Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

[Gearjoneser]

In the mid nineties, for about 3 years, Guild had an import line, DeArmond, which I think were Korean copies of the 'old DeArmond' company.
One of the first and best Korean guitars ever made, in my opinion.
Anyway, Fender bought Guild around that time, and cancelled the DeArmond line, most likely because Fender already has a fully stocked budget line.

So, from about 96-99, you could get these excellent quality Gretsch-type DeArmonds from $200-$600. Nowadays, these gems are becoming available second hand for around $200-$300. Keep in mind, these are better than Gretsch's current Korean guitars, and you can get them cheap! They also have DeArmond USA pickups, which look and sound excellent.

I just snagged a used mint one off Ebay for $275, and let me tell you, it's like having a Gretsch Duojet for the price of a good OD pedal. This thing has a charcoal flametop, two-tone hardware, and the neck plays as good as my Gibsons. Keep your eyes peeled for these! So killer, so cheap!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3776317570&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[Youngpup]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

I have always wanted a Gratch since i was a boy. My uncle had one for years when he was in a band. about 6 years ago he traded at a pawn shop for a gorilla amplifier and a emerson stereo. When I heard about it I almost cried, it was the first electic I ever got to play. I will have to watch for one of those DeArmond's.

Younpup

 

[theodie]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

Thats a sweet guitar Joneseer!! Do you know what king of woods it made from? Also, whta kind of wood did those years dearmond use?

 

[joelap]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

Joneser --> could you post some clips or describe the tone of the pickups?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

DeArmond By Guild guitars are Korean build copies of 50's and 60's Guild guitars, which are very Gretsch like guitars. The have either "DeArmond 2K" single coils or "Gold Tone buckers", some of the very cheep guitars has plain looking chrome buckers...all the pickups are very good IMO. They even have pretty damn good hardware for a real cheep guitar. Lots of the models have a Bigsby tailpiece, and IMO it is far better that the Bigsby's that come on the Epiphones. They used lots of agathis as well as alder, and mahogany. The fit and finish was way ahead of a lot of things...even some high dollar US made guitars!!! The binding was good, the fret work was killer, and best of all they sounded and played like guitars that cost 3 and 4 times as much as they did! I uses to have an M75-T...it was the same body as GJ's but it had DeArmond 2k pups (these pickups sounds AMAZING!!!) and it had a Bigsby tailpiece...I bought it on clearence form GC for $199.99 NEW, and loved it. They had Les Paul'ish guitars like GJ's, they have a few Gretsch like guitars, a few full on hollow body guitars, as well as a few Guild S 100 clones, some 12 strings, and even a copy of a Guild Thunderbird so you could get your Electric Mud thing going on (the young guys are lost now!!!).

I think these are great guitars, and can be picked up cheep...they are worth way more that you will pay for them as a solid playing, well built guitar.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

Joneser --> could you post some clips or describe the tone of the pickups?

To my ears the DeArmond 2k singles sounds just like the 50's DeArmond pups, and for the "Goldtones" which is what GJ has in his...to my ears they sound a loyt like 59's...GJ, what do you think???

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

now you've got me interested again

 

[Wattage]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

fender still makes most of the DeArmond line they just label them Fender now.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

wattage is right, they are squires now, but the quality has slipped a lot. I had one of the first year starfire specials. good guitar but the more i tried of that line, a few years later, i noticed a slip in their quality too. the closer to 98 or 99 you can get the better the guitar IMO.

 

[Stratsky]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

Nice looking instrument. Great price.

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

I've got a Dearmond M77-T. Same shae as pictured but with 2k pickups and a Bigsby type rem unit. Chambered agathis body with a maple top I think. Very cool guitar! When Guitar Center blew it out I bought it new for $250. It retailed for $1000.

Hint: The guitar is sort of odd shaped to find a hardcase, but the Epiphone Wildkat hardshell case fits it perfeictly.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

That is a nice looking guitar GJ. I have always like the shape of the DeArmonds in that style. I like the neck action too. Cool.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

The pics I have are from the Ebay auction, and don't even begin to show how great this guitar looks in person. It's truly been kept in a case since new, and I can't find one flaw on it. It plays better than any Gibson right off the wall. The pickups remind me of slightly lower output Seth Lovers....the two tone look is supercool.
The whole guitar is mahogany with a thin maple cap, and I think it has a chambered body, so it sounds great as a jangly rhythm guitar like Petty, Beatles, Malcolm Young.
If you picked it up and played it, you wouldn't even believe I paid $275 for it, with a mint $80 case. What a great Ebay score!! There's a jazzbox on there now for $400.
Someone here should snag it, because it probably plays as good as a $1000 guitar.

 

[xerxes]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

question, how does it sound for slide? i have been looking for a guitar to give me a nice classic rock type slide sound (more bluesy though). would this fit? (obviously the action doesnt matter stock)

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

question, how does it sound for slide? i have been looking for a guitar to give me a nice classic rock type slide sound (more bluesy though). would this fit? (obviously the action doesnt matter stock)

Good question! I had another DeArmond in moss green, when they first came out in the mid 90's. I used that as my electric slide guitar in open G or D, mostly because these pickups have a P-90 meets humbucker type sound, so they have a real great character through a small cranked tube amp, for slide.
After awhile, I may decide to set it up with higher action and intonated for open G, but for now, it plays like butter and I'm digging it because it feels like a lighter LP.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Best Kept Secret.....DeArmond

haha, I've been quietly looking for one of these for a while now. I'm after the semi hollow one with single coils and a bigsby, though that one you scored looks fantastic!