It's Here! My X500-T Review is Done!

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,585
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
With five hours on a plane and surprisingly usable wifi ($30 - damn!), I managed to finally put the finishing touches on my X500-T article. Here's the link:

http://www.gad.net/Blog/2017/01/22/2001-guild-x-500t/

And here's a pic:

2001-Guild-X500T-Front-Full.jpg


As always, please do PM me with any errors, 'cause there's always errors. :single_eye:
 

bluesypicky

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
7,763
Reaction score
394
Location
Jupiter, FL.
Very informative and well written as always. Makes me want one (I love skinny necks)
Since you asked, there is a typo on the word "Guild" where the "u" is missing, at the beginning of the article (5th line)

Thanks for the post.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,585
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
Fixed - thanks!

You should buy it so we could all watch you rip it up with some killer licks on YouTube!

You know, if it was for sale. :)
 

bluesypicky

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
7,763
Reaction score
394
Location
Jupiter, FL.
Fixed - thanks!

You should buy it so we could all watch you rip it up with some killer licks on YouTube!

You know, if it was for sale. :)

Ah ah.... don't tempt me (you know, if it was for sale), I almost managed to get to the point where all my guitars fit on my wall-built guitar shelves. I still need to get rid of a couple (ideally). :(
 

krysh

Guildarist in the mod squad
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
4,417
Reaction score
901
Location
near hamburg*germany
Guild Total
6
again a great review gad.
is this wanted or a typo:
"no gold to wear off, and since the gold-plated pickups are the most obvious wear points on a guitar, the lack of medal covers should allow this guitar to look great for a long time."
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,585
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
Well, it's not wrong. There is a lack of medals. :)

Thanks! Fixed.
 

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,961
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
"A quick note is in order about the X-500T vs. the seemingly similar X550-P. The X-550P is called the Paladin because it was made as a signature model for Dave Gonzales of The Paladins. The X-550Ps were made in the Fender Custom Shop and while they had the same P90 Pickups and general overall look of the X-500T, the X-550P came with a Strat-like 25 5/8″ scale length since apparently that’s what the very early Guild archtops had and perhaps more importantly, that’s the way Dave Gonzales likes them. At least that’s what I thought was the case. The 2001 Price guide lists only the X-500 and describes it as a Paladin, so I’m not sure what the whole story is. My point is that this guitar has a 24 3/4″ scale neck, and not the longer one commonly seen on Paladins."

When Dave became a Guild endorser, they first gave him an (orange) X160 Rockabilly - he didn't like the pickups on it much. The next step was the Guild X500T, which was essentially a standard X500 of the time with the two duncan P90's and Bigsby/Aluminum bridge setup. There must have been some kind of mix-up at Guild (?), because for a few years the standard X500 with 'buckers got advertised as "the Paladin", while the other model (the X500T) was obviously the "Paladin" one.

I met Dave a couple of times when he was touring with the X500T, and he wasn't crazy about that either. Compared to the late 50's guitar he'd had on the road forever, the body was bigger and deeper, he had no use for the master volume, the neck pickup was too close to the neck, and the neck/body join was different so he kept putting his hands on the wrong fret. FMIC/Guild had already told him that he had the option of bringing in his old guitar and having Chris Fleming building as close a copy as possible. DG was still debating this at the time, but ended up going for it anyway, and that's what became the extremely rare X550P. Dave's still touring with the guitar Fleming eventually delivered.
The 25 1/2 scale on the 550P stems from a couple of things : Dave's first (old) X550 was a NYC made example with the long scale, his later one was a Hoboken-made late 50's one with the shorter scale. He's played strats and teles forever too, so he told me when Fleming called him to tell him he had a bunch of beautiful necks that were destined to become Artist Award necks (long scale!) and that he could use one of those, it was a no-brainer. So that explains that.

here's a clip from a Dutch TV show that has Dave's (non-master volume, interestingly) X500T when he was touring with that, it might have still been a proto at that time :
 

shihan

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
1,540
Reaction score
796
Location
Ventura CA
Well written and informative, as always. I really enjoyed your attention to detail in the review. I agree 100% about the switch position. I've played a Les Paul for decades, and that's my preferred control layout.
The best thing about you getting that guitar (from my perspective, anyway) is that you put your '84 x500 up for sale so I could buy it. My NGD post coming as soon as I get to know it a little better.
Congratulations on such a stunning guitar.
 

dbirchett

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Messages
938
Reaction score
90
As always, a great review. Enjoyed it a lot.

A suggestion on the typos, if you find one, let GAD know in a PM rather than broadcasting it to the world.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,585
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
"A quick note is in order about the X-500T vs. the seemingly similar X550-P. The X-550P is called the Paladin because it was made as a signature model for Dave Gonzales of The Paladins. The X-550Ps were made in the Fender Custom Shop and while they had the same P90 Pickups and general overall look of the X-500T, the X-550P came with a Strat-like 25 5/8″ scale length since apparently that’s what the very early Guild archtops had and perhaps more importantly, that’s the way Dave Gonzales likes them. At least that’s what I thought was the case. The 2001 Price guide lists only the X-500 and describes it as a Paladin, so I’m not sure what the whole story is. My point is that this guitar has a 24 3/4″ scale neck, and not the longer one commonly seen on Paladins."

When Dave became a Guild endorser, they first gave him an (orange) X160 Rockabilly - he didn't like the pickups on it much. The next step was the Guild X500T, which was essentially a standard X500 of the time with the two duncan P90's and Bigsby/Aluminum bridge setup. There must have been some kind of mix-up at Guild (?), because for a few years the standard X500 with 'buckers got advertised as "the Paladin", while the other model (the X500T) was obviously the "Paladin" one.

I met Dave a couple of times when he was touring with the X500T, and he wasn't crazy about that either. Compared to the late 50's guitar he'd had on the road forever, the body was bigger and deeper, he had no use for the master volume, the neck pickup was too close to the neck, and the neck/body join was different so he kept putting his hands on the wrong fret. FMIC/Guild had already told him that he had the option of bringing in his old guitar and having Chris Fleming building as close a copy as possible. DG was still debating this at the time, but ended up going for it anyway, and that's what became the extremely rare X550P. Dave's still touring with the guitar Fleming eventually delivered.
The 25 1/2 scale on the 550P stems from a couple of things : Dave's first (old) X550 was a NYC made example with the long scale, his later one was a Hoboken-made late 50's one with the shorter scale. He's played strats and teles forever too, so he told me when Fleming called him to tell him he had a bunch of beautiful necks that were destined to become Artist Award necks (long scale!) and that he could use one of those, it was a no-brainer. So that explains that.

here's a clip from a Dutch TV show that has Dave's (non-master volume, interestingly) X500T when he was touring with that, it might have still been a proto at that time :


Wow! That is an excellent bit of information there! I may just have to add an edit and point it here. Thanks!
 
Top