Guild Benedetto X700 Stuart Query

[David Peacock]

I am thinking of selling my Guild Benedetto X700 Stuart but am not sure or a reasonable price. Any advice?

 

[fronobulax]

Help a mod out. I told @David Peacock that there were helpful people who could give him informed opinions or ask useful questions. The silence is not what I expected. Do I have to say $7,500 just so the folks who usually keep me in line will come out of the woodwork?

 

[GGJaguar]

The problem is that Benedetto X-700s don't come up for sale very often so there aren't any recent comps available to get a ballpark idea. I think it will fall in the $4500-5500 range, but that's just a guess.

 

[shihan]

That seems to be a ballpark price; there’s not many been seen recently.
I wish I could say ‘Sold, ship it!’ That’s one fantastic looking guitar.

 

[GAD]

There are a couple of "versions" of the Guild Benedetto. Yours appears to be from Westerly. There are those who are fond of saying that the Westerlys are better, but knowing what I know from talking to Bob Benedetto, I kind of doubt that. People do love Westerly Guilds, though.

I have a Corona Custom Shop X700 Benedetto that I paid $5331for (including shipping and tax) almost exactly a year ago. Looks just like yours:

 

[David Peacock]

The problem is that Benedetto X-700s don't come up for sale very often so there aren't any recent comps available to get a ballpark idea. I think it will fall in the $4500-5500 range, but that's just a guess.

Thanks for the reply

 

[David Peacock]

That seems to be a ballpark price; there’s not many been seen recently.
I wish I could say ‘Sold, ship it!’ That’s one fantastic looking guitar.

Thankyou

 

[David Peacock]

There are a couple of "versions" of the Guild Benedetto. Yours appears to be from Westerly. There are those who are fond of saying that the Westerlys are better, but knowing what I know from talking to Bob Benedetto, I kind of doubt that. People do love Westerly Guilds, though.

I have a Corona Custom Shop X700 Benedetto that I paid $5331for (including shipping and tax) almost exactly a year ago. Looks just like yours:

There are a couple of "versions" of the Guild Benedetto. Yours appears to be from Westerly. There are those who are fond of saying that the Westerlys are better, but knowing what I know from talking to Bob Benedetto, I kind of doubt that. People do love Westerly Guilds, though.

I have a Corona Custom Shop X700 Benedetto that I paid $5331for (including shipping and tax) almost exactly a year ago. Looks just like yours:

 

[David Peacock]

Thanks for the reply

 

[Petfish]

Hi, I worked with Bob and along with Joe Cabral, built the bodies of the Westerly Benedetto's. As far as I know, the parts for the Benedetto's made in Corona came from Westerly. Our job at the end of production was to produce parts for California. Some Tele bodies were made in Westerly because Fender didn't have a large scale wood working operation. and would sub that stuff out. The California guys didn't have the woodworking experience needed for the jazz guitars and high end acoustics. I think I made about (5) D55 bodies that Fender CEO Bill Schultz told the Custom Shop to use for the upcoming NAMM show (they didn't like that). I loved making the Bene bodies, and also made all the other jazz bodies for about the last 6 years Guild was in Westerly. I liked Bob and had no issues with him whatsoever but he was a perfectionist and I think some people saw him as an outsider and didn't appreciate his criticism. Fender was not a very people oriented company and I think a lot of the long time employees just had issues when Fender bought Guild. BTW, on the beveled edge of the tailblock inside the first Guild Benedetto made in Westerly are the names JCabral and PFish (I'm PFish). WIthout a doubt I would pick a Westerly made Benedetto over anything made in the Custom Shop.

 

[GGJaguar]

Welcome to LTG, Pfish! Thanks for the fascinating insights! I have a '96 Artist Award, '98 X-150D and 2001 X-500T. Maybe you helped build them!

 

[Rich Cohen]

The problem is that Benedetto X-700s don't come up for sale very often so there aren't any recent comps available to get a ballpark idea. I think it will fall in the $4500-5500 range, but that's just a guess.

