Guild began producing instruments in 1952, and at opening its staff included a number of people from Epiphone who naturally brought their influences with them. The Guild X-350 Stratford was heavily influenced by the Epiphone Emperor Zephyr Regent, down to the pushbutton pickup selector.
The 1954 Guild X-350 Stratford has a 17 inch wide, fully hollow body with two longitudinal braces. Because this is intended as an electric model (with three pickups!) the woods used for the body are laminates, which are better at feedback resistance. The top is spruce laminate with bound F-holes, the sides and back are nicely flamed maple.
The 25.5 inch scale length, 1 10/16 inch nut width neck is three piece, maple with a walnut center strip, and sports a bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, with faux mother of pearl block position markers. The headplate is black with mother of pearl Guild logo and shield. Of note is the early headstock shape, strongly suggestive of Gibson’s ‘open book’ silhouette.
For hardware, much is original – gold Kluson tuners with pearlescent buttons, gold Guild harp tailpiece, three single-coil pickups with gold polepieces and white plastic covers, master volume and tone controls with transluscent gold platic knobs, and a six-pushbutton pickup selector. The selector panel has been replaced. The rather thick, 8-layer pickguard appears original.
This guitar has a brown sunburst finish. The neck has been professional refinished with decent colour matching, but the body finish appears to be original.
Serial Number: 1844. This dates the guitar to 1954; Guild started producing instruments in 1952 and the starting serial number was 1000. Built at the Guild plant in New York, New York.
Pricing: $2,999.99 Canadian dollars with original hardshell case.
Status:SOLD
