strings for acoustic use on ancient X-50

[john_kidder]

Hey there oh you many experts:

I want to put strings on my '53 X-50 to get better acoustic tone than the current nickel lights (yeah, I know it's plywood and all, but still it's a nifty little acoustic box for swing tunes and such). I still mostly play it plugged in, so I don't want to kill the pickup response.

Who's solved a similar issue?

Thanks
John

 

[walrus]

Hi John - I have D'Addario EJ20's ("Jazz Extra Light") on my 1965 X-50. They have a wound third, but are very light. Here's the specs on the strings:

http://www.daddario.com/DADProdDetail.a ... Class=AABA

I actually have trouble finding them - I have never seen them in a store, only on-line. I am very happy with the sound of the X-50 acoustically with these strings. It really sounds very close to how my 1961 A-50 sounded, which had D'Addario EXP light acoustic strings on it. And these strings sound great plugged in.

By the way, "plywood and all" or not, I love this guitar! It sounds great, and never fails to get compliments when I play it out. Very comfortable and very light to play, and much better made than most of the "not plywood" guitars I have had in the past.

walrus

 

[guildzilla]

I really like to put medium PB's on the full body archtops. It maximizes the volume of the guitar and delivers a sound that I find most appealing.

Sounds fine to me plugged in, too. If your pickups have adjustable screws, you can even out the output. Well enough for me, anyway.

 

[john_kidder]

Thanks guys. I'll see if I can get a set of the D'Addarios, and in the meantime I'll put a regular set of John Pearse PBs on it and adjust the pickup as suggested.

And I did not mean to disparage this lovely little guitar with the "plywood" comment, just to anticipate and deflect what I thought might be some unkind comments from others. It's my second '50s X-50 (the other was a '56, sold a couple for years ago), and I very much like them both.

Thanks again,
John

 

[walrus]

I'm with you, John, no offense taken - any "unkind comments from others" would be way off the mark - the X-50 is a great little guitar, as was the 1961 A-50 I had. It's quite telling that Guild's "low end" models are of such high quality...

I had a Martin D-35 for several years in the late 70's (one of their top models) and my D-64 blows it away in all categories. In fact, although not as full sounding, I enjoyed playing my A-50 better as well. Last month I was in a guitar store and I tried a used late 70's D-35 just like the one I had, and I could not believe I ever played one. Now I know their are plenty of Martin fans out there, don't get upset, just my humble opinion. The point is that Guild made (makes?) a great guitar, from the lowly X- and A-50, to the mystical D-100.

walrus

 

[FNG]

http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/daddario.html

Try this guy...if he doesn't have them, I'll bet he will get them for you.

 

[walrus]

I've had good luck getting the D'Addario EJ20's from either www.musiciansfriend.com, or www.juststrings.com.

walrus

 

[jcwu]

http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/daddario.html

Try this guy...if he doesn't have them, I'll bet he will get them for you.

I second stringsandbeyond.com - good prompt service, decent prices. I get all my strings from there now.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Have you tried DR "Zebras"? Designed for use w/ acoustics w/ magnetic p/us...sometimes hard to find, though.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... D=26017293