X-170 Custom

nmiller

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This guitar was hanging around a local GC for a while; there was even a thread speculating about it a few months ago. I played it for the first time a couple of days ago and immediately knew that I had to have it. I've owned a number of Guild hollowbodies, but none came close to the sound of this one. Despite the sound post, it has a lot more of the hollow "thump" than the X-500s I've owned. The smaller, thin body and the 1 11/16" nut also make it easier to play. Best of all, it has my favorite control layout - a simple one.

The guitar was definitely routed for P-90s originally. I have the originals (Duncans, maybe?) but it currently sports Lollars. They sound great, but I'm going to try a couple of "staple" pickups because I think they'd make it a superb rockabilly guitar. It came with a pickguard that doesn't look original, though for now I'm leaving it off to admire the flame in the top. There's some mild buckle rash, nothing that goes through the finish; generally, it's in clean shape and came with the original case.

There's a 2000 date written under the truss rod cover, which I assume is when the guitar was completed.

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Walter Broes

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That's a very cool, and somewhat odd guitar. If it was up to me, there would be more single coil hollowbodies than humbucker ones around.
 

txbumper57

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Very Nice Nmiller! Glad this one wound up in the community. The original Dogear P90's Guild used in this time period like the ones on the Starfire III-90's were from Seymour Duncan and they were called Duncan "Antiquities". If that is the set of originals you got with it they are awesome pickups! I have a set in my Starfire III-90 and they do all styles of music great, Especially Rockabilly. I also have a set of Duncan Phat Staples in a humbucker mount in one of my Guilds and they are probably my Favorite pickups of all time. To me they sound like the perfect mix of an Original Dynasonic and Vintage P90. Looks like you got you a great guitar there! Keep us updated when you do your pickup swap, Can't wait to hear how it all turns out!

TX
 
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Guildadelphia

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Amazing looking guitar...probably sounds at least as good as it looks. I don't think I could resist putting a Guildsby on it.
 

krysh

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beautiful, but the cutaway still looks a bit strange compared to the usuual guild shape. great find!
 

GAD

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Holy crap that's cool. Congrats! I'm jealous!
 

Jeff Haddad

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I think I just drooled on my keyboard...

That's beautiful, congrats! Even makes it worth going into Guitar Center! I forgot about that original thread but the GC used website is terrible - terrible photos (and usually only one taken from far away) and very little description. Kicking myself a bit for not looking into this one further.

It's good to see hollowbody guitars with the correct-style pickups (single coils).

If you ever think about selling it, let us know here on LTG but I hope you enjoy it for a long time.
 

Walter Broes

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It's what I call "the Westerly cutaway". If you're used to seeing earlier Guild archtops (or reissues of those), it does look a little funny. Without wanting to offend anyone, I don't think it's the best looking silhouette the single cutaway 17-inchers have had.

Guild archtops changed quite a bit through the years, probably the molds wearing out and/or getting replaced. There's a distinct NYC silhouette and cutaway, very round and bulky, then there's the early Hoboken guitars that a lot of people (including myself) find the best looking and that has been reissued in the GSR X-500T and 400T as well as the Newark Street 150's.
A little after that the Hoboken guitars got bigger and bulkier and deeper and the cutaway changed and later in Westerly that got exagerrated even more, with the cutaway going to the shape you're seeing in the guitars above.
 

Quantum Strummer

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P-90s or Staples, either way I don't think you can go wrong. Maybe first try a Staple (Alnico V) in the neck position…IMO that with a bridge P-90 makes a killer combo.

-Dave-
 

nmiller

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The body looks and feels small to me too, but then I spend a lot of time playing 17" full-depth archtops so my perspective is skewed. One of the reasons I love this guitar is the 2" depth at the rim, which makes it a whole lot easier to get my arm around the body.

I view the staple pickups as an experiment, knowing full well that I might end up putting one or both P-90s back in.
 

Sleeko

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It's what I call "the Westerly cutaway". If you're used to seeing earlier Guild archtops (or reissues of those), it does look a little funny. Without wanting to offend anyone, I don't think it's the best looking silhouette the single cutaway 17-inchers have had.

Guild archtops changed quite a bit through the years, probably the molds wearing out and/or getting replaced. There's a distinct NYC silhouette and cutaway, very round and bulky, then there's the early Hoboken guitars that a lot of people (including myself) find the best looking and that has been reissued in the GSR X-500T and 400T as well as the Newark Street 150's.
A little after that the Hoboken guitars got bigger and bulkier and deeper and the cutaway changed and later in Westerly that got exagerrated even more, with the cutaway going to the shape you're seeing in the guitars above.

Of course all very subjective. Fortunately I love the look of mine and in the scheme of things that's all that matters. Cheers. :very_drunk:
 

hansmoust

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I assume the 2.5" doesn't include the arch in the middle of the top & back?

Yes, that would be 2-1/2" at the rim, but that might be another indication that we could be looking at an instrument completed privately by a Guild employee. There are quite a few of those floating around.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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gilded

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edited, no longer necessary
 
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