New GSR X500

Not mine...

Just saw last night an ebay listing for a new GSR X500D:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUILD-GSR-X...R-/291041313790?pt=Guitar&hash=item43c36a03fe

Streetsounds also has a slightly less expensive GSR X150D. I hadn't heard about these. I'm not a humbucker type guy so thankfully I don't have to break open the piggy bank but they look nice. Beautiful wood on the 500!

Very sweet! Why was I not one of the recent Mega Millions winners? My AP X-500 is unbelievably good, so I would guess that this new X-500 is worth considering.

Wow!


Remember when everyone was complaining about Fender not having Guild build electrics? Oh how things change!

Remember, grot, that there will always be someone complaining about something, and I'm sure there will be nay sayers about this X-500 as well. That said, holy sh*t! Your collection needs one!

Not trying to be stupid but can one of you guys tell me what exactly is the difference between the GSR X500D and the Patriarch X-500? Seems like the price point is pretty much the same yes? jim in Maine

Looks like they're using a different mould for these - they're not the same silhouette as the T-500 and T-400 GSR guitars. Nice, but I'm with Jeff, not a humbucker guy.

And yes, there's a lot of Guild electrics all of a sudden! Which is great, of course, though I wonder if dealers are going to be selling those X150's fast - they're not cheap for that model. You can get an X175 from any Guild era cheaper, and more recent X150D's a LOT cheaper.

A GSR-X-150D for $3599 with the GSR-X-500D for $3999? I really don't understand Guild's marketing reasoning regarding these guitars frankly as I DO LOVE my old Guild archtops...........why would someone buy one of these guitars given our current economy when you could get a magnificent Patriarch model for not that much more dollarwise albeit you would have to place the order and then wait of course...........just my ramblings however I would be concerned that Guild is overproducing some of their line of guitars...........jim in Maine

jimmyl51 said:

Not trying to be stupid but can one of you guys tell me what exactly is the difference between the GSR X500D and the Patriarch X-500? Seems like the price point is pretty much the same yes? jim in Maine

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Jim,

The AP goes for $4800 - $5000 (roughly), and the GSR X-500 should sell for around the $3200 - $3500 range (assuming they sell at the same price the GSR Starfire VI and T-500's sold for new). That is about a $1500 difference. I am with others here in that I like the Franz pups better than the buckers, but $1500 is a fair difference. The maple back and sides look very different between the two, but I don't know much about maple, so I will leave that to others to tell me the sonic difference between the maples used on the AP versus the GSR. Is the AP worth $1500 more than this GSR? I can say that I am extremely happy with my AP X-500, but I don't know the answer to that question. I would be very interested to hear from Guild as to what the exact differences are between the two guitars in terms of construction, and not just the obvious (pups, hardware, different type of maple on backs and sides), and why the GSR is so much less expensive if the guitars are not significantly different. It does seem a little odd that they would come out with this GSR X-500 at a much lower price point so soon after making the AP X-500 available. While the GSR is available in very limited numbers, if history repeats itself they should be fairly easy to get now, or later, if one wishes to wait and buy one used.

Guildman,

What I just don't understand is what the point is of these GSR model guitars. I can totally understand the Newark St. versus the Patriarch models especially from a price point consideration. When I walked into this shop in Portland,ME that had the A-150 and X-175 on the wall all of us that were playing them simply could not believe the quality that Guild was getting of their Korean luthiers........the GSR line is a bit of a mystery for us Mainers I guess you could say :>) jim

Correct me if I'm wrong but from what I've read the bodies of the GSR models have been produced years ago in California before Fender decided to discontinue Guild electrics and then stored away for further use in the future. Now the Custom Shop in New Hartford finalizes those guitars by adding necks, hardware and finish but the bodies themselves are quite a bit older.

I don't know if that's true but it would explain quite a few things. The different maple for example or the fact that Guild doesn't put the NH Custom Shop logo on the back of the headstock of the GSR models. And the limitation to a sometimes uneven number. But why the lower price? Are the GSR guitars considered to be of lesser quality? The GSR X500 even has an ebony board compared to the AP X500. And the GSR maple is more beautiful, although that's subjective so let's say it is a lot more flamed which could easily be marketed as more expensive. Don't know about the sound though.

By the way, there is also an GSR Aristocrat with humbuckers. It's really quite amazing how many different GSR models are out there.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guild-USA-GSR-M-75-Aristocrat-Hollowbody-Custom-Shop-New-Guitar-and-Deluxe-Case-/141121344164?pt=Guitar&hash=item20db7cd2a4

jimmyl51 said:

Guildman,

What I just don't understand is what the point is of these GSR model guitars. I can totally understand the Newark St. versus the Patriarch models especially from a price point consideration. When I walked into this shop in Portland,ME that had the A-150 and X-175 on the wall all of us that were playing them simply could not believe the quality that Guild was getting of their Korean luthiers........the GSR line is a bit of a mystery for us Mainers I guess you could say :>) jim

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Jim,

I don't know the precise point of these GSR's as Guild/Fender did not consult me before producing them. :disgust: What appears to be happening is that Guild is simply trying to hit another segment of the market, and with limited edition models that may persuade those to buy who would otherwise not spend that kind of money.

