Guild X-170

[powerwagonjohn]

My name is John Geidl and I am new here although I have been reading this forum for a year or so. I just bought a 1993 Guild X-170 from a local musican. It was really by chance as it was local and I had the cash in my pocket at the time. After a good cleaning and polish I find the guitar is in really nice condition with the exception of the fit of the bridge base to the top of the guitar. The orig. owner had put double sided tape under each end of the bridge and I think it has warped the bridge base. I am going to fit the bridge to the face of the guitar and this will also give me more adjustment room on the bridge although the action is nice and low and the guitar plays like a dream. My question is what size stringes came on these from the factory? I restrung it with D'Addario Chrome half rounds .012 and I really like the feel but these may be a little heavy for this guitar.
Thanks John

 

[fearless]

Hi John, I am sure someone with deeper knowledge will be along to answer your question soon.

If you don't get the info you need, I imported an X-170 for a local guitar dealer for him to use as his personal instrument (he loves it, btw, says it is the best he's ever owned and he gets to try everything). I just checked with his son who is pretty sure he uses either 12s or flat-wound 13s, so I doubt there would be any issue with your 12s

That said, I think a guitar can be set up for virtually any string gauge by adjusting the truss rod (in small increments) to compensate for the string tension. If it had lighter strings before, you may need to tweak it get the right amount of neck relief.

Congratulations on buying a fine Guild. Wouldn't mind seeing some pics at some stage!

 

[Brad Little]

I don't know what came on it, but I've been using 12s or 13s on mine since I got it and that was when it was new.
Brad

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Thanks for the information. I have a couple Gibson archtop guitars and I use .012 on them. I also have a Guild D-50 I bought new in 1975 and have always used medium strings on that guitar. My X-170 has very little adjustment left on the bridge and assume the neck will some day need a neck reset like my D-50 needs. The bridge is almost bottomed out. I have a 2009 Gibson L-4CES and a 1956 Gibson ES225T. My 1993 Guild X-170 has a thin maple neck and it has a very unique sound all it's own. The pickups don't have as much output as my Gibsons but I play through a 1966 Fender Tremolux so a little more volume and the Guild sounds great. The large block of wood under the bridge seems like a cross between a Gibson semi-solid and a Gretch with the sound posts. I have a very hard time putting this guitar down! I am also curious about the serial numbers. The ending # for 1992 X-170's is HL100660 and the ending # for 1993 X-170 HL100717 My guitar is # HL100688 so can I assume the only shipped 51 X-170's in 1993 ? That doesn't seem like many guitars, even for Guild.
Thanks again John

 

[AlohaJoe]

I have a couple Gibson archtop guitars and I use .012 on them. I also have a Guild D-50 I bought new in 1975 and have always used medium strings on that guitar. My X-170 has very little adjustment left on the bridge and assume the neck will some day need a neck reset like my D-50 needs. The bridge is almost bottomed out. I have a 2009 Gibson L-4CES and a 1956 Gibson ES225T.

Welcome John! It sounds like we have similar taste in guitars... I have some old archtops and a '65 D50 that are all happy with 12s, as is my ES125 and I'm sure your X170 will be too. 11s might put off a reset for a short while, but they'll sound a little thinner and it's probably better to just use what you're comfortable with and what sounds good to you. FYI, I recently did a reset on the D50 and I'm glad I did... it came out great and sounds better than ever.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Joe, I apreciate your responce. You bring up something I have been wondering about. Did the reseting the neck of your D-50 change the sound? I have had different responces from shops whether the sound will change with a reset. Please tell me more!!!
Thanks John
PS: as you can tell I have been a Guild guy since I bought my D-50 in 1975 and my recent purchase of a 1993 X-170 has really brought me back home if you will.

 

[AlohaJoe]

A neck set done properly should enhance the sound... it's not like a refinish, you're just bringing everything back into the proper alignment so she'll sing like a Diva! Also, when the action was too high on my D50 (for way too long) I didn't want to play it and now I can't put it down, so you'll be glad you did it. BUT, don't just take it anywhere... make sure you're dealing with a qualified Luthier who has done Guild resets before. Some places won't do them at all. They're different and somewhat difficult as I understand it. Somebody experienced w Guilds should have no real problem with it though, and I recommend doing a complete set-up at the same time if you can afford to, including frets as necessary.

You might ask the Forum if there are recommendations in your area; there are folks here from almost everywhere. Where do you live?
- Joe W.

More info here:
http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19576&hilit=reset

 

[GAD]

I love my X170, though mine's an X170T with a Guildsby.

Mine came to me (bought used) with 11s. I pulled them off and put 10s on. I'm not against heavy strings (I have 13s on my acoustic), but this guitar is used for Rockabilly, so I need to bend 'em.

