dhdfoster
Member
By request, I'm reposting this here. I probably should have done that in the first place, but didn't even realize we had a review section.
I took delivery of one of the new X175Bs last night. I didn’t get much time to play it, but I do have some initial thoughts. I live in a small studio apartment, so I could only plug it in to my Yamaha modeling amp (which actually sounds surprisingly good) and play at low volume. Also, I own several old Guilds, so some of my impressions are based purely on my own personal likes and dislikes in comparison to my originals.
I have to say it’s a very nice guitar. It looks well made and all the parts look mostly “correct”. The Guildsby looks a little odd in spots, but I didn’t have an original on hand to campare. The finish is MIK thick and glassy, but not nearly as much so as the DeArmond M77T I owned. It’s actually not too bad. It’s a tad more amber than I think looks natural, but they were going for a vintage vibe I suppose. It’s pretty, but a little goofy looking, IMO. It’s nowhere near as bad as some of Fender’s low-cost “butterscotch” Teles, though. That’s just my taste, though. It is a nice finish and some will love it.
The neck feels nice and substantial and the slightly larger frets are a good choice. I think WB said in another post that it’s “surreal” to see these. I have to agree. I spent a lot of time just looking at it. It gives you an idea of what it would be like to play a brand new Guild in 1959. The downside is the slick glossy neck and just a general feeling of newness. Obviously, that’s just the way it is unless you want to “relic” it, which I do not.
On another plus side, it looks like they made the neck angle steeper than the originals to get more downward pressure on the bridge. The bridge pickup cover is noticeably taller than the originals, and the bridge is adjusted pretty high.
The PICKUPS! What we’ve all been wondering about, I’m sure. I didn’t disassemble them to take a look, but they sound really great. I went back and forth between the new one and my old X150 conversion and they are pretty similar. I’d have to say that the originals are a tad warmer, rounder, woodier, and “blurry”, while the new ones are bright, twangy and articulate. However, it’s impossible to get an honest comparison because the originals are on a 50 year old guitar. They did a good job on the pickups, I think. Unfortunately, as I said, I had to play quietly. I think a lot of the Franz magic happens at louder volumes. They can get kind of aggressive and rough around the edges in a great way. One thing I love about my old Guilds is a “growliness” that happens when the amp is cranked and you play closer intervals. It’s unrefined, but so cool. I’m not sure if it’s the pickups, the spruce top, the construction, the bracing, or what, but it’s sort of there on the new one.
Most of the other visual details and parts are evident in the pictures. One thing I miss is the toggle switch mounting bezel. I think they are super cool, but certainly not necessary or a deal breaker.
Overall, I’m impressed and I’m amazed that these made it to market again. Mike did a great job with the specs and the factory’s construction has a vibe that they really gave a crap about the Newark St. project. Nice case, too!
Based on this guitar, I have high hopes for the Aristocrat.
____________________________________________________________________
Also, for those interested in the pickups, here are some photos.
I took delivery of one of the new X175Bs last night. I didn’t get much time to play it, but I do have some initial thoughts. I live in a small studio apartment, so I could only plug it in to my Yamaha modeling amp (which actually sounds surprisingly good) and play at low volume. Also, I own several old Guilds, so some of my impressions are based purely on my own personal likes and dislikes in comparison to my originals.
I have to say it’s a very nice guitar. It looks well made and all the parts look mostly “correct”. The Guildsby looks a little odd in spots, but I didn’t have an original on hand to campare. The finish is MIK thick and glassy, but not nearly as much so as the DeArmond M77T I owned. It’s actually not too bad. It’s a tad more amber than I think looks natural, but they were going for a vintage vibe I suppose. It’s pretty, but a little goofy looking, IMO. It’s nowhere near as bad as some of Fender’s low-cost “butterscotch” Teles, though. That’s just my taste, though. It is a nice finish and some will love it.
The neck feels nice and substantial and the slightly larger frets are a good choice. I think WB said in another post that it’s “surreal” to see these. I have to agree. I spent a lot of time just looking at it. It gives you an idea of what it would be like to play a brand new Guild in 1959. The downside is the slick glossy neck and just a general feeling of newness. Obviously, that’s just the way it is unless you want to “relic” it, which I do not.
On another plus side, it looks like they made the neck angle steeper than the originals to get more downward pressure on the bridge. The bridge pickup cover is noticeably taller than the originals, and the bridge is adjusted pretty high.
The PICKUPS! What we’ve all been wondering about, I’m sure. I didn’t disassemble them to take a look, but they sound really great. I went back and forth between the new one and my old X150 conversion and they are pretty similar. I’d have to say that the originals are a tad warmer, rounder, woodier, and “blurry”, while the new ones are bright, twangy and articulate. However, it’s impossible to get an honest comparison because the originals are on a 50 year old guitar. They did a good job on the pickups, I think. Unfortunately, as I said, I had to play quietly. I think a lot of the Franz magic happens at louder volumes. They can get kind of aggressive and rough around the edges in a great way. One thing I love about my old Guilds is a “growliness” that happens when the amp is cranked and you play closer intervals. It’s unrefined, but so cool. I’m not sure if it’s the pickups, the spruce top, the construction, the bracing, or what, but it’s sort of there on the new one.
Most of the other visual details and parts are evident in the pictures. One thing I miss is the toggle switch mounting bezel. I think they are super cool, but certainly not necessary or a deal breaker.
Overall, I’m impressed and I’m amazed that these made it to market again. Mike did a great job with the specs and the factory’s construction has a vibe that they really gave a crap about the Newark St. project. Nice case, too!
Based on this guitar, I have high hopes for the Aristocrat.
____________________________________________________________________
Also, for those interested in the pickups, here are some photos.