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GAD

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F312

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What do you think about that aviator 284? All aspects as I know you can.
Ralph
 

GAD

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What do you think about that aviator 284? All aspects as I know you can.
Ralph

We'll get there.

Right now I'm at the "tear it apart, clean it, take gut pics, string it, take more pics" stage which if followed by the "measure everything" stage, and then the "document the electronics" stage, which is then followed by the play it hard for a few days stage which is when I write up all my notes.

Plus I have a job and stuff. :peaceful:

So far my gut reaction is that it feels like a modernized S300 that's been super-Stratted.
 

GAD

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So it looks like this is the guitar I bought from Guitar Center: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?189126-Question-about-Aviator-finish-op

Thanks to Hans for connecting the dots for me. I think I'm going to give it the full review treatment tonight and likely return it tomorrow because I paid too much for it given this newfound knowledge. It's not a bad guitar at all (I actually rather like it), and the restoration work is actually quite good, but knowing what I know now I wouldn't have paid what I did and I'll never get my money back being honest about its history. If I can talk them into knocking a couple hundred off the price I may keep it, but otherwise probably not.
 

GAD

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Crap. Well yesterday I had every intention of returning it, and I still might, but there's just one problem: this guitar is an absolute blast.

I stand by my statement that it feels like an Super-stratted S300 because that's pretty much how it feels in my hands. If someone had handed me one of these in the '80s I may have put down my S300 for a long long time. Hell I may have even traded it in.

There are some things about it that I'm not crazy about, but none of them are deal breakers. I'll have the review up sometime this week (probably).
 

txbumper57

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Crap. Well yesterday I had every intention of returning it, and I still might, but there's just one problem: this guitar is an absolute blast.

I stand by my statement that it feels like an Super-stratted S300 because that's pretty much how it feels in my hands. If someone had handed me one of these in the '80s I may have put down my S300 for a long long time. Hell I may have even traded it in.

There are some things about it that I'm not crazy about, but none of them are deal breakers. I'll have the review up sometime this week (probably).

They are extremely under rated guitars in my opinion GAD. Mine is an absolute Monster and I am normally not a fan of the EMG pickups but they are just right in this setup. The Aviator sustains for ever if you let it. With 10's on mine I can hit a note unplugged and still feel the note resonating through the guitar for 15-20 seconds after the audible tone range is gone. Everything about the Aviator just feels right to me. The balance, effortless neck, and over all build/materials quality are just superb. There have been a couple of Famous guitarists that own these as well including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Joe Perry to name a few.

Just curious but what is your issue with this one being restored as opposed to original? Did you pay an astronomical price for it or something?

TX
 

GAD

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Got any links to the celebrity stuff?

I don't like paying too much for stuff. I like to haggle too much and paid basically mint price for a refin with the wrong tuners.

The good news is that mint price on these is not that much ($600ish) and the playability is off the charts which is a good balance to have. The tuners, while wrong, are still good.

Plus I'm lazy and GC is far.
 

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Well, I didn't return it. I'm weak. Plus, a Guild in hand and all that.
 

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Hey GAD, Sorry it took me so long to respond, The pain pills snuck up on me this afternoon and out like a light I went. Here is a link to a message board were it is referenced that Steve Vai's S284 Aviator was stolen along with 6-7 other guitars. The info is down the page a bit under the title "Need Value of 1987 Guild Aviator".eed value of 1987 Guild Aviator.

http://www.guitarsite.com/database/Stores/rec/516/?page=2

My understanding from the Guild Rep I got mine from was that they sent out a few of them to prominent Guitarists of the day in the eighties to try and get some feedback on what they thought of the guitars. The rep told me everyone they sent one too loved them so much that they kept them. Vai was one of those Guitarists. Joe Perry was actually signed on with Guild at the time or he was about to and that is when he got his. I will hunt for more links as they are out there and post them as I find them for you.

Here is an ad on Sweetwater's Trading Post that references it as well.

https://tradingpost.sweetwater.com/14497-used-guild-aviator-1985-us-made-strat-style

Here is a link to a Thread here on the forum from 2008 with tons of info on the Aviator. A member even mentions a Joe Perry Signature model with dual Humbuckers and Gold hardware selling on Ebay for $400!

http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?148361-guild-information-aviator



TX
 
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txbumper57

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There was an Article that I read a few years back online tying the Aviator to Vai and Satriani as well but I can't find it anywhere. It might have been in the Harmony Central Archives. Must have been about 3 or 4 years ago when I was researching mine after my purchase. Nice find on the Joe Perry Axology photo Walrus! Joe Perry's looks like it had plenty of play time on it at the time that photo was taken with the evident Pick wear on the face of it.

TX
 

GAD

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Awesome - tracked down all the articles mentioned and bought old copies of Guitar World containing them on eBay.

Thanks guys!
 

txbumper57

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That is Awesome News! Not a lot of people know the History and how great the short run of the Aviator actually was. To me personally it is in a league all of it's own when it comes to 80's Electrics. Cool to know that some of the best Guitarists of that period and really any period had there hands on them as well. Glad you found the articles!

TX
 
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