NS X175B Full Review

[GAD]

Yep - here's another one! A full write-up on my Newark Street X-175B.

http://www.gad.net/Blog/2016/07/18/guild-2015-newark-street-x-175b-guitar/

 

[FNG]

Nice review, love the sound clips!

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Good review. We certainly had nothing like this quality level at these prices back in the '70s & '80s!

-Dave-

 

[GAD]

Nice review, love the sound clips!

Thanks!

Good review. We certainly had nothing like this quality level at these prices back in the '70s & '80s!

That's what kills me. Even if I pick on specific things, the fact remains that these guitars are really quite good!

 

[guildman63]

I understand diming the tone of the guitar, which I usually do unless I'm using my Aristocrat for jazz, but you typically dime the treble on the amp? I don't think my treble knob ever sees the plus side of 12:00! :hypnotysed:

Very good review! I should bring my AP guitars with me the next time I head down to NJ and have you do similar reviews on them. :excitement:

 

[kakerlak]

I understand diming the tone of the guitar, which I usually do unless I'm using my Aristocrat for jazz, but you typically dime the treble on the amp? I don't think my treble knob ever sees the plus side of 12:00! :hypnotysed:

Very good review! I should bring my AP guitars with me the next time I head down to NJ and have you do similar reviews on them. :excitement:

I usually do w/ my Super Reverb. Treble-10, Mid/Bass-2-3ish. I am not a jazz player, lol.

 

[GAD]

I understand diming the tone of the guitar, which I usually do unless I'm using my Aristocrat for jazz, but you typically dime the treble on the amp? I don't think my treble knob ever sees the plus side of 12:00! :hypnotysed:

Very good review! I should bring my AP guitars with me the next time I head down to NJ and have you do similar reviews on them. :excitement:

Though it depends on the amp, I was referring to the tone on the guitar. I need to fix that. Thanks.

Though, yes, there was time when we would put all the knobs on 10 because Rock 'n Roll!

Then in the '80s we dimed everything and cut the mids back because Motley Crue. :redface-new:

 

[Guildadelphia]

Thanks for the detailed review and your blog is great. I have to say that my own impressions of the X175B I have are very similar to yours. With regards to the wiring/electronics, my tech was curious so he got a look inside with a dental mirror and found fullsize Alpha pots which in practice have felt great and are quiet. I took another look at the inlays on my guitar and while they do show some evidence of "filler" the edges on mine have nice sharp edges....my guess is that this varies from guitar to guitar at this price point. I did have an issue with the fit of the nut; there were gaps on each side and the slots were cut a bit high for maximum playability. My tech was able to fill the gaps with a combo of bone dust and superglue along with reworking the nut slots. The nut looks and feels perfect now. Tonewise, I've only played mine through one amp....my handwired DeLisle Nicklebox. The Nicklebox is a 5 watt all tube combo loosely based on a vintage Vox AC4 with an EF86 in the pre-amp stage but has a fullsize 20"x19" inch cab with a 12" Eminence Redcoat speaker and the X175B sounds amazing through this amp. Depending how I set the amp EQ, it will do fat, crystal clear cleans or snotty mid range raunch. If a drop out some of the mids and turn up the reverb you get instant Dave Gonzales Paladins tone (I wish I could actually play like Dave). Finally, I thought my 175 at 700.00 used mint was an absolute steal....the 500.00 GAD paid may be the greatest guitar deal ever short of finding a real mint vintage example in an attic or yard sale.

 

[kakerlak]

Finally, I thought my 175 at 700.00 used mint was an absolute steal....the 500.00 GAD paid may be the greatest guitar deal ever short of finding a real mint vintage example in an attic or yard sale.

Yeah, $700 seems like the low end of the asking prices I see -- $500 is a real bargain for the Bigsby model!

 

[GAD]

"snotty mid range raunch" may be the best tone description ever!

 

[dbirchett]

You need to buy and review more of the Newark Street models.

 

[GAD]

You need to buy and review more of the Newark Street models.

I have been eyeing those goldtop Bluesbirds...

Need to find a killer score on one.

 

[jcwu]

This guitar is much brighter than the Starfires, which I attribute to the pickups.

I thought the difference is also due to wood? Aren't Starfires typically mahogany, leading to a woodsier, smokier tone? (I could be totally wrong, of course..)

Which leads me to the next question - the sunburst we see here:

Is that also a Starfire? And is that a maple top? I didn't think Starfires came in sunburst of maple, I thought only T100's came that way.

Lovely guitars all around! I'm vicariously enjoying your binge.

