1993 Guild Artist Award Blonde

In 1961, Guild's "Johnny Smith Artist" model was renamed the "Artist Award," and it remained the company's top-of-the-line model through the rest of the decade. For Guild founder Al Dronge, this 17" archtop represented the pinnacle of the company's achievement, and it was intended to directly compete with Gibson and even high-end independent builders like John D'Angelico. By the early 1990s, the Guild factory had changed locations, and new ownership had  pushed the company in different directions over the years, but the Artist Award model still held true to the design of the early '60s. The 17" archtop still had a 25-1/2" scale, and it was constructed of a carved Spruce top and figured Flame Maple back and sides. The 1990s iteration still has the graceful cutaway to access the upper register, and its elaborate flared headstock bears the inimitable "Artist Award" inlay. By then, the floating DeArmond pickup was updated to a floating humbucker design mounted to the pickguard with a slee