:?: Anyone ever try the Squier X-155?

I recently purchased an Epiphone Zephyr blues deluxe from a Musician's Friend blow-out sale with the understanding I'd return it if I didn't like it. On the contrary, I am extremely impressed with this guitar - I was able to set it up perfectly and have been playing it for a month or so. The only thing I'd like to change is the bridge (which I'll do when Hans is ready with his parts sale) - but it got me to thinking about the Squier X-155 which I've never seen - but sells on samash.com for $389. Evidently this model is the heir-apparent to the deArmond.

Does anyone have one? seen one? Know where it's made, etc.? I have learned from my epiphone experience not to judge a guitar by where it's made, so I thought I'd ask here if anyone had any positive or negative experience with this model.

I played one when they first hit the stores after the DeArmond shut down/blow out. Essentially the same guitar as the DeA, but different electronics. Nice, but not worth the original asking prices. Much more realistic now I think, but do you really want a Squire headstock?

re: parts. Do you really want to put old Guild parts on that Epi? I'm an Allparts dealer.

dklsplace said:

I played one when they first hit the stores after the DeArmond shut down/blow out. Essentially the same guitar as the DeA, but different electronics. Nice, but not worth the original asking prices. Much more realistic now I think, but do you really want a Squire headstock?

re: parts. Do you really want to put old Guild parts on that Epi? I'm an Allparts dealer.

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Actually, the "S" tailpiece is more of an issue than the Squier headstock!

regarding the Epi bridge, I love the rosewood bridge on my X-170 and it works well on the Epi - the supplied tune-o-matic type bridge is set up well, but rings a little on the first 3 strings which doesn't happen with the X-170 bridge. If Allparts has something you think I'd like, let me know.

the supplied tune-o-matic type bridge is set up well, but rings a little on the first 3 strings which doesn't happen with the X-170 bridge.

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Can you describe the ringing a little more? Chimey, buzzy, too much sustain sort of thing, or something entirely different? What leads you to suspect the bridge as the culprit?

I shouldn't talk, because I'm "guild-y-fying" a DeArmond X135 myself, but I had most of the parts lying around already anyway.
$400 for a Squier, plus probably about 200, 300 in parts and decent pickups - I wouldn't do it. You could save your money and buy a nice 60's or 70's Guild CE100 instead, they're still cheap for what they are, and grrreat guitars.

If your Tune-O-Matic is the ABR-1 type with a retainer wire, that wire is most likely the cause of the buzz, and a little clear nail polish on the wire usually takes care of that. You could also get a Schaller or Gotoh Nashville type TOM (no wire) of course.

Walter - I don't think I'd get one - I was just interested as folks here and on the Fender guild forum rave about Dearmonds. I didn't get one when they blew them out at Sam Ash (and I was there window shopping a few years ago when that happened) - but I notice now on ebay they go for over twice what they sold for new a few years back.

dklsplace - it's a high-pitched ping - similar to pinging the rim of a crystal wine glass - only no sustain. It is heard acoustically only- not amplified. I thought it might be the frequensator/bridge combo that caused it, but it doesn't happen with the X-170 bridge in place.

Walter Broes said:

If your Tune-O-Matic is the ABR-1 type with a retainer wire, that wire is most likely the cause of the buzz, and a little clear nail polish on the wire usually takes care of that. You could also get a Schaller or Gotoh Nashville type TOM (no wire) of course.

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Walter - for some reason, I missed this part of your post when I just replied. Thanks for the info - yes, it is the ABR-1 type. I never examined it - can you tell me where the wire is located? I do have great action and intonation now with that bridge, so I would consider the nail polish thing.

From what you're describing, the pinging sound could just be resonance in the length of string behind the bridge. try sticking some foam under the strings between bridge and tailpiece, and the resonance will most likely be gone - metal bridges tend to amplify that harmonic ringing more than wooden ones, and this might be what you're experiencing.

The DeArmond guitars were nice enough for the money, but IMO people have been mythologising them a bit, which was bound to happen with them getting discontinued so suddenly.

They were a bit of a breath of fresh air in a landscape of les Paul and strat clones, and offered slightly nicer pickups than the standard korean import, and some of them were very pretty to look at.
The T-400 was cool in that it was one of the very few offerings in that price range that had a fully hollowbody, two decent single coils and a B6 type Bigsby, instant retro/roots/twang hollowbody goodness.
That said, they were decent designs, executed nice enough, but there's no "magic dust" on them that makes them all that more special than other guitars in that price range.

Walter Broes said:

From what you're describing, the pinging sound could just be resonance in the length of string behind the bridge. try sticking some foam under the strings between bridge and tailpiece, and the resonance will most likely be gone - metal bridges tend to amplify that harmonic ringing more than wooden ones, and this might be what you're experiencing.

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Thanks for the tip - this is easier (and less messy than nail polish). And since I saved the box and packing foam, I have the perfect material to use. I'll try it and report back here how it works - I won't get to it until next week, but I will write back.

Thanks again!

Walter Broes said:

From what you're describing, the pinging sound could just be resonance in the length of string behind the bridge. try sticking some foam under the strings between bridge and tailpiece, and the resonance will most likely be gone - metal bridges tend to amplify that harmonic ringing more than wooden ones, and this might be what you're experiencing.

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Walter - Since the epi has a frequensator, I discovered can't do that easily - especially on the 3 high strrings where the ringing occurs. I have used acoustic strings that have silk wound around the bottoms - does anyone know if any string company does this for electrics - specifically flat 11s? Also, the strings need to be on the long side as the frequensator requires long strings on the low E, A & G.

Thanks!

does anyone know if any string company does this for electrics - specifically flat 11s?

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Thomastik Infeld does on some but I can't remember which. Seems like it was the jazz flats.

dklsplace said:

Thomastik Infeld does on some but I can't remember which. Seems like it was the jazz flats.

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Thanks - I'll check it out when I get back from my business trip. They make great (but expensive) strings, but the nice thing about flats is they do last longer.

Hi Squawk,

From my experiance and observations on ebay the DeArmond X-155 is still selling at a price comparable to the Sam Ash/Musicians Friend blow out. I bought two of them back then (Black & Blond -sold the Blond) and the price was $299. If you picked it up at the right time you may have got free shipping. However the $299 didn't include a case. I picked up a TKD Deluxe case that was comparable to a TKL Guild and that cost $145 + $20 shipping. So a X-155 with a case, etc back at the blowout ran around $450+. From what I see on eBay the typical going price is $450 with a case. Most of these guitars are in Mint condition. People bought them because of the value but most often they just sat in the case. You can, with patience, get a X-155 with case for less than $400.

I wouldn't buy a Squire when a DeArmond can still be had! The stock Gold Tone Humbuckers offer a wide range of tone that you won't get with the SDish stock pickups of the Squire.

Sincerly,

matsickma

p.s., I added a Guild Bigsby and Bigsby bridge to my black X-155 and it really looked cool. Much better than adding a stock Bigsby.

matsickma said:

I wouldn't buy a Squire when a DeArmond can still be had! The stock Gold Tone Humbuckers offer a wide range of tone that you won't get with the SDish stock pickups of the Squire.

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I'm not in the market for either right now - I was just interested in opinions of the Squier. BTW, I lucked out on a TKL case for my Epi. A local music store was having its warehouse sale, so I took the Epi in a case that fits it perfectly - the Guild case that came with my JF12-30. I got the same exact case with a TKL badge rather than Guild for $75 - mail order, it was $130 + shipping. Between my thinner 24.5 scale Guild X170 and the 25.5 full size Epi Zephyr, I'm good for a while

Thanks for your input!