http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-X-500-Guitar- ... 0459098637
..... and oh yeah. Now that you guys ask. It is not the original neck anyways.
:wink:
..... and oh yeah. Now that you guys ask. It is not the original neck anyways.
:wink:
X500 needs neck reset
- Thread starter fws6
- Start date
G
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Why sweat the details I guess, right? I wish some of these online sellers would disclose things up front, especially something like a replaced neck. Some sellers are very conscientious about full disclosure on even small details, others appear to prefer to play either the the "dumb" or the "subjective" card. As always, buyer beware.
Sorry to preach.
Sorry to preach.
The seller, in reply to a potential buyer's question:
"It appears that the neck & headstock were copied to match the original."
Any good reason not to disclose this in his listing? Guess it's a case of "if you don't ask I won't tell..." :x
"It appears that the neck & headstock were copied to match the original."
Any good reason not to disclose this in his listing? Guess it's a case of "if you don't ask I won't tell..." :x
cc_mac
Member
This is kind of interesting from the sideline speculation perspective. It's a 50 year old guitar. Who knows what has happened in its past unless you are the original and only owner. Who would go through all the trouble to make an "exact " copy of the neck and replicate the headstock in same manner? That's an expensive prospect to have custom done work like that- even 20 of 30 years ago. How does he know the fretboard is original but the neck is not? Do the next and body have matching serial numbers? If there is a serial number on the headstock that could identify the origin of the neck.
Scenarios
Neck and body are from separate guitars and mated to form one working guitar. I don't know what you other Guild neck could be shoehorned into the X500 body but possibly an X175,X350,X150.
Maybe it was a factory repair done 40 years ago?
Seller is not sure what the deal is and it's the original neck
I had the neck reglued on my Starfire about 10 years ago and it still rocks the house.
Scenarios
Neck and body are from separate guitars and mated to form one working guitar. I don't know what you other Guild neck could be shoehorned into the X500 body but possibly an X175,X350,X150.
Maybe it was a factory repair done 40 years ago?
Seller is not sure what the deal is and it's the original neck
I had the neck reglued on my Starfire about 10 years ago and it still rocks the house.
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
Apart from the neck issue, interesting guitar! You hardly ever see X500's with those pickups.
teleharmonium
Member
I am also skeptical of the neck being a repro. IMO anybody that would have gone to that much trouble would have done a better job on the rest of it. But another area of concern is that the BL after the model name suggests the guitar was blonde when it was made, but now it appears to have unevenly applied stain, and new clearcoat. Can you sand out a stain from laminated spruce ? I kind of doubt it. I think the spruce would suck up the stain like a sponge at least down to the second layer of laminate. That would mean that you'd be looking at a bill not only for a neck reset (at least) but also for a total refin to a solid color or at least a dark translucent finish, before the guitar would look like anything other than an obvious "project". Also the TRC and pickguard don't look right to me (but I haven't researched them).
If the neck isn't really a Guild, we'd be down to minimal value in a body in that condition, plus the value of the remaining original parts (the pickups being most of it). If the neck is a Guild and has no major problems being fitted, the whole thing as offered is worth maybe $700 - which is still not that much more than the value of the pickups - resulting in about a $1500 total cost for a cool looking, probably great sounding "player" after all the work. Less, of course, for a person that can do the work themselves.
I would think that if the work is done well, that $1500 value could probably be gotten back out of the guitar later, so it wouldn't be a bad move if a player instrument is the goal. It would be a cool guitar in black. But that's still a substantial amount less than the minimum bid, and it's a best case scenario assuming the neck is a Guild and it fits, which we don't really know.
If the neck isn't really a Guild, we'd be down to minimal value in a body in that condition, plus the value of the remaining original parts (the pickups being most of it). If the neck is a Guild and has no major problems being fitted, the whole thing as offered is worth maybe $700 - which is still not that much more than the value of the pickups - resulting in about a $1500 total cost for a cool looking, probably great sounding "player" after all the work. Less, of course, for a person that can do the work themselves.
I would think that if the work is done well, that $1500 value could probably be gotten back out of the guitar later, so it wouldn't be a bad move if a player instrument is the goal. It would be a cool guitar in black. But that's still a substantial amount less than the minimum bid, and it's a best case scenario assuming the neck is a Guild and it fits, which we don't really know.
Yeah, me too on the neck. I don't think I recall any Guilds having the back overlay on the headstock, but it might be that it's an original neck w/a headstock repair, hidden by that overlay... Fretboard definitely looks right w/ the rounded inlays and small triangles. Also, it looks as though somebody's overlaid tortoise on possibly original TRC and pickguard. They're the right shape, but I've never seen tortoise as original. It actually looks a lot like the old red 60s Fender tortoise. Anybody notice how thick the pickguard looks in one of the photos?
As for finish, I agree, it's weird and blotchy looking and most certainly a refin. If the color is in the finish itself, it might strip clean, but I agree that, if it's stain, you're probably stuck. You might get away with one of those darkish sunbursts like on some of the very oldest Guilds (thinking of that Kluson tailpiece X350 in Hans' book).
