NGD 1960 Ghost Label X-175 w/OHSC

[txbumper57]

You got me. I got to "mount a tun-o-matic straight through the top by drilling two holes" and stopped reading in disgust (with an audible groan). Then I saw your last sentence. :eagerness:

I thought you were serious with the tremolo, but then you mentioned drilling holes in the top in the next sentence, and I suspected, or at least hoped you were kidding.

I figured I would get everyone's heart beating a little faster today! LOL! It took me a minute to come up with all of that, I had to remember all of the horrors I have seen committed on vintage Guilds over the years by other folks in order to fill out the list. I would never let that happen to one of my guitars let alone an all original piece like this one. If I can't make it right with the tremolo I have no problems leaving it all original. I wish I could have seen a picture of both of your faces when you started reading into that description! :grumpy: LOL!

TX

 

[walrus]

By the way, All of that is a joke.:triumphant: LOL!

A little early (or late?) for April Fool's Day isn't it? Good one!

walrus

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Congrats on finding such a beauty! The Manhattan is my fav "full size" Guild archtop.

-Dave-

 

[Sleeko]

Stunning! Best of luck with her. :tennis:

 

[GAD]

I figured I would get everyone's heart beating a little faster today! LOL! It took me a minute to come up with all of that, I had to remember all of the horrors I have seen committed on vintage Guilds over the years by other folks in order to fill out the list. I would never let that happen to one of my guitars let alone an all original piece like this one. If I can't make it right with the tremolo I have no problems leaving it all original. I wish I could have seen a picture of both of your faces when you started reading into that description! :grumpy: LOL!

TX

It was just like this:

 

[txbumper57]

It was just like this:

That is Hilarious! LOL!

TX

 

[jp]

Nice grab tx! That's a super-looking Guild! I especially love the fancy Kolb tuners. Yours seems to also have that faint olive color tone to the back and side finish that is only visible in certain light. I've only seen it on '58-60s Guilds -- very mysterious.

Good luck with your set up and enjoy playing it!

 

[Walter Broes]

I actually get my bridges through Allparts here in Houston which are based on different Manufacturer's bridges. If it has been made or manufactured for a guitar, Allparts probably has a version of it in the specs you want. The Allparts "Schaller style" low profile bridge comes in different radii. I had one on a Starfire 2 that I converted to a 3 that had a very shallow neck angle from the factory and also have the same style on my X160 Rockabilly which there is plenty of adjustment room on. They offer their's in 12" and 14". I have been down this whole bridge tremolo road many times before and while it might not be what others like, I know what I like when it comes to tone and dependability, especially without having to use Locking tuners as I am not a fan of those.

Tex, I don't know if you measured it yet, but Guilds from this era tend to have very round fretboards. They can go from 7.5 (really!) to about 10". I'd be very surprised if you can find a roller bridge to match that radius, most of them are a good deal flatter.

I'll echo the advice given earlier in this thread : there's usually enough material on the saddles of an old style ABR-1 tune-a-matic bridge to get them to almost a 9.5" radius. I have all my Hoboken Guilds set up with one of those. With a well cut and lubed nut and a bridge base that's been immobilized in some way, I don't run into any real tuning problems.

I've been looking at these : https://www.schroederguitarhardware.com/collections/all/products/schroeder-radiused-tune-o-matic-bridge . It's the first TOM style bridge that seems to be purposely made for rounder radii. I might try one when I have some spare cash.

 

[txbumper57]

Nice grab tx! That's a super-looking Guild! I especially love the fancy Kolb tuners. Yours seems to also have that faint olive color tone to the back and side finish that is only visible in certain light. I've only seen it on '58-60s Guilds -- very mysterious.

Good luck with your set up and enjoy playing it!

Thanks JP, and thanks for reminding me about the Olive Green color in certain light. It was the weirdest thing when I was taking pictures of the back and sides. The Back and sides of the guitar look reddish brown to the naked eye and if you get up close you can even see some Flamed coming through the sides a bit. Whenever I would take a picture with my Flash directly on the back and sides it would come out Olive Green to the point you could barely see the Reddish Brown. Here is a few pics of the back I didn't post because of the Olive Green color. Is this normal for this time period of Finish on Guilds?

 

[Walter Broes]

Whenever I would take a picture with my Flash directly on the back and sides it would come out Olive Green to the point you could barely see the Reddish Brown. Here is a few pics of the back I didn't post because of the Olive Green color. Is this normal for this time period of Finish on Guilds?

Yep! The ghost label one I used to have was the same. I think it might be a color effect of the clear coat yellowing.

