NEW Guild M75 Aristocrat

[Jazzman301]

Has anyone here played one of the new M75s? I kind of want to buy one even though its not exactly what I want in a small body archtop it seems like it COULD be a nice guitar for the money.

[kamlapati]

I've owned some vintage ones so I'm keen t try out the new one too. Like you said, could be a nice, or even a great, guitar.

[Jazzman301]

The demo that Guild has is honestly awful. Almost any guitar would sound that way through distortion. Its not a real demo of the guitar. Its a demo of one aspect. It would be cool to hear the pickup combinations clean, distorted, rock, jazz and maybe hear its acoustic properties as well.

No great demos on YT either and no jazz demos.

I think I might end up ordering one of these from AMS in September when they are back in stock.

'Mike

[Jazzman301]

This is a video talking about the new Guild guitars. Apparently they tooled up and recreated the Franz P90s!!

This is a clean demo of a new M75. Not really a jazz demo but its a clean demo.

This is a video comparing a vintage M75 to a new M75 Newark Street. Some nice blues tones here.

I ended up buying a new M75 from American Musical Supply on one of their Payment plans. It should ship out some time in early September.

'Mike

[Jimmy Mack]

I played one today at Sam Ash here in NYC.

Fit and finish are beautiful.

I would have to go back, and use a strap to balance it. Sitting down with a little guitar just doesn't suit me ergonomically because i need the neck to ride high , closer to me head.

But the sound was very very nice. Played through a Fender Deluxe Reverb RI with the Jensen speaker. Nice lively sound. I would lower the action considerably before buying, to get the best re-action. This one had tallish frets and higher than my usual action. The tone through these p/ups is lively. I liked that.

I also played the Starfire IV with the smaller Guild humbuckers. This guitar was set up real nice. Played great. Tone was very very nice. I wanted to check out the Starfire III really, but it was not readily available.

But judging from the two I did play, these Korean Guilds are amazingly nice instruments, esp at the price of $1000.00.
If I had the funds, I'd buy one of each.

[Jx30510]

Reviving this thread because I've been lusting on the M75 since they where out in 2013, and just keep watching an eye on them ever since.
They don't seem to be very sought after, and not many reviews or comments on it.
What I have just only discovered is that the bridge is totally floating on the top.. how could I have missed that since the beginning?!
Well visually the bridge is very confusing because you might think the metal posts are mounted in the top, on some kind of wood block glued underneath the top..
But no, the metal feet just sit on the top like a wood bridge would, that is a very unique concept, I've never seen that before. That's I was mistaken since the beginning..
So has anyone actually bought the M75?
Does it do a proper jazz sound? I find it to sound a bit bright, but that doesn't really bother me, the tone pot is there after all.
And has someone tried to fix an all wooden bridge on the top? I'm very curious about the results..

All in all, I will certainly purchase this guitar before summer, I've been gasing on it for so long I feel there must be a good reason for me to love it.
Really like the full small hollow body, very simple yet unique design, and think it might be the perfect guitar to play a jazz/rock crossover in a louder band.
any thoughts?

[zizala]

I haven't tried the current Newark Street Korean M-75's so haven't heard the repro "Franz" pickups .....but have played and enjoyed several vintage single pickup long scale M-65's for jazz.

I accept a wide range of tone/sound for jazz....they were fine for that.
I never had a problem with the sound of metal feet and wood saddle.....but I'm sure a solid wood bridge could be made and would work well.

I let those go a few years ago....wish I'd kept at least one, but the little guitar big sound fascination has passed in favor of comfort...
I'm very tall and am sitting and settling down with much bigger bodied guitars these days.

[Jx30510]

Oh interesting, didn't know about these M65 's

I find the M-75 sometimes sounds a bit muffled, without a lot of sustain, with the notes decaying very very quickly..

Wonder if it's an impression?

The 2 demos of these M75 by Greg KOCH at Wildwood are quite impressive (well besides Greg IS an impressive player)

Great great versatility seems to me

[feet]

i'm also curious about these silly little things. they aren't that expensive, the specs are interesting, they are super light, a decent size but i fear they are a little bright and snappy for my liking. there doesn't seem to be a simple aftermarket pickup solution, either. you're having them rewound or you're routing the thing out for something else. maybe wish they had a humbucker option. or at least be able to wedge minis in there, or some filtertrons perhaps.

here's a solid demo (in czech) that suggests its a great sounding guitar, whether its what i want or not:

and here's some more clean action of the super fancy version, if that can teach us anything:

[jazzbow]

Drop the 'Guild' on the headstock, put 'Yamaha' and you've got an AEX 502


Not fully hollow but a fraction of the price of a M75!

