GGJaguar
Reverential Member
Before returning the GSR X-150D, I got a chance to play “Compare and Contrast” with my X-150D from Westerly, Rhode Island and X-180 from Corona, California. Obviously, this was a bit rushed and not comprehensive because I had to get the GSR packed up and out to UPS. But it's still interesting, IMO.
First, let’s look at the basics. All three have laminated maple bodies, but the GSR has a laminated spruce top instead of maple. The X-180 has a 3-piece maple neck while the X-150 and GSR have 3-piece mahogany necks. All three have bound rosewood fingerboards with block inlays and 24 3/4 inch scale lengths. The guitars are fitted with humbucking pickups – FMIC HB-1s on the X-150 and X-180, and NS (Korean) HB-1s on the GSR X-150D.
The GSR and X-150 have nearly identical neck profiles and I really can’t tell any difference between them. The X-180 neck has the same width as the other two all the way up to the 12th fret, but is deeper making for a fatter feeling neck. It’s my favorite of the three.
The body dimensions are where things get interesting. The GSR X-150D and X-180 have the same width at 15 15/16 and 16 9/16 inches, respectively. They also have the same 3 inch depth. The X-150 has the largest body at 16 5/8 inches wide and 3 3/8 inches deep. Finally, the X-150 and X-180 have wooden bridges with Guild harp tailpieces while the GSR has the Graph Tech tune-o-matic bridge (that I replaced with a standard tune-a-matic) with a Guildsby tailpiece. The GSR weighs 0.7 lbs (350 g) less the X-150D and X-180 which both come in at 7.5 lb (3.4 kg). Also of note is the X-180 incorporates some Benedetto refinements from his time as a Guild consultant.
All three are strung with .011s, but the X-150 and X-180 have wound G strings while the GSR’s is plain. The GSR has the loudest acoustic voice and is very closely followed by the X-180. In fact, I'm still amazed at how loud the X-180 is! Acoustically, the X-150 lags behind in third place. The X-150 has a pronounced midrange while the X-180 and GSR have an even response from top to bottom. The lighter build and spruce top of the GSR makes it feel more lively than the other two. As a side note, the NS X-175 is a fairly light build and I think Guild should fit it with a pair of the Korean HB-1s. That would be cool!
Plugged in, the X-150 and X-180 guitars are in the same ballpark which isn’t a surprise since they have the same pickups but DC resistance vary between the two (7.9K/8.1K ohm and 7.5K and 7.8K ohm). The sound is a bit generic but brighter than most PAFs. Still, the X-180’s sound is noticeably more complex than the X-150’s sound. With a pair of NS HB-1s (6.9K/6.9K ohm), the GSR’s sound is more articulate and chimey.
So, which is my favorite? For playability, the X-180 wins hands down. The chunky neck is super comfortable to play. In terms of sound, it’s a bit of a toss up. I like them all. I may just have to slap a Guildsby on the X-180.
First, let’s look at the basics. All three have laminated maple bodies, but the GSR has a laminated spruce top instead of maple. The X-180 has a 3-piece maple neck while the X-150 and GSR have 3-piece mahogany necks. All three have bound rosewood fingerboards with block inlays and 24 3/4 inch scale lengths. The guitars are fitted with humbucking pickups – FMIC HB-1s on the X-150 and X-180, and NS (Korean) HB-1s on the GSR X-150D.
The GSR and X-150 have nearly identical neck profiles and I really can’t tell any difference between them. The X-180 neck has the same width as the other two all the way up to the 12th fret, but is deeper making for a fatter feeling neck. It’s my favorite of the three.
The body dimensions are where things get interesting. The GSR X-150D and X-180 have the same width at 15 15/16 and 16 9/16 inches, respectively. They also have the same 3 inch depth. The X-150 has the largest body at 16 5/8 inches wide and 3 3/8 inches deep. Finally, the X-150 and X-180 have wooden bridges with Guild harp tailpieces while the GSR has the Graph Tech tune-o-matic bridge (that I replaced with a standard tune-a-matic) with a Guildsby tailpiece. The GSR weighs 0.7 lbs (350 g) less the X-150D and X-180 which both come in at 7.5 lb (3.4 kg). Also of note is the X-180 incorporates some Benedetto refinements from his time as a Guild consultant.
All three are strung with .011s, but the X-150 and X-180 have wound G strings while the GSR’s is plain. The GSR has the loudest acoustic voice and is very closely followed by the X-180. In fact, I'm still amazed at how loud the X-180 is! Acoustically, the X-150 lags behind in third place. The X-150 has a pronounced midrange while the X-180 and GSR have an even response from top to bottom. The lighter build and spruce top of the GSR makes it feel more lively than the other two. As a side note, the NS X-175 is a fairly light build and I think Guild should fit it with a pair of the Korean HB-1s. That would be cool!
Plugged in, the X-150 and X-180 guitars are in the same ballpark which isn’t a surprise since they have the same pickups but DC resistance vary between the two (7.9K/8.1K ohm and 7.5K and 7.8K ohm). The sound is a bit generic but brighter than most PAFs. Still, the X-180’s sound is noticeably more complex than the X-150’s sound. With a pair of NS HB-1s (6.9K/6.9K ohm), the GSR’s sound is more articulate and chimey.
So, which is my favorite? For playability, the X-180 wins hands down. The chunky neck is super comfortable to play. In terms of sound, it’s a bit of a toss up. I like them all. I may just have to slap a Guildsby on the X-180.
