NGD: Guild Artist Award

[JKA]

So, Ivan your delivery driver will be dropping off your parcel between 11.45 and 12.45 this morning...

Never seen or played one but hankered for one for many years. What to expect? Any forum members familiar with these? It's a Blonde 1997 model. I have a feeling though, from the serial number it's actually 1995.

I'm in a mind to purchase a new DeArmond 1100 Rhythm King to replace the floating humbucker...just looks better, but we'll see how the humbucker sounds first.

Appreciate any insights from past or present owners.

[tbeltrans]

Seeing that your NGD post went completely ignored, I will congratulate you on a fine choice that you will enjoy for years to come.

I did own an earlier Artist Award from the early 1970s with the DeArmond 1100 Chief (?) pickup (the one with the adjustable pole pieces that everybody seems to want for some reason).

Anyway, it was a gorgeous guitar, but for me the nut and string spacing was just too narrow - something less than even 1 11/16". Also, it was a big guitar which was rather uncomfortable for me due to some physical limitations on my part.

I sold it on consignment and somebody in Norway bought it. I hope s/he is still enjoying it because it was a really, really nice guitar. I recall the shop I consigned it through said that much of the value of the guitar was that particular pickup, not that the guitar had little value - I did quite well on that sale.

As I understand it, the newer Artist Awards were either built by, or influenced by Bennedetto. I think the nut and string spacing are wider than on mine and the tone is completely different. I did get to play a 1990s one on one occasion, but since I wasn't in the market, I remember little about it other than it was beautiful.

Tony

[JKA]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Seeing that your NGD post went completely ignored, I will congratulate you on a fine choice that you will enjoy for years to come.

I did own an earlier Artist Award from the early 1970s with the DeArmond 1100 Chief (?) pickup (the one with the adjustable pole pieces that everybody seems to want for some reason).

Anyway, it was a gorgeous guitar, but for me the nut and string spacing was just too narrow - something less than even 1 11/16". Also, it was a big guitar which was rather uncomfortable for me due to some physical limitations on my part.

I sold it on consignment and somebody in Norway bought it. I hope s/he is still enjoying it because it was a really, really nice guitar. I recall the shop I consigned it through said that much of the value of the guitar was that particular pickup, not that the guitar had little value - I did quite well on that sale.

As I understand it, the newer Artist Awards were either built by, or influenced by Bennedetto. I think the nut and string spacing are wider than on mine and the tone is completely different. I did get to play a 1990s one on one occasion, but since I wasn't in the market, I remember little about it other than it was beautiful.

Tony

Thank you for your reply. it was very kind of you to take the time, it's appreciated.

Yes, it's certainly a beautiful thing. I don't think the bridge is original so I ordered a Benedetto Ebony bridge from across the pond today. It'll rarely get plugged in to be honest so I'll just practice the handful of chord melody solos I've been working on. Nut is around 11/16th or a tad more so for me it doesn't feel cramped.

I'm quite tempted to put a modern DeArmond 1100 Rhythm Chief on it after hearing much praise about this iteration...

It'll get moved on at some point no doubt, but in the meantime I'll just enjoy owning a beautifully crafted guitar.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by JKA

Thank you for your reply. it was very kind of you to take the time, it's appreciated.

Yes, it's certainly a beautiful thing. I don't think the bridge is original so I ordered a Benedetto Ebony bridge from across the pond today. It'll rarely get plugged in to be honest so I'll just practice the handful of chord melody solos I've been working on. Nut is around 11/16th or a tad more so for me it doesn't feel cramped.

I'm quite tempted to put a modern DeArmond 1100 Rhythm Chief on it after hearing much praise about this iteration...

It'll get moved on at some point no doubt, but in the meantime I'll just enjoy owning a beautifully crafted guitar.

Yes, as I recall, those are very beautiful and I seem to recall the acoustic sound was quite nice, leaving no particular need to amplify unless performing for a room full of people.

Enjoy!

