Guild exotica

guildzilla

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The oddball Guild X series guitars from the '80's continue to intrigue the hell out of me. This is especially true of the X-79 and the reverse body X-80.

I dig the 24-fret ebony fingerboards, the huge frets, and the Kahler Flyer trems. The pointy headstocks on many of the X-79's are unique, but I really favor the ones with simpler headstock shapes. Some might say over the top, but in the less garish colors, I find these to be quite elegant.

This is a cool example with a traditional Guild headstock.

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1644858

Very tempting. But I just bought an X-80.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

Mine has mystery pickups.

Hans, if you happen to read this thread, could you please ID these pickups and advise if are they possibly original to this guitar?
 

hansmoust

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guildzilla said:
Mine has mystery pickups.

Hans, if you happen to read this thread, could you please ID these pickups and advise if are they possibly original to this guitar?

Hello guildzilla,

Not sure what the story is on this guitar. The pickups look like DiMarzio X2Ns but if that's the case, somebody might have painted them black.
They're usually cream-colored. Now Guild did use some DiMarzio X2Ns but when they did they would convert them to the 3-screw tilt-arrangement, so they could be used with the regular Guild pickup mounting rings. These have the regular Gibson style pickup height adjustment with 2 screws. The photos are not clear enough to see if there are 2 extra holes in the mounting rings, so my first reaction is that the pickups are probably not original on the guitar.
I could be wrong though! Let us know what they are when you get the guitar.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Accept2

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The trem is a Kahler Pro. The Kahler Flyer was a real POS that was put on mostly import guitars. I dont think I've ever seen a Guild with a Flyer........
 

guildzilla

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Thanks for the correction, accept2. I went back and looked at my Kahler brochures. I thought all the 2300 series flat mount trems were called Flyers. Now I'm seeing the distinction.

Hans, the pickups must be DiMarzio X2Ns, which were standard equipment in 1985 according to price lists I've seen on the internet. But they certainly don't appear to be painted black. Looks like original black to me and I can't see any evidence to the contrary. Is that at least possible?

I queried the seller about the lack of a tilt adjustment feature before I bid on this. There are no extra holes to enable this in the pickup rings. Maybe the rings are not original.

According to the dating records, this would be one of the last X-80's made with S/N HD100159. Have you ever seen a solid body from this era with 2-hole factory rings like this? Actually the two rings don't quite match each other.

Anyhow, the electronics need repairs (seller has offered to pay for them after not disclosing the defects). Bad input jack, neck pickup doesn't work at all. So perhaps I'll find out more at that point. I'm taking it to my guitar guy on Monday.

Guild had such a broad menu of choices for its 80's solid bodies. That chapter of your next book will be the first one I read when I get my copy.

In the meantime, thanks a billion for your help and advice.
 

hansmoust

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guildzilla said:
Hans, the pickups must be DiMarzio X2Ns, which were standard equipment in 1985 according to price lists I've seen on the internet. But they certainly don't appear to be painted black. Looks like original black to me and I can't see any evidence to the contrary. Is that at least possible?

Of course it is possible! It's just that I haven't seen them in black.

Have you ever seen a solid body from this era with 2-hole factory rings like this?

No, I haven't but that in itself doesn't mean anything!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
G

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hi!
I have a couple of nice guild pointy guitars.
x-88 in Yellow and black zebra, made for lil´ steven i think. if anybody knows anything about this guitar, please let me know. will post photos soon.
and on one of my x-80s i got really strange dimarzio pickups. looks like emgs but its not active. looks like home made two screws on a side on them aswell.? anybody seen them? real thick pickup rings to.. solid.
thanks
thesilv
 
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