Shop.guildguitars.com

**Drifter** · 02-10-2015, 12:22 PM

I'm fed up buying Asian made guitars and having to swap the hardware before the fun begins. I would love to see Guild offering a deluxe import line, a little more expensive but with decent hardware - Switchcraft switch and jack, non rattling bridge and tuners that keep the guitar in tune properly. And if possible with nitro lacquer. Now that would be cool. I bet many people would be willing to pay the premium price (lower than American Patriarch of course).

Regarding the price discussion, it often seems that guitarists are more interested in the price-performance ratio than in the guitar. Paying too much seems the biggest sin there is for guitar players. I wonder if the same people are as price-conscious when they buy a car, go on holidays or to a restaurant. Ghee people, if you fell in love with a guitar, and if you can afford it, for heavens sake, switch off your brains and get that damn thing.

**Para** · 02-10-2015, 02:01 PM

My Son-in-Law has just spent £60,000 ($91,550) on a new BMW M4 coupe, makes guitars seem quite cheap really

**snoskier63** · 02-10-2015, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

If you're referring to the calipers that Marty Garss posted a photo of . . you're gonna need an much bigger set for me and Archtop!!

**Spook410** · 02-10-2015, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by cc_mac

Good question and yes the 1100 was also reproduced for <snip>

Thanks Chris. Very informative and well written post. They may be withholding the 1100 in larger numbers to encourage purchase of exclusive guitars for now but I'm sure they know there is a market for them. I'll be keeping an eye out for an 1100 at an affordable price.

**jazzimprov** · 02-10-2015, 03:10 PM

"Hmmm . . . . is that your pecking order? You actually put your wife and mother in front of your guitars? Have you no shame?"

......only in case one of the 1st two, come upon this thread....

rule #1 in married life....... when you put it in print........................ ;-)

**Chazmo** · 02-10-2015, 05:58 PM

Sometimes I wait for the fog of GAS to clear and I find I missed an opportunity. I promptly bought a Rhythm Chief 1000 from the Guild web site as soon as I read this post. I just thought I better jump on it now that they sell them separately. I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but the vintage vibe is too much to resist! For about $80 with tax and shipping it's cheaper than buying a Kent Armstrong, Bartolini, etc.

**snoskier63** · 02-10-2015, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Chazmo

Sometimes I wait for the fog of GAS to clear and I find I missed an opportunity. I promptly bought a Rhythm Chief 1000 from the Guild web site as soon as I read this post. I just thought I better jump on it now that they sell them separately. I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but the vintage vibe is too much to resist! For about $80 with tax and shipping it's cheaper than buying a Kent Armstrong, Bartolini, etc.

Chazmo,

Put it on your Guild Orpheum.

**Marty Grass** · 02-10-2015, 09:10 PM

So here are the measurements, including the American Patriarch AA.

Heritage Sweet 16#1 (0.83, 0.93)

Heritage Sweet 16#2 (0.81, 0.94)

Super Eagle (0.81, 0.93)

Heritage Johnny Smith (0.79, 0.91)

Heritage 550 (0.83, 0.94)

Thornton Improv (0.85, 0.94)

Guild AA 2004 (0.83, 0.94)

Guild AA 2014 (0.85, 0.94)

I measured the width of the necks at the first fret on the following guitars.

Heritage Johnny Smith (1 3/4" nut) 1.79"
Guild Johnny Smith AA 2004 1.75"
Guild AA 2014 1.75"
Sweet 16 1.69"
Heritage H157 (Les Paul) 1.73"

Conclusions: This particular 2014 American Patriot Artist Award has a pretty average (medium) neck. That's what the measurements indicate and that's how it feels.

Here are a couple of pix that show the two Guild AAs side by side. Besides the scale length being shorter on the new one, the body shape is clearly different. Go figure.

**Archie** · 02-10-2015, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

Yes the new Guilds do have a very anaemic look to them, almost anorexic.

**Marty Grass** · 02-10-2015, 09:47 PM

You crack me up.

If I named my guitars, I might have named her Twiggy out of inspiration from you.

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

Yes the new Guilds do have a very anaemic look to them, almost anorexic.

**snoskier63** · 02-10-2015, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

So here are the measurements, including the American Patriarch AA.

Heritage Sweet 16#1 (0.83, 0.93)

Heritage Sweet 16#2 (0.81, 0.94)

Super Eagle (0.81, 0.93)

Heritage Johnny Smith (0.79, 0.91)

Heritage 550 (0.83, 0.94)

Thornton Improv (0.85, 0.94)

Guild AA 2004 (0.83, 0.94)

Guild AA 2014 (0.85, 0.94)

I measured the width of the necks at the first fret on the following guitars.

Heritage Johnny Smith (1 3/4" nut) 1.79"
Guild Johnny Smith AA 2004 1.75"
Guild AA 2014 1.75"
Sweet 16 1.69"
Heritage H157 (Les Paul) 1.73"

Conclusions: This particular 2014 American Patriot Artist Award has a pretty average (medium) neck. That's what the measurements indicate and that's how it feels.

Here are a couple of pix that show the two Guild AAs side by side. Besides the scale length being shorter on the new one, the body shape is clearly different. Go figure.

Great looking guitar! So based on your measurements above on that group of guitars the neck thickness is tied for the greatest on the new AA, and the width second to only the Heritage AA? Interesting indeed.

Also interesting about the shape. Guild is known for these subtle differences. I wonder how this new one compares with the original GJSAA in terms of shape as the GJSAA was the model.

Have you had a chance to play it much? Do tell once you do. Being brand new may contribute to some differences in tone, but clearly the shapes are slightly different, so I'm very curious.

**Archie** · 02-10-2015, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

You crack me up.

If I named my guitars, I might have named her Twiggy out of inspiration from you.

Funnily enough, my mum was a twiggy lookalike back in the roaring 60's. A very pretty girl for sure (can one say that about ones mum?) lol

**Marty Grass** · 02-10-2015, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

Funnily enough, my mum was a twiggy lookalike back in the roaring 60's. A very pretty girl for sure (can one say that about ones mum?) lol

This is a major hijack, but yes, Twiggy was stunningly pretty. I liked her better when she filled out a bit more, as seen in the Blues Brothers.

More recently:

Twiggy displaced Jean Shrimpton as the UK supermodel. I guess Jean was too old (mid 20s) or had too much meat on her bones. But she rolled out the miniskirt in the early 60s.

Back to your regularly scheduled program.

**Hammertone** · 02-10-2015, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

Here are a couple of pix that show the two Guild AAs side by side. Besides the scale length being shorter on the new one, the body shape is clearly different. Go figure.

The newer one very much evokes the "original" '50s 17" Guild body style, with a narrower waist.

**Chazmo** · 02-10-2015, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by snoskier63

Chazmo,

Put it on your Guild Orpheum.

LOL! I'm actually eyeing my '51 Epiphone Zenith. I have been resisting a magnetic pickup so I can keep bronze strings on her, but the prospect of putting that period correct Rhythm Chief on may be more than I can bear.

**Drifter** · 02-11-2015, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Chazmo

Sometimes I wait for the fog of GAS to clear and I find I missed an opportunity. I promptly bought a Rhythm Chief 1000 from the Guild web site as soon as I read this post. I just thought I better jump on it now that they sell them separately. I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but the vintage vibe is too much to resist! For about $80 with tax and shipping it's cheaper than buying a Kent Armstrong, Bartolini, etc.

Price is up already. $119.99 now.