Hobbesickles,
I think that is a reasonable deduction. I will continue to list the guitar as the owner designates, since I have no way to tell one way or the other.....
I think you are safe with that designation. Very few people would be in a position to argue with you.
With the exception of the custom ordered guitars, of which there were a few, we only have the three colors you mention in AAA Tops. Once we get a couple people with Amber AAA Tops, and hopefully some paperwork, everyone here will be able to make a decision about what color/category their bird falls into.
I am very interested in how the quilted tops were manufactured. AAA Tops seem to me to have the maple in quite a natural, oft times imperfect state of perfection. Some quilted tops also seem to be of a natural origin, but others seem "manufactured" to look that way where you cannot see actual wood or grain. In any case if anyone has any insight on the manufacturing process for the quilted tops that might help lead to some answers to AAA vs Quilted or could it be Quilted AAA???
Its all about the discovery man.... good stuff.....
Thanks for the post Hobbesickles......when you get scanning back up, let me know (just PM me). I would like to get copies of that catalog. I have '01 on file but not '02. I am trying to amass as much of the actual catalog data as a baseline. Of course we know that catalogs are not always 100%, but it is sure a good way to start.
Ralph... I am definitely tracking. But also curious about these things. I cannot really do much until I have a hang tag, original paperwork or something showing me what an Amber AAA looks like...lol.
Also if the catalogs were incorrect for one year I might buy that. However, unless Guild was purposely putting out bad information, it is a little hard to believe that they would screw up the catalog every year of bluesbird production. From what I have seen, and with the exception of the common custom order, they only listed three colors for the AAA Top for the entire run of production. I will go back and look to make sure, but if that is the case, you would have a hard time convincing someone that for over six years Guild made the same omission/error in their catalog. I mean it could happen, certainly, but did that happen. I am not so sure. The mystery continues....!!!! My personal opinion is that some people that have "quileted tops" don't really have quilted tops at all, they have either a Natural AAA (perhaps custom or added to the line at some point) or an Amber AAA without any burst effect...... the other Quilted tops that don't show the wood grain and are almost perfectly symmetrical swirls in the deeper colors are probably just that... and not from AAA wood stock. Of course I have no proof of that.... it is just a thought that I had after looking at so many of these.
Let me know what you think......
Hobbesickles...
rock on... and enjoy that bird!
we'll look for a case for you........
2nevets.... do you have a line on a case for Hobbesickles? just figured since you had 10 Bluesbirds, you might have an extra case or three laying around!!!
Best,
Dennis