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I got up at 5:30am this morning to drive a 7 hour round trip to Lincoln to buy a 1959 Guild X500 Stuart for a very good price.
I confirmed the guitar was still available the night before with the shop. It was.
I arrived at 9:01 as the shop was opening to be the first customer to step foot in the door to buy the thing and It was no where to be found. My heart sank.
Turned out it had been sold two days prior and shipped out yesterday. Someone got a very good deal and a phenomenally good sounding guitar. I played that guitar 10 years ago and still remember the sound.
I had a look around for anything else to buy but couldn't see anything of interest. Norman the shop owner came over to see me from home and took me upstairs to his museum. I was hoping to find another classic X500 or Gibson up there but no such luck. A lot of old Fenders and Gibson LP's etc.. but no jazz guitars.
I was about to give up and drive home empty handed, when I saw a Guild headstock poking out from behind a vintage Gibson Varitone.
I said to Norman "Is that a Duane Eddy"? I could roughly make out a 17" thin-line body.
He looked and said "No that's Gibson Es335".
I said "No the Guild behind this vari-tone" and pointed next to the 335.
Norman said "no I think it's (some other Guild Artist model)"
I said "Pretty sure that's a Duane Eddy"
We got it out. It was a 1967 Duane Eddy; covered in dust.
It isn't the best exempt but has the sweetest tone. He offered me a fair price based on my disappointing journey as he didn't want me to go home empty handed, so in the end it worked out well.
I've always wanted an X400 because I thought they would make a good Jazz guitar. They are essentially a thin-line X175. It's very light and woody sounding with that classic vintage laminate sound.
This one must have been used by a jazz player (or likely) because the Bigsby had been removed along with the metal bridge.
I checked the truss rod; all good. It also had the OHSC and tags.
Last edited by Archie; 03-12-2022 at 07:46 PM.
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03-12-2022 12:38 PM
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Very nice score!! Beautiful guitar.
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You did good, AH! Real good!
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Good for you !!!
I'd have been so thoroughly pissed, and leaving so quickly, I'd have never even seen the one you took home. (( Are we sure he wasn't ' hiding ' that one too ?? )) : )
Anyway best of luck with the DE and may this be a lesson for us all as to what can happen when cooler heads prevail !!
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Thanks Dennis.
Originally Posted by Dennis D
No point crying over spilt milk and since I had a sob story regarding the wasted journey, I knew I had some leverage with Norman, who had told me the X500 was there.
It's pure luck that what I found was something I had kinda wanted but yes, I could have missed it and did on my initial look round the museum. It was only because Norman was talking about something unrelated in a general chat that I saw a glimpse of it behind him. If he wasn't standing in that spot, I would have never seen it.
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Kismet! Congrats. May she inspire your playing (or your new guitar business) for many years to come!
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A Duane eddy is way better than an x500! Also worth more I believe.
turned out good I think!
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Lovely instrument. There's just something about these older guilds ...
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I am very fond of a good X-500. They're a hard 17" laminate guitar to beat. Originally Posted by 6v6ster
The X400 does have a thin laminate top and very sweet sound. The notes higher up the fretboard stay together incredibly well and the mini HB1's sound very good.
I'm very happy with it.
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Great story and congrats on a gorgeous looking guitar! Love it!
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There IS something great about a thin laminate top! So if it's not a solid top, you want a thin laminate. 3 plies is good. I have a '61 Starfire with a thin laminate mahogany top. It crackles with tone.
Enjoy it my friend.
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Wonderful guitar, congrats!
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Those Guild HB1 pickups sound incredible. That's a gorgeous guitar.
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