X2000 Part III?

Hello LTG, I joined a few months ago because I wanted to find out more about my guitar and what an X-2000 originally came with.

This is actually my first electric guitar as my Uncle gave it to me because he doesn't play guitar. Now I know what you're thinking, why does he have an X-2000 and not play guitar? Its because he worked at the Westerly RI factory and worked with the woods/bodies, good carpenter, not a musician. The serial number is CL000054 Making it the last X-2000, I think. The difference with my guitar, according to my uncle, is that this was a body on the wall when the factory was closing, and they didn't have the X-2000 components available. So they used Bluesbird components instead. The hardware is chrome/silver not gold, and the master tone/volume pots don't have coil taps. Before I knew what this guitar was I had my local shop modify the phase switch to coil tap both pickups. I just think its an interesting part of Westerly Guild History, everything on it was done at the factory, well, besides my coil tap conversion.

What I want to know is:

What pickups originally came with the X-2000 Nightbird? I think GAD said something about EMGs?

How can I tell what pickups are in it now?

Should I put original pickups in (if it's even possible to find them) keep the ones I have, or put HB-1s in it?



Here's the link to some photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DxujIbTMujr3lXRT2

I'll be sure to add more when I get home tonight.

That's cool! I'd love to see more pics!

Those pickups look like SD-1s which I've personally not seen in a Nightbird before, but I bet they sound amazing. The only way to know for sure is to pull them and photograph the backs.

I wouldn't change a thing there unless you find a set of NOS '94ish HB1s and I bet you won't unless you talk to Hans (that's where I got mine). Be prepared to pay, though, as they are super rare and expensive but worth every penny. FWIW, you cannot coil split vintage HB1s as they just weren't wired that way.

Hans will likely be along to correct me, but Nightbirds that I've seen either came with Kent Armstrongs, EMGs, or rarely Guid HB1s. The X2000 is from the early '90s so anything is possible. I've seen a lot of variation in Nightbirds so almost nothing would surprise me as to what's "correct".

Edit - also the "Nightbird" thing to do would be to keep the phase switch and make the tone switch a push/pull coil tap. That's how mine are configured and it's cool having more options.

Neat! Thanks GAD, I've really enjoyed this site, your reviews, and learning more about Guild. I've uploaded some more photos to the album. I guess I'll take a peak behind those pickups the next time I change strings. Oh and good luck on the X2000 on ebay. Hoping to hear a review from you. As much as I love the orange/red on mine, I really like that blue.

Welcome to LTG! Cool story and cool guitar!
Here are GAD's blog posts about the differences in the HB-1 pickups:
http://www.gad.net/Blog/2011/11/25/guild-full-sized-hb1-and-sd1-pickup-variations/
http://www.gad.net/Blog/2015/05/31/guild-pickup-wiring/

Interesting, the serialnumber CL000054 is even shown in the Guild serial number list (which we know is for those years incorrect) as the only 1994 serial number under X-2000. So it was in reality never finished in that year as it sounds. As the number is in the serial number list I almost bet Hans already knows the guitar.

Also I had to post a picture of your wonderful and special guitar directly here:



Ralf

Oh, that is a beauty! Love the single vol and tone controls!

walrus

I currently own two killer-looking Nightbirds and I'm STILL jealous of damn-near every other one I see!

Beautiful.

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Sweet!