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Tonewise, I've only played mine through one amp....my handwired DeLisle Nicklebox. The Nicklebox is a 5 watt all tube combo loosely based on a vintage Vox AC4 with an EF86 in the pre-amp stage but has a fullsize 20"x19" inch cab with a 12" Eminence Redcoat speaker and the X175B sounds amazing through this amp.

Nifty! I've got a DeLisle Eighty-Sixed preamp/overdrive: an EF86 fronted by a 12AX7. Sounds wonderful whether at instrument level into a standard amp input or at line level into a power amp or recording pre. Has that dark-ish, rich early Vox voice. My Bluesbird & NS Aristocrat love it.

-Dave-

 

[GAD]

I thought the difference is also due to wood? Aren't Starfires typically mahogany, leading to a woodsier, smokier tone? (I could be totally wrong, of course..)

Which leads me to the next question - the sunburst we see here:

Is that also a Starfire? And is that a maple top? I didn't think Starfires came in sunburst of maple, I thought only T100's came that way.

Lovely guitars all around! I'm vicariously enjoying your binge.

The sunburst SFIII is definitely maple. Much brighter (which I wanted in this guitar) than 'hog.

 

[dbirchett]

The Starfires initially came both ways depending on the color. Towards the end of the run after the turn of the century, I don't think they were making many from mahogany. Even the Cherry ones were maple, usually a nice flamed maple.

 

[Guildadelphia]

Nifty! I've got a DeLisle Eighty-Sixed preamp/overdrive: an EF86 fronted by a 12AX7. Sounds wonderful whether at instrument level into a standard amp input or at line level into a power amp or recording pre. Has that dark-ish, rich early Vox voice. My Bluesbird & NS Aristocrat love it.

-Dave-

Not to derail this thread....but Jer Delisle makes one hell of an amp. That Eighty-Sixed preamp/overdrive pedal is a killer...basically the front end of a Nickelbox sans the other 12ax7 twin-triode.

Back to business at hand....I love those two Starfires w/ P-90's. I almost traded for a Humbucker'd USA Starfire III a few years ago but decided against it when I found out it had the Fender made humbuckers in it....beautiful flamed maple guitar though.
In hindsight maybe I should have done the deal and invested in a pair of Duncan Seth Lovers.....oh well.

 

[GAD]

The red SFIII-P90 pictured is maple as well. It's got very nice flame that is pretty much 98% hidden by the red finish.

 

[DThomasC]

This guitar is much brighter than the Starfires, which I attribute to the pickups.

I thought the difference is also due to wood? Aren't Starfires typically mahogany, leading to a woodsier, smokier tone? (I could be totally wrong, of course..)

I think you're partly right about wood. To my ears, spruce topped instruments have an upper mid emphasis while mahogany is more lower or middle mid.

But, the Franz repros are also bright. It's hard to explain because they really are remarkably similar to P-90s. Same size magnets. The bobbins are slightly different dimensions, but since they're not really completely full of wire it's immaterial. I've played low-wind P-90s that are as bright but more airy, and higher wind P-90s that are as edgy but not as bright. These are bright and edgy.

The Franzs that I'm familiar with are in my NS Aristocrat which, according to Guild, have alnico 2 magnets instead of the alnico 5 in the X175. GAD, A5 usually has a sharper top end while A2 is a little smoother on top but comes with a looser bottom end as well. You might consider trying some A2s in your X175. If you don't like em you can change em back. There's two per pickup, so you can even try one of each. any 2.5" (or 2.44") x 1/2" x 1/8" magnet will fit. It's just a matter of removing and replacing a few screws.

 

[GAD]

I think you're partly right about wood. To my ears, spruce topped instruments have an upper mid emphasis while mahogany is more lower or middle mid.

But, the Franz repros are also bright. It's hard to explain because they really are remarkably similar to P-90s. Same size magnets. The bobbins are slightly different dimensions, but since they're not really completely full of wire it's immaterial. I've played low-wind P-90s that are as bright but more airy, and higher wind P-90s that are as edgy but not as bright. These are bright and edgy.

The Franzs that I'm familiar with are in my NS Aristocrat which, according to Guild, have alnico 2 magnets instead of the alnico 5 in the X175. GAD, A5 usually has a sharper top end while A2 is a little smoother on top but comes with a looser bottom end as well. You might consider trying some A2s in your X175. If you don't like em you can change em back. There's two per pickup, so you can even try one of each. any 2.5" (or 2.44") x 1/2" x 1/8" magnet will fit. It's just a matter of removing and replacing a few screws.

I used to have a P90-equipped Gibson SG with Alnico-2 magnets and it was divine. Might be worth a try.