Tony

[Christopher D]

Oh well done!! wonderful guitars - I have a 1979 with the Dearmond and a 1995, the humbucker on this one has been replaced with a Dearmond. The neck suits me perfectly as I have smallish hands, the overall action is (In my opinion) similar to a well set up 335. I bought the second one from a guy who was 79 at the time and still doing a weekly gig, he didn't use the AA for gigs and made me promise to always wear a jumper when I played it. You'll probably know the history of Bob Benedetto's involvement with Guild and his redesign of the bracing? I've tried them both through a variety of Amps, care with the amp/guitar set up is always needed.
Regards

[Glennwillow]

Congratulations on this Guild Artist Award jazz guitar.

I didn't know anything about this guitar, so I looked it up. What a great looking guitar!

- Glenn

[Mark L]

These are excellent and definitely undervalued.

I had a similar era X700 Stuart for many years. Superb archtop built to the highest standards.

Just like some flat top players insist on tunnel vision with Martins, there’s a cult of tunnel vision Gibson brand archtop aficionados.

Guilds of that type take second place to none in build and performance!

All “imho”, of course, of course. .

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Mark L

...Just like some flat top players insist on tunnel vision with Martins, there’s a cult of tunnel vision Gibson brand archtop aficionados.

Guilds of that type take second place to none in build and performance...

Agreed - I love those Westerly-era 1-5/8" necks (my wife has an early-80's blonde F-20 that's a killer acoustic lead guitar), and that Gibson tunnel vision means that those of us who shop on the basis of tone and value-per-dollar reap the benefits (not just with Guilds, BTW)...

[radiofm74]

Dear JKA,

I apologise profusely for not celebrating what must have been a very special NGD with you. I have never even actually seen one in the flesh (wood?) but Artist Awards have always attracted me and I'm actually keeping an eye out for one. I still remember hitting a review of it in the Italian magazine "Chitarre" when I was a 13 yo kid. At the time I was into metal and Mahavishnu-style fusion, so an Artist Award was a few light years out of the perimeter of my interests. And still, seeing the guitar and reading the description was arresting: "aha, that's what a top-notch guitar looks like"! It was pre-internet, and I remember myself going back to that review many, many times…

Please tell us about your experiences, what music you play on it, … and in order to prove that it's ACTUALLY TRUE (you know, "pics or it didn't happen") you'd also have to make a little additional effort on the graphics side of things ;D

[Sage Runner]

Originally Posted by JKA

So, Ivan your delivery driver will be dropping off your parcel between 11.45 and 12.45 this morning...

Never seen or played one but hankered for one for many years. What to expect? Any forum members familiar with these? It's a Blonde 1997 model. I have a feeling though, from the serial number it's actually 1995.

I'm in a mind to purchase a new DeArmond 1100 Rhythm King to replace the floating humbucker...just looks better, but we'll see how the humbucker sounds first.

Appreciate any insights from past or present owners.

Hey Brother. If you can give us a up date on that Beautiful Guild. How’s it sound? Bet it’s sweet. I have always wanted one of those Artist Awards. Sage

[JKA]

Originally Posted by Sage Runner

Hey Brother. If you can give us a up date on that Beautiful Guild. How’s it sound? Bet it’s sweet. I have always wanted one of those Artist Awards. Sage

Happy to. It's 1995 with an AA000077 serial number.

It sound pretty jazzy! I have the tone rolled right back and using D'Addario 12 flatrounds. Goes through a Roland Hot Blues Cube (or sometime a THR10 on the acoustic setting) but mostly I just play it unplugged.

I'm thinking of changing (purely for aesthetics) the pick up to a repro DeAlmond 1100 but it's gonna mess with the pickguard unless I can get one made to fit the 1100...which is easier said than done here in the U.K.

I love Guilds...I have two acoustics, a D55 and an M20 and my first ever decent guitar back in the 70's was a D25CH (Cherry finish) which I loved.

[K20C]

Yours was a dream guitar for me many years ago. I wish I’d bought one, they are gorgeous. Congrats on your new guitar!!
Any chance of pics?

[JKA]

Sorry, can't post pics unfortunately as my tech is still running off gas power!