-90 is poly-coated according to the catalog (one of only two in the catalog that are listed as not lacquer) but my Westerly Bluesbird sure feels like lacquer to me.

I did a bakeoff of five different Bluesbirds (though I think one or more of them didn't really have the Bluesbird name) here: http://www.gad.net/Blog/2017/01/27/guild-bluesbird-bake-off/
 

SFIV1967

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but I've postulated that the top is a veneer on the Bluesbird. I can't prove that, though.
The guild webpage states: "Today’s reissue features a carved maple top". Doesn't sound like a veneer to me.



Ralf
 

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The guild webpage states: "Today’s reissue features a carved maple top". Doesn't sound like a veneer to me.



Ralf


I could very well be wrong, but Gibson charges $8000 for guitars with tops like that and on every Guild NS Bluesbird I've seen the top is perfect. I just don't buy it.

Sure, Gibson charges too much, but given the tops I've seen from pretty much every other guitar maker out there, I have a hard time believing that Guild is producing so many perfectly book-matched full-thickness maple topped guitars at that price point.

Look at this picture from my review:

2016-Guild-NS-Bluesbird-BridgeCavity2.jpg



That really looks like the top mm or so is a veneer to me.

Here's my '97 Bluesbird to compare:

Guild-1997-Bluesbird-NeckCavity.jpg
 

AcornHouse

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Look at this picture from my review:

2016-Guild-NS-Bluesbird-BridgeCavity2.jpg



That really looks like the top mm or so is a veneer to me.
Curly maple would show the curls on top continuing down the side. We only see that for 1mm or so, as GAD said. After that, it disappears. Since this would be at the high point of the guitar top, that would mean the base wood is almost as tall as the highest point. That indicates a veneer over the carved base wood; the under wood could be easily carved by machine in an automated station, which is common practice.
So, yes, a carved top under the veneer; but not hand carved.
 

GAD

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Curly maple would show the curls on top continuing down the side. We only see that for 1mm or so, as GAD said. After that, it disappears. Since this would be at the high point of the guitar top, that would mean the base wood is almost as tall as the highest point. That indicates a veneer over the carved base wood; the under wood could be easily carved by machine in an automated station, which is common practice.
So, yes, a carved top under the veneer; but not hand carved.

So sayeth the wood guy!
 

SFIV1967

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@GAD: Sorry I missed that Al had brought up the topic already and you answered already before I wrote it. From your picture it sure looks like a veneer. And your argument about the price point also makes total sense. And we know how many times the Guild documentation was incorrect...

A good point to check might be what you show here: Isn't this already the maple of the top which is visible here inside? So it would be easy to compare that grain with the grain on the top. Direction and density.

Guild-NS-Bluesbird-ControlCavityTop.jpg



Ralf
 

Walter Broes

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Then again, whether there's a pretty veneer on top or not, technically it's still a carved top. So they're not really erm... "lying". :)
 

adorshki

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Then again, whether there's a pretty veneer on top or not, technically it's still a carved top. So they're not really erm... "lying". :)

Yeah I got no problem with it, I kinda like it, it's a way to get a nice solid carved tone with beauty to boot.
I still think the solid carved element is to enhance sustain and I think you seem to confirm that in your post #12.
I don't think this behaves like a "true" laminated top with at least 2 thin layers, at all.
 
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PittPastor

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Yeah I got no problem with it, I kinda like it, it's a way to get a nice solid carved tone with beauty to boot.
I still think the solid carved element is to enhance sustain and I think you seem to confirm that in your post #12.
I don't think this behaves like a "true" laminated top with at least 2 thin layers, at all.

You could market it as a feature: Doubletop.

Oh, wait...

Eastman Unveils New Doubletop Guitar Line
 

GAD

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I have no problem with the Bluesbird, but I have a problem with what I consider to be borderline deceptive marketing. As you might guess, that means I have a problem with all marketing. :eagerness:
 

adorshki

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I have no problem with the Bluesbird, but I have a problem with what I consider to be borderline deceptive marketing. As you might guess, that means I have a problem with all marketing. :eagerness:
Well to be fair thy don't say it's a solid carved top.
Suspect they figure buyers who care will look closer and those who don't, won't.

hqdefault.jpg

"As PT Barnum once said, Mandrake:
Marketing is too important to be left to engineers.
They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for colorful metaphor."
 

telemike

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I have both guitars. Bluesbird is my favorite. It's lightweight, comfortable and feels as good as a Gibson. The neck on mine feels great and frets play like butter. Aristocrat is more jazzy and delicate. Bluesbird is meant to Rock.
 

GAD

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I have both guitars. Bluesbird is my favorite. It's lightweight, comfortable and feels as good as a Gibson. The neck on mine feels great and frets play like butter. Aristocrat is more jazzy and delicate. Bluesbird is meant to Rock.

Now having the Aristocrat, I agree. It's VERY lightweight, and while it definitely can rock with those pickups in it, it feels like it's made out of balsa wood. I mean, it's crazy light. Neither of them come close to my Les Pauls, though, but to be fair those cost 10x as much. When it comes to quality and build, I would pit a '90s Bluesbird against a Les Paul, I wouldn't a NS Bluesbird. When it comes to sound, though, that's a different ballgame altogether.
 
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