I bought mine from a shop in Kansas City MO for $4,500 around 2 years back.

 

[chazmo]

Hi, I worked with Bob and along with Joe Cabral, built the bodies of the Westerly Benedetto's. As far as I know, the parts for the Benedetto's made in Corona came from Westerly. Our job at the end of production was to produce parts for California. Some Tele bodies were made in Westerly because Fender didn't have a large scale wood working operation. and would sub that stuff out. The California guys didn't have the woodworking experience needed for the jazz guitars and high end acoustics. I think I made about (5) D55 bodies that Fender CEO Bill Schultz told the Custom Shop to use for the upcoming NAMM show (they didn't like that). I loved making the Bene bodies, and also made all the other jazz bodies for about the last 6 years Guild was in Westerly. I liked Bob and had no issues with him whatsoever but he was a perfectionist and I think some people saw him as an outsider and didn't appreciate his criticism. Fender was not a very people oriented company and I think a lot of the long time employees just had issues when Fender bought Guild. BTW, on the beveled edge of the tailblock inside the first Guild Benedetto made in Westerly are the names JCabral and PFish (I'm PFish). WIthout a doubt I would pick a Westerly made Benedetto over anything made in the Custom Shop.

Welcome aboard, PFish! We are (all) in your debt for making some of the most beautiful guitar bodies in Guild's history! Thanks for the insight in your post, and please continue to join us.

 

[Opsimath]

Welcome to LTG, Pfish. Wow! What an impressive first post! Hoping you will stick around and talk Guilds with us. You apparently have a wealth of firsthand knowledge.

 

[Rusty Chops]

Hi, I worked with Bob and along with Joe Cabral, built the bodies of the Westerly Benedetto's. As far as I know, the parts for the Benedetto's made in Corona came from Westerly. Our job at the end of production was to produce parts for California. Some Tele bodies were made in Westerly because Fender didn't have a large scale wood working operation. and would sub that stuff out. The California guys didn't have the woodworking experience needed for the jazz guitars and high end acoustics. I think I made about (5) D55 bodies that Fender CEO Bill Schultz told the Custom Shop to use for the upcoming NAMM show (they didn't like that). I loved making the Bene bodies, and also made all the other jazz bodies for about the last 6 years Guild was in Westerly. I liked Bob and had no issues with him whatsoever but he was a perfectionist and I think some people saw him as an outsider and didn't appreciate his criticism. Fender was not a very people oriented company and I think a lot of the long time employees just had issues when Fender bought Guild. BTW, on the beveled edge of the tailblock inside the first Guild Benedetto made in Westerly are the names JCabral and PFish (I'm PFish). WIthout a doubt I would pick a Westerly made Benedetto over anything made in the Custom Shop.

Amazing!
Welcome! Please make yourself at home here.

 

[Uke]

Welcome aboard, PFish! We are (all) in your debt for making some of the most beautiful guitar bodies in Guild's history! Thanks for the insight in your post, and please continue to join us.

You never know who's lurking (in a good way) in the shadows around here! Makes your day when someone like Petfish suddenly arrives on the forum.

 

[SFIV1967]

Hi, I worked with Bob and along with Joe Cabral...

Bob Benedetto (right) with Joe Cabral:



Also I heard that many of the neck heel carvings of like the D-100C, JF-100C, D-130CRV...at least in the 90ies (probably also in the 80ies) were done by Joe Cabral.



And there was the last one from Westerly:

Last Westerly Guitar

This is my first posting. I hope everything works out so that the pix come through. I've been a member since April and I've read several messages from people wondering what happened to the last guitar produced in Westerly. Wonder no longer- I own it. I am the second owner and purchased it...

letstalkguild.com

Ralf

 

[Jough]

I paid $3600 for mine but it was a great deal. I would expect they are closer to 6 K now. Amazing guitar, I’d just keep it, can’t really replace it later when regret sets in.