Guild Aviator 85? 86? s285

bastarddarsh

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Can anyone tell me anything about the Guild Aviator s-285? I have a black one with a strat shape body, and a pointed headstock. It has Emgs i think they are active.

Dave


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1986 GUild Aviator s-285
1977 Guild D-25M
1987 9th in 87 D25 SB
Year unknown f-45CE SB acoustic/electric Cutaway
 

matsickma

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Hi bd,

If the guitar body is not a symmetric double cutaway it is not a Aviator. It could be a few other possibilities so it is best to post a picture. I beleive the Aviator came under two different model numbers: S284 for poplar body wood and S285 for maple body wood. The Aviators came in a variety of PUP configurations. I have seen a single bridge HB PUP, dual HB PUP and S,S, HB pup combo. The PUPs also vary between active EMG's and passive Dimirazo and California. My particular model is a ivory colored S, S, HB with EMG's and Kahler trem.

M
 

guildzilla

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Information from the May 1, 1986 Guild price list:

List price without case - $799 w/ California HB/S/S and rosewood fingerboard. Available options and upgrades - ebony board ($60), Kahler trem ($200), EMG pickups HB/S/S ($265), flame maple body ($80), hard case ($150).

All the Aviators that I've seen have a Kahler fulcrum trem (not a flat mount 2300) and an ebony fingerboard.

I like them very much, but Matsickma, Accept2 and Hans (of course) are the real experts on these.
 

Accept2

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Doesnt the S285 have the fancy inlays? I have 4 of the S284s and have found refrences to them as Starlings and also Aviators. Only one of mine has Aviator written on it. It does have a different headstock than the others, but I dont see any reason for a different name. Although it could be a case of a name change as they began marketing such as the Crusader/Bladerunner, or numorus other examples from other makers.....
 

The Guilds of Grot

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I sent a long PM to Hans about this very topic.

He said it would take too long to answer at this time and I would have to wait for "The Book" part II.
 

guildzilla

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FYI on the subject, the two Aviators I've had carried SN's HG100554 and HG100664. Both had Aviator on the headstock and are from 1986, I think.

The one that I still own is HG100664 listed in my signature. I bought it as a project and recently got exceptional deals on a NOS Kahler 2500 - the exact replacement for the original which was semi-FUBAR - and new EMG pickups, an EMG 81 humbucker and pair of active single coils. It has this fabulous finish color that I would describe as electric crimson. Not finished yet, but if I can solder it up myself, I'll have an awesome guitar for about $250.
 

bastarddarsh

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guitar.jpg


Ok this picture is ridiculously small its the only one i have of the guitar. It is black doesnt say aviator, serial number hg100406. It has EMG humbucker/single/single, Kahler Trem, i changed the gotoh tuners(chrome) to black grover. Ebony Fretboard i dont know what type of wood the body is.
 

matsickma

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Hi bd,

Yes. Your guitar looks like a black poplar S284 Aviator. I think the maple bodies all had transparent finishes.

M
 
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