X-170T Before and After...

[guildman63]

Since I was not using the coil tap switch I decided to replace it with a master volume (it can easily be reversed if necessary). Here is the end result...

Before:


After:

 

[Jeff]

.... post was meant for Archtops/Hollowbodies but obviously did not wind up there. ''''''request that it be moved to its proper location............

Done.

 

[GAD]

Man I SO wish my X170T had the coil tap switch on the lower bout. Mine's on the upper and it just won't work that way.

Good job!

 

[guildman63]

I guess that means you will have to get second X170-T with the tap down low.

 

[GAD]

I guess that means you will have to get second X170-T with the tap down low.

Not gonna happen unless I traded this one off. Mine is *mint*, and I already have a Gretsch Setzer SSLVO. Too mnay orange guitars already.

 

[guildman63]

I realize it is somewhat of a different animal regarding pickups, but how is the SSLVO, or any other Setzer model, compared with the 170T? I have had my eye on either an orange or tiger green Setzer. I am not yet ready to pull the trigger, but I turn 50 in just 2.5 short years, and that would be a heck of a gift to welcome me to the other side of 50. I have tried the Hot Rod and that is a very nice guitar.

 

[GAD]

I realize it is somewhat of a different animal regarding pickups, but how is the SSLVO, or any other Setzer model, compared with the 170T? I have had my eye on either an orange or tiger green Setzer. I am not yet ready to pull the trigger, but I turn 50 in just 2.5 short years, and that would be a heck of a gift to welcome me to the other side of 50. I have tried the Hot Rod and that is a very nice guitar.

I love my SSLVO. It's a very well-made guitar with a great fit and finish. Feels great in the hand. The Bigsby is much smoother than the Guildsby on my X170t. Not sure why, but it feels better.

The SSLVO is lacquer, so it feels different than the poly X170t. The SSLVO has an ebony board which is wonderful (I love ebony). My only complaints with it was the same as many others:

It's got a 9.5" radius fretboard and came with a 12" radius bridge because Setzer had his outfitted that way. I changed it to a truarc and it's much better.

I hate the controls. No tone - only a mud switch. Two knobs on the bottom are volume - one for each pickup, and a master volume on the bottom bout. The Setzer Hot rods got it right in the controls department.

Comparing it to the X170T, the X170 is... beefier. The guild is a heavier guitar that has a deeper sound - even unplugged. The Guild feels like it has thicker wood, but I don't know if that's just perception. The Guild is a bigger guitar. As a result it doesn't quite twang like the Gretsch. The Guild sounds more like a traditional Jazz guitar to me. The Gretsch sounds more like a traditional country guitar.

I don't like the bridge on my X170T. It looks like it was glued on or something, and it never seems to quite sit right to me. I should take to an expert but I haven't. The Setzer has a pinned bridge which I greatly prefer.

It's no secret that I hate the pickups in the Guild. I haven't had them rewound yet, but someday I will. The wiring is a bit of a pain which is what's kept me from tearing into it. The Setzer crushes it in the pickups department. If only they'd kept on making those HB1s...

Here are the two guitars:

I've since removed the pick guard on the Gretsch. If I wanted a signature, I'd sign it myself.

 

[Walter Broes]

The Guild is a bigger guitar. As a result it doesn't quite twang like the Gretsch. The Guild sounds more like a traditional Jazz guitar to me. The Gretsch sounds more like a traditional country guitar.

Probably a lot to do with the pickups - my single coil X175's out-twang a Gretsch with Filtertrons, and it's a bigger guitar than your Guild.

 

[GAD]

The Guild is a bigger guitar. As a result it doesn't quite twang like the Gretsch. The Guild sounds more like a traditional Jazz guitar to me. The Gretsch sounds more like a traditional country guitar.

Probably a lot to do with the pickups - my single coil X175's out-twang a Gretsch with Filtertrons, and it's a bigger guitar than your Guild.

Interesting. Thanks. Now I feel like swapping the pickups again!