1955(?) X-50

[drc]

Im happy to say that it didn’t suffer any damage during shipping.

It’s moreorless as advertised. It’s kinda stinky and the tone pot needs to be replaced. It works, but doesn’t stop at 1-10, just keeps on rolling.

It seems to play nice. Has a good acoustic tone, more voice and sustain than I expected. The pickup also sounds pretty good. The previous owner mentioned it was kind of noisy, but I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary.

I just broke the high e string, so it’s time to give it a good wipe down and change the strings. I’m hoping I can get rid of the smoke and stinky old guitar smell.

I’ll post some photos after the spa treatment

 

[GGJaguar]

Glad it survived the journey! Hopefully the spa treatment brings it up to snuff.

 

[HeyMikey]

It arrived, shipped with out a box.

That is just nuts! Glad to hear it arrived safely.

 

[mavuser]

Yikes! Is the guitar okay?! Kinda reminds me...
When I purchased my very rare 1970 M85-II bass, I fully expected it to come packed like a tank because the UPS Store themselves had packed it (professionally, of course, and for a premium, of course)... the same folks who entered the fully insured amount into the computer, so they knew exactly how valuable it was. Unfortunately, all they did was wrap one layer of bubble wrap around the hardshell case and then fold a piece of single-corrugated cardboard around it, which (completely flat and unfolded) was only about 4" longer than the case itself... so it was kind of like when you go to roll a burrito but accidentally overfill it, so neither end closes. Luckily, somehow it arrived safely! Maybe the carriers took pity on me, seeing how terribly incompetently the UPS Store had packed it?
Fact remains though, there is no chance in heck if a customer had packed a guitar like that and it was damaged in transit, that UPS would have done anything but laugh at an attempted insurance claim. I think their specifications for a properly packed guitar is something like 3" of qualified packing materials all the way around, as well as a fully stable, new shipping box. Needless to say, I'll never be asking UPS employees to pack a valuable instrument for me in the future... something that I had always thought was a good idea prior, since they're professionals, right?

i've learned a lesson or 2 about the ups "store" and the fed ex "store" (or whatever fed ex calls them).

Stay away from these type of places. go to the actual UPS/Fed Ex shipping depots, if u must use them. if the shipping depot does not offer packaging services, pack it yourself.

the best one was when i was told "the ups store is an independent shipping broker, that is not associated with UPS"

Buying insurance/declared value is also super sketchy with both of them. One, or possibly both does not even really offer insurance. declared value is "the most they can be held liable for in the event of loss or damage" -that is not insurance.

I have stuck with USPS for the past 10 years or so, since being "educated" about all of this.

 

[drc]

Glad it survived the journey! Hopefully the spa treatment brings it up to snuff.

It’s not overbearing. I’ve started with a super hot damp wash cloth and some good old elbow grease. Next I’ll clean the fretboard,

 

[Mapleman54]

Looking forward to hearing your reactions about this lovely and interesting guitar!

 

[Blues&BebopFan]

I'm happy to hear the guitar didn't suffer !!
Very curious to see it after the clean up!

 

[drc]

Hate to say it but there are way too many juicy vintage Guild solidbody guitars on the open market right now for me to keep this one. I’ll be listing it here on LTG for what I paid, $900 + shipping.