X-180 Park Avenue

[Guildtarzan]

Thanks for the kind words, guys, & especially for the lyrics to Ray Stevens' song, Darryl! I copied & pasted it. I guess some of my major questions are about which pickups these are, the years they were produced, the kinds of woods used & the supposed similarities in bracing to the X500. Anyone?

 

[hansmoust]

It must be that Guild doesn't put sound posts (or soundblocks) in any guitar that's over about two and a half inches deep, which is 63.55 millimeters.

They also don't necessarily put them in thinner guitars either - my Starfire III does not have a sound post - and it does feedback sooner than my X170.

Sorry Darryl & Squawk,

Both claims are not correct. Some X-500s and some Reissue DE-500s have the soundpost as well, but you will need to wait for the details till the book is out!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[capnjuan]

....but you will need to wait for the details till the book is out!

If you weren't such a nice guy, I'd call you the world's worst teaser ..... :evil: :wink:

Best Regards, John

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

GuildTARzan,

I wish I knew the answers to your question. It might be all maple. If you post some pics, we could tell you if it has a mahogany neck, spruce top, etc. I don't know the pups Guild used recently, but somebody here would know from the pics. Pics of the inside would enable somebody here to discuss the bracing. Does anybody know what years these were produced and where?

Hans,

Thanks for the info. Now I want to buy a Duane with soundposts and an X500 with soundposts.

 

[hansmoust]

Now I want to buy a Duane with soundposts and an X500 with soundposts.

Well, the X-500 will be doable but good luck with the Duane Eddy!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Walter Broes]

Reading this thread I was reminded of a guitar you once showed me Hans, and I believe it was your own electric "player" at the time (but I could be entirely wrong...!), I remember a thin-bodied X500, and you telling me it had a soundpost, Bigsby too I believe - wasn't that built around the same time as the reissue DE's, on the same superstructure?

 

[hansmoust]

I remember a thin-bodied X500, and you telling me it had a soundpost, Bigsby too I believe - wasn't that built around the same time as the reissue DE's, on the same superstructure?

Hi Walter,

Well, that's another one but there are so very few of those. Finding a deep-bodied X-500 with a soundpost should be a lot easier.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Hans,

When does the book come out?

 

[hansmoust]

Hans,

When does the book come out?

When we're getting close you will read about it here!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[x-180]

Hi,

The X-180 was an awesome guitar to behold and although I know longer own one (sniff), I have the '03 Guild catalogue (to torment myself with) and I'll quote an exerpt from the text:

"...specially selected Curly Maple.... three piece Maple neck features a bound headstock and bound Rosewood fingerboard with block inlays. Dual Guild HB-1 humbucking pickups... gold hardware... " the rest is advertising hyperbole (although most of it true!).

Until Hans' book comes out, we'll have to guess as to the number produced, but I will say - I saw more X-180's floating around AFTER they'd stopped production than I ever did while they were supposedly IN production. I realize Fender couldn't make people buy them, but the lineup they had in '03 was pretty sweet and I was dumbfounded to learn that the electric Guilds had ceased production very soon after that impressive Fiftieth Anniversary catalogue was published.

X-180

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Ex-X,

There's just something about those X-180s that is really tantalizing. And as usual, the mysteries of Guild management are matched by the mysteries of a marketplace that leaves them undervalued.

 

[Guildtarzan]

Anyone know what the MSRP for the Park Avenue was?

 

[Squawk]

Anyone know what the MSRP for the Park Avenue was?

In the July 28, 2003 pricelist, it was $2,899.

 

[Guildtarzan]

Thanks a lot! I figured it was somewhere around there. As I recall, those prices didn't include the case. Is that correct?

 

[Squawk]

Thanks a lot! I figured it was somewhere around there. As I recall, those prices didn't include the case. Is that correct?

The pricelist doesn't say anything about cases, but I remember reading in the 2003 Fender Frontline that for Guilds, the case is included.

 

[Guildtarzan]

Two questions, please: Does anyone remember what years the X180 Park Avenue were produced? Does anyone remember what years Guild archtops were being manufactured at the Corona, Ca. facility? Thanks in advance!

 

[rsclosson]

Two apologies in advance. 1.This is a very old thread I am resurrecting and 2. It has been a real long time since I posted here. I recently got my hands on an X-180 and my search for the perfect archtop is over. Sadly I had to sacrifice my beloved X-170 to get it, but I hope to eventually get another one if my ship comes in. My Sunburst Park Avenue looks almost brand new and it has the nicest neck I have ever played. Also the nicest tone. Just the perfect balance of warmth and crystalline high to make it very rich, yet very articulate. The only "upgrade" I could come up with was to put Imperial style buttons on the original Grovers. It really makes for an even more classy/expensive looking guitar and it required no alteration at all. Of course, I retain the original buttons in the unlikely event I ever sell it.

This guitar is the most undervalued Jazzer on the market and is what I consider my greatest find. :mrgreen:

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

rclossen,

Pleased to meet you. Where did you find your X180? Got any pics?

Hatted Frau

 

[rsclosson]

Found it at a guitar shop online.

I will have to take a picture with the new Imperial Buttons. I will post that when I do.

 

[AlohaJoe]

Welcome back! That is a very beautiful guitar. A real keeper!

Please excuse the slight veer, but...

The lack of a sound post is the reason I walked away from buying one in the past. M

A removable soundpost can be added to any archtop. A few years ago I was looking for ways to minimize feedback on a carved archtop with a clamp-on DeArmond. Mike Lull (Luthier/repair) suggested adding a soundpost under the bridge to minimize movement in the top. Apparently it's a common solution. As I understand it, they're a little tricky to place, but easy to remove. I ultimately decided on an alternate solution as I was also often playing it acoustically and the post has a negative impact on the acoustic sound produced, and having to remove and replace it regularly would be pretty annoying.

I found a decent solution here:
http://www.dougsplugs.com/
They're a little pricey, but they work well in low to medium volume level venues.