Weird Model?

[Psychobilly]

Noobie here. Can someone tell me anything about this X375? Yes it has stories to tell and has been heavily abused. Thanks for input. Looks different than other X375s

 

[AcornHouse]

Missing a few of the push buttons, and has been stripped and, well, not really refin’d, but maybe at least a clear coat. Was originally blonde. One of the early New York made ones with the early headstock logo designs.

 

[Psychobilly]

Indeed. The neck inlays and the bigsby threw me off compared to other 375s
Was it an experimental early x375, you think?
Thanks

 

[AcornHouse]

Indeed. The neck inlays and the bigsby threw me off compared to other 375s
Was it an experimental early x375, you think?
Thanks

Hans mentions that there were "several slightly different variations were made during that period". Possibly a custom order.

 

[chazmo]

This is a 1953 build, Billy. I suspect it's just a new neck, though, or the inlays were redone from their original block inlays. Even when they did the triangle-embedded inlays, they were not like that during that period. Also, I don't think the Guildsby was original.

Edit: also, I'm pretty sure those are not the original tuners.

 

[Brad Little]

Hm, 1953, any possibility they had access to some left behind Epiphone fingerboards? That style was used on some of the NY Epis.

 

[Psychobilly]

Thank you all for the input.
This guitar was found in a South Philly Pawnshop 1990 and raised in Austin.
It had buttons missing, holes in the back, the pickups look like someone melted them partially, children/ animal scratches. The neck straightening cost more than the guitar. The fingerboard appears original. The electronics have continued to work and have never been modified.
This guitar has a lot of stories. Certainly not a beauty queen.

 

[Walter Broes]

Early-ish NY example with a later x500 or artist award fingerboard and replaced tuners? Probably not factory, but that is a cool 50's Bigsby

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG! Cool guitar anyway. The truss rod cover is mounted upside down by the way.

Ralf

 

[Rocky]

Probably not factory, but that is a cool 50's Bigsby

Definitely not factory. 1953 would be a fixed arm. Mid to late 50's had the Philips.

 

[hansmoust]

Indeed. The neck inlays and the bigsby threw me off compared to other 375s
Was it an experimental early x375, you think?
Thanks

Hello Psychobilly,

Welcome! Your Guild is a regular early production model X-375 that has been outfitted with a post 1970 fingerboard. An original early X-375 fingerboard would have been rosewood and it would have had pearl block inlays with rounded corners; not the two tone abalone/pearl markers.

Obviously some other parts were changed as well, but those were already addressed by earlier posters.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Psychobilly]

Thank you all for such enriching amazing history. That adds to the bizarreness. Cool!