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1954 Guild Savoy X-150
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Serial #: NSN
Body size at lower bout: 17" Body depth: 3 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"
Materials: Arched spruce laminate top; arched figured maple laminate back and sides; solid Honduras mahogany neck; rosewood fingerboard with block inlays; wedge pearl logo peghead inlay; single-bound body; bone nut.
Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel Waverly tuners; adjustable single coil pickup with black covers; clear barrel knobs; compensated adjustable rosewood bridge; nickel Waverly tailpiece, black bakelite pickguard.
Notes: When Guild Guitars was founded in 1952, a number of former Epiphone employees joined founder Alfred Dronge in establishing the new company in Manhattan. Along with them, they brought some signature Epi designs, including this fretted marvel of the Eisenhower era. Introduced just two years after the company's birth, the Guild X-150 was modeled after the early the Epiphone Zephyr Regent and the single pickup Gibson ES-350, with its flamed Venetian cutaway body, single coil pickup, and long scale neck. Distinctively however, the Savoy had a soundboard of arched spruce laminate, in contrast to the laminate maple tops found on most Gibson and Epi electrics. This highly popular Guild jazzer was produced until 1965, then revived in 1998 until the firm ceased archtop production in the early 2000's.
This example is from the debut year for the model, and has been kept in superb original condition, with all original electronics, hardware and dark cordovan sunburst finish. What must be one of the very earliest examples, the guitar has an unbound fingerboard, black pickup cover, the early 'wedge' peghead logo and a solid thick unbound pickguard made of polished bakelite, which appears to be original. The back and sides show handsome tiger flame figure, and the guitar is without cracks pick, buckle or thumb or fingerboard wear. Apart from some typical finish checking, and a few capo dents on the back of the neck, the guitar shows little signs of playwear.
The neck is slim and inviting, and the action is properly low and fast, as befits a hardworking jazz machine. The adjustable single coil pickup is smooth and clear, highlighting the depth and resonance of the full depth body. A rare opportunity to own a genuine New York Guild from the original Fourth Avenue factory, and one of the very first examples of a bop-era classic.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished as required; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original Guild brown arched maroon plush hardshell case.