NS X-175 at $1000 - $1100 (or less)
GSR X-500 at $3200 - $3500 (listed at $3999, but don't know if any GSR's have sold for full asking price)
AP X-500 at $4800 - $5000 (listing around the $5499 mark, but selling for less)

Some may want a nice new X-500, but don't want to pay 5K. Now, they can get one for $3500 or less. Others want a great entry-level archtop at a much lower price, so they can get the X-175 or A-150. The more segments of the market you cater to, the more guitars you get in the hands of those that play. Now, that still does not answer the question of why Guild would release two very similar guitars for very dissimilar prices. I'm waiting! :barbershop_quartet_

The question I would like to know is are these GSR guitars built on Korean white wood bodies as are some of the GSR M-75's? Personally I would go the extra for the AP series guitars. I would like to be able to shake hands with the guy who built my guitar. If I were Guildman I couldn't wait to thank the guys in person for such a fine guitar.
Thanks John

I like the idea of the GSR models however for future reference my wish would be that Guild continues to list them on their web page!!!
The current Guild pages don't list any of the newer GSRs, so for future buyers it will be quite difficult to find out about the specs.
http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/?gtype=electrics&series=GSR+Series
http://www.guildguitars.com/instruments/electric/archive/

mbuc said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but from what I've read the bodies of the GSR models have been produced years ago in California before Fender decided to discontinue Guild electrics and then stored away for further use in the future. Now the Custom Shop in New Hartford finalizes those guitars by adding necks, hardware and finish but the bodies themselves are quite a bit older.

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That was the case with a few earlier GSR models but I am not sure it still is. The GSR M-75 already used different bodies for instance.

Here's the link to the GSR X-150D: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUILD-GSR-X-150D-BLONDE-SAVOY-GUITAR-/291041324731

Ralf

the T500 and GSR whitewood were a Donnie Wade project from Tacoma. At the tour, the new whitewood bodies were from "elsewhere" and they did not specify where to my group. The APs are completely built at NH.

Ralph,

I like your idea of the GSR models being listed on the Guild wrbsite, but let me play devils advocate for a moment. We are members of a Guild community that allows us to find out about Guild happenings before the general public does. The GSR models are made in extremely limited numbers. If tou put those together that would give us LTG'ers a better chance of snagging one. If they get listed on the Guild website as they are rolled out then the entire world has access to the information when we do, and that makes for greater competition, and perhaps higher prices. Of course my thinking is purely self-serving as the objective of Guild SHOULD be to market to the largest audience possible in order to get these beauties into new hands, thereby creating more people like us. I'm just sayin'.

guildman63 said:

The GSR models are made in extremely limited numbers. If tou put those together that would give us LTG'ers a better chance of snagging one.

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My feeling, when we started to see the first round of GSR electrics, was that supply was extremely limited but demand was red hot. The first one (can't remember which model) sold well. Then the second one came out, and that one seemed to sit on the shelves for quite a while. In fact, seems like at least half the stock of those GSRs are still being listed as new on eBay. So it may seem that there wasn't as much demand as the internet made it seem to be?

Well, the T-500 was something Guild hadn't done since the 50's, pretty much : a 17" thinline hollowbody with two P90's and a Bigsby. So it's not that surprising they went fast. The X180's are still all over Ebay, unsold and brand new, probably because they were, in specs, a much easier guitar to get - big maple hollowbody with two humbuckers. A patient shopper can get a second hand X500 with humbuckers for almost half of a GSR X180.

The GSR electrics in order of release was:

Starfire VI
T-500
X-180
T-400
M-75
X-500

The T-500 probably sold better than any, but the first two can still be had. I am not aware of much interest in the X-180 or T-400, and the last two are just coming out. To me the problem is in pricing. There is a clear difference between the T-500 and T-400, and between the X-180 and X-500, yet they are all priced exactly the same. It is also a down economy in which a vintage, mint X-500 can be had for much less than the cost of a GSR. To me the Starfire competes very favorably to any like-style guitar I have ever played, and the T-500 was very good as well, although I have no experience with any similar styled guitars. These GSR's are excellent guitars, but until the general public looks at Guild as at least the equal to the other two G's, which they certainly are, these GSR's may continue to move slowly. This new X-500 may change things a bit, and if not they are still made in such limited quantities that it probably won't matter much if these move slowly as well. I would love to get one, but I can't imagine that this GSR is any better than the '93 X-500 I already have. Maybe Santa will bring me one. :eagerness:

The most shocking aspect of this guitar is the pickups, in my opinion. What is under those HB1-looking hoods? Anyone know?????

Guild Anti-hum's...repro's of the 60's mini buckers. Just like George Barnes played!