I need X-180 park avenue info

[nlalouette]

I tried it at my local guitar store when it came in and liked it, then I went in another time and picked it up and noticed that it had a one-piece veneer on the back and front! The people at the guitar store didn't know this which is odd because they bought it in 2002, then sold it to someone, who then is reselling it through the same store on consignment. So I am quite proud of that find, and got it in great condition for $1600. I'm guessing it just sat in his closet, there's not even any serious scratches on the pickguard. The serial number is CR000009. I have done some research, and heard that it is basically an X-150D with bells and whistles. I've heard that they only made 20, but I've seen a few times that they made somewhere closer to 100-150. I know the specs, but I don't know where it comes from, besides the Corona factory, and why guild made it, and what it is outside of the specs. If you can help me at all I would greatly appreciate that. Also, what case should I get for it? Thanks!

 

[GAD]

Need pics!

Here's the catalog page:

HEre's the price list page:

 

[nlalouette]

Need pics!

Here's the catalog page:

HEre's the price list page:

Thanks, I feel my question was misunderstood, I was looking for why guild built it, not the specs. I haven't seen that price sheet listing though, so thank you so much! Also, I'll post pics when I get home, I'm in school right now haha.

 

[GAD]

Thanks, I feel my question was misunderstood, I was looking for why guild built it, not the specs. I haven't seen that price sheet listing though, so thank you so much! Also, I'll post pics when I get home, I'm in school right now haha.

I'm not sure we'll be able to answer that aside from they probably thought that it would sell, but I look forward to learning if someone knows more!

 

[nlalouette]

I'm not sure we'll be able to answer that aside from they probably thought that it would sell, but I look forward to learning if someone knows more!

Alright, do you know how many were made? Also, I just feel like there's a bit of mystery around it, and why did they make the GSR 2013s if they didn't sell too well, or did it sell well, I've heard that only around 100-150 were made, but I don't know. If you or anybody else can answer any of these questions, that'd be amazing.

 

[GAD]

Those would likely be questions for @hansmoust

Guild has quite a few guitars over its history where very few were made. The X92, the Nightbird STD and DLX, the X100 Bladerunner all come to mind, though I'm sure there are many more.

Remember, too, that Guild stopped making electrics all-together around 2004 so there could have been bigger issues at play when talking about the X180.

 

[Walter Broes]

Why Guild built it - they might have suspected (or tested,) if there was a market for a slightly more upscale 16" hollowbody - the X500 was always the fancy laminated Guild Jazz box, but 17" IS big

 

[Canard]

Search is your friend here. This site is a repository of a lot of seriously deep Guild knowledge.

A guy whom I think is/was maybe from Fender said this of the X-180 PA - the URL should link directly to Post 10 in the thread below:

X-180 Park Avenue facts and specs assist???

Happy New Year all! Having owned more than my share of X-170's over the years, 2b's now attempting to acquire info on the former X-180 Park Avenue. Here's the facts I've learned about the X-180 Park Avenue thus far. Please feel free to add or correct to this list with X-180 factual specs or...

letstalkguild.com

No answers as to how many were made, though.

In addition to burst and blonde, I have seen them (in pictures) in blue and pearl, and maybe gold (if memory serves).

Very nice guitar! Congrats on the buy. I just wish they had bound the f-holes. The unbound look is at odds with the rest of the guitar's bling.

 

[nlalouette]

Those would likely be questions for @hansmoust

Guild has quite a few guitars over its history where very few were made. The X92, the Nightbird STD and DLX, the X100 Bladerunner all come to mind, though I'm sure there are many more.

Remember, too, that Guild stopped making electrics all-together around 2004 so there could have been bigger issues at play when talking about the X180

Search is your friend here. This site is a repository of a lot of seriously deep Guild knowledge.

A guy whom I think is/was maybe from Fender said this of the X-180 PA - the URL should link directly to Post 10 in the thread below:

X-180 Park Avenue facts and specs assist???

