DeArmond X-155 facelift

[2bornot2bop]

Hi All!

I acquired my first DeArmond X-155 last week at Seattle's 20th annual guitar show. Price was on the high side @ $600 but the guitar was mint, like it had been untouched in the decade since it was produced, and it came with a new Martin style tweed case to boot. So I took the plunge not knowing anything about the guitar or its history...like I needed another guitar to go w/ the 8 others I already owned.

First thing I did was bring it home, head for google and search for black knobs to remove the clear stock knobs that came w/ the guitar. The stock clear knobs really cheapened the guitars appearance. I lucked out and found NOS DeArmond knobs in black on eBay. Placed an order and 3 days later they arrived. Checked google again for knob removal tips and sure enough a thread appeared on a jazz forum instructing how to properly remove the 4 knobs by hand.

20 minutes and 6 sore fingers and 2 sore thumbs later I had the lame clear knobs replaced...what a difference the black knobs made to the appearance of the guitar. I've also ordered a Guild style pick guard that will arrive in a few days,

These guitars, however inexpensive, are quality builds. They've much in common with another Korean build, a former D'Angelico EXL-1DP that I owned.

Highly recommended for a tone king of a guitar on a budget!

 

[Walter Broes]

You call that a facelift?!? :wink:

 

[2bornot2bop]

You call that a facelift?!? :wink:

You're right. How's about a BOTOX injection? :wink:

I'm impressed with the build quality on the X155.

A question I have to anyone listening, why does the fretboard have the appearance of an Ebony board, for obviously on a guitar so priced it's not. It's as dark as the ebony boards on my two Yamaha AE1200S'.

 

[AlohaJoe]

It looks nice, and even better with the black knobs! Your Yamaha's look great too!

I don't think it's uncommon to stain fingerboards dark when they're made from lighter woods.

 

[2bornot2bop]

It looks nice, and even better with the black knobs! Your Yamaha's look great too!

I don't think it's uncommon to stain fingerboards dark when they're made from lighter woods.

Thanks AlohaJoe. To the best of my knowledge the FB is factory stock. The color is so dark it has the appearance of an ebony board. Here's a better pic of the board.

 

[AlohaJoe]

I don't think it's uncommon to stain fingerboards dark when they're made from lighter woods.

Thanks AlohaJoe. To the best of my knowledge the FB is factory stock. The color is so dark it has the appearance of an ebony board.

I should have said that when fingerboards are made from lighter woods, it's not uncommon to stain them darker at the factory as part of the production process. I don't know if that was done on DeArmonds or not, but it's a fairly common practice on less expensive imports.

It's also interesting to see binding on the f-holes, a nice touch not available on X150s and X170s that are substantially more expensive.

 

[2bornot2bop]

I don't think it's uncommon to stain fingerboards dark when they're made from lighter woods.

Thanks AlohaJoe. To the best of my knowledge the FB is factory stock. The color is so dark it has the appearance of an ebony board.

I should have said that when fingerboards are made from lighter woods, it's not uncommon to stain them darker at the factory as part of the production process. I don't know if that was done on DeArmonds or not, but it's a fairly common practice on less expensive imports.

It's also interesting to see binding on the f-holes, a nice touch not available on X150s and X170s that are substantially more expensive.

Okay, thanks for the clarification. Actually it was the fretboard that drew my attention to this guitar. Though it was among 6 other guitars 7 times its price it didn't appear to be a less expensive guitar. I knew nothing of the brand or the guitar and simply snapped it up because it played better than anything I'd previously acquired in the same price range, i.e., an Epiphone Regent.

I've $5k invested in 8 guitars and my ambition is to sell them to acquire an X-700 or an L5.

 

[AlohaJoe]

A worthy quest!

 

[2bornot2bop]

A worthy quest!

That it is. I'm new here. Is there a FS page for members? I'm thinking of selling my black X-155. Thanks!

 

[AlohaJoe]

Click 'Board Index' above your topic and scroll down to FS/FT

 

[2bornot2bop]

Click 'Board Index' above your topic and scroll down to FS/FT

Many thanks!