Sold: Guild X-175B Manhattan, Newark St. Collection

DB1 · June 2022

An extraordinary instrument for the swinging soloist and technician....

Well, that's how Guild describes it, but I've always found that searching 'swinging soloist' takes me to the sort of website that's more suited for the House of Commons. Don't you find that? No? Oh.

I'm getting my lovely old Gibson ES-350 back after a top class refretting - and overhaul. It's happened a bit quicker than I thought, so I can let this very able substitute go. And it really is an able substitute. I've made reference to the quality of it on another thread, and I really do stand by that.

The specs are here - https://guildguitars.com/g/x-175b-manhattan-bigsby/ - but here's a few of my ramblings on it. If you want to go Gretsch twang and rockabilly on a budget, or ES-350 on a budget, or just warm jazz box, this is a really nice guitar. The Franz pickups are a really good reproduction of the originals IMO.

Ask me how I know. Well, I'll tell you - I've had a 1962 Guild X-175b and a 1962 Guild Capri, both sporting the last of the original Franz pickups and these, to my ears, are very, very close, if not identical. The neck is also really similar and. although it's a while since I had the 1962 version, this feels very familiar and comfortable. The condition of it is superb, and the build quality is really good. It's got the original case with it - it's a least four years old, but certainly doesn't look it. There's a little wear on some frets, but not much - I can't feel it when I'm playing - and this guitar has had a well cared for life.

I'm a bit of a gear snob - there, I've said it - but I think that this series, from what I've seen, is very good indeed. If I was to be picky, I'd say that the Guildsby isn't quite as smooth as some of the Terada and Custom Shop versions, but it's fine. I can't really say anything bad about it.

In fact, I've bought it twice, so that's something. There's a story here - of course there's a story, there's always a bloody story. I sold it to a really nice chap in Warrington who has a cat with a slight temper - put it like this, Broadmoor is negotiating to officially adopt it as a mascot.

Here's a thread that covers some of the injuries sustained while stroking the furry maniac - https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/207533/both-sold-tone-king-falcon-grande-and-tone-king-imperial-ii/p1

Anyway, patched up and with a transfusion, I went on my way. Three years later, I received a message that said 'Hi, I don't suppose you remember me? You delivered a Guild X-175b to me and my cat attacked you'. Oddly enough, I had remembered that.

'I remember that you liked the guitar, so would you like to buy it back'? Well, yes, I would.

I checked as to whether he still had the cat and was reassured by the comment that he'd apparently mellowed, and hadn't bitten anyone for six months. Prior to that, it was one a week. The pessimist in me assumed that he was saving up six months worth of frustrated anger to unleash upon me again, but I was brave and risked it. I've included a photo of him, so that you can see in his eyes just how pleased he was to see me again. That was as close as I got, of course - although he did follow me out to the doorstep and let me pat his head for about five seconds. Then. He. Started. To. Wag. His. Tail.

'Uh-oh', said the chap. 'Uh-oh' said I, and bravely fled to the car, leaving the Warrington Ripper (the cat, obvs) glaring at me. I kept checking the rear view mirror down the M6, but I think I lost him.

Where was I? Oh yes, the guitar. I can find one in the UK on Reverb - ex demo - at £1024. New, they appear to be about £1180, so working on about 60% of new, that's about £700. Let's say, in honour of my special cat friend, £666. Obviously the value isn't massive, so we can have a chat about getting it to you if you would indeed like to be a swinging soloist. And if you would, no-one's judging you, of course.

As usual, public conveniences, laybys, parks, notorious dogging areas, the bins at the back of Burger King - you name it, nowhere is off limits apart from Watford Gap Services and North Yorkshire. And that's only due to the restraining orders.