Happy New Year all! Having owned more than my share of X-170's over the years, 2b's now attempting to acquire info on the former X-180 Park Avenue. Here's the facts I've learned about the X-180 Park Avenue thus far. Please feel free to add or correct to this list with X-180 factual specs or...

letstalkguild.com

No answers as to how many were made, though.

In addition to burst and blonde, I have seen them (in pictures) in blue and pearl, and maybe gold (if memory serves).

Very nice guitar! Congrats on the buy. I just wish they had bound the f-holes. The unbound look is at odds with the rest of the guitar's bling.

I’ve been digging through the archives and saw this, this was hugely helpful, but I’m still,wondering about the production of the guitar I guess. I’m not sure how to phrase it, but I want to know what the serial number means in terms of production, and the people that likely made it, as well as how much guild as a company put into this guitar in terms of effort. Sorry, I’m probably not making sense. Anyways... thanks so much guys. It’s been amazing discovering all these forums of such kind people looking to share rare information.

 

[nlalouette]

I tried it at my local guitar store when it came in and liked it, then I went in another time and picked it up and noticed that it had a one-piece veneer on the back and front! The people at the guitar store didn't know this which is odd because they bought it in 2002, then sold it to someone, who then is reselling it through the same store on consignment. So I am quite proud of that find, and got it in great condition for $1600. I'm guessing it just sat in his closet, there's not even any serious scratches on the pickguard. The serial number is CR000009. I have done some research, and heard that it is basically an X-150D with bells and whistles. I've heard that they only made 20, but I've seen a few times that they made somewhere closer to 100-150. I know the specs, but I don't know where it comes from, besides the Corona factory, and why guild made it, and what it is outside of the specs. If you can help me at all I would greatly appreciate that. Also, what case should I get for it? Thanks!

Really good flames, and the matching on the sides and front is incredible!

 

[fronobulax]

but I want to know what the serial number means in terms of production, and the people that likely made it, as well as how much guild as a company put into this guitar in terms of effort.

There is no real serial number decoder for the Corona years besides asking Hans Moust. Send him email to the address listed on his web site at http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/contact.php and maybe he has something to say about yours.

Guild was moving to cumulative serial numbers where the serial number might say an instrument was the 3rd instrument to be finished on a particular day or the 1728th instrument built in a year or since a particular date. This means that after some point serial numbers cannot provide insights into how many instruments of a particular model were built. It maybe that Corona numbers are cumulative, but maybe not. You would need access to production logs and it is not even certain that they have been preserved. Maybe FMIC transferred them to CMG and they are in a box somewhere. Maybe FMIC threw them out. Maybe they are in a basement in Scottsdale because FMIC's lawyers said to keep them because they might be needed to adjudicate warranty claims.

Guild acoustics sometimes have pencil annotations that can be seen through the soundhole and say something about dates. Perhaps a fiber optics scope through the f-holes would turn up something interesting. Removing the pickups sometimes provides information and the potentiometers often have a date code so you can say that the wiring was assembled after that date.

We have had members who were in the Westerly and New Hartford plants when they were operational but no one has come forward as an eyewitness to Corona operations. 2002 is probably a bit early for a video of a factory tour but there might be some promotional material floating around.

if you can be more specific you might get some answers but it may also be true that what you hope to find and understand is just not known.

 

[SFIV1967]

why did they make the GSR 2013s if they didn't sell too well, or did it sell well, I've heard that only around 100-150 were made, but I don't know.

The 2012 introduced GSR X-180 has really nothing to do with the 10 years earlier Corona made X-180. The GSR X-180 was made in the New Hartford factory and only 20 were made, not because she didn't sell but because the GSR models were always small limited runs and they were all marked with "x of 20" on the labels. The GSR X-180 came with SD '59 pickups for instance. There were cases on GSR models however that x number were initially planned but either less or some more were made at the end. But that had more to do with available or faulty material in most cases.

Ralf

 

[nlalouette]

There is no real serial number decoder for the Corona years besides asking Hans Moust. Send him email to the address listed on his web site at http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/contact.php and maybe he has something to say about yours.

