New old guitar day (or week) - Tennessee Orange X-170T, Westerly Mars

Rickenmaxer

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I've been watching for a Guildsby-equipped hollow or semi-hollowbody guitar for a few months, and I had a few cool Starfire IIIs and a nice flamey natural mid-80s X-170 slip past me due to my indecision to choose between maple and mahogany. This Tennessee Orange X-170T showed up a few weeks ago and it definitely caught my eye. Of course, I've read GADs reviews of the various Starfires and X-series (particularly the Mars X-170T), so it seemed like this was worth a shot despite the Fender HB1s that are usually less desired. I put in an offer that negotiated decently and got this early last week.

This guitar is a delight! Visually it's gorgeous with wonderful depth and just the right amount of tiger striping befitting its orangeness. The vibrato is smooth, quiet, and holds tune well. The humbuckers do not bother me the way they do others, but I definitely agree that the single-coil split mode is a vast improvement and where I'll mostly live. I'm really enjoying the finger board and neck feel, too.

So, with a serial #AK1714xx and matching Westerly label, this was listed as a 1999 model. There was another thread earlier this month where Ralf indicated #AK1715xx of another Tennessee Orange X-170 would be a 2001 model, so this is anywhere in between. One thing I did pick up from Gary's post, his Mars X-170t bridge was compensated for a wound G and this bridge is optimized for a plain G. Maybe it was replaced, but it looks original. I'm not sad about it in any case.

Speaking of strings, what sort of strings are you all using with Guildsby Guilds? I typically go for flats on my electrics but figured roundwounds would better put me in rockabilly/surf twang territory. I found a set of D'Addario balanced tension, nickel-plated round .011s that I'm going to try. I've had balanced tension sets on acoustics and really like them, and I figure the Bigsby could be better off with even tension top-to-bottom. But I'd love to hear of your latest favorite strings.

I'm still watching out for a mahogany Starfire III from Hoboken or Westerly eras, but with prices so COVID-crazy lately, I may hold this one for a while and see how we get along. So far, we're doing just fine.

Guild_x170t_full.jpg

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walrus

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What rhymes with "orange"? "Beautiful"!

Sweet guitar!

walrus
 

GGJaguar

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Beautiful orange goodness with flame for days. Congrats!!
 

HeyMikey

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Congratulations Rickeaxer! I was watching that one. What a drop dead gorgeous guitar. That flame maple under the T orange is a killer combination.
 

GAD

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Congrats! I love the X170T MARS and yours looks great!
 

shihan

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Beautiful! Your patience paid off in spades. If you like flatwound strings, you might try pure nickel rounds; very vintage-ey. Enjoy it in good health!
 
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