On the plus side, it seems to have original Kolbs, DeArmonds and Harp tailpiece, though the gold looks mostly gone from the latter. It's the kind of guitar you'd hope to see sold with lots of high-res photos. Those "bad" listings like this one are the gambles and sometimes you might end up finding it's better than represented/appears, but just as often they go the other way...
As for finish, I agree, it's weird and blotchy looking and most certainly a refin. If the color is in the finish itself, it might strip clean, but I agree that, if it's stain, you're probably stuck. You might get away with one of those darkish sunbursts like on some of the very oldest Guilds (thinking of that Kluson tailpiece X350 in Hans' book).
On the plus side, it seems to have original Kolbs, DeArmonds and Harp tailpiece, though the gold looks mostly gone from the latter. It's the kind of guitar you'd hope to see sold with lots of high-res photos. Those "bad" listings like this one are the gambles and sometimes you might end up finding it's better than represented/appears, but just as often they go the other way...
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
jazzcat,
Welcome to El Tea Gee. Pleased to make your acquaintence. You aren't preaching. You're just telling the gospel truth. Either the seller is playing dumb or he is dumb. Either way, it's risky to buy from him (or her or them or it).
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cc_rider,
Good point about the serial numbers. I'm going to email him and inquire.
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teleharmonica,
Good eye spotting that "BL." I think you've proven that this is a refin. Guild did make a few of those tortoise shell puckguards for archtops, though I don't know if they put them on X500s.
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kakerlak,
I lack a wise-crack nickname for "kakerlak." How do you pronounce it?
I don't know on which models, but Guild made a few with black on the back of the peghead. Some were painted and some were plastic. Nonetheless, the one on this guitar could be non-original to cover damage.
Hatted Frau
Welcome to El Tea Gee. Pleased to make your acquaintence. You aren't preaching. You're just telling the gospel truth. Either the seller is playing dumb or he is dumb. Either way, it's risky to buy from him (or her or them or it).
=========================================
cc_rider,
Good point about the serial numbers. I'm going to email him and inquire.
=========================================
teleharmonica,
Good eye spotting that "BL." I think you've proven that this is a refin. Guild did make a few of those tortoise shell puckguards for archtops, though I don't know if they put them on X500s.
======================================
kakerlak,
I lack a wise-crack nickname for "kakerlak." How do you pronounce it?
I don't know on which models, but Guild made a few with black on the back of the peghead. Some were painted and some were plastic. Nonetheless, the one on this guitar could be non-original to cover damage.
Hatted Frau
motopsyche
Member
I know! But when you get one, they are, oh, so tasty! Nothing sounds like DeArmonds on an X500 box.
Glue that neck!
MrBoZiffer
Member
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:shock: 8) Awesome!
I had some correspondence with the owner. he lives about 15 minutes from me I was interesting in examining the guitar but asked some key questions.
he told me the neck was replaced by eric schulte, eric is a respected repair guy builder in the philly area. I am not sure if he is still alive although I know his son was doing some work, not as good as the old man.
eric was building les pauls in the seventies for around 500 bucks that were knockoffs of the 58-59 and I know that a few of them wound up with gibson logos and were passed off as original. I do not condone this action just state it as a testament to his craftsmanship.
If eric built the neck it is probably ok.
now that the guitar is around 1500 I have no real interest in it.
it is a cool refinished guitar with a replaced neck. not for me
he told me the neck was replaced by eric schulte, eric is a respected repair guy builder in the philly area. I am not sure if he is still alive although I know his son was doing some work, not as good as the old man.
eric was building les pauls in the seventies for around 500 bucks that were knockoffs of the 58-59 and I know that a few of them wound up with gibson logos and were passed off as original. I do not condone this action just state it as a testament to his craftsmanship.
If eric built the neck it is probably ok.
now that the guitar is around 1500 I have no real interest in it.
it is a cool refinished guitar with a replaced neck. not for me
Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
Ditto
MrBoZiffer
Member
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Hi Natty; the seller is stringtech1 who was much discussed in this LTG thread for parting out a Guild guitar.
Jeff Haddad
Senior Member
All original except it's refinished! It doesn't appear that this seller was the winner of the last auction in March, there must be a problem for it to have changed hands 3 times in a month.
Anybody else notice the tailpiece engraving is atypical? I think this is one of the ones Hans said show up occasionally with different patterns.
This guitar is sad. Really pretty wood, appealing configuration, etc., but it's just been messed with too much. Notice how the seller mentions in one place that the guitar is refinished, then later on refers to its "original finish?"
Behold:
" looks like a pro refin "
then a few lines later
"original finish is very clean but shows some wear"
Pretty classy...
This guitar is sad. Really pretty wood, appealing configuration, etc., but it's just been messed with too much. Notice how the seller mentions in one place that the guitar is refinished, then later on refers to its "original finish?"
Behold:
" looks like a pro refin "
then a few lines later
"original finish is very clean but shows some wear"
Pretty classy...