Guild Artist Award Benedetto Version

This review is a follow up to an earlier review. I've owned this guitar for over a year now and have had enough time to look objectively at its strengths and weaknesses. I won't comment on the features as they have been covered previously. By the way,this guitar was made in the Westerly RI plant before Fender closed it and moved the production to CA (serial # 1064).

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a gigging musician and play this guitar primarily in my house or at jam sessions. I also play jazz with an emphasis on chord melodies. I first put D'Addario Chromes (flatwounds) or Thomastik Infeld (TI) George Benson (flatwounds) on this guitar but quickly gravitated towards TI George Benson's (roundwound) or Bebops (also roundwounds). I've been a flatwound user for years but decided to experiment with TI's roundwounds. This guitar has a warm (for an archtop) and lush unamplified tone and has a very balanced response across the strings and roundwound really bring this out. This guitar comes with a Seymor Duncan built Benedetto pickup. I was initially concerned that the absence of adjustable pole pieces would prevent me from balancing string volume but it?s really not a problem on this guitar. I own another solid top archtop that is parallel braced (the AA is xbraced) and that guitar benefits from the adjustable capability of the Kent Armstrong pickup. By the way the KA built pickup (not the KA WD brand) is a fantastic floating pickup. That being said I'm happy with the Benedetto pickup. I play this guitar through a few different amps (tube and solid state) but my primay amp is a Genz Benz 85 watt Shenandoah SS acoustic amp. When I'm playing at home, I add a bit of amp to overcome the other noises in the house e.g. TV etc. but in a quiet room its really unnecessary I'm still struck by just how beautiful this guitar sounds when playing chord melodies. Complex chords sound well balanced and articulate and single notes are full and round. Just a great acoustic instrument. As with my other archtop, that wonderful sound is less apparent when you raise the volume. If I was to play out in a band situation, I'd probably use a solid or semi-solid bodied guitar but for low volume solo or chamber group situations this guitar is just fantastic.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, this guitar had one finish flaw, a discoloration in the abalone boarder on the headstock inlay. I wish I could say like some other review writers that it gives the guitar "character" but I would be lying. Other than that the guitar is flawless.

In my earlier post, I described a scratching sound when I dragged my finger across the pickguard. This was eliminated by wiping the pickguard with a dryer sheet e.g. Bounce. The neck has remained true and while there appears to be a light elevation on one or two frets in the upper portion of the neck, it has not been a noticeable problem. Another minor complaint is with the tailpiece. The channel where the string balls reside is a bit snug particularly with the G string and it requires a fair amount of force to extract the string (when I do a restring). This is not easily fixed with the tailpiece mounted to the guitar. The risk of slipping with a screwdriver or another tool while trying to spread the channel apart and hitting the flawless spruce top is too great. So I'll live with it until I can find a better way to fix this or when I remove the tailpiece. My one big complaint is with the Grover tuners. I like the look but they are crap for a guitar costing this much. Two of the tuners stick and bind. The G string started first and now the high E string tuner is exhibiting the same friction problem. This is not an adjustment issue.

Guild was fair and reasonable when I returned the first guitar and Anne Allman of Annies Guitars has been super. I haven't mentioned the tuner issue as for now I can live with it but its damn annoying.

I really love the way this guitar plays and sounds. If it didn't have the finish flaw and the tuner problem it would rate a 10 across the board.

This is my second Artist Award. The first was returned after discovering several finish flaws. See my earlier review. After a couple of days with the initial guitar, I decided to return it, as the finish problems were in my mind unacceptable for a guitar listing at 10K. After showing the various problems to Anne of Annie?s Guitars, she agreed with my position and called Guild directly. In fairness to Anne, I purchased the initial guitar a year ago when I lived in Savannah, since then I?ve moved to Va. And due to my business schedule, neither Anne not I had much time to look at the guitar. I just picked it up and hit the road. Anyway, Guild was very responsive and told Anne they would replace the guitar with the next sunburst. It my understanding my initial guitar was shipped to Bob Benedetto for his evaluation. Apparently Mr. Benedetto?s view of what constitutes an acceptable finish/top on a 10K list instrument differs from Anne?s and mine. Regardless, Guild replaced the guitar roughly a month and a half later. So I?ll leave it there. Now as far as features go, it?s already been documented. One correction to my earlier review, Bendetto?s name is inlayed on the 19th fret not 12th.

Beautiful! Articulate, although, to my ears the first guitar seemed to have a bit more bottom end. But no complaints in this department. Amplified its super (through a early 70's SF Pro Reverb). Absolutely a joy to play.

With exception of the same spotting on the tailpiece (See other review?according to Mr. Benedetto, all I need to do is get some gold polish), this guitar was flawless in the finish department. My only other complaint is there is a grounding problem on the pickguard. When I touch the area around the volume pot I get static. In fairness to Guild , I have not yet reported this problem.
Action: The first Guild played slightly better. And the treble side of the bridge is nearly as low as it can go. Fortunately its ok for me now. That being said there is nothing a good setup won?t fix. I have yet to purchase an instrument that didn?t require some adjustment to suit personal tastes. As far as ease of playing goes, the neck is a dream.

It?s a well made beautiful guitar. No complaints. Its too bad that Guild is closing their Westerly Rhode Island Plant (where this guitar is made). The craftsmanship is just super on this guitar. When I adjusted the truss rod after its shipment from Savannah to Va, I noticed in the wood under the cover was the intials of one of the craftsman...nice touch.

