Unusual Guild M-75 Aristocrat

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Has anyone seen an Aristocrat like this one? I've searched the web for years but have never found a Guild that's similar. It's a 1962 model, judging by the serial number, the last year the original M-75s were made. What's unusual about it is its color -- Starfire red instead of sunburst -- and its pickups -- humbuckers instead of P-90s. I got it in 1970 in a pawn shop in Central Square in Cambridge (traded a lame Les Paul Professional for it) and have had it ever since. The Bigsby was added by the previous owner, and three of the original knobs were lost when the guitar was lent to a friend. But otherwise it's all original. Does anyone on the Forum have one like it?

1962_aristocrat_web.jpg
 

dreadnut

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That's pretty!

I'd say you got the better deal in the trade.
 

AcornHouse

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Welcome Blooms! 1st post with pic, and an interesting ‘62. Hopefully Hans will be chiming in on if the finish (et al.) is original or not.
 
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Ha! Yes, agreed. I'd worked all summer to by a Les Paul like my idol, Mike Bloomfield, had, but all I could find for the money was an LP Professional. Quite a disappointment. When I saw the Aristocrat hanging in the window of the pawn shop, I knew I had to have it. Done deal!
 
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Thanks, AH. Yes, I heard from Hans and sent him the guitar's serial number which he hopes will produce more info about the instrument's history. He says that it may have been started in 1962, thus having a serial number from that year, but may have been completed later, which might explain the humbuckers. Those, by the way, were originally gold-plated, but that finish has long since rubbed off.

On an interesting side note, I was living on the South Side of Chicago in the mid-'70s and lent the guitar to my friend, guitarist Steve Ditzell, who was then playing at Theresa's in Sammy Lawhorn's band (Lawhorn had been Muddy Water's guitarist). Steve's guitar had been stolen and he needed a quick replacement, and I was happy let him borrow mine. It was a month before I got the Aristocrat back, and Steve told me Sammy loved playing it. But for some reason all its knobs had been replaced with Gibson knobs! That's why the guitar's knobs are contemporary recreations.
 

SFIV1967

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It's a 1962 model, judging by the serial number, the last year the original M-75s were made. What's unusual about it is its color -- Starfire red instead of sunburst
Welcome to LTG! The last S/N for 1962 would be 22722. Cherry red was introduced in 1961 to the Aristocrat. So probably also the laminated mahogany top is from that time. The headstock is a early 60ies one but the mini humbuckers and the later style pickguard make me think if this guitar was actualy a leftover structure that was finished later in the factory. The mini humbuckers started by around 1963 I think but not that pickguard. I am sure Hans will let us know.
Ralf
 
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Thanks for the info, Ralf. My serial number is 20728, so I suppose that would date the neck at least to 1962 or maybe earlier. If the rest of the guitar was from 1968, and I got it in 1970, it had seen some pretty rough treatment during those two years! The backside finish was buckle-scarred and the plating on the pick-ups was nearly all gone, and the tail strap button was missing. The Bigsby had been added, but the holes for the original harp remain. It was also strung left-handed when I saw it in the pawn shop, so I couldn't really play it until I got it home and restrung it (I'm a righty)!
 

Zelja

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Great looking guitar but I can't get my head around the knobs that went missing. Super weird! No reasonable explanation? I don't know about most people but if I borrow a guitar from someone else I treat it better than my own.
 

GAD

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Great looking guitar but I can't get my head around the knobs that went missing. Super weird! No reasonable explanation? I don't know about most people but if I borrow a guitar from someone else I treat it better than my own.

I've known a fair number of people that hate Guild knobs because they feel cheap. It wouldn't surprise me if someone put on Gibson knobs and lost the originals.
 

sailingshoes72

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Welcome to LTG. That is a sweet looking M-75 Cherry Aristocrat! And, I'll bet it sounds great, too! :welcoming:

I enjoyed the story about Steve Ditzell/Sammy Lawhorn playing the guitar at Theresa's on Chicago's Southside. That axe has some serious Blues Mojo associated with it! Good for you for hanging onto it for all these years.
 

SFIV1967

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If the rest of the guitar was from 1968
Oh no, I only thought the pickguard is like a 1968 style, not the body, but Hans corrected it to 1963. I didn't know they already used mahogany tops on that model in 1962/63 either. Obviously yes.
Ralf
 
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bloomdisco,

Growing up I lived around the Boston area and owned a black mid sixties M-75 Bluesbird with gold hardware. I clearly remember seeing an M-75 just like yours at a Knights of Columbus hall teen dance in Franklin, Massachusetts, sometime in 1966. At that time all of us young players were gear crazy so the memories of this are good, plus I owned one. I loved the finish, Bigsby and sound but could never find one like it.

The group's name was "The Heaters". They were from Boston and played through Superbeatles. Configuration was: guitar, bass, vox continental, and drums. The drummer's bass head logo said, "What? The Heaters?" I believe the guitarist's last name was Croteau and the keyboard player's name was Larry Lovejoy who supposedly was a Community Auditions accordion player winner. The guitar's sound caught my attention when they played covers of the Rascal's "Do You Feel It" and The Who's "My Generation". Hope this helps!
 

walrus

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Welcome to LTG, Freemechanic! Mentioning "Community Auditions" is quite a blast from the past - I remember the show well!

walrus
 
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