You would need access to production logs and it is not even certain that they have been preserved. Maybe FMIC transferred them to CMG and they are in a box somewhere. Maybe FMIC threw them out. Maybe they are in a basement in Scottsdale because FMIC's lawyers said to keep them because they might be needed to adjudicate warranty claims.


Guild acoustics sometimes have pencil annotations that can be seen through the soundhole and say something about dates. Perhaps a fiber optics scope through the f-holes would turn up something interesting. Removing the pickups sometimes provides information and the potentiometers often have a date code so you can say that the wiring was assembled after that date.

if you can be more specific you might get some answers but it may also be true that what you hope to find and understand is just not known.

Is it worth calling CMG now, or not? Also, I sadly think that you are right, and that the information will be darn near impossible to find. Do you know of potential ways to get my hands on those production logs, cause that's really what I'm looking for. Thank you guys so much, it's always nice to see a helpful, kind community around something you care about, such as guild guitars.

 

[SFIV1967]

Is it worth calling CMG now, or not? Also, I sadly think that you are right, and that the information will be darn near impossible to find. Do you know of potential ways to get my hands on those production logs, cause that's really what I'm looking for. Thank you guys so much, it's always nice to see a helpful, kind community around something you care about, such as guild guitars.

It would be useless calling CMG as they know nothing about the history. You would need to wait until Hans Moust publishes his volume II of The Guild Guitar Book as this one will most probably include the whatever available Corona serial number information. You will not find a single other person in the entire world that will be able to give you an answer to your question I'm afraid.

Ralf

 

[nlalouette]

It would be useless calling CMG as they know nothing about the history. You would need to wait until Hans Moust publishes his volume II of The Guild Guitar Book as this one will most probably include the whatever available Corona serial number information. You will not find a single other person in the entire world that will be able to give you an answer to your question I'm afraid.

Ralf

Why does Hans know so much, it seems he just has compiled public information over the years no?

 

[SFIV1967]

Why does Hans know so much, it seems he just has compiled public information over the years no?

It took him years of intensive research and countless photo sessions all around the word. And that was all before the internet existed!
Also he was in the various Guild factories like in Westerly and Nashville and probably more. He is a guitar repair professional. So he has mostly first hand info, not "just public information". And what "public information" was really out there before like 1995? Mostly only catalogs, everything else was him travelling around the world to meet people who worked at Guild or who own Guilds. It's hard work and costs lots of money to write a book like The Guild Guitar Book in the pre-internet and pre-computer time.

Ralf

 

[Canard]

@nlalouette

You could always try posting an enquiry in the musical instrument section on Craigslist for the Corona, California, area postal code, asking if there is anyone who worked on Guild archtops in the Corona Fender Custom Shop (where I believe the X-180s were built) and who would be willing to share their knowledge/recollections. Maybe someone will pickup the call and say, "Hello."

craigslist: 92882 + 20 mi jobs, apartments, for sale, services, community, and events

craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events

orangecounty.craigslist.org

 

[nlalouette]

@nlalouette

You could always try posting an enquiry in the musical instrument section on Craigslist for the Corona, California, area postal code, asking if there is anyone who worked on Guild archtops in the Corona Fender Custom Shop (where I believe the X-180s were built) and who would be willing to share their knowledge/recollections. Maybe someone will pickup the call and say, "Hello."

craigslist: 92882 + 20 mi jobs, apartments, for sale, services, community, and events

craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events

orangecounty.craigslist.org

Will do, thanks. I used to live in Laguna Beach, and I have a guitar teacher/ family friend I could ask to drudge up some information. I can't find an option to post an inquiry, should I just post an ad or something and ask the question there.

 

[GAD]

Why does Hans know so much, it seems he just has compiled public information over the years no?

Hans has far more information that what’s public. Honestly most of the “public” information I’ve seen over the years came from him.

 

[nlalouette]

Hans has far more information that what’s public. Honestly most of the “public” information I’ve seen over the years came from him.

Oh, that's cool, do you think he'd know where those records are?