I bought mine new and the nut and frets were spot on and no tweaking was necessary.

Pickups are quite hot too.

[neatomic]

guild aristocrat non f hole hollow was part of a 50's wave, that included similar builds like the hofner club



and kay barney kessel


still a cool design!! and kudos to cordoba guild for continuing to reissue the aristocrat

btw, just a note...when this thread was started, guild was owned by fender (fmic)... they subsequently sold the brand, & these days cordoba owns the guild name...(and appears to be doing a fine job with reissuing historic models!)


cheers

[D.G.]

I have one. The pups are alnico 2 so I actually find them a bit difficult to dial in sometimes, but it never fails to bring the goods on the gig. I'm pretty sure it has 50's wiring, but I'm really afraid to try and take it apart! Not what I would call a good mod platform -- unlike a Tele -- so you pretty much need to accept it for what it is. If you're looking for humbucker tones, you won't find 'em here.

I actually just picked up another Guild, a T-50 Slim, which has an alnico 5 pup, but no 50's wiring. This one I might try to put the 50's wiring mod on though!

[jazzbow]

I actually just picked up another Guild, a T-50 Slim, which has an alnico 5 pup, but no 50's wiring. This one I might try to put the 50's wiring mod on though!

Ooo! Please tell us more. This model is on my 'Must try' list.

The Guild video on YT has a country singer and a blues rock slide from R. J. which is fine but that's about it.

I've tried the Epiphone Century and was left underwhelmed.

[jazzbow]

and kay barney kessel


cheers

Airline Tuxedo.

Another one for the 'Must try' list

[Jx30510]

I was wondering how the pickups are mounted on the M75? Since it's sensed to be fully hollow, and there aren't screws on the sides of the pickups like a dog ear P90, (the design is like the rectangular P90 with two screws going thru the pickups that should be tightened in the wood under it), what are they screwed to?
I tried to google and find pictures of the inside of the Aristocrat, but didn't find anything..
Imagine you would want to change the pickups, I don't know what alternative would be possible.

[feet]

I've tried the Epiphone Century and was left underwhelmed.

likewise. the only differences that i know of is the aristocrat is made in korea vs china and has a different radius, maybe like 9 or 10 vs the standard 12. the slim is also an interesting option but i'm not sure what else justifies the difference between it and the century. id probably change the pickup on that, too.

I tried to google and find pictures of the inside of the Aristocrat, but didn't find anything..Imagine you would want to change the pickups, I don't know what alternative would be possible.

no clue. rewinding is the only "drop in" replacement i could think of.

[neatomic]

Airline Tuxedo.

Another one for the 'Must try' list

airline tuxedo is nice guitar..has a vintagey feeling chunky neck..caveats being they can be pretty heavy, and the pups can be a bit noisy/harsh

cheers

just remembered tim lerch made a vid..he later changed out the pups to lollars (and made update vid)

[mad dog]

I tried two of the MIK M75s. The first was excellent. Great sound, feel. The second (three years later) was different, higher frets, not nearly as comfortable a guitar. So I guess "try before you buy" would apply here.

BTW, I had both theYamaha AEX 502 and the AEX 520. About the same size as the m75, but more heavily built, sort of like a tele thinline only with chambers and f holes on both sides. Whereas the M75 is light, fully hollow, thinner top. A whole different thing IMO.
MD

[neatomic]

aristocrat is not full hollow..has center block..thats how they mount pups...it was guilds attempt at a cross between a les paul and an archtop...in the guild guitar book by guild scholar hans moust, he quotes the guild 1954 catalog..they call it " an exclusively developed lighter semi-solid body..."

(great book btw)


the black aristocrat has been blown out on sale at MF a few times

another option might be the hofner ct club..similar (semi- ie.center block) hollow design with german made mini-humbuckers...these also were blown out at super sale prices..so can be found used fairly inexpensively..nice guitars



cheers

[mad dog]

You're right Neat. I misspoke. The M75T does have a center block. Judging from weight and sound, guessing it doesn't go the full length of the body. But that's only a guess.
MD

[pubylakeg]

Relevant thread from a couple of years ago,
NGD: Guild Aristocrat M-75

[Jx30510]

From the specs I saw on a German Music Store, the Aristocrat M75 Korea version does not have a center block.
It's fully hollow with parallel bracing.