X 700, any love here?

Mr. Chet · Jan 29, 2007

Hi, I'm new here. I must have been a good boy this year. "Santa" brought me a Westerly X 700 for Christmas! Anyway, I'm very happy.

It came with Dean Markley round wound strings :roll: . I'd like to know what more experienced players of this and similar intruments would suggest. I'm looking for a nice classic jazz tone.

Pups, should I keep the stock pups? I happen to have at the moment a pair of Benedetto A-6' and a set of Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers

. Would either of these be an improvement?

Well enough for now.

Squawk · Jan 29, 2007

For classic jazz, go with flatwounds - there are several to choose from. I'd start with D'Addario Chrome 11s - pretty popular in both availability and price.

Graham · Jan 29, 2007

If you could get a hold of some authentic flat wound Guild strings in either medium or light, that would be way cool. 8) :wink:

dklsplace · Jan 29, 2007

Graham said:
If you could get a hold of some authentic flat wound Guild strings in either medium or light, that would be way cool. 8) :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Mr. Chet · Jan 29, 2007

Thanks for the string suggestions. Are Guild strings still manufactured? I think I have some D'addario Chromes around somewhere. I'm pretty used to 10's, but I can adapt to 11's. Anyone have experience w/ Thomastik strings? A set came w/ a Dearmond x-155 I bought. Nice. The X-700 would do them justice I think. They where a little expensive for the X-155.

Any advice on set up? Should it be sent up as an acoustic or as an electric? Anyway, I really love this guitar! Thanks for your input.

dklsplace · Jan 29, 2007

Anyone have experience w/ Thomastik strings?

Highly recommended! I've used Jazz, Bebop & another custom set I'm drawing a blank on right now. Like them much better than the D'addario chromes.

Should it be sent up as an acoustic or as an electric?

Not sure I understand the question. It is an electric, & your setup will be geared toward making the best possible playability & intonation, plugged in, or not.

Mr. Chet · Feb 1, 2007

X700 set up?

The reason I ask if it should be sent up as an electric or acoustic is that the acoustic archtops I've played have a little higher action than solid body electrics. I notice that the carved spruce top of the X 700 is thicker than my X-155 DeArmond and Washburn J6. That leads me to think it is designed to optimize the electric tone. I want to avoid fret buzz when comping. What works well?

BTW: I found the D'addario Chromes, I try them this weekend.

Mr. Chet · Feb 1, 2007

Pups

Thanks for the tips on strings, etc..

Anyone care to address the pups? Would Benedetto A-6's or Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers be worthwhile? Opinions please!

jbucklin · Feb 16, 2007

I just read your last post and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

I'd stick with the Guild pickups. I also have an X700 and it sounds beautiful just the way it is. When Jim Hall had D'Aquisto build his famous guitar (basically a copy of his old 175) he had him put a Guild humbucker in it.

Smiert Spionam · Feb 17, 2007

dklsplace said:
Highly recommended! I've used Jazz, Bebop & another custom set I'm drawing a blank on right now. Like them much better than the D'addario chromes.

Click to expand...

I agree. The D'Addario chromes will give you a taste of the flatwounds, but to my ear, the Thomastiks are far better and worth the price (they last forever, too). To me, chromes always sound both dull and harsh, at the same time, while Thomastiks have a classic flatwound smoothness coupled with lots of good overtones.

Horses for courses, every guitar is different, every ear is different, etc., of course.

BTW, the flats might wake up that heavy top more than you might think. Especially if you go to 13s....

Mr. Chet · Mar 15, 2007

I've been running ragged lately so I haven't changed the strings. I did raise the pups this afternoon. Big difference! The DM strings still need to go. The Guild pups do sound good, but I'm really curious about the Seth Lover pups.

Whats a good polish for the gold plated metal? I know I don't want anything with even a hint of abrasive in it. So what is good?

Thanks!

Guest · Mar 16, 2007

Greetings to the nice friends of this amazing forum!
Hello Mr. Chet, I have a very beautiful 97' X-700. I bought it used two years ago. Its first owner made some "improves" in it (p94's, gibson tuners, bigsby, Gibson pickguard), because he really wanted a rockabilly guitar. So, I spent a lot of time (and some money too) looking for original parts, trying to return its original aspect. My advise, I agree: give a chance to your Stuart with its original parts, because all in it is fine as it is. The Guild HB's work really good and sweet to my ears. Yes, some good musicians get alot of music from these pups, Mr. Hall for example, and I think in Emily Remler too, what a pretty things from her hands.
About the metallic parts, I use mostly a good soap, water and a nail brush. Don't be affraid, no problem with this. For too much oxided parts whatever product that you use has an abrassive in its composition. When the part is clean, I apply a thin coat of shellac, to preserve the surface of rust. I'm happy with this recipe.
All the best!
Joaquin

kelvinator60 · Mar 16, 2007

Guild humbuckers are the only humbuckers I like. You could always switch them and try it, if you don't like switch back. Sounds like you have a great guitar there. Congrats!

Jeff · Mar 16, 2007

Whats a good polish for the gold plated metal? I know I don't want anything with even a hint of abrasive in it

For too much oxided parts whatever product that you use has an abrassive in its composition.

[img:450:338]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid224/pe6bfbcfee831f448f87f176c19c424b9/ea9e7661.jpg[/img] I 've had a can of this product in the shop for several years, it's about half dried up. I used it to clean up the gold hardware on my GF 60. I had concerns about removing the old plating with abrasives and this stuff seemed about as mild as anything.

guildzilla · Mar 16, 2007

I recently read some tips at archtop.com about strings. They say that if they have an acoustic archtop to set up they will typically use 13-56 phosphor bronze strings on them. And that this gives the best acoustic sound.

Also says that PB's can be used successfully on an archtop with pickups if the pickups have adjustable pole screws.

Anyone reading this thread ever try PB's on an electric archtop?

teleharmonium · Mar 16, 2007

I love the Thomastik flats too. They sound great and have lower tension than the Chromes.

Re pickups, I have to go with the consensus that the Guild pickups are the best. I have a set of the Duncan Seth Lovers, they're OK but a little muddy to my ears. I've heard better PAF types. The Guilds are a little lower in output and noticeably brighter and chimier. If you don't want that much treble, you can always roll off a little with the tone controls, but you'll still have better clarity.

Mr. Chet · Mar 16, 2007

I might get the chromes on this weekend. I do really want to try some Thomastiks on it. As I wrote, my DA X-155 came with them. I just can't justify them on it.

Even though I had a Gibby ES-330 with a Bigsby on it in '68, I don't think I'd put one on a guitar now - especially the X-700! OK, maybe a rockabilly twanger special, but not a jazzbox for sure.

The reason I'm interested in pups is because the SD's really improved my D-75 (solid body). Adjusting the originals did not improve the tone much on it. Adjustment made a big difference on the X-700.

The mild soap and soft tooth brush sounds like a good way to polish up the harp. That's the problem area.

About the Seth Lover's, I'm surprised by your results! I'm expecting great things (tone) from them. Anyone try Benedetto pups? I have an A-6 and a PAF. I may try them too in a quest for tone.

Thanks for all the replies. Keep them coming if you please.

GuildAAPlayer · Apr 4, 2007

Congratulations. The X700 is a great archtop.

About your strings -- I have two suggestions that I've found work very well. (My guitars are a '92 Guild AA and an '05 Gibson L5)

DR Zebra strings work great on both -- I use the 12 thru 54 medium gage. They are round wound with an alternating nickel and phosphor-bronze wrap (hence the Zebra name).

But I recently went to another set of strings on the Artist Award that I think beat everything I've tried to date -- Martin Marquis Phosphor Bronze Medium in 13 thru 56 gage. This string set is very resonant, but less bright on the first two strings. That really seems to tame any excess treble on those strings through the Guild floating pickup with no tone control. (That might not be a problem for you with different pickups.)

By the way, I recently loaned my archtop to a very good player for a live jazz gig. He had a choice of the Gibson L5 or the Guild and tested both for quite a while. After playing the Gibson, the Artist Award (with the Martin strings) put a major smile on his face. (No, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the Gibson!)

Mr. Chet · Apr 7, 2007

OK, finally got the chromes on. The last snow storm here really fouled up my schedule, plus a sick child, etc., etc.,. They're an improvement over the markley, but I can agree with a previous poster who thought they're dull and harsh at the same time. but... the X700 is a nice playing guitar! It's very responsive and has quite a dynamic range -more than my X-155. Thomastik-Infield will be next to try.

The tooth brush/soap cleaned up the brightwork nicely. I'm really happy with this guitar :lol:

Open to comments on Benedetto PAF and A-6, and DiMarzio Classic PAFs pups and other PAF types and other string options. I'm looking for "classic" jazz tone here.

Thanks all for advice!

Mr. Chet · Apr 20, 2007

Thomastik-Infield strings

The Chromes have warmed up a bit. The harshness has mellowed out. The guitar sounds pretty good now.

I do want to try the Thomastiks next. Which set will work best IYO? I'm leaning towards the Geo Benson set to start. What do you out there think/like?

Thanks for your input.

X 700, any love here?

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