Just got an X-170, needs strings

[Mark51]

Got an X-170 Friday and have been having lots of fun with it. It needs new strings and I would like to know what came on these when new, is the wooden bridge set up for a plain or a wound G, and should I start with 10's or go right to 11's? I play mostly old time R&R and a bit of Blues. I want to give some lite jazz a try with it. Looking for the most versatile option. Thanks in advance.

Mark

BB
SF-4
X-170

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Mark51 (good name for a Guild classical)

Pleased to make your acquaintance. Soon you'll be wondering if you're pleased to make mine.

I don't have a 170 (although I'd like to get a 160, 170, or 180 in one of those weird colors a few had--Canadian pink, Upsher purple, etc.).

I don't know, but I would guess the bridge and nut were made for a wound third. I put a wound third on anything that's not a solidbody. Even my bicycle. On all of my starchtops, I use a set of tens. It's easy for me to remember because it rhymes with "Depends." But I don't know of any tens that come with a wound third, so I use separate 18 gauge wound strings from juststrings.com. "Eighteen" is easy for me to remember because it's the cut-off age for all of my groupies.

You might try flatwounds. I like them, and I don't care what normal people say. But I do care what Coastie says, and he improved "Hattenhauer" by changing it to "Hatted Frau" and POW! it's Hatted Frau now.

 

[FNG]

Mark51 (good name for a Guild classical)

Pleased to make your acquaintance. Soon you'll be wondering if you're pleased to make mine.

I don't have a 170 (although I'd like to get a 160, 170, or 180 in one of those weird colors a few had--Canadian pink, Upsher purple, etc.).

I don't know, but I would guess the bridge and nut were made for a wound third. I put a wound third on anything that's not a solidbody. Even my bicycle. On all of my starchtops, I use a set of tens. It's easy for me to remember because it rhymes with "Depends." But I don't know of any tens that come with a wound third, so I use separate 18 gauge wound strings from juststrings.com. "Eighteen" is easy for me to remember because it's the cut-off age for all of my groupies.

You might try flatwounds. I like them, and I don't care what normal people say. But I do care what Coastie says, and he improved "Hattenhauer" by changing it to "Hatted Frau" and POW! it's Hatted Frau now.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Default]

Welcome from another archtop wanker! I use 10's but I find that the bridge can skate a little bit if I pound on the strings.
I use a fairly thin pick. My bridge is compensated for wound g, btw.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

FNG,

I can be downright enjoyable if I'm not there in person.

 

[Squawk]

Got an X-170 Friday and have been having lots of fun with it. It needs new strings and I would like to know what came on these when new, is the wooden bridge set up for a plain or a wound G, and should I start with 10's or go right to 11's? I play mostly old time R&R and a bit of Blues. I want to give some lite jazz a try with it. Looking for the most versatile option. Thanks in advance.

Mark -

Congrats on the X170. Assuming the bridget is original, it is compensated, and needs a wound G. I highly recommend flats - and while 11s are more standard for the X170, get 10s if that's more comfortable for you. D'Addario Chromes and TI Jazz 10s both have wound Gs - I believe most other brands of flat 10s do as well.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Skwalk,

Just last night I was thinking that I hadn't heard from you in a long time.

Thanks for the reminder on the chrome tens. And for those who want to try flats without a wound third, get a set of 13s, throw away the low E, use a 9 for the high E, and move each of the rest of the strings one slot bassward.

But in New Zealand, you have to reverse all of that. Just as their water swirls the opposite way, their guitar strings are all reversed.

 

[strings]

Hello Mark51, you may find out that both flats and round strings sound good on your 170. It’s a versatile guitar. You’ll have to choose, which way to go. I tried 10s, 11s and 12s, and liked 11s most. I, for one, prefer flats on my x-170. 3rd should be wound. Anything else seems to be a matter of taste. Best regards from Hamburg, FRG

 

[BluesDan]

Hello Mark51, you may find out that both flats and round strings sound good on your 170. It’s a versatile guitar. You’ll have to choose, which way to go. I tried 10s, 11s and 12s, and liked 11s most. I, for one, prefer flats on my x-170. 3rd should be wound. Anything else seems to be a matter of taste. Best regards from Hamburg, FRG

Although new to the world of archtops, I recently acquired an X700 and have been experimenting daily with strings, trying 10's, 11's, and 13's, both D'Addys (Chromes) and TI flatwounds and TI BeBop round wounds. Have to agree, that regardless of the brand, 11's did the trick. Preferred the TI brand, with the BeBops for blues and flats for jazz tone. Of course, string tone is always subjective...........best advice I could give is experiment!!!!!!!!!!! 8)