matsickma
Senior Member
Dang BillyD! I don't mind sloppy 2nds but sloppy 3rds!!! Now I feel low. 
Time to start the search for another CE! :twisted:
M
Time to start the search for another CE! :twisted:
M
1953/54 X350 Now you see it, now you don't
- Thread starter MVTele
- Start date
matsickma
Senior Member
John,
I am sure you are going to love the X350 when it shows up and you will not have to make any of the alterations I was thinking about. They are great guitars.
The one thing you will notice right away it that the sound of the guitar acoustically is incredibly rich. Very solid, full sounding , tight and full low-end. You will find out first hand what one of the higher end Guilds sounded like. Their are only a few Guild models that had higher end construction and materials. You will notice it immediatly even with old strings. I may have sold my X375 for practical reasons but I am very glad I got to experiance one-not many people have. (Does GoG have one?)
A note on guitar tone richness: When I was in college in I carried a EE major and also an Acoustics major. (Penn State is one of the very few schools in the country where you can get a Masters or PHd in acoustics.) Any way... during the year guest speakers would come to the Physics department and speak on various subjects. One time a Dr. Gibbons from the UK came over and gave a afternoon talk about the tonal characteristic of outstanding instruments. In particular he spent considerable time on the violins of Stratavarious. One common feature of outstanding tonal instruments is that they have a very full and rich bottom end, tight sound and harmonically rich.
I always remembered that session and keep that in mind when checking out instruments. When you compare less expensive instruments to the finer instruments you can often immediatly notice the discriminating low end of the better guitars and with a little practice recognize the other attributes. Since you play great sounding Guild guitars your appreciation of good tone is already at a superior level. You know that because when you play other guitars most sound kind of thin. I am providing this background info as a primer for the following comment. That is: Of all the Guild guitars I owned or played at one time, probably over 100, my X375 had all of the superior acoustical tonal attribues and it was so striking that I noticed it immediatly. Mine was a maple top and I think your is spruce so I think it will make even more of an impression on you when you play it for the first time accoustically.
So you are in for a great acoustical experiance that probably less than 1000 people got to experiance!
M
I am sure you are going to love the X350 when it shows up and you will not have to make any of the alterations I was thinking about. They are great guitars.
The one thing you will notice right away it that the sound of the guitar acoustically is incredibly rich. Very solid, full sounding , tight and full low-end. You will find out first hand what one of the higher end Guilds sounded like. Their are only a few Guild models that had higher end construction and materials. You will notice it immediatly even with old strings. I may have sold my X375 for practical reasons but I am very glad I got to experiance one-not many people have. (Does GoG have one?)
A note on guitar tone richness: When I was in college in I carried a EE major and also an Acoustics major. (Penn State is one of the very few schools in the country where you can get a Masters or PHd in acoustics.) Any way... during the year guest speakers would come to the Physics department and speak on various subjects. One time a Dr. Gibbons from the UK came over and gave a afternoon talk about the tonal characteristic of outstanding instruments. In particular he spent considerable time on the violins of Stratavarious. One common feature of outstanding tonal instruments is that they have a very full and rich bottom end, tight sound and harmonically rich.
I always remembered that session and keep that in mind when checking out instruments. When you compare less expensive instruments to the finer instruments you can often immediatly notice the discriminating low end of the better guitars and with a little practice recognize the other attributes. Since you play great sounding Guild guitars your appreciation of good tone is already at a superior level. You know that because when you play other guitars most sound kind of thin. I am providing this background info as a primer for the following comment. That is: Of all the Guild guitars I owned or played at one time, probably over 100, my X375 had all of the superior acoustical tonal attribues and it was so striking that I noticed it immediatly. Mine was a maple top and I think your is spruce so I think it will make even more of an impression on you when you play it for the first time accoustically.
So you are in for a great acoustical experiance that probably less than 1000 people got to experiance!
M
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
John,
I used to like you.
But seriously, why would you need the harp tp hinge if you're going to use a Kluson? And do you need a gold hinge? I have a chrome 50s. You could gold plate it, or maybe take off the chrome to get to the nickel.
hf
I used to like you.
But seriously, why would you need the harp tp hinge if you're going to use a Kluson? And do you need a gold hinge? I have a chrome 50s. You could gold plate it, or maybe take off the chrome to get to the nickel.
hf
john_kidder
Senior Member
No, no, Darryl, they're for two different guitars.
The Kluson is almost perfect original equipment for the X350, 1953, first year Guild and all. So off with the Bisgby and on with the Kluson.
But I also have a Bisgby on my X400. It's actually a bit of a bastard instrument - Hans talks about them in the Bible (it's not with me here in Ashcroft, or I'd point out the reference. It's an early X400 body with later fittings - Hans thought they were put together from bits not used in the first couple of years. So it's really a '54 or a '55, and it would have come with a gold-plated harp - not the fancy engraved ones from later, but a smaller plain gold one. I have the top part of one of those tailpieces, but not the bottom bracket. The bracket's not quite the same size as the bottom bracket on later hinged tailpieces - and even if I were to plate a newer part (I've though of getting one made, it's a pretty simple piece of metal), it wouldn't be possible to match the worn-off patina on the original part I have.
The whole intention is to get rid of the Bisgbys. For me, they just get in the way - I'm a fingerpicker and swing player, not a rockabilly guy - and the aluminum bridge seems to affect the tone.
Do you think you might be able ever to like me again?
And thanks, Mike, for that assurance on the tone. I think the X400 is probably a fine body as well, but I have big flatwounds on it so the acoustic tone necessarily suffers a bit, and I'm convinced the Bigsby is robbing richness. I'm really looking forward to this new old guitar - can't wait for things to warm up a bit so it can be shipped safely.
The Kluson is almost perfect original equipment for the X350, 1953, first year Guild and all. So off with the Bisgby and on with the Kluson.
But I also have a Bisgby on my X400. It's actually a bit of a bastard instrument - Hans talks about them in the Bible (it's not with me here in Ashcroft, or I'd point out the reference. It's an early X400 body with later fittings - Hans thought they were put together from bits not used in the first couple of years. So it's really a '54 or a '55, and it would have come with a gold-plated harp - not the fancy engraved ones from later, but a smaller plain gold one. I have the top part of one of those tailpieces, but not the bottom bracket. The bracket's not quite the same size as the bottom bracket on later hinged tailpieces - and even if I were to plate a newer part (I've though of getting one made, it's a pretty simple piece of metal), it wouldn't be possible to match the worn-off patina on the original part I have.
The whole intention is to get rid of the Bisgbys. For me, they just get in the way - I'm a fingerpicker and swing player, not a rockabilly guy - and the aluminum bridge seems to affect the tone.
Do you think you might be able ever to like me again?
And thanks, Mike, for that assurance on the tone. I think the X400 is probably a fine body as well, but I have big flatwounds on it so the acoustic tone necessarily suffers a bit, and I'm convinced the Bigsby is robbing richness. I'm really looking forward to this new old guitar - can't wait for things to warm up a bit so it can be shipped safely.
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
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Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Expose it to cable television?
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
That's a good Default line.
Smiert Spionam
Member
Very nice -- and a great story all around.
Good luck with it!
Good luck with it!
john_kidder
Senior Member
Hey there Smiert - great to hear from you - how's tricks?