I just bought a new guitar from williesguitars.com, It is a 1958 x550. The only issues are binding shrinkage. Here's hoping that it arrives safe and sound and is all that it appears to be. Can anyone here tell me how to fix the binding?
1958 guild x550
- Thread starter guitarman
- Start date
What a beauty!
You could try heat... I had a '59 X-175 with a similar ailment and a carefully applied hairdryer (taking care not to overheat the lacquer finish) helped let the binding stretch when pressure is applied. This is a delicate procedure, but definitely helped my with my old guitar. It's something you can try, but do it cautiously. For more info, there are a few threads already on binding repair or replacement here.
I'm also really interested to know if yours has "mud capacitors" installed on the neck pickup. If it sounds like the tone control is rolled all the way off, that's what's going on there. Most players like to clip those out of the circuit to unleash the full potential of that pickup.
You could try heat... I had a '59 X-175 with a similar ailment and a carefully applied hairdryer (taking care not to overheat the lacquer finish) helped let the binding stretch when pressure is applied. This is a delicate procedure, but definitely helped my with my old guitar. It's something you can try, but do it cautiously. For more info, there are a few threads already on binding repair or replacement here.
I'm also really interested to know if yours has "mud capacitors" installed on the neck pickup. If it sounds like the tone control is rolled all the way off, that's what's going on there. Most players like to clip those out of the circuit to unleash the full potential of that pickup.
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
Nice guitar, congratulations!!
southernGuild
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WOW!!! I can see why you NEEDED that one!! Beautiful! Congratulations. 
looking foreward to seeing MORE!
looking foreward to seeing MORE!adorshki
Reverential Member
Down boy. Except for the fact that I now understand your preference for the "older women". :lol:southernGuild said:WOW!!! I can see why you NEEDED that one!! Beautiful! Congratulations.
southernGuild
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:lol: They KNOW 'things' that the young ones havent had TIME to learn!! :evil:adorshki said:Down boy. Except for the fact that I now understand your preference for the "older women". :lol:southernGuild said:WOW!!! I can see why you NEEDED that one!! Beautiful! Congratulations.
adorshki
Reverential Member
Yeah I finally figured out a while back I just ain't got the patience fer teachin' no more.... :lol:southernGuild said::lol: They KNOW 'things' that the young ones havent had TIME to learn!! :evil:adorshki said:Down boy. Except for the fact that I now understand your preference for the "older women". :lol:southernGuild said:WOW!!! I can see why you NEEDED that one!! Beautiful! Congratulations.
Jeff Haddad
Senior Member
That guitar is a beauty, congrats! I would have loved to have a "spare" $2K around, I would've jumped at that. Glad it went to someone who can appreciate it.
I looked for years until I found my X500. As mentioned, heating the binding will soften it up and then you can superglue it in place. I've never done this, but the luthier I took mine to explained the procedure to me. And I had the mud cap removed from mine also. Enjoy that guitar! Paladins fan like me? Here's mine:
I looked for years until I found my X500. As mentioned, heating the binding will soften it up and then you can superglue it in place. I've never done this, but the luthier I took mine to explained the procedure to me. And I had the mud cap removed from mine also. Enjoy that guitar! Paladins fan like me? Here's mine:
southernGuild
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Yours is looking pretty good there too Jeff!
db62
Junior Member
Jeff Haddad said:That guitar is a beauty, congrats! I would have loved to have a "spare" $2K around, I would've jumped at that. Glad it went to someone who can appreciate it.
I looked for years until I found my X500. As mentioned, heating the binding will soften it up and then you can superglue it in place. I've never done this, but the luthier I took mine to explained the procedure to me. And I had the mud cap removed from mine also. Enjoy that guitar! Paladins fan like me? Here's mine:
Wow! That's gorgeous! I'm always blown away by the '50's X series. Here's my contribution:
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Congrats on a beautiful guitar!
I've been trying since January to buy this very guitar. Long story short, Eclipse music in St Paul had some troubles tracking down with the owner to get a firm price. From all reports and photos (and I got a lot of photos) it is a beauty - a one owner guitar and at a great price.
cheers, Danny
I've been trying since January to buy this very guitar. Long story short, Eclipse music in St Paul had some troubles tracking down with the owner to get a firm price. From all reports and photos (and I got a lot of photos) it is a beauty - a one owner guitar and at a great price.
cheers, Danny
Smiert Spionam
Member
That is indeed a beauty -- looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Great price, too.
Here's my old blonde, too:
Great price, too.
Here's my old blonde, too:
Well I had a visit from Canada Post today and I am more than pleased. The x550 is simply awesome. The guitar is in fantastic shape, and it sounds and plays great. The pickups don't have the mud cap, as my x350 did, so there will be no need to go "clipping". The neck plays smoothly, the frets are larger than the ones that came stock on any of my other guilds (1960 x350, 1961 x175sp, 1964 ce 100 dp, 1988 x170), and they appear to be, as well as the rest of the guild, all original. The bridge pickup screams; it is even hotter than the bridge franz on my x350. The neck pickup could use a shim - but it still sounds awesome. The pickups are wired out of phase, and this sound is really cool and quite usable as the volume drop is not that drastic, especially if I lower the bridge pickup volume slightly. Ever since seeing and hearing Dave Gonzalez's x550 I have wanted one, so I am totally thrilled. The seller said that the case is original, but I have my doubts as it is nothing like the case (guild badge lifton) which came with my x175. Does anyone have information ( pics) on the different models of vintage guild guitar cases? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers.
southernGuild
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Sounds GREAT guitarman..........ENJOY!!!
and Cheers to that new Guitar of yours! Congrats!
and Cheers to that new Guitar of yours! Congrats!
db62
Junior Member
guitarman said:
Guitarman - noted your reference to "Canada Post" - where in Canada are you? I'm thinking in terms of luthiers in case you need some help with your binding issues.
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
That is nice to hear. Enjoy!!!guitarman said:
krysh
Guildarist in the mod squad
congrats, great guitar!
I remember that guitar. (Not that it was that long ago mind you) My last day at Willie's was may 29. You probably spoke with me on the phone about that guitar before you called back to buy it.
For those wondering, the guitar is in totally MINT condition, save for the binding shrinkage.
It even has the un-filled out warranty tag in the case. Given the condition of the guitar, and that it has the warranty tag I would guess the case is original. I can't say why some companies did what they did but there is always that chance that their supplier was out of case they ordered and they just got what would work for the time being. Who knows?!
I'd be careful applying any amount of heat to the finish/binding. That finish is in great shape...would be a shame if anything happened to it!
Fantastic guitar! Congrats! I'm glad it went to a good home.
-Bobby
For those wondering, the guitar is in totally MINT condition, save for the binding shrinkage.
It even has the un-filled out warranty tag in the case. Given the condition of the guitar, and that it has the warranty tag I would guess the case is original. I can't say why some companies did what they did but there is always that chance that their supplier was out of case they ordered and they just got what would work for the time being. Who knows?!
I'd be careful applying any amount of heat to the finish/binding. That finish is in great shape...would be a shame if anything happened to it!
Fantastic guitar! Congrats! I'm glad it went to a good home.
-Bobby