Gratuitous pic time:

 

[F30]

I love my X170, though mine's an X170T with a Guildsby.

Mine came to me (bought used) with 11s. I pulled them off and put 10s on. I'm not against heavy strings (I have 13s on my acoustic), but this guitar is used for Rockabilly, so I need to bend 'em.

Gratuitous pic time:

WOW :shock: That is a beautiful guitar :mrgreen:

 

[GAD]

WOW :shock: That is a beautiful guitar :mrgreen:

Thanks - yeah, it doesn't suck.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Thanks Joe for the information. Now I am really fired up to get my D-50 fixed. As you said the action is so high I don't play it much. I will take it to Charlie Hoffman at Hoffman Guitars after he gets done with my Gibson L-4CES.
Back to the 1993 Guild X-170... I am now wondering what pick ups were used and if I am correct to only 51 X-170's shipped in 1993 ?
By the way thats a great looking X-170 in red!!!!
Thanks John

 

[GAD]

Thanks Joe for the information. Now I am really fired up to get my D-50 fixed. As you said the action is so high I don't play it much. I will take it to Charlie Hoffman at Hoffman Guitars after he gets done with my Gibson L-4CES.
Back to the 1993 Guild X-170... I am now wondering what pick ups were used and if I am correct to only 51 X-170's shipped in 1993 ?
By the way thats a great looking X-170 in red!!!!
Thanks John

It's orange. You need your monitor calibrated.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Sorry about that, my computor is pretty old, and I haven't even figgured out posting photos yet. I am sure it looks as good in orange as in red!! Does the T stand for coil tap or tremolo?
Thanks John

 

[fronobulax]

I haven't even figgured out posting photos yet.

Here.

 

[GAD]

Sorry about that, my computor is pretty old, and I haven't even figgured out posting photos yet. I am sure it looks as good in orange as in red!! Does the T stand for coil tap or tremolo?
Thanks John

The "T" in X-170T stands for "Tennessee Orange" as I understand it.

 

[bluesypicky]

3 days late but what the hell..... Welcome and congrats on the X-170!
Almost pulled the trigger on one myself, but chickened out despite Alohajoe 's encouragement. :shock:
I know it's a great guitar, but the one I really want is the SF-IV, and since we can't have them all.... or can we?... Grot? :lol:

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Thanks for the welcome, lots of good information here. I too was looking for a Starfire IV, V or VI when I found this X-170 and when I looked at it it is was so nice I couldn't pass it up. It has that sound I was looking for, like Buddy Guy gets from his Starfire. It has a whole different sound than any of my Gibsons. I will still be looking for a nice Starfire but I have a hard time buying a guitar I can't pick up and play so I will have to find one around here.
Thanks John

 

[guildman63]

By the way thats a great looking X-170 in red!!!!

and here is a picture of my X-170T in "red" right beside my 91 SF-4 and of course the Guild Guitar Book between them.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[guildman63]

The "T" in X-170T stands for "Tennessee Orange" as I understand it.

Sorry, but I just read the full thread. The T in X-170T does stand for tremolo. Please refer to the 2001 Guild price list for a description of each guitar:

http://www.jedistar.com/pdf/Guild_2001_pricelist.pdf

The X-170 Manhattan comes in Tennessee Orange, Antique Burst and Blonde (per the price list). My understanding from the description is that the X-170T comes in all three colors as well, but I have never seen one in any color except orange. I'm sure Hans' Guild Guitar Book 2 will clear up the confusion, and maybe with a picture of a non-orange 170T :wink: Perhaps the man himself can clear it up in this thread before the official word is out.?

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Hey, guildman thanks for the information and the look at the price list. I haven't seen a price list since 1975 when I carried one around for 6 months before I finally bought my 1975 D50. My price list was pretty dog eared by that time. It is interesting to see what the prices were in 2001, and I was suprised how much the X-170 and X-170T cost. I wonder what they cost in 1992 when my X-170 was made. I was also suprised by looking at the serial numbers at the quantites that were aparently made. It seam like pretty low production numbers. I didn't relalize that they cost as much as they did. I was also suprised as to all the other different models they made and how expensive some of them were. I bought my D50 for $800.00 in 1975 and my 1968 Gibson SG for $360.00 a few years later. Then I was busy working, buying and paying for a house and getting married so I got away from seriously playing for quite a few years and out of the loop for a while. It was all worth it now as I can have time to play guitar now.
That is one nice pair of Guilds you have there and one fantastic book[Thanks Hans, can't wait for the second volume and I hope we can get autographed copies!!!]. I was looking for a Starfire IV, V or VI when I found my X-170 and now I want a Starfire even more. So I will be looking for one. Thanks John