 

[txbumper57]

Yep! The ghost label one I used to have was the same. I think it might be a color effect of the clear coat yellowing.

Thanks for the answer and the bridge Radius info Walter. I have a Fender American Vintage 59 Strat with a 7.25" radius on the neck! I love the different feel of that guitar but it is hell to get a low setup on it without knocking things out of whack! The neck on this one believe it or not is flatter than my 9.5" radius Strat Necks and Just a bit rounder than my 12" X-160 Rockabilly radius. I honestly would guesstimate it without my gauge as being between 10"-11". It is very comfortable to play and after a long session last night I decided to leave it original and not put the Trem on it. I do love the feel and tone of her and I just wouldn't feel right putting the bigsby on her. She will stay original.

TX

 

[jp]

Yep! The ghost label one I used to have was the same. I think it might be a color effect of the clear coat yellowing.

I think you might be right, Walter. It usually is visible on lighter burst finishes and gives them an interesting color quality. This '59 Capri posted by Billy D also has that finish.

 

[txbumper57]

Just wanted to update this a week in. I ordered a few sets of strings with a wound 3rd to get proper intonation on the X175 and they arrived today. I purchase 3 sets all Daddario. EXL110W's and EXL115W's which are both nickel round wound and a set of ECG23's which are 10 Chrome Flatwounds with a wound 3rd. I put the ECG23's on it this evening and am blown away. The Tone is to die for and with the 10 Flatwounds it seems effortless to play. Nice thick lows with snappy highs and balanced mids. They sound great both clean and overdriven. I am constantly amazed at how well this guitar plays and sounds being 56 years old. Also the versatility is unreal. It does every style great from Rock to Jazz to Country to Blues.

One thing I am curious about. Mine does not have an upper Strap pin and I plan on installing one but wanted to know from other owners of this model from this time period where they were originally located? Were they on the neck heel itself, the side of the upper bout, or does it really matter? Thanks in advance and look forward to the responses.

TX

 

[JohnW63]

I like the flatwounds on my NS X-175B too.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

At that time, they may not have mounted strap buttons on that side of the guitar, intending to have the strap tied around the headstock. I have a '55 X550 with a Gretsch-style strap button/lock installed on the side next to the neck heel and a '58 with a strap button installed in the neck heel. Both were installed before I bought the guitars.

 

[twocorgis]

TX, not being the original owner, I'm not sure if it's the OEM factory install, but the strap button on my '50 is on the side just north of the heel. You can see it in these two pictures.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

Here's my '55 with a Gretsch-type strap retainer installed. Obviously not original.

 

[Walter Broes]

Just wanted to update this a week in. I ordered a few sets of strings with a wound 3rd to get proper intonation on the X175 and they arrived today. I purchase 3 sets all Daddario. EXL110W's and EXL115W's which are both nickel round wound and a set of ECG23's which are 10 Chrome Flatwounds with a wound 3rd. I put the ECG23's on it this evening and am blown away. The Tone is to die for and with the 10 Flatwounds it seems effortless to play. Nice thick lows with snappy highs and balanced mids. They sound great both clean and overdriven. I am constantly amazed at how well this guitar plays and sounds being 56 years old. Also the versatility is unreal. It does every style great from Rock to Jazz to Country to Blues.

One thing I am curious about. Mine does not have an upper Strap pin and I plan on installing one but wanted to know from other owners of this model from this time period where they were originally located? Were they on the neck heel itself, the side of the upper bout, or does it really matter? Thanks in advance and look forward to the responses.

TX

Do yourself a favour and get some Thomastik flats, or Pyramids. SO much better and nicer than Chromes.

Strap buttons typically located really close to the neck, as on Sandy's guitar. I think they're that close so they still screw into the neck block that way. (guessing!)

 

[txbumper57]

Do yourself a favour and get some Thomastik flats, or Pyramids. SO much better and nicer than Chromes.

Strap buttons typically located really close to the neck, as on Sandy's guitar. I think they're that close so they still screw into the neck block that way. (guessing!)

Walter, what makes the Thomastik Flats or the pyramids better than the Chromes? I have been running Daddario Flatwound chromes on and off for many years on different guitars with different pickups and have loved them. Is it just a preference thing or what?

Thanks to all for the strap pin locations!

TX

 

[Walter Broes]

the round core, and the (nickel) material. Smoother tone, nicer tension (a set of 11's feels like 10's), longer life, better string to string balance, nicer feel, and they sound like a 1950's record in the best possible ways. Chromes feel and sound cheap in comparison. IMO and YMMV.