What's the rarest DeArmond archtop?

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I see mostly their single cut starfires, then double cut starfires, then double pup X155 (like Guild's X175), then single pup x135 (like a Guild X150) .

Does anybody know how many of these they made?

 

[sfIII]

This would be just a guess but I think the rares may be the T-400. Sort of a Duane Eddy knockoff. I beleive that this model was the top of the line. And a bargin for the $650 that they typically command.

And if that isn't the rarest, the Starfire Bass would be my next guess. And I want one of those... I'd upgrade the pickups to Dark Stars, and likely be very happy.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I believe you're right about the T-400. It's so rare I forgot about it. I don't know squat about the others.

 

[Walter Broes]

Yeah, probably the T-400, though I don't think any of them qualify as "rare" in the true sense of the word. Not natural-finish single coil X550 rare, or original DE Guild rare.

Darryl - sell the X155 you have, add that money to the funds you have set aside for another one, and get a second hand Guild X150 to mod - you'll have a better guitar. My own DeArmond was a sub-par performer on stage, compared to the Guilds, and I'm not just being snobby when I say that.

 

[Smiert Spionam]

I owned a couple of the M-75t/M-77t variants, and they were good, but not great. With a lighter, more chambered body, they could have been great.

The T-400 was the best of the bunch. I had one I got on closeout, and then resold once I found some vintage Guilds. It was really excellent. Great guitar. The build was much lighter than the full depth DeArmond archtops (X-155, etc.), so it actually had something of an acoustic resonance.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Smiert,

My X155 is also dull acoustically.
-----------------------------------

Walter,

I couldn't stand to modify a Guild X150 unless it was in bad condition.

Is a Dearmond X135 the same as a Dearmond X155 except for having only one pickup?

 

[coastie99]

Darryl - sell the X155 you have, add that money to the funds you have set aside for another one, and get a second hand Guild X150 to mod - you'll have a better guitar.

Walter !! :shock:

Aiding and abetting a criminal act.

 

[Walter Broes]

Walter,

I couldn't stand to modify a Guild X150 unless it was in bad condition.

Is a Dearmond X135 the same as a Dearmond X155 except for having only one pickup?

Yes, as far as I know. Same body, same parallel bracing, dot inlaid neck instead of blocks. Neck on mine was a little unstable, and I had to tweak the truss rod more than I liked to keep it playable.

Taking those humbuckers out of a Guild X150 would be helping it IMO, not "destroying it" and I've seen natural finished single pickup ones sell for around $1000 on Ebay. Face it, judging from the "market", it doesn't seem like they'll be reaching D'Angelico New Yorker status any time soon....

 

[AlohaJoe]

[quote="Darryl Hattenhauer":2p7g2fu3]
Walter,
I couldn't stand to modify a Guild X150 unless it was in bad condition.

Taking those humbuckers out of a Guild X150 would be helping it IMO, not "destroying it" and I've seen natural finished single pickup ones sell for around $1000 on Ebay. Face it, judging from the "market", it doesn't seem like they'll be reaching D'Angelico New Yorker status any time soon....[/quote:2p7g2fu3]I think Walter's got it right (again). My Corona X150 is a very nice guitar and fairly easily (and cheaply) replaceable, which makes it the ideal gig guitar. Once I swapped out the pup it became a great guitar for not too much money. I would never alter a vintage instrument beyond return to stock, but these are common enough to play with.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Joe,

What's that greenie in your avatar?

hf

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I'll start looking for a Guild X150, but I don't see that many of them.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Here you go, Darryl:

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