Engraving pattern on harp tailpiece

[nmiller]

I ordered my dream Guild today: a 1962 X-500 with DeArmonds. I noticed from the dealer's pics that it has an unusual pattern engraved on the tailpiece; from what I can make out, it looks like a floral pattern. Hans's book says that "A few tailpieces have been reported with an egraved pattern that is different from the [usual style]. These exceptions are very rare." Would a different pattern be the result of a custom order, or just someone at the factory deciding to spice things up?

 

[Walter Broes]

Wow. That is an extremely cool guitar! Congratulations!

 

[walrus]

Agreed - Very cool! What about those knobs? They look like none I've ever seen...

walrus

 

[hansmoust]

I ordered my dream Guild today: a 1962 X-500 with DeArmonds. I noticed from the dealer's pics that it has an unusual pattern engraved on the tailpiece; from what I can make out, it looks like a floral pattern. Hans's book says that "A few tailpieces have been reported with an egraved pattern that is different from the [usual style]. These exceptions are very rare." Would a different pattern be the result of a custom order, or just someone at the factory deciding to spice things up?

Hello Noah,

Congrats .........nice guitar!

re. the different and rare engraving pattern on some early tailpieces:

I was not referring to the pattern on the tailpiece of your X-500, but to the ones that were actually engraved.

The tailpiece on your guitar is a completely different one.

Here's a photo that shows the engraved pattern on the right and the 'floral' pattern (like on your X-500) on the left.

At the time Guild got some samples for a 'new' tailpiece to be used on the high-end models. These were used on a couple of instruments to try 'm out, but eventually it was decided that they would use a different one.

I'm not sure how the 'floral' pattern was created, but it looks to me like some sort of stamping process.

What about those knobs? They look like none I've ever seen...

Walrus,

Those are the regular transparent knobs. The 'white-ish' look is caused by some form of degradation of the material, which make 'm look like that.

Here's a photo that shows the different stages during the process, before they become all white:

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[nmiller]

Ah, that clears that up - thanks!

 

[walrus]

Yes, thanks, Hans!

walrus

 

[kakerlak]

I think that floral pattern looks hand-engraved. The lines of the pattern look like little cuts/gouges more than indentations from stamping -- looks a lot like old cowboy belt buckles, etc. Something you usually see in a softer metal, though, so who knows. That knob whitening almost looks like an oxidization. I wonder if it would polish off with some very slightly abrasive rubbing compound?

All this conjecture aside, what a guitar!

 

[AcornHouse]

Regardless, tres cool, Noah!

 

[Los Angeles]

I think that floral pattern looks hand-engraved. The lines of the pattern look like little cuts/gouges more than indentations from stamping -- looks a lot like old cowboy belt buckles, etc. Something you usually see in a softer metal, though, so who knows. That knob whitening almost looks like an oxidization. I wonder if it would polish off with some very slightly abrasive rubbing compound?

All this conjecture aside, what a guitar!

I agree with Kakerlak. The varying depth of the lines look spot-on for hand engraving.

When I studied in the metalsmithing department at Indiana University, I was forced to try my hand at old-school hand engraving using tools like these:

I was terrible at it, but I got enough experience to recognize hand engraving when I see it from time to time. The art is rarely used for musical instruments anymore, but is still very popular in the custom firearm and custom knife worlds.

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Oooh, that's one sweet looking guitar. And between the old wood and the DeArmonds it should sound killer too!

-Dave-

 

[Aristocrater]

How about some photos of the back and sides. Killer guitar!

 

[nmiller]

How about some photos of the back and sides. Killer guitar!

I'll post more when it gets here tomorrow.

 

[nmiller]

Arrival! It looks original except for the strap pins. I'm suspicious of the very clean frets, but if it's a refret then it's an excellent job.

And one with its ancestor:

 

[AcornHouse]

Looks like the Epi is 25.5" scale, and the Guild 24.75", or is that just the pic.

 

[nmiller]

Yup, the Epi has a long scale - like the first X-500s.

 

[hansmoust]

Nice! Especially with the rare 'Simple G to G-shield conversion' headstock inlay!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[AcornHouse]

Nice! Especially with the rare 'Simple G to G-shield conversion' headstock inlay!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

They should all be done that way. Much more elegant than the one piece.

 

[kakerlak]

They should all be done that way. Much more elegant than the one piece.

I've long thought it would be cool for Guild to reissue specific year models like Gibson and Fender have been doing. It'd be neat to see something like a '62 X-500 reissue with that logo, a '57 Aristocrat reissue with the slanted script logo, a '53 something-or-other with the single piece logo, (and of course all the corresponding features + pickups, as slavish a copy as Gibson's historic stuff). Speaking of Gibson, I wonder how the whole headstock shape thing would play out and whether copying specific instruments from the past might help that argument.

 

[Aristocrater]

Awesome, thank you.

 

[zizala]

Noah,

I love the Guild...congrats and enjoy......
That said, I'm completely bonkers over the Epi!

Thanks for the views....

z