X-170 without a sound post?

[guildman63]

I was under the impression that all X-170's had a sound post, but I have come across a few that state they are fully hollow. Anyone have any info for me regarding this? I would expect feedback to be not as controlled without the post, but if anyone has any experience with this please let me know. Thanks!

 

[hansmoust]

I was under the impression that all X-170's had a sound post, but I have come across a few that state they are fully hollow. Anyone have any info for me regarding this? I would expect feedback to be not as controlled without the post, but if anyone has any experience with this please let me know. Thanks!

Hello guildman63,

After having done research on Guild guitars for many years, I'm a bit hesitant to say that 'Guild never did this or that'. They did a lot of things that were sort of 'unusual' and actually, that's one of the reasons why I'm attracted to Guilds.
Now as far as I'm concerned, the X-170 should have a sound post. I would not be surprized if one or two slipped out of the factory without one, but I have not seen them. If you say ' I have come across a few that state they are fully hollow ' could it mean that the people who claimed it, didn't know what to look for and maybe were expecting the soundpost to be something like the inside of a Gibson ES-335? Or does it mean that you have actually seen X-170s without a soundpost?

If you have you will understand that I would love to hear the details of these guitars?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[guildman63]

Hans,

The most recent reference is a 1995 X-170 currently listed on e-bay with a starting price of about $1350 (no bids yet). I have sent the seller an email requesting a confirmation that his guitar is indeed fully hollow. Regarding the other I recently saw, I can't recall if it was on craigslist or ebay, or if I came across it while searching the net. It is entirely possible that it was/is the same guitar, but I do clearly remember seeing another mention of a fully hollow X-170 over the last month. I will let you know about this guitar currently on e-bay once I hear back from the seller. I would love to have a fully hollow Guild, more specifically an X-500, but I shouldn't be spending what they cost, so I thought a hollow X-170 might be a decent alternative for now. Based on your reply it sounds like that is not the case. Thanks for the reply,

Dave

 

[AlohaJoe]

Removable posts are often added to archtops so I assumed the X170 was the same. Is the X170 soundpost permanently attached in a way that precludes removal?

 

[yettoblaster]

I think when they say fully hollow they mean NOT like a 335.

I see lots of people talking about Gretsches as fully hollow, yet precious few actually come without soundposts.

 

[guildman63]

If you say ' I have come across a few that state they are fully hollow ' could it mean that the people who claimed it, didn't know what to look for and maybe were expecting the soundpost to be something like the inside of a Gibson ES-335? Or does it mean that you have actually seen X-170s without a soundpost?

I received a reply from this seller. Yes, the guitar does have a sound post, and yes, the sellers expectation was that to be semi-hollow meant to have a substantial center block, which the X-170 does not. I thought maybe we had another anomally here, but that was not the case...this time.

Thanks all.