Aristides Guitars

[SnowfaLL]

If they did straight black Rs, I probably would have ordered one this weekend. I'm a long-time detractor of the brand purely because I think the scoops look stupid as hell, but after having climate-related issues with two guitars on Saturday (including a fancy-pants Suhr), I was just about ready to live with the scoops, haha.

The one way I can live with them, I've found, is a matte/satin black 080S, because the angle, proportions, and scoops combined with the flat black give it a reasonably acceptable Lockheed-Martin Skunkworks vibe that I can dig on. However, I can't really dig on it for $3.6k and a potential 7 month wait, so that's a no.

I heard about the R series being cheaper and faster, but the anthracite isn't dark enough to really pull off the same aesthetic. So yeah, if black R was an option, I'd probably be on the build waiting list as I type this, haha.

I totally agree with you on climate-related crap - I wasnt a fan of the scoops either but it grows on you. I love it now. Had a few climate issues so I went all out, got an Emerald acoustic, Modulus bass and 3 Arium guitars haha... I leave them all out of the cases now and they never change more than slight tuning (strings probably only).

 

[Jonathan20022]

As much as I feel like owning and can reasonably (responsibly) afford

They work for me, the neck profile is perfect for me and I'll never have to drop them off at a shop to fix fret sprout of other issues that plague other guitars. Other than that pretty happy with how well made and consistent they are, so if it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[Siggevaio]

Don't mean to be disrespectful with this comment - but when do you think you'll have "enough" Aristides/guitars in general?? I feel bad getting my 2nd Aristides, much more than when I was spending $400 on ibanez's and stockpiling, or even like $1500ish on Kiesels.. Aristides is so much more lol I have a 070 and my 060 is coming, but other than possibly selling/trading my 070 for another or R series, I dont see myself getting another really.. I always am curious how people like Jackel think in terms of owning so many "similar" guitars. I understand like, SSS then HH, 6 string vs 7, maybe 1 or 2 different finishes, but thats definitely where I dont think I could go past that for one type of guitar.

People also buy guitars for different tunings if they use them a lot. When I own more than one "expensive" guitar (around $3000 retail price) anxiety always kicks in and I have to sell one, even if I can afford it.

 

[diagrammatiks]

Don't mean to be disrespectful with this comment - but when do you think you'll have "enough" Aristides/guitars in general?? I feel bad getting my 2nd Aristides, much more than when I was spending $400 on ibanez's and stockpiling, or even like $1500ish on Kiesels.. Aristides is so much more lol I have a 070 and my 060 is coming, but other than possibly selling/trading my 070 for another or R series, I dont see myself getting another really.. I always am curious how people like Jackel think in terms of owning so many "similar" guitars. I understand like, SSS then HH, 6 string vs 7, maybe 1 or 2 different finishes, but thats definitely where I dont think I could go past that for one type of guitar.

My buddy has 7. So seven is a pretty good number I think.

 

[narad]

I always am curious how people like Jackel think in terms of owning so many "similar" guitars. I understand like, SSS then HH, 6 string vs 7, maybe 1 or 2 different finishes, but thats definitely where I dont think I could go past that for one type of guitar.

Yea, I mean, you need an SSS and an HH, and then HH multiscale obviously. And like depending on your shirt, you should have a complementary color (consult color wheel), so that means approximately 3 of each of those to suit your mood + outfit. Then you have to consider like, what if you would normally go with guitar X on some occasion, but then Aaron Marshall uses that same design in his latest livestream. Maybe he wore it better? *SO* embarrassing. So good to have a couple fallback designs and one-offs just in case. And sparkle was so 2018. Marble chameleon is in now, so better stay up to date or risk looking like a peasant.

I mean, also Jackel has a studio in Hong Kong and a BMW. I don't imagine he's factoring money much into the equation when justifying redundant guitars.

 

[Fred the Shred]

In my case I tend to prefer having different vibes even within the same brand, and since I do prefer Aristides stuff I will normally think in terms of guitars that have some degree of overlap to ensure I don't need any specifically for "backup" purposes on one hand, but enough to bring to the table on its own to be am actual plus. For example, Arium or not, the 060 and 010 or 020 are very different beasts in feel, shape (neck included) and actual way they sound next to one another. Since I play 6s, 7s and 8s, it can get messy fast even with all the selection going on, I confess.

Other than that, there's a whole bunch of factors involved when people get multiples of a given model, from backups to having to cope with a bunch of tunings on a regular basis to simply liking having many different pretty finishes, anything goes, really.

 

[SnowfaLL]

Yes i meant no disrespect in other people's choices, I know everyone is different and free to do whatever they want, I'm just curious in their thought process. I have twelve guitars myself (including basses, acoustics) and am anxious about that number already lol but that's me.

