I played a Dearmond Semi Hollow and Les Paul style model yesterday and man they are super sweet guitars. The LP had the gold foil pups on it and the semi had the white p-90 dynasonic? pups on it. Damn if they were super super guitars for the money.

Any Dearmond owners in here? If so what models and what do you think?

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

This is my DeArmond M75



I love this guitar. Very high quality. A Shame they were discontinued.

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The time has gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.

I used to have one exactly like that, a Blackie.

Also used to own this M-72:



Still own this Jet Star:



@ OP: the gold foil pickups are humbuckers, called DeArmond Gold Tones. The single-coil Dyna-Sonic looking ones are indeed voiced like P-90's and are DeArmond 2K's. Both were made here in the US Fender plant.

They're very fine guitars. Only reason I don't have the M-75 and M-72 any more is because they all sounded very similar, plus I got some Gibson Les Pauls.

I always loved the Jet Star, I think Muddy used to play one in his early days, but maybe i am mistaken.

I have never heard anything but positive reviews of the Gold Tone pups, and after hearing them myself they sounded phenomenal.

Nice guitars guys thanks for sharing.

DO you guys have any idea what a fair going price would be for either a Dearmond Starfire or a M75 like the one shown? The ones I played seemed to be a bit overpriced from what I can gather.

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I sold my M-72 pictured above almost 2 years ago for $300 w/hsc.

The semi/hollowbodies are more though.

Oh, and you're right about Muddy, although that was called a Guild "Thunderbird" at the time I believe (note that the DeArmond Jet Star headstock retains the Thunderbird inlay).

wow $300 sounds like a great deal, that is the nice M series I have ever seen, and the hardtail seems hard to find, most have the bigsby which I am not crazy about, if you still had it i would have given you $400, it's was a killer top for sure.

a really nice double cutaway mint Starfire sold for $500 and I got home late from running errands or I would have bought it.

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I recently picked up an M65 with the Goldtone pups. The pups on this are amazing - fit and finish is better than my LP. Really an outstanding guitar - you will not be able to find something better for the money. Shame they were d/c'd.

DeArmond guitars were a sweet deal way back. I always liked the pickups. They were big at my local Sam Ash in the mid 90's and then disappeared. I had one and gave it to a close friend who needed a guitar as a gift. I always thought I could get another one.

I always thought of mine as the "best $1,800 LP" I only paid $300 for. It has much of the sustain of an LP and fairly high output pups. When I have rocker friends drop by to jam, I'd say 9 times out of 10 they stick with the DeArmond (as opposed to my Strats, Teles and one SG) the whole time.



My only real complaint (same as an LP) is the weight. I determined that this was made in the 3rd and final year of issue. According to one detailed review I read, they were making them fairly well by then. Must be, because this has great construction and has held up very well.

This is the M75T model.

I bought a black DeArmond by Fender M-65 in the middle of the largest snowstorm of this past winter and love it. Another overlooked, and under appreciated model of the "Fender family". Mine with two small paint chips that I've already repaired, NO wear on the frets and a neck as smooth as glass set me back all of $50.00 What a fantastic deal.

glad to see I am not the only one who likes the Dearmonds! I was thinking maybe it was my love for all things Guild and Fender, but they are super sweet axes

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

It is wild how overpriced people have these on EBay. I really want an x-155 but come on $700? Or a Starfire for $750? Too rich for my blood.

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

M-65's do not have Gold Tone pickups, unless someone modded yours. Here's a shot of the stock pickups on an M-65:



Iirc the above pickups were called DeArmotrons, but at any rate they are a different pickup than the Gold Tones, which have a silver/gold two-tone appearance:



I have never seen anything definitive, but the DeArmotrons were not marketed as being US-made, as the Gold Tones and 2K's were, so I believe they were probably made offshore. A "net-quaintance" of mine had an M-65 and loved the stock DeArmotrons.

I have a red Starfire that I picked up in a pawn shop four or five years ago. It came with a hardshell Guild case. I paid $400.00 for it then, and I would not take $750.00 for it now! I do not think it could be replaced for that, and why would I want to replace such a remarkable guitar? I also have a blue M75 that I bought on E-bay for $300.00. Again, I would be hard pressed to think I could replace it for a similar amount of money.

I agree. Any fair (with regard to original selling price) amount would be far less than they're really worth in terms of tone, playability and other factors (durability being one). By no means was I exaggerating when I said I'd put mine against a genuine LP whether in playing or in quality. They were very nicely made, particularly once Guild had learned how to deal with the Korean factory.

I have no intention of selling mine, but if I did, there's no way I could sell it for what it's worth to me. I wouldn't feel at all guilty to accept $1,800 for it, knowing full well what I paid, because I consider it one of those rare gems I had the luck to get for far less than true worth.