X-170

Century Bob

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Does anyone know if X170s were produced with P-90 pick-ups. I think I like the big body with thinner sides but I really want single coils.
 

matsickma

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Hi Century Bob,

I also like that combination. Additionally I would like a X170T with DeArmonds.

I like the size and tight sound of the X170's. For my taste the bridge sound post is the discriminator for these guitars.

matsickma
 
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Never seen one, and would probably find it very hard to pass up if I did. I've been tempted by a couple of beautiful blonde X-170s I've seen -- and each time thought they'd be perfect with P-90s.
 

ave del noche

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plenty of bucker-sized p-90s out there. I might be trying this route myself. If I do I'll let you know.
 

Walter Broes

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I've been tempted many times, as natural finished X170's seem plentiful, and comparatively cheap, and humbucker sized P90's, or even "proper" dogear P90's are easily installed.

Two things keeping me from doing it though : the X170's have quite a hefty soundpost under the bridge, making them respond differently than the full hollowbodies I'm used to. Also, most of the ones I've seen had a very shallow neck set, which isn't all that cool if you want to install a Bigsby and keep strings from popping out of the bridge, I'm a pretty "heavy-handed" player.

You could look into DeArmond T-400's, they're essentially a 17" fully hollow thinline, and if you're lucky you can get them cheap-ish. Great platform for modding, and they're the only DeArmonds I've seen that have a "proper" three piece neck, and not that scarfed-on headstock. Sort of like a bargain-basement Guild Duane Eddy 400.
 

Century Bob

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Good points to consider on the 170. I do want a Bigsby so a shallow neck set wont work. I think I am going to hold out for a P90 x500 or a vintage 175 with Franz. I know I am just going to have to be patient since these guitars just dont come up for sale everyday.
 

matsickma

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Hi Guys,

In the past I owned a X170T (I should never have sold it!) and had no problems at all with the Bigsby. It worked well. Currently I have a older X160 with Bigsby and rosewood bridge. No issues here either.

I like the DeA T-400's. They are great for the $. For my taste I like the tight sound of the X170 and think this is the perfect guitar for DeA pups. However since the X170's are cutout for humbuckers mounting a standard DeA pup would be a problem. I have been working on a concept on how to mount a cavity recessed style DeA pup within and on top of a humbucker ring. This concept would allow the pup swap to be reversable. I don't have immediate plans to perform a modification but like toying with the idea.

matsickma
 

hansmoust

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DeArmond pickup conversions

matsickma said:
I have been working on a concept on how to mount a cavity recessed style DeA pup within and on top of a humbucker ring. This concept would allow the pup swap to be reversable. I don't have immediate plans to perform a modification but like toying with the idea.
matsickma

matsickma said:
Hi Hans, If I remember correctly you mentioned in your book that Guild also made the hollowbody M-75 Bluesbird with DeArmonds. These seem to be very rare. Do you have an pictures in you archives that show a DeArmond loaded M-75 Bluesbird? If you do can you post a few pictures? Thanks, Mike

Hello Mike,

I've taken the liberty of combining these 2 messages since they more or less are about the same thing.

The M-75 Bluesbirds with factory DeArmonds from around 1970 are indeed pretty rare. They are from the period when Guild was changing from the small '60s style humbucking pickups to the much larger HB-1 style humbucker. It looks like they still had some instruments lying around that were already routed for the smaller style humbuckers, so plastic mounting rings were fabricated that would cover the existing routings and at the same time would be suitable to use with the old stock DeArmond pickups that they still had from the early sixties and which had been used on some 'Special' instruments since then.

I couldn't find a real clear picture of an M-75 from that period but this one will do:

[img:440:591]http://www.guitarchives.nl/fotos/M75_DeArmonds.jpg[/img]









Not only were these DeArmonds mounted on M-75 Bluesbirds but also on double cutaway Starfires from this period. Here's a detailshot of a '70 Starfire V that clearly shows the rings:

[img:902:613]http://www.guitarchives.nl/fotos/StarfireV_DeArmonds.jpg[/img]






Personally I'm not real keen on the looks of these rings. They are a bit big but I guess it looks acceptable.








Now, if you wanted to do that conversion on a somewhat more modern guitar with standard size humbuckers, these mounting rings would be even wider and look really too big compared to the rather narrow DeArmond housing. Especially if it would be placed on top of an X-160/170 it would become really bulky, because of the extra height.
Just something to keep in mind!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

doc

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Hans

I would be interested in doing a conversion on an X 170 to place DeA in it. I have a T-400 and love it. However, the bass is not where I want it. Maybe a deeper and more resonance body of the X 170 would be better? The looks I could deal with as I am after the sound and performance. What do you think? How much would buying some DeAs run and where could I get them?
 

billydlight

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I have an X500T for sale http://www.billydlight.com/X500T/
It is a lovely guitar. It currently has Nice old Dearmonds that came out of a DeArmond very cool retro covers. Sounds great however you could put the old P90's back in if you wanted. I did not have to alter the guitar to get the DA's in there. I can get better pics as well. PM if anyone is interested
 
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:D Billy, can you email me? I have a X-500 w/o the Bigsby. How did you mount the Dearmonds w/o any mods? I would like to try them but don't want to cut it up.
 
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