Anyone Own an Aristocrat HH?

[Canard]

There is a small music shop chain that is having a boxing week sale. There are a number of Guild items on offer, not at the absolute best prices but at reasonable prices. Among the sale items are some Aristocrat HH guitars.

I have read a number of reviews and watched what videos are available on line.

The general impression is that the build quality is surprisingly good for the price point of these guitars. Most people seem to like the split coil HB2s and are pleased with the almost P90 sound in single coil mode. A major point of criticism, though, is that the bridge pickups are a bit wussy in comparison to the neck ones - not a big thing for me - not a bridge pickup kind of guy ... well much anyway.

Does anyone own one and have anything to add?

Aristocrat HH Trans Black Burst | Guild Guitars

This marks the welcome return of a highly popular semi-hollow Guild classic, with a graceful double-cutaway thinline body and incomparable tone and feel.

guildguitars.com

 

[SFIV1967]

Stuart Day's Review of the Aristocrat HH (Trans Black)

Stuart Day, acclaimed luthier from New Galilee, PA, reviews the Guild Aristocrat HH (Trans Black) Spoiler alert -- he likes it, saying "This is a great guitar, man, for the price point I don't think you're going to find a better fit and finish, to be honest..." And, yes, this is my...

letstalkguild.com

NGD - 2020 Aristocrat HH (trans black)

I hope to post some pics (I didn't see how to do that from the mobile site?) and a mini review. It's not perfect, but this ones a keeper...

letstalkguild.com

Aerosmith Brad Whitford's new 2020 Guild Aristocrat HH in Snowcrest White with Guildsby

Looks like Aerosmith's Brad Whitford is again using a Guild guitar, this time a 2020 Guild Aristocrat HH in Snowcrest White with Guildsby as Guitar.com reports in their April 2020 story. Remember he was playing a Guild Nightbird in the past...

letstalkguild.com

 

[Canard]

Stuart Day's Review of the Aristocrat HH (Trans Black)

Stuart Day, acclaimed luthier from New Galilee, PA, reviews the Guild Aristocrat HH (Trans Black) Spoiler alert -- he likes it, saying "This is a great guitar, man, for the price point I don't think you're going to find a better fit and finish, to be honest..." And, yes, this is my...

letstalkguild.com

NGD - 2020 Aristocrat HH (trans black)

I hope to post some pics (I didn't see how to do that from the mobile site?) and a mini review. It's not perfect, but this ones a keeper...

letstalkguild.com

Aerosmith Brad Whitford's new 2020 Guild Aristocrat HH in Snowcrest White with Guildsby

Looks like Aerosmith's Brad Whitford is again using a Guild guitar, this time a 2020 Guild Aristocrat HH in Snowcrest White with Guildsby as Guitar.com reports in their April 2020 story. Remember he was playing a Guild Nightbird in the past...

letstalkguild.com

Thanks, Ralf. I so often forget to use the search feature here, the repository of all things Guild.

 

[Canard]

Went shopping today. .... Disappointment.

The Aristocrat HHs that they had had in stock were gone. The black burst one that I liked the look of had sold not 45 min before I arrived.

I tried an Ice Tea Burst Bluesbird and an Aristocrat P90. I loved the weight of the Bluesbird, a lot lighter than the Aristocrat P90. But neither of them did it for me. Nice enough but neither set my heart a flutter and had me muttering, "Must have, must have." It might have been a different story if there had been multiple ones to choose from. These were obviously old stock judging from from string wear - not the picks of the litter.

I tried a Sunset Orange Surfliner, which is a cool looking guitar from a distance but which feels cheap and junky in the hands with a close up inspection. That said it played well and sounded cool. If a used one popped up at a good price I would probably buy.

I played a number of higher-end acoustics from Breedlove, Godin, Martin, Guild, Cordoba, etc. Some were very nice, but I kept thinking there is my 70s F30 at home and none of these holds a candle to it.

I also played a P240 Memoir. I can see why some people profess not to like them. It was a very poor guitar by comparison to my P240 at home. I got lucky.