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

[2bornot2bop]

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 other information:

No Sound Post
3" depth
Bound head stock
Maple neck with a Mahogany stripe
Select Maple woods
Rosewood fretboard
MSRP was $2900
It is possible less than 100 of them were built
Built in the Corona shop ONLY

*Only built between 2002-2003?


And with the belief that any forum post is better with pics - Here U go

 

[southernGuild]

Hubba-Hubba 2B!
I'd love to Bop with that pretty baby!
Great photos too!

 

[SFIV1967]

Nice! Hans had mentioned before that he would like to keep the general info on this model for his future publications (means future book). He had asked other members who own one to send him a private e-mail (via his webpage) with the serial number of the guitar and he would tell anything he knows about that particular serial number.

By the way, just for info, there was a 2013 limited GSR X-180 model as well:



Ralf

 

[2bornot2bop]

Nice! Hans had mentioned before that he would like to keep the general info on this model for his future publications (means future book). He had asked other members who own one to send him a private e-mail (via his webpage) with the serial number of the guitar and he would tell anything he knows about that particular serial number as long as it is not posted here afterwards.

By the way, just for info, there was a 2013 limited GSR X-180 model as well: http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/electric/archive/gsr-x180/

Ralf

Ralf, much obliged for the info! Hans, if you read this, an email has been sent.

What's this? A GSR-X-180 was created on a "limited" basis as well? Was that a nod towards the limited production of the originals?

 

[hansmoust]

Nice! Hans had mentioned before that he would like to keep the general info on this model for his future publications (means future book). He had asked other members who own one to send him a private e-mail (via his webpage) with the serial number of the guitar and he would tell anything he knows about that particular serial number as long as it is not posted here afterwards.

Hello folks,

After reading Ralf's posting I want to make a couple of things clear:

Yes, I do ask people for information, but I never ask anyone to keep that same info to themselves. Everybody can post whatever he or she has researched themselves. It would be outrageous if they couldn't!

When I ask for a serial number in a Private Mail, I do that because some people don't like to see their serial number posted. That doesn't mean that they cannot post their serial numbers themselves.

However, there is stuff that I've researched that I would like to keep for my new book and that I would prefer not to post on the internet before the book comes out. When I'm contacted by someone who's looking for specific information that I would like to keep for the book, I usually tell them why I would rather not give it out. In some cases however, I do give out the information but with the request not to post it on the internet.

Just wanted to make sure that everybody understands what my views and motives are on this issue!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[dbirchett]

Hans, any idea when we might see the new book?

Will it be a revision of the first or a Volume 2?

 

[Walter Broes]

The guitar in the pic seems to have an unusually steep neck angle - you can tell that is a very tall bridge, set very high. The pickups are raised up pretty high too. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but I'd try it before buying it.

 

[keith7940236]

Hey 2B,
I believe that the Corona X150 was basically the same guitar without the bling. I had a Corona X-150 and it was fantastic. Very well constructed and perfectly balanced.
Hope that you are doing well!

 

[2bornot2bop]

Hey 2B,
I believe that the Corona X150 was basically the same guitar without the bling. I had a Corona X-150 and it was fantastic. Very well constructed and perfectly balanced.
Hope that you are doing well!

Hey Keith! I should have bought your X-150 when I had the opportunity. It was truly special. Timing is everything. I hope the new Eagle is treating you right...she's a beauty!

 

[Rob Schwarz-Fender]

Hi all, haven't been able to get over here much lately......hope everyone's doing well.

Not sure if you're looking, but just in case:
Model Name: X180 PARK AVENUE
Model Number: 360-8000-(Color#)
Category: Hollowbody Electric Guitars
Body Style: Single Cutaway (16" in Width, 3" in Depth)
Scale Length: 24 3/4"
Top: Laminated Arched Figured Maple
Bracing: N/A
Back: Arched Laminated Curly Maple
Sides: Laminated Curly Maple
Neck: 3-Piece Maple/Mahogany/Maple
Width at Nut: 1-11/16"
Fingerboard: Rosewood (12" Radius)
Frets: 20
Bridge: Rosewood
Hardware: Gold Hardware
Tuning Machines: Grover Gold Plated Die-cast Tuners
Pickups: 2 Guild HB-1 Humbucking Pickups
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup),
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup),
Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup),
Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
Position 3. Neck Pickup
Finish: High Gloss (Polyurethane)
Colors: (801) Blonde,
(837) Antique Burst
Other Features: Engraved Harp Tailpiece,
Pearloid Block Position Inlays,
Arched Top,
F-Holes,
Bound Headstock,
Bound Neck and Body,
Black Stairstep Pickguard
Case: Includes C4526 Deluxe Hardshell Case, p/n 3501075208
U.S. MSRP: $2,899.99
Options:
Strings: Guild L4350 Nickel Plated Steel,
p/n 3504350000,
Gauges .010 to .046
Source: U.S.
Introduced: 1/2002
Discontinued: 1/2003
Notice: Prices and Specifications Subject to Change Without Notice

All the best,
rob

 

[Rudehog]

Nice Mr.Schwarz you need to stop by more often! :applause:

 

[SFIV1967]

Hi Rob,
good to see you back!
Ralf

 

[houseisland]

Hi,

New here. I just acquired an X-180 Park Avenue, and this thread was very helpful in learning a bit more about the model.

