When I got my X 110 I thought it was all original as I was only the 2nd owner. I am now pretty sure that it should have had a harp tail piece. Here is a link to pictures. http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?p ... 1215401657. Anyone know how I should approach finding an original tailpiece?
MY X 110, I think I need an early guild Harp Tailpiece.
- Thread starter mbeeks
- Start date
Michael,
I'd pull that tailpiece and look and see if there are more holes underneath. Measure the extra hole (or holes), take a pic and post 'em here. That way, somebody with more knowledge than me can look at the hole pattern and tell you what you probably need to be looking for.
Also, that Gibson L7/ES175 tailpiece is worth some dough if it's nickel plated. You bought the guitar in the late '80's, right? (I searched your posts!] Well, I don't remember when Gibson started using nickel on those tailpieces again, but they first went to chrome in '65, so if the Tailpiece was old when you bought it in the '80's, it's probably pre-65 and worth a few hundred. Check out eBay and see what I'm talkin' about. Good luck!
Harry
I'd pull that tailpiece and look and see if there are more holes underneath. Measure the extra hole (or holes), take a pic and post 'em here. That way, somebody with more knowledge than me can look at the hole pattern and tell you what you probably need to be looking for.
Also, that Gibson L7/ES175 tailpiece is worth some dough if it's nickel plated. You bought the guitar in the late '80's, right? (I searched your posts!] Well, I don't remember when Gibson started using nickel on those tailpieces again, but they first went to chrome in '65, so if the Tailpiece was old when you bought it in the '80's, it's probably pre-65 and worth a few hundred. Check out eBay and see what I'm talkin' about. Good luck!
Harry
john_kidder
Senior Member
Wouldn't be a harp on a '53 - pretty sure it would have been a Waverly trapeze - but I'm travelling and don't have the bible close at hand.
I was guessing a harp because of the picture in the Guild book. I do believe the current tailpiece is nickel plated. I wasn't planning on replacing it right away. I figured it would take some time to find an original. It does make me wonder why the original owner replaced it in the first place. The more I explore, the more I find I don't know.
Michael,
Tailpieces break. Lots of string pull pressure vs. low tensile strength metal. In the long run, the stings win.
A friend of mine has a '40 Gibson archtop L12. The guitar has a real fancy tailpiece, that's basically unique to that year and that model. One day, both my friend and his guitar were in the living room (of friend's house). The guitar was sitting in the case, 'minding it's own business'. Suddenly, a startlingly loud metallic noise came from inside the case, "KRANG!!".
My friend rushed over and opened the case. The two-piece tailpiece had let go at the hinge and the top of the TP was lying on the face of the guitar.
For what it's worth, the Tailpiece that you have on there now breaks with some frequency, too. I call it the 'Krang Theory of Guitar Deconstruction'.
Tailpieces break. Lots of string pull pressure vs. low tensile strength metal. In the long run, the stings win.
A friend of mine has a '40 Gibson archtop L12. The guitar has a real fancy tailpiece, that's basically unique to that year and that model. One day, both my friend and his guitar were in the living room (of friend's house). The guitar was sitting in the case, 'minding it's own business'. Suddenly, a startlingly loud metallic noise came from inside the case, "KRANG!!".
My friend rushed over and opened the case. The two-piece tailpiece had let go at the hinge and the top of the TP was lying on the face of the guitar.
For what it's worth, the Tailpiece that you have on there now breaks with some frequency, too. I call it the 'Krang Theory of Guitar Deconstruction'.
That tailpiece breaks with some frequency too? Wow, I thought it was pretty beefy. Yes I had to replace my Dobro Tailpiece when it just started tearing apart at the right angle bend but I thought that was pretty understandable. The X110 plays fine and I am not in a hurry to change things but eventually I would like to make it as pristine as I can. When I first bought the X110 the owner of the music store called Guild to see if he could date it based on Serial # 1089 but back then Guild essentially told them they had no records that could help. Interesting because he had sold the guitar originally and knew that the first owner generally just played it in Church.
hansmoust
Enlightened Member
mbeeks said:
Hello Michael,
Looked in my database and I've found 3 different tailpieces on original X-100/X-110 guitars.
The very first ones (earlier than your guitar) had a Kluson tailpiece that was kind of a generic one and which you will also find on other brand guitars. I don't have a picture of just the tailpiece but there is a very early Epiphone Casino posted on my site which has that particular tailpiece.
http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/gallery_detail.php?id=169
Slighty later ones had the Waverly taipiece that was used by Guild all through the '50s on their lower end guitars. This was also a generic tailpiece that was used by several other companies.
http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/parts_detail.php?id=61
Then there are the guitars that left the factory after the X-100/X-110 was already taken out of the line and those usually have the harp tailpiece.
I would suggest taking a look under the tailpiece that is on the guitar now and that might give you an indication what was on it originally. Looking at the serial number of your guitar I would think it would have been a Waverly tailpiece, but you should keep in mind what we've discussed here regarding serial numbers and final assembly date.
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
mellowgerman
Senior Member
Well, if you do decide you still need a harp tailpiece, a friend of mine has an extra he'd probably be willing to sell... let me know
Thank you all for your responses. Sounds like I jumped the gun. Next time I change strings I will take the tail piece off and take a picture as well as measure the hole spacing. Sounds like the Waverly tailpiece is the most likely candidate though.
Mike
Mike
hansmoust
Enlightened Member
mbeeks said:
Hello Mike,
Here's another one with the Waverly tailpiece:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11995&p=125439#p125439
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl