Serial Number - Year for an X-170

CajunBlues

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OK so, I have already looked it up on the usual sites... It's an X-170 with serial number AK 171029. The paper label inside says Westerly.... So I assume it's a Westerly...

On the sites I have looked at there is no info on guitars made in 1998 and 1999... And I think this guitar is a 1998/99.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

hansmoust

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CajunBlues said:
OK so, I have already looked it up on the usual sites... It's an X-170 with serial number AK 171029. The paper label inside says Westerly.... So I assume it's a Westerly...

On the sites I have looked at there is no info on guitars made in 1998 and 1999... And I think this guitar is a 1998/99.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello CajunBlues,

Your X-170 was made at the very end of 1998.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

CajunBlues

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Hans:

Thanks so much... From what I have read, you are the Guild serial number guru... Quite impressive... It's good have you around on this forum...

One more question... This was made in Westerly ? correct ?
 

adorshki

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HI Cajun: That's the only place that was makin' em at that time unelss it was a custom shop build, but it would probably say so on the headstock.
Hans ain't just a serial number guru by the way, he literally "wrote the book". Unfortaunately vol1 of "The Guild Guitar BOOK" only covers up through '77 and many of us are anxiously awaiting volume two. :)
 

CajunBlues

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I took the pickguard off because it was getting my way... Looks great without it anyway...

guild%20x170%20004.JPG


guild%20x170%20005.JPG


guild%20x170%20006.JPG
 

kakerlak

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CajunBlues said:
I took the pickguard off because it was getting my way... Looks great without it anyway...

This is true of so many Guilds... If they'd just routed the pickguards to sit around, instad of on top of the pickup rings, I don't theink they'd be in anybody's way, but they just sit so close to the Hi E on Starfires, etc. The strings are so high off the body on my X700 that it's never really gotten in my way, tho...
 

AlohaJoe

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That's beautiful!! I love those Xs, and Guild sure knew how to do a sunburst! Thanks for the pics. I think you'll also find that those pickups work very well for what you're doing. Feedback shouldn't be too bad but if it is, these work well: http://www.dougsplugs.com/
 

walrus

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A beauty! It looks better without the pickguard - more sunburst! I've always taken the pickguard off my archtops - gets in my way...

walrus
 

adorshki

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Is your truss rod cover upside down? It's almost a running joke around here, but I think the "X-170" should be rightside up when the guitar is. I've read that it's common for them to be re-mounted upside down, because of confusion with the way Gibson mounts theirs, but the narrow end actually goes next to the nut on Guilds. :)
 

adorshki

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CajunBlues said:
That's how it came to me here is the auction
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
they must have put it back upside down
Well now you know someone's been at the truss at least once. You mentioned reserving commitment to more Guilds until after you've had it set up. I'm not an electric player but there's TONS of references here to how great Guilds in general feel. I'm a real fanatic about how great all mine felt out of the box and I would expect their electrics to be at least every bit as good. Hope it gets that perfect action for you!
 

CajunBlues

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It's set up now... After I took the photos I messed with the truss rod some and the height... It's good now... I'll be sure to put the cover back on correctly...
 

Brad Little

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adorshki said:
Well now you know someone's been at the truss at least once.
Maybe they were just checking to see if there were any initials in the cavity :)
Brad
 

CajunBlues

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After playing this guitar after about 2 days... I am truly puzzled and confused.... In fact, I am lost...

Why would anyone pay almost double for an ES-175... And quadruple for a Byrdland/Tal Farlow/L5... Now I know why these used Guild hollow bodies are starting to rise in price... But then again, from what i see on ebay, they are selling for sometimes less than $1000...

I guess you could say the same thing about Hertiage... I would however pick Guild over Hertiage just because I think the Guilds in general look better... I am not too sure about the pickups they put into the Heritage guitars also... And the Heritage hollowbodies are more expensive...
 

jmac

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CajunBlues,

Beautiful guitar.

as you can see from my avatar, I removed the pickguard too. Not because it was in the way, but because it looks better without it. I just can't see covering up the beautiful archtop and f-hole with a piece of black plastic.

jmac
 

drobinson9

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Hi, here's my Guild X170T in Tennessee Orange, serial number AK171367 - does that make it 1999/2000? Sticker inside says Westerley, has two switches - one for coil tap.

guitars.jpg
 

adorshki

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Just seen this on line - so mine's a 170 T, Manhattan, then? https://massstreetmusic.com/products/guild-x170t-usa-orange-used

I wonder how many they made? The pick ups will be Fender HB1?
X-170's were always "Manhattans" dating back to the '56 catalog.
Guild just liked to give the guitars names back then although the practice dropped off for a while and was revived in the '90's.
BUT the guitar in that listing is dated incorrectly since Westerly was already closed in '02 (closed at end of '01 but new production ceased in late summer) and the Corona built guitars that followed all had a "C" type prefix.
Hans Moust could nail it down exactly for you, but that number "AK171455" sounds like it was likely from '01 and helps narrow down the range for yours.
 
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