Mine is a Blonde, in perfect "music shop floor" new condition except for one tiny scratch on the back which can only be seen in certain light conditions. The flame on the top is great across the lower bout but a little weak across the middle, an area which would be hidden by one's arm most of the time anyway.

It is a dream to play, but the action is a little low for me at present, and I am having to get adjusted to the flat-wound strings which are on it. I play finger style with the flesh of my finger tips as I have a Larrivee C-35 that is so sensitive that I could not play it using nails - if I were sloppy, I would get a double attack, flesh first, nails second, and it would be loud and clear - so I eliminated the nails. This leaves me with a rather heavy attack which combined with the ultra-low action on the X-180 can lead to a little rattle off the frets on the B and high E. I formerly used (and still do) a beat-up but lovely old F-30 (late 60s/early 70s) with a DeArmond tripod humbucker - don't laugh ;^) - much of John McLaughlin's seminal early work was performed/recorded using a Hummigbird with a DeArmond. The X-180 is quite a change.

Apart from what is collected here, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of definitive information about the X-180 Park Avenue. Generally it is stated that there were only two models, Blondes and Antique Bursts, but I have seen pictures of ones with Blue, Pearl and Gold Top finishes. I have read estimates of total numbers of production ranging between 50 and 2000.

I often find it compared to the X-170, but my limited experience here is that the X-180 and the X-170, apart from badging, are radically different. Both are lovely, but they don't play the same and they don't sound the same.

In the end, the lack of information about the X-180 really doesn't matter. It is a great guitar, and that is all that counts.

I have never been a big one for name-brand fashion, which is how I got started with Guild instruments - highly, highly, highly undervalued in comparison to the other big "G" company's products, which, to give them credit, are nice for the most part, too. My current fave solid body electric is a Godin LG, sepelle body, split coil Godin humbuckers - highly unfashionable - but plays in tune - stays in tune - sounds great - versatile - and cheap like borscht, especially cheap when bought used.

Anyway, if anyone has any other interesting facts about the X-180, I would be most pleased to see them posted here. It would be interesting to know how many were actually produced.

Bye.

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG!
Well the full specs were posted above, so you have all info you need about the specs.
Regarding the low action and flat-wound strings, those are easy to fix things, just do a proper setup and use the string brand you like. From the factory they came with Nickel Plated Steel in 10-46 size. I am sure something like D’Addario EXL115 Nickel Wound, Medium/Blues-Jazz Rock, (.011-.049 Gauges) works as well.
Do the guitar setup in the right order, start with setting up the trussrod correctly first: http://c3.zzounds.com/media/truss_rod_adjustment-c53669fbee160b82ed2b3d44fed49ac3.pdf
Now after you are 100% sure that your truss rod is set correctly, you can now check the action on the 12th fret and adjust the bridge height: http://c3.zzounds.com/media/action-7ff530daa50f07b282eb101094a987d4.pdf
As third step double check that the nut is having the correct action: http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html
(To change anything on the nut should only be done by somebody who knows how to do it, so it is best to leave any nut changes to a luthier).

Enjoy your new guitar and feel free to post a few pictures! (you need to have them hosted somewhere and link the *.jpg here.)

Ralf

 

[cc_mac]

Hey 2B,
I believe that the Corona X150 was basically the same guitar without the bling. I had a Corona X-150 and it was fantastic. Very well constructed and perfectly balanced.
Hope that you are doing well!

That seems to be the case. I have a 2000 Westerly X150D which appears to share the same body size as the Westerly X160 Rockabilly - 16 3/8 x 3 3/8". Based on what I've read around here the X150, X150D, and X160 Rockabilly all shrunk to 3x16" in Corona, CA builds. The X180 had the gold hardware of the X170 and X500 and added headstock binding but otherwise spec'd out to be an X150D. I don't know if there were offered concurrently in the retail market. A casual non scientific observation is that Corona X150,X150, and X180 have a more pronounced flame to the maple. The burst and natural finishes seem to be the most common but there are photos online of opaque white and gold as well as transluscent blue. I've read that green and purple examples exist but haven't seen pics.

