DeArmond X-155 help please

[cc_mac]

Hi,

I have a question for you folks. I've been thinking about buying from a local shop what appears to be a DeArmond X-155. I looks exactly like all the ones that I've seen on e-Bay but with a few oddities.

1) It does have DeArmond on the headstock. It also reads on the back of the headstock "Crafted in Korea" and has a serial# that looks consistent in typeface and numbering pattern to other X155s I've seen on eBay. It does NOT read " DeArmond crafted by Guild " on the back of the headstock.

2) The truss rod cover is blank. It doesn't read Guild X-155.

3) There is no label on the inside of the guitar.

The guitar does have the harp tailpiece with the D in it, the D script control knobs and the pickups look like the correct USA made models.

I want to make sure I am getting what I am paying for if I do this deal. Does anyone else have or have they seen any of the DeArmonds that lack the details listed above in 1.2, and 3? I can't imaging someone wanting to make a counterfeit DeArmond

Please advise. I hope to make a decision today or tomorrow at the latest about this.

Thanks
Chris

 

[dklsplace]

Hi Chris. I wouldn't be concerned. As I understand it, only the very first bit of production actually used the Guild name on the TRC & back of the headstock. Not sure why they decided to discontinue that practice, but many more DeArmonds were made without that info than actually have the Guild references.

 

[Graham]

Hey Chris, I can't answer all of the questions however mine did not have anything on the TRC.

And I do not reacll the crafted by Guild either. It did say Crafted in Korea though.

Just don't overpay for it.

 

[count_scrofula]

It's real. All you are seeing is correct. No one is counterfeiting cheap Korean guitars even if they're good ones. Ahhh, seeing those pics reminds me of something I didn't like about the 155...those block inlays were atrocious. Forget mother of toilet seat, I think they used the real thing!

I had a few 155's and a 145 and liked the 145 better, with the dot markers and the dearmatron pickups instead of the gold tones.

 

[matsickma]

Another misconception is that later DeArmonds without the Guild reference were inferior. That is incorrect. Based on my experiance the later models were as good or better than the earlier models in features and finish. (I had them all and often more than one.)

A few things to note about the earlier verses later years.
NOTE: These comments are specific to the Korean set-neck built DeArmonds guitars.

Earlier DeArmonds of the M and S series typically have a larger head similar to early Guilds thru the 1970's where as the later Dearmonds have smaller heads similar to the post 1985 George Grunn style heads. The older DeArmonds have Grover style tuner buttons and the newer ones have Schaller style. The older DeArmonds have a 3 knob head (large center and small L/R adjacent) style like a classic Guild and the newer ones have a single knob head. DeArmond swapped pickguard styles around. Some early models had a stair-step style (i.e., T400) and the later ones were curved like vintage Guilds. Older DeA often used 3 or 5 ply pickguard material and later used single clear or black. Early model DeA had the Guild reference and had identified truss rod covers the later ones had no markings. The early DeA used all chrome hardware and the later ones used the mixed chrome/gold hardware.

I am sure there are other little feature I haven't listed but you get the idea.

M

 

[cc_mac]

Thanks for the insight and advice. After some though I decided to let it go for now and save some move cash for a Guild X150. Although the shop came done on the price It still didn't seem like a good enough deal. If it had been black though I night have done it

Thanks
Chris