Any X-79 fans?

[Matt L.]

I have had a long obsesssion with '80s-era Guilds, and especially the outrageous X-79 and X-80 models. I currently have 3 of them, all in the common candy apple red color, including a great X-79-3. I previously owned a black sparkle and teal. Would love to hear from other fans who DON'T think it's ugly!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

They're anything but ugly!

 

[bluesypicky]

Different. Not ugly.
Kurt, did you get these 3 as a set?

 

[Matt L.]

Nice sparkle trio!

I would love to find a red bass, but here's my trio. The heavy relic in the middle is staying that way, but I may refinish the top one with the Duncans. I have the original XR-7s in the case-

The back of the neck on the "relic"-

 

[Tim Redmond]

I have 1984 candy apple red one. Mine is in about the same condition as the one in the top of your photo. However, mine has the Kahler locking tremolo. When I purchased mine, the neck pickup was the original XR-7, however, the bridge had been replaced with a Duncan. The wiring was not done properly and there was an annoying hum. I replaced both pickups with a Dimarzio set (since that was the manufacturer of the XR-7). Mine has a coil split switch that works for each pickup.

The neck plays really fast and is a joy to play. I really fell in love with mine. I do wish they had placed the pickup selector in a different position. Other than that, I think it is a real nice guitar. It would cost much more than their current selling price to manufacture one today.

 

[Matt L.]

I have 1984 candy apple red one. Mine is in about the same condition as the one in the top of your photo. However, mine has the Kahler locking tremolo. When I purchased mine, the neck pickup was the original XR-7, however, the bridge had been replaced with a Duncan. The wiring was not done properly and there was an annoying hum. I replaced both pickups with a Dimarzio set (since that was the manufacturer of the XR-7). Mine has a coil split switch that works for each pickup.

The neck plays really fast and is a joy to play. I really fell in love with mine. I do wish they had placed the pickup selector in a different position. Other than that, I think it is a real nice guitar. It would cost much more than their current selling price to manufacture one today.

I agree about the pickup selector. It gets easily bumped when sitting. I think they did relocate it on the later models that are back-routed w/o pickguard. The X-80 is like that....really clean-

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Different. Not ugly.
Kurt, did you get these 3 as a set?

Nope, got them one at a time. Not real happy that the one on the left has the later metal knurled knobs.

My first X-79 was a red metallic one. I sold it after I started the sparkle series.


That's a nice X-80! I always wanted an early one. The only one that I managed to aquire has the later offset headstock, Kahler tremolo, and California pick-ups. (Below)

(Interesting that they relocated the Tone knob!)

 

[Matt L.]

Thanks....you know, I am warming up to the later pointy headstocks a little. That one is beautiful!

I know of someone who has a couple of them, a flametop and a grey sparkle refin that was originally hot pink. I'm trying to sell a partscaster to maybe pick them up from him.

 

[MikeR951]

Here's a 1984 model I've had since new...

 

[NEONMOONY]

It looks like X-79 owners are likely to have more than one.

 

[tonepoet]

I have three. An early black one with the Chesterfield headstock with a mahogany body and a maple neck with ebony fingerboard. A candy apple metallic red (poplar body, mahogany neck). And one that was a very abused black sparkle that I refinished as a natural. It has a one piece poplar body and mahogany neck. All are the 2 HB type with the DiMarzio made Guild XR-7 pickups.

 

[Matt L.]

I have three. An early black one with the Chesterfield headstock with a mahogany body and a maple neck with ebony fingerboard. A candy apple metallic red (poplar body, mahogany neck). And one that was a very abused black sparkle that I refinished as a natural. It has a one piece poplar body and mahogany neck. All are the 2 HB type with the DiMarzio made Guild XR-7 pickups.

Very cool. Do you have pics?

Interesting about the early one having a maple neck and mahogany body. I missed out on a very early Chesterfield last year at a local shop. It was red, pretty rough...he wouldn't take less than $600, so I had to pass.

I really want a white one or another blue one. Been thinking of refinishing one of mine.

This was my circa 1999-00 collection. I noticed I was in the process of swapping neck pickups on the red one (which I reaquired recently after over 10 years!)-

Here is my current trio. The one on the left is the one in the middle of the old pic-

 

[Default]

One of my secret desires! :mrgreen:

 

[Wilfred]

Don't own one yet, but likely to become one of my Guild-ty pleasures some day. Very sexy, especially in white.

 

[billy budapest]

Interesting about the early one having a maple neck and mahogany body.

This is an early X-702, also with a maple neck:

If anybody's interested in owning it, get in touch soon!

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Pardon me for reviving a two-year-old thread, but I just bought this teal X79. Duck! http://www.ebay.com/itm/371247774048

 

[Muovinen]

I don't know s*** about these 80's models and I really really hate the same era hair-glam-jerk-rock and their stupid looking guitars but that color suits that X79 very well ;D

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Thanks, Muovinen. I don't think we've talked before. Pleased to make your acquaintance.

 

[walrus]

I'm never going to join this club, but I always thought they looked very cool. All of you have great examples of these guitars, I like them all!

Muovinen, I'd take any of those hair metal bands over pretty much anybody who performed in this year's Grammy awards. I wouldn't dress like them, and I never bought much of their music, but they could play and sing their a$$ off.

Matt, is the relic'ed one all from playing it? If so, I commend you, that is some serious playing!!

walrus

 

[DrumBob]

I always thought those guitars looked good in black sparkle. When I worked at Guild, I could never get them to try any custom colors. Lilien and Tell were just too conservative. All they wanted to do were the standard things, like natural wood, sunburst, black, cherry red, white and so forth.

What are X-79s generally going for these days?