I'm all in --- 1958 X-550 (lots of pics)

[Keith Lee]

I was bored with everything I'd ever played, and got Mickey Baker's "Complete Guide To Jazz Guitar" book

My prized EIR / Englemann topped dread was OK for my new style, but I handed the fancy dread and a moderate stack of hundreds to this dealer/collector/acquaintance type I've known for years

He said the original owner bought it new and played it professionally, and he got it from the guy's daughter a while back,
which kind of makes me the second owner

Suffice it to say if you have a penchant for blues / jazz and happen to come across one of these, you should get it:

Interestingly, the period correct inner label is either blank or has faded over time, but the 65XX number
is on the back of the head stock

If anyone knows --- I'd love to know how many X-500's and X-550's were made in 1958 --- Hans book (which appears to
verify the knobs, tuners, label and other parts as correct) did NOT mention how many were made that particular year

 

[twocorgis]

Wowee; way to make an entrance, Keith! :shock: :shock: :shock:

1958 is my birth year, and I'd love to have a Guild archtop from that year. I came oh-so-close with my '59

Welcome, and that's just a beautiful, beautiful guitar you have there.

 

[killdeer43]

Welcome to the forum Keith and, as Sandy pointed out, you made one heck of an entrance with a beautiful Guild and lots of pics.
You'll fit in here quite well! :wink:

Keep it tuned,
Joe

*That word you used..."bored"....what's that mean exactly? 8)

 

[Geo]

Daaaamn & Welcome!!! Daaaamn!!! :shock:

George

 

[Zelja]

Welcome. What a gorgeous guitar you have! Love it!

 

[walrus]

My birth year as well! What a beautiful guitar! That is in unbelievable condition...

Welcome to LTG!

walrus

 

[Keith Lee]

*That word you used..."bored"....what's that mean exactly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It means that after 30+ years of playing, it was time to get back in the woodshed and learn a plethora of those spider fingered jazz chords, with
a nice smattering of fancy theory on top of it

The thrill of ripping off Albert King, Son House, classic rock, blues, outlaw country, Doc Watson, and playing all my "originals" had long since worn off,
deep down inside I knew I was just doing the same stuff over and over, and was playing more to keep my callouses than because I was really into it

I'd always liked a bunch of different jazz, but told myself it was too hard technically, or that I was good enough for what I played, and
besides no one knows who Joe Pass or Emily Remler are...

And it worked, I'm eaten up with this jazz guitar stuff, the new sounds are exhilarating, haven't been this into since my Strat wah-wah days
of the early 90's...

 

[hansmoust]

Interestingly, the period correct inner label is either blank or has faded over time, but the 65XX number
is on the back of the head stock

Hello Keith,

Welcome! Beautiful guitar! It's not unusual for the labels to show no writing during this period. I've seen many with the writing half faded and various ones with labels on which the writing was no longer readable.

I'd love to know how many X-500's and X-550's were made in 1958 --- Hans book (which appears to
verify the knobs, tuners, label and other parts as correct) did NOT mention how many were made that particular year

To the best of my knowledge Guild didn't keep records re. the number of instruments for each particular model during a specific year. However, for many years I've been maintaining a personal database in which I've entered every individual Guild guitar that I've come across or that people were willing to give me information on. Since Guild guitars were made in batches, eventually the database will give me a pretty good idea of the numbers that have been produced.
Right now I have 3 batches of X-500/550 guitars during the year 1958. A batch that starts with # 65xx, which is the one that your guitar may belong to and two other batches that starts with #71xx and #82xx respectively.
The lowest number that I have in the batch that your guitar may be from is #6541 and the highest one is #6547. Maybe you could let me know what the complete number is of your X-550, so I can enter it in the database. I you don't want to post the number, just let me know by private mail.

The only thing that seems to be not original is the binding around the headstock:

It looks like the original multiple binding has been removed and replaced by some black material with a thin layer of white on the outside edge.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Keith Lee]

HANS: The head stock number appears to be 6544, with the last 4 being quite faint, but observable in the right light

The binding is not perfect, there is a tiny piece the size of the edge of a medium coin that has been spliced in,
and another area where it has split and apparently been re-glued - the binding in the f-holes appears secure,
but it has certainly moved a bit through the years

Entering the realm of hyper-Guild geekdom, I will tell you one small drop of solder is observable on the back when looking through the treble side f-hole,
and there are a couple washed out pasty looking whitish blotch spots also observable through the f-holes

BTW --- I'm hoping the guitar can withstand flatwound jazz strings 13-53, cause that's what I've got on there

 

[zizala]

Wow Keith....

.......I'm impressed!

What a great first Guild and a very versatile guitar at that.

Welcome to Guild-dom and Archtopia......all at once....

ziz

 

[fronobulax]

Nice, and welcome.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

Beautiful guitar - congrats and welcome! I got hooked on Guild and the X-models specifically not because of jazz but rather Dave Gonzales and the Paladins' brand of rockabilly and blues.
Enjoy that guitar!

 

[southernGuild]

:shock: Beautiful guitar. congrats, enjoy, and welcome. May she continue to inspire and impress you. Sure looks like she will. :wink:

 

[GAD]

What a magnificent looking instrument!

Welcome!

 

[Ravon]

Great score Keith! Looks to be in great shape

 

[zulu]

Wow, What a great guitar!

 

[guildman63]

*That word you used..."bored"....what's that mean exactly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It means that after 30+ years of playing, it was time to get back in the woodshed and learn a plethora of those spider fingered jazz chords, with
a nice smattering of fancy theory on top of it

The thrill of ripping off Albert King, Son House, classic rock, blues, outlaw country, Doc Watson, and playing all my "originals" had long since worn off,
deep down inside I knew I was just doing the same stuff over and over, and was playing more to keep my callouses than because I was really into it

I'd always liked a bunch of different jazz, but told myself it was too hard technically, or that I was good enough for what I played, and
besides no one knows who Joe Pass or Emily Remler are...

And it worked, I'm eaten up with this jazz guitar stuff, the new sounds are exhilarating, haven't been this into since my Strat wah-wah days
of the early 90's...

I'm with you, Keith, and welcome to you and that sweet guitar!

While I basically suck at playing the guitar a Guild player can always dream big. I still listen to and play the blues and classic rock I grew up on, but very infrequently since discovering Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrel, Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, Emily Remler and many other jazzers just one year ago. I know, what took me so long? Not sure, but I ain't goin' back!

 

[AlohaJoe]

Keith, lots of great stuff here:
http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/index.html

And here:
http://chrisjuergensen.com/lessons.htm

And more jazz specific stuff here:
http://www.jazzguitar.be/

And a good Jazz forum here:
http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/

And I love that guitar!

 

[Keith Lee]

Thank you one and all for the kind words and site references

Jazz ain't easy, but it's necessary,
So I'm chasing movable 13b9 chords like Tom's chasin' Jerry

And for anyone thinking about heading down this path, I'd encourage you to do it

Chords that appear impossible become second nature, and you may be able to apply
certain theoretical concepts, even if you can't technically explain them to a music major

And, IMHO, the youtube clips of Emily Remler's Bebop lessons are pure gold, so good it's like cheating...

 

[fronobulax]

The only thing that seems to be not original is the binding around the headstock:

It looks like the original multiple binding has been removed and replaced by some black material with a thin layer of white on the outside edge.

What is it in the image and your vast knowledge of what Guild did, and when, that makes you think this is repaired binding and not the dreaded headstock overlay shrinkage? Thank you.