As far as Annie?s Guitars and Guild I can?t say enough. I?ve purchased several guitars from Anne and I couldn?t ask for a better dealer. She fair, customer oriented, understands guitars and is honest. Not to mention she?s a fine guitarist and drummer. Guild was quick and responsive. I have to thank James Knox of Guild for addressing my concerns in a quick and professional manner.

I've been playing for a good while (early 70's) with a long break in between. . I purchased this over other guitars because (1) I've wanted an AA since the 70's (2) I haven't played a recent Gibson(in the same price range) that could hold a candle to this guitar and (3) In the event I sell, I felt the resale value would be better than one made from and independent luthier. I'm very happy with the guitar

I ordered this guitar in June/July of 2000. As far as I know its made at Guilds Rhode Island shop. It has a 3? body depth, solid carved X braced European spruce top, solid flamed maple back and sides, flame maple neck with ebony fret board. Gold plated Guild harp tailpiece, gold Grover tuners, multiply (6+) around top, back, neck, headstock, adjustable ebony bridge, graduated abalone inlays fret board and large abolone/mother or pearl Artist Award logo on headstock, the name Benedetto inlaid at the 12th fret. Single non-adjustable Bendetto pickup (now built by Seymour Duncan) with a single volume control mounted on a black plastic bound pickguard. Jack for electronics is located in the tailpiece.

I really enjoy the tone from this guitar. This guitar has a loud, articulate and full-bodied acoustic sound. Now it doesn?t have as much bottom end as my solid flat top acoustic (Cfox) but it?s an archtop strung with D?Addario Chromes flatwound .12s But non the less its really dynamic and very even across the entire fretboard. I?m really partial to flats but I will try a set of .13 round wounds on the next string change to hear the difference. Amplified through my 45 watt SF Fender Pro Reverb its just kills. Lush and great note separation Complex chord voicing just ring and linger. Double stops and octaves just sound so clean and full. I would really like to hear this through a good quality solid state clean amp e.g. Clarus,Megabrain with a Raezor's Edge speaker cabinet <my next possible purchase>. I?ve really had a blast playing this guitar over the past week I?ve owned it. I play mostly jazz of the Wes Montgomery,Kenny Burrell, early Pat Martino variety and this guitar is a perfect fit.

This is where I have a problem but to be fair I?ll grade the various categories separately. Mind you this is an expensive guitar and cost should be a factor in any numeric evaluation. I expect a 6K guitar to be flawless. I expect a lot less from a $600.00 guitar and should evaluate accordingly.
Action/Playability: 10, Intonation right one, neck plays like butter, fretwork is flawless
Inlay work and binding work: 10, super. Exquisite if I could give an 11 it would deserve it.
Overall body, electronics: 10, tight construction, solid. Electronics and pickguard mounting are clean and vibration free. Pickup is cleanly mounted off the top of the guitar so as not to impede vibration of top. By the way, for an archtop with a metal bridge it?s a light guitar.
Hardware: 8, Gold tailpiece is shows signs of surface pitting or poor plating. But to be honest I can?t tell what it is, it may even be some type of overspray. I can?t feel it but it?s visually noticeable. Initially figured it would wipe off but it appears to be in the plating.
Finish: 8, Again this is an expensive guitar and I don?t expect to see the things I?ve seen. The top has about three areas where the grain appears to be marred. Under closer examination it actually appears to be in the wood since the grain bends to the marking. Anyway it?s under the finish. By the way this is a sunburst finish and it?s very attractive. However, the markings on the top are visible to the naked eye and are from 3/8 of an inch long 1/8? wide to a 1? and * long by 1/8? wide. The longer one actually goes across the grain and runs under the tailpiece. This condition is less noticeable when looked at head on but really stands out when looked at an angle under lighted conditions. Really hacks me of on a guitar this expensive. In addition, when looking at the condition described above, I noticed what appeared to be faint very narrow white scratches running parallel to the grain. These are visible to the naked eye but after looking at it will my 2X Optivisor it looks like it filler or white areas in the top underneath the clearcoat. It only shows up in the dark areas of the finish so it almost looks like the darker finish didn?t take or was absorbed into a faint crack leaving a faint white line in the top. These are really faint and frankly I didn?t notice them until I started looking at the other problem. It may seem like nitpicking to some but when you spend the kind of money they are asking for this guitar plus wait 8 months; it ought to be close to perfect.

To early to rate, I?ve only had the guitar for about a week and a half now but its well built and solid so I expect it to last.

Can?t speak to this, as I haven?t dealt with Guild. I did communicate through Guild representatives via the inline Fender forum but it only related to the initial setup. However, it has a lifetime warranty to the original owner.

I've been playing since the early 70's with a long break in between and have owned a bunch of guitars over the years. Would I replace it if it were lost or stolen? Not sure. I might try a small independent luthier such as Megas etc. But if I did it again, I would not buy without examining and trying it first. I've only played one custom archtop (a Triggs solid top) and the Guild is a better playing and sounding instrument. I've played a number of Gibson L5s, and Hertitages (solid top) and again in my opinion, this guitar plays and sounds superior. Overall it?s a fantastic sounding and playing guitar and if it weren?t marred by the problems described below it would be a 10.