Epi influence

[GGJaguar]

You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.

 

[hansmoust]

No idea where that photo comes from, but I was wondering if that Guild X-175 really has a gold finished tailpiece or if it's just a reflection of the floor?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Rich Cohen]

You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.

GG, it comes as no surprise that after Gibson absorbed Epiphone, though they kept the brand but lowered its status over time, Guild felt pressured to identify Gibson as its main competitor.

 

[GGJaguar]

No idea where that photo comes from, but I was wondering if that Guild X-175 really has a gold finished tailpiece or if it's just a reflection of the floor?

Sorry Hans, I don't know.

 

[GGJaguar]

GG, it comes as no surprise that after Gibson absorbed Epiphone, though they kept the brand but lowered its status over time, Guild felt pressured to identify Gibson as its main competitor.

That makes sense Rich.

 

[bobouz]

Both of those pieces are real beauties!

 

[Sleeko]

Yes indeed especially after Epiphone moved their factory to avoid union troubles and a lot of the artisans jumped to Guild and Al Dronge.

 

[Guildedagain]

The form of the bouts is similar to the point where you're left wondering if they are not in fact identical, save the cutaway on one side that kind throws your eyeballs for a loop when comparing the two. And then I'm not sure I like the cutaway over the look of the full body. Really tough call, I guess that why you need one of each.

 

[SFIV1967]

No idea where that photo comes from, but I was wondering if that Guild X-175 really has a gold finished tailpiece or if it's just a reflection of the floor?

Here's another picture of that same 1954 guitar. It's copied on multiple blogs without giving a source. On the first picture below, which was on Pinterest, it looks like a store logo with VINTAGE in the name.

Ralf

 

[hansmoust]

Here's another picture of that same 1954 guitar. It's copied on multiple blogs without giving a source.

I'm familiar with those photos, but I'm not so much interested in the source as well as the sequence in which the photos were taken.
The photos you posted show a chrome tailpiece, which is not correct. I was wondering if the gold tailpiece, if it is a gold tailpiece at all, came before or after the chrome one.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[SFIV1967]

I was wondering if the gold tailpiece, if it is a gold tailpiece at all, came before or after the chrome one.

But the source would tell a minumum date range. Those pictures inmy post are around since at least 2014 already.
So only GGJaguar could help solving this by telling us where he found his picture from the original post, I tried everything but couldn't find it on the web, so it might have been on Facebook or Instagram or so (which a picture search often will not find). So lets wait what GGJaguar can help regarding the source of his picture.
Ralf

 

[parker_knoll]

I should have kept my '57 X175.

 

[kakerlak]

F-holes and knob placement look pretty similar, too.

 

[Guildedagain]

Yes, again virtually identical.

 

[zizala]

Here's a look at a '49 Triumph Regent next to a '53 X-150.

The bodies are proportionally almost the same except for the different shape and access at the cutaway.
The f-holes look identical but are oriented more vertically on the Guild.
Both have 25.5" scale necks of similar size and feel, with a very soft V shape.

Funny thing is....the cutaway on the X-150 closely resembles the cutaway on my '49 Gibson L-7c....
....so it makes sense that Guild was directly influenced by Epiphone and broke away a litltle with a cutaway inspired by Gibson.
That part is all my own conjecture of course.

I've been impressed by many of Epiphone's acoustic archtops, but have come to appreciate the early to mid 50's electric Guilds more than the Epiphone's electric archtop offerings of that period.

 

[Westerly Wood]

did not a bunch of Epi employees join Guild in the very beginning?

 

[zizala]

Looking over Hans' Guild Guitar Book.....the section that goes over some of the early NY history of Guild, the first shop supervisor
came over from Epiphone in 1953 along with a two or three other Epiphone employees. There was mention of a few other craftsmen coming in at that time, but one gets the impression that the original work force on the shop floor might have been less than 10 people!

If I've got that wrong hopefully Hans or someone might correct me or add more.
It's fascinating to think about how simple the beginnings of Guild seem to have been.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Looking over Hans' Guild Guitar Book.....the section that goes over some of the early NY history of Guild, the first shop supervisor
came over from Epiphone in 1953 along with a two or three other Epiphone employees. There was mention of a few other craftsmen coming in at that time, but one gets the impression that the original work force on the shop floor might have been less than 10 people!

If I've got that wrong hopefully Hans might correct me or add more.
It's fascinating to think about how simple the beginnings of Guild seem to have been.

And mostly Epi employees. Which makes sense then. Thanks!

 

[Rambozo96]

You can definitely see how Guild was influenced by the Epiphone archtop body shape. I really like the shape and aesthetics of the early Guild archtops. It's a shame they changed to a more Gibson-like shape in 1962.
The D-70 had similar inlays like on that Epiphone on the right.

 

[Guildedagain]

Wow, that frequensator TP is cool, once you know why it was made like that.

The Guild carve looks to be lam, it's too extreme to be carved, looks almost like German carve?