Whats up everyone. So I have been thinking about this lately, I have a Guild XL-175 Manhattan That I bought from another player. I bought it best I can remember in 05 or 06. It is a gorgeous, Archtop that really nails that "Wes" sound. I had it through most of Music school and used it on Juries, Recitals and gigs, even a John Pizzarelli Master class were he played it and said it was a great sounding guitar -FWIW. The thing is I never really got used to the narrowness of the neck. I have really big hands and the neck is more narrow that I am comfortable with. I tried to convince myself that I would get used to it or that I would learn to do all those Tal Farlow chords and runs (yeah F*&^ing right!) but after I graduated and joined the adult world (i.e. not shedding all the time and playing straight ahead jazz as much) it has mostly sat in its case, not getting the love and work out it required. I have kept it in great shape and kept it set up and with good strings (mostly Thomastik flat wound 12 gauge strings). I just haven't really been playing it. So doing the 9-5 thing my chops suffered and now there is really not much chance I am going to be even a hobbyist straight ahead player anytime soon lol. So I have decided to see if there was any interest in a trade for this guitar. I have been working hard to get my gypsy chops back to were they once were (even if those weren't the greatest) and I am just not seeing a need for having this guitar right now, and would like for it to go to a good home with someone who will enjoy it and be as excited about it as I was.
so thats the book here are the specs. Best I can tell from on line research this is a 1975 Guild XL-175 Manhattan (serial number is 121217). It has a blonde finish, and is in really good shape. Its not in Museum shape, its been played and gig'd on. Its a working players guitar. There is a small piece of fingerboard binding that looks like it was repaired at one point professionally, there is a little bit of finish wear on the back but no cracks and there some small marks here and there, but nothing I would ever think of as issues at all. The truss rod cover may not be original (or the XL-175 could have worn off) and i believe the selector switch knob has been replaced, as well as the bridge. All this was done before I owned the guitar. I also have a very nice hardshell case for it, but it isn't the original case.When you google these, some vintage models have p-90 looking pickups and some have what look like humbuckers, but I have been told these are actually single coils. This one has the Humbucking looking piuck ups not the P-90's .They sound like HB's to me, but I don't get any hum from them. I am not sure when guild made this change.
I would like to trade for a mid level (non asian) gypsy guitar. No disrespect to Gitanes but I am just not really interested in trading this guitar for a upper level saga. I was looking for something like a Dupont Nomade 14 fret Grand bouche, or similar level European or American made guitar. Or a comparable (in quality or vintage) Archtop with a wider neck.
These guilds of this vintage go for (best I can gather from internet research ) between 2,000 and 2,500. I don't need to sell it and I am not really trying to unload it quickly but I figured I would post this here and see if there was any interest in it. Like I said this is an amazing guitar and it was owned lovingly and would be a great addition to your playing arsenal if you want that Wes, Kenny Burrell sound. PM me if you are interested or want to see pictures or anything like that .
Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard.
Comments
Maybe you'd have better luck selling your Guild at archtop.com...
Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."