Tunings is an obviously one that I forgot about since I only really play in standard on 6 strings and keep my 7s in A standard

 

[Fred the Shred]

Oh, I never saw it such, at least - it's just that from utilitarian to full blown extravagant, there's a million different thought processes behind people's guitar arsenals, so when one brings up Jackel's own collection, it would appear to be a mix of factors. He teaches, does a fair bit of work in what I'd assume ends up being a fair number of tunings and he does love the aesthetics. It's something I never asked him as I don't really tend to care a lot regarding people's own GAS strategies.

 

[Restarted]

Personally, what stops me from owning many guitars is space and time. I don't have enough space in my house, and I don't have enough time to play as much as I'd like. I cannot justify owning so many guitars, most of which would rarely be touched. If I played guitar for several hours a day, and had the storage space, I'd have a ridiculous number of guitars.
That's not to say I'm not happy with one guitar like I am now. Two when I get the 070 (April 29th so far away) , maybe back to one again if I sell my current guitar, and back to two when I order a 060.

 

[Jonathan20022]

Trust me I feel that too, I'm probably going to end up selling my HSS White Marble so I can sit at a comfy 5 Aristides with my tunings spread out. But I used to have a large collection at one time, and being back in the single digits is an absolute Godsend. I don't have the extra time after cooking and doing household chores to be restringing and setting up guitars, I just want to sit down and practice then go back to work the next day

It's definitely a space thing too, after the move I couldn't accommodate the guitars I had. I only really miss the HT6 and my old Suhr Modern 6 my buddy bought off of me which I get to see whenever we go to NAMM together so it's not all bad but yeah. In general I practice and focus on guitar way more with a smaller collection, having a large collection was definitely fun back then but I worked less hours and was a college kid back then so I had plenty of free time I don't now.

 

[jephjacques]

I own way too many guitars. Planning on doing a fire sale once I get back from the states. It's to the point where even once I cull my collection to the "absolutely cannot part with this due to sentimental reasons" instruments, I'm STILL going to have too many. First world problems!!!!

I only brought two with me down here and it's really helped me actually focus on writing instead of "hmm I haven't played my JP15 in a while, better put one of the Mayones away and take that one out *doesn't actually write any riffs that day* "

 

[ikarus]

How much VAT/import fees do you guys from the US have to pay when you import a guitar from Europe?
I am asking because the 060R with covered BKPs, shipping and VAT is 3K€. Which makes me think if it would not a better idea to keep looking for a used Aristides.

 

[BodyOrigami]

How much VAT/import fees do you guys from the US have to pay when you import a guitar from Europe?
I am asking because the 060R with covered BKPs, shipping and VAT is 3K€. Which makes me think if it would not a better idea to keep looking for a used Aristides.

I had to pay about $230 for import fees.

 

[I play music]

How much VAT/import fees do you guys from the US have to pay when you import a guitar from Europe?
I am asking because the 060R with covered BKPs, shipping and VAT is 3K€. Which makes me think if it would not a better idea to keep looking for a used Aristides.

Your location says Austria not USA? That means it would be within EU...

 

[ikarus]

Your location says Austria not USA? That means it would be within EU...

Oh rly?! Thats why I am asking what you guys outside of the EU, for example USA, have to pay.

 

[SnowfaLL]

I'm moving three provinces over in the summer and I'm worried about the movers touching my guitars, esp my new Arctic sunset sparkle 060 Ugh. But gotta do it for work. Yea I agree it's annoying to have to set up tons of guitars when working a full time job I think that's why even though I'm planning on keeping six 6 strings, at least 4 of them will be special circumstances/recording guitars that stay in cases, I'll just leave the 060 and tele out for daily playing. I'd like it to be 5 but I can't cut down any more unless I sell my Catalyst Panthera (arium strat) but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna keep it now, nice to have a rare arium guitar that's kinda a beater.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I'm moving three provinces over in the summer and I'm worried about the movers touching my guitars, esp my new Arctic sunset sparkle 060 Ugh. But gotta do it for work. Yea I agree it's annoying to have to set up tons of guitars when working a full time job I think that's why even though I'm planning on keeping six 6 strings, at least 4 of them will be special circumstances/recording guitars that stay in cases, I'll just leave the 060 and tele out for daily playing. I'd like it to be 5 but I can't cut down any more unless I sell my Catalyst Panthera (arium strat) but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna keep it now, nice to have a rare arium guitar that's kinda a beater.

do not fucking trust movers with anything of value, ever. If they're not stealing shit, they're breaking shit. The last time I moved I took anything of decent value, put it in a small UHaul trailer and moved it myself while the movers did all the big clumsy crap like beds/chairs/sofas.
-signed someone who's moved over 15 times

 

[Avedas]

I carried my guitars on the train last time I moved. Not trusting anybody with that.

 

[SnowfaLL]

Yea it's tough.. I dunno what other option I really have. I did it before but there were no super expensive guitars there I think. Damn military and moving people around lol but they are insured by the moving company and insured also outside of that so hopefully it'll work out..

 

[I play music]

Catalyst Panthera

That looks like such a cool guitar but I can't really find any information about it...