Artist Award Tuners

SFIV1967

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A 1990 one also shows it with Grover tuners:

18485_Guild_1990_Artist_Award_Natural_JA100250_d.jpg


Ralf
 

hansmoust

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There's a 1995 AA for sale over on the Acoustic Guitar Forum and it looks like it has regular Rotomatic tuners with the Imperial knobs instead of Imperials. Did they change to these at some point in the production history, or were these possibly swapped out?
Brad

Hello Brad,

The change to RotoMatic housing with the Imperial style knobs already took place at the very end of the 80's.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
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Brad Little

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Thanks, Hans.
I wonder if they were having problems with the Imperials or if it was just a cost effective move.
Brad
 

AcornHouse

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No. Other way around. And Hans said at the very end of the 80's.
Ralf
Unless you're reading something different.
Hans said:
The change to RotoMatic housing with the Imperial style knobs already took place at the very end of the 80's.

They changed TO the Imperials at the end of the 80's (not BY as I mistyped.)

Are we saying the same thing?? Now I'm confused by your "other way round." :topsy_turvy:
 

davismanLV

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Just to be clear to those that aren't aware of the two different tuners, the tuners that come from Grover with the Art Deco style knobs are both the Super-Rotomatics (14:1 ratio) and the Imperials (16:1 ratio). BOTH have the Art Deco Knobs but are different tuners. Traditionally, the Imperials have been used on archtops but obviously Guild has used BOTH. So, I'm not sure who changed to what/when.... but just know those are two different types. Same knob, different tuners. I know a lot of limited edition and specialty flattops came with the Super-Rotomatics with the Art Deco knobs. Like my DV72 and my D65S. Apparently they've used both on the Artist Award models? Maybe hard and fast rules are not good when referencing Guild.....
 

SFIV1967

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O.k., pictures always help:

The first is a Grover Imperial tuner.
The second a Grover Super RotoMatic tuner (which has the same knob as the Grover imperial):
GTM150C.jpg
GTM109C.jpg

The original question was if it is correct that a 1995 AA has RotoMatics.
Hans answered the change (from Imperial to Super RotoMatics) happened at the very end of the 80's.

Ralf
 
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hansmoust

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This 1990 (JA100261) AA also still had the Grover Imperials:

Guild%20Artist%20Award%20Model%201990%2008.JPG

While there's always that possibility that Guild still had an old set of Grover Imperials lying around and used it on that guitar (which would not be unheard of) I believe that the Imperials on that guitar were added after the guitar left the factory; maybe somebody preferred the looks of the Imperials?
To be honest, I don't know and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't really matter. Unless I come across a couple of others from the same period with those same Imperials, I stick with what I've researched so far.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
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SFIV1967

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While there's always that possibility that Guild still had an old set of Grover Imperials lying around and used it on that guitar (which would not be unheard of) I believe that the Imperials on that guitar were added after the guitar left the factory; maybe somebody preferred the looks of the Imperials?
Hans: I am sorry, you are completely correct, I cannot say they were the originals as they are larger than the RotaMatics, hence it is not possible to see if something else was used under them originally. Thanks for the clarification! It's so easy to make wrong conclusions...That's why it is so great to have somebody like you to set us straight!
Ralf
 
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