Newark St A150 savoy vs X175

Ralph · Sep 23, 2013

Hi guys,

Am looking to get a jazz guitar and pretty much zeroed down to these two choices, been doing some research but can't come to anything conclusive and would appreciate any feedbacks/opinions. Thanks in advance!

Pardon me if I missed out on a thread that has already covered this topic.

Ralph.

jimmyl51 · Sep 23, 2013

Ralph,

What kind of things do you want to know exactly? The A-150 is an acoustic archtop with a suspended pickup whereas the X-175 has two set in pickups to be really simple. What kind of music do you play? jim in Maine

guildman63 · Sep 23, 2013

I played both at LMG IV through my Henriksen Jazz Amp, and while I liked both very much the X175 without the bigsby grabbed me a little more. It is more versatile as well.

Ralph · Sep 23, 2013

Hey Jim,

I'm pretty new to archtops and just started out mucking around with jazz standards some and with the guilds looking that good at that price its pretty tempting to get one just for jazz playing/practise

Not sure if this helps, thanks!

Ralph · Sep 23, 2013

I'm not too keen on the bigsby myself.The savoy is something new to me, I've seen/heard most great jazz guitarists using guitars along the lines of the x175, so one could say I'm really curious about the savoy.

jimmyl51 · Sep 24, 2013

Ralph,

Personally I would tend more towards the A-150b or the A-150 (sunburst). You don't need to have an amp to play the guitar and being that you have the suspended pickup you can plug in if you do feel like it. Heck for what is it $1200 with a case out the door you really can't go wrong. The X-175 again is a really cool guitar just IMHO I kind of feel that for your situation the A-150 would just make more sense. jim in Maine

jimmyl51 · Sep 24, 2013

Have you checked out this link below of the demo for the A-150b Ralph? Pretty nice guitar! jim in Maine

http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/details/?partno=3796000837#simpleContained3

Ralph · Sep 24, 2013

Jim,

I actually did and between the videos of the two guitars, I actually preferred the A 150.Just thought I'd seek second opinion from you guys

Thanks again!

jimmyl51 · Sep 24, 2013

Ralph,

For $1200 this guitar is verrrrry nice! You should e-mail Mike Brindell on this newsgroup as Mike just bought this guitar about what was it two months or so ago............Mike has a huge collection of Guilds if you haven't already checked him out on Facebook! jim in Maine

Ralph · Sep 24, 2013

Oh, I will most definitely look him up then and many thanks for your help! Looking forward to the purchase and definitely the blonde option for me, one too many sunburst at home

guildman63 · Sep 24, 2013

I think the bottom line is that whichever you choose you will like it a lot. I have read great reviews of each on LTG. In fact, I have not seen any negative reviews of either. If you can find them locally to try that is ideal, but if not it really comes down to which one appeals to you aesthetically more than the other, and if you will ever want to use it for anything but jazz. They both are excellent for jazz, so you really can't go wrong either way. Perhaps you should get both! :emmersed:

Ralph · Sep 24, 2013

Well, already having a tough time deciding between getting an american deluxe strat first or the guild, I'm pretty sure the third option doesn't help.haha.on top of that, my bank account wouldn't be too pleased as well

jimmyl51 · Sep 25, 2013

Ralph,

Get the Guild first. You can always get the strat later.............maybe you would want the X-175 first..............as you can use it for rock and roll/surf music you get the idea versus the A-150. jim in Maine

Ralph · Sep 25, 2013

Jim,

You are possibly quite right as I already have a Tom Anderson strat and an Ibanez 2630 (335 copy from 1979).However,same old question of which guild would it be.Interestingly,I was told that solid tops such as the A150 would be more suitable for solo and duos,whereas the laminated tops x175 would be better used in a band context. I'm not sure how that works out though,apparently due to some attributes but that's being general apparently.

jimmyl51 · Sep 25, 2013

Ralph,

Being that we are talking about the more inexpensive Newark St. Guilds that are laminated the issue is really mute being will you go with the A-150 or the X-175. I have a 1960 A-500 which is a carved top Guild. Now that guitar has an old DeArmond floater on it that really makes it more along the lines of an A-150 albeit a much more expensive guitar. Have a '56 X-550 which actually does not have a carved to although quite a few people will say that it does have a carved top on it. Regardless a superb jazz guitar any which way you cut it! At least IMHO I believe that for you it really would not make much difference which way you end up going. Again IMHO if you want to play more solo material get the A-150b, it you want to play out with a band get the X-175. Either way you go you will NOT be disappointed Ralph! jim in Maine

jimmyl51 · Sep 25, 2013

Ralph by the way where in the US of A do you live? Are you in New England by chance? jim

guildman63 · Sep 25, 2013

Interesting thing with me is that I went to LMG IV not having ever played either, and I have really been jonesin' for an archtop with a floating pup. I was sure the A-150 would be the one for me for pure jazz tones. while I liked the A-150 very much I would have selected the X-175 for straight ahead jazz, whether solo or otherwise. Just personal preference perhaps, and just trying to make things more difficult for you. :hopelessness:

jimmyl51 · Sep 25, 2013

If Guild made the A-500 which would fall under the Patriarch division then you would have a no-nonsense jazz guitar albeit the price would be EXPENSIVE I would bet! I guess what I am saying is that the price point for either of these two Newark St. guitars kind of makes choosing either one a bit non-sensical in a way.............jim in Maine

guildman63 · Sep 25, 2013

If Guild comes out with an A-500 I am in BIG trouble as I would have to sell a kidney to afford that after already ordering the X-500. :hurt:

Ralph · Sep 26, 2013

I'm actually located in Singapore and the local dealer doesn't appear to carry the Newark series, probably a demand issue? Hence, no chance to see/try it for myself.

However, by some stroke of coincidence I'm actually in Seoul for a holiday now. So let's see if I'm lucky enough to find a dealer here during my stay.

I'm starting to see a clearer picture now, thanks to you guys but that doesn't necessarily mean an easier decision. Hehe. Gotta pull the trigger soon!

*I'll be having to ship mine in from the US.

Many thanks for the patience and advise guys,appreciated!

Newark St A150 savoy vs X175

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