55 Aristocrat with Birdseye top

[mickj]

Thought you all might want to see this one. She's a 55 Aristocrat with a birdseye top - pretty rare. I spoke with the luthier at the shop and he told a tale of horror about this one. Somewhere in it's past a somewhat warped person had spray painted it black. Fortuately, the original laquer finish had not had not been stripped, so a bit of careful work and the original finish was intact. For you purists (like me) I know the bridge is wrong, but the original bridge was still in the case, so an easy replacement. But before you run for your checkbook, it's already been sold (no not to me). Enjoy.

http://www.wronashouseofviolins.com/1955Guild_M75_Aristrocrat_body_dsc019.jpg
http://www.wronashouseofviolins.com/1955Guild_M75_Aristrocrat_front_dsc017.jpg
http://www.wronashouseofviolins.com/1955Guild_M75_Aristrocrat_head_dsc018.jpg


Mick

 

[Kap'n]

Wow. :shock: It looks as if Paul Bigsby was working in Manhattan!

 

[dklsplace]

Seems we had one very similar come up in a thread not long ago. Was it an ebay thing?

 

[mickj]

No, not an ebay item. It just came up during my search for some parts for my project Aristocrat.

 

[dklsplace]

I meant the one we discussed here. I'm pretty sure it was an ebay guitar. The center stripe is pretty memorable on an Aristocrat.

 

[jp]

Seems we had one very similar come up in a thread not long ago. Was it an ebay thing?

Yeah, it was an eBay thing. One showed up on eBay pretty torn up and falling apart. There were questions about whether it was a Guild or not. Of course Hans identified it as a true Guild, and if I recall, he had only seen a few of them before. That and this one makes the two I've seen. Maybe this is the same one after some serious TLC.

Either way, thanks for sharing, Mick. Very cool. Wish I had one!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Is the truss rod cover on up-side-down?

I hate it when they put the later model one's on up-side-down 'cause they think it should look like a Gibson!

 

[ave del noche]

Yep, this is the same one. The guy that won the ebay auction fixed it up. I don't think Hans ever said he was certain it was 100% original, however.

 

[john_kidder]

A beauty. The top reminds me of the birdseye on my '89 Nightbird.