Not sure about the marketing logic for the New Hartford built GSR X models. The 150D and the 180 appear to be the same lam spruce top with maple back and sides and neither originally had a lam spruce top. That makes me wonder if they have the same bodies as the GSR X500. The GSR X150D has a Bigsby and chrome hardware and sports the the HB1 reissue pickups. The GSR X180 has gold hardware and Seymour Duncan 59 pickups. Some X180s have a Bigsby and some do not. The X180 appears the about $500 more. New Examples of both (built in 2012) are still found for sale on eBay. I bet they are all very nice guitars to play and own.

 

[GAD]

What? No PICS! Must... have... PICS!

(welcome!)

 

[houseisland]

Welcome to LTG!

Ralf

(welcome!)

Thank you.

Regarding the low action and flat-wound strings, those are easy to fix things, just do a proper setup and use the string brand you like. From the factory they came with Nickel Plated Steel in 10-46 size. I am sure something like D’Addario EXL115 Nickel Wound, Medium/Blues-Jazz Rock, (.011-.049 Gauges) works as well.
Do the guitar setup in the right order, start with setting up the trussrod correctly first: http://c3.zzounds.com/media/truss_rod_adjustment-c53669fbee160b82ed2b3d44fed49ac3.pdf
Now after you are 100% sure that your truss rod is set correctly, you can now check the action on the 12th fret and adjust the bridge height: http://c3.zzounds.com/media/action-7ff530daa50f07b282eb101094a987d4.pdf
As third step double check that the nut is having the correct action: http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html
(To change anything on the nut should only be done by somebody who knows how to do it, so it is best to leave any nut changes to a luthier).

Ralf

Thank you for the information. I do repairs, sometimes extensive repairs, on beater guitars as a hobby, but I generally stay away from anything more than minor adjustments on valuable instruments. The consequences of screwing up can be to heart-breaking, and I do screw up royally sometimes. Guitar repair is easy to do, but extremely hard to do well, being very skill and experience intensive.

The link to the Taylor PDF for action is instructions for adjustment for a flat top instrument. I have never owned a guitar with a free bridge before. When I change strings on any of my guitars, I usually do it one string at a time to maintain as consistent a tension on the instruments as I can. I would assume with the X-180, that this approach would have the added benefit of keeping the bridge in place and not having to re-adjust for 12th fret intonation (much if at all) after the string change, assuming the replacement strings are of a similar or identical gauge. Looking at the guitar and thinking about action and 12th fret intonation adjustment, I would further assume that one must detune the instrument to reduce tension over the bridge, make speculative adjustments, retune and re-evaluate - repeating the process as necessary. At present, I do not feel comfortable applying the amount of force that would be required to shift the bridge or turn the action adjustment nuts with the guitar tuned at standard A440 pitch - new baby syndrome on my part, I guess.

Enjoy your new guitar and feel free to post a few pictures! (you need to have them hosted somewhere and link the *.jpg here.)

Ralf

What? No PICS! Must... have... PICS!

I will try to get some pics posted soonish.

 

[Walter Broes]

Looking at the guitar and thinking about action and 12th fret intonation adjustment, I would further assume that one must detune the instrument to reduce tension over the bridge, make speculative adjustments, retune and re-evaluate - repeating the process as necessary. At present, I do not feel comfortable applying the amount of force that would be required to shift the bridge or turn the action adjustment nuts with the guitar tuned at standard A440 pitch - new baby syndrome on my part, I guess.

To get the action up, you'll probabaly need to detune, string pressure is probably too big to get those thumbwheels moving. For intonation adjustments.... if you grip the bridge tightly with two hands, you might be able to move it some, but I wouldn't recommend it without checking if the previous owner didn't tape it to the guitar, or immoblised it otherwise. If he did, the result of trying to move it might turn pretty ugly.

 

[SFIV1967]

The link to the Taylor PDF for action is instructions for adjustment for a flat top instrument.

Correct, but the procedure is exactly the same, for any 1/64" that you want to change the action at the 12 fret you need to raise or lower the saddle/bridge by 2/64". Some (other) people often don't understand that changing the action can only be done (I mean only makes sense) after they checked if the truss rod was adjusted correctly. Some mix up string height/action with truss rod setting. Hence I posted the two procedures to show the difference in the two separate procedures. And to slightly detune and retune is quickly done, but a good truss rod with undamaged nut should have no problems with adjusting it under pitch. A drop of oil on the nut usually is a good idea before adjusting 1/8th of a turn at a time.
To avoid new intonation (after you got perfect intonation) you could just mark the corners of the bridge on the top with some painters tape and hence you can take all strings off at a time and also clean the fretboard at that time.
Now if you use different gauges of strings it is easiest to only string the low and high E strings and intonate them perfectly. That position is usually almost perfect. That way it is easy to move the position of the bridge with only two strings pressing on it. Afterwards you just string the other 4 strings.
Ralf

 

[houseisland]

Just a quick general thanks to everyone here in this thread again.

:happy: