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1960 Guild Stratford X-350B
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Serial #: 133384, Hoboken 'ghost' label
Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut width: 1 10/16"
Materials: Arched tiger flame maple body; solid flame maple neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with block inlays; pearl peghead and fingerboard inlays; 5-ply body binding, bound fingerboard and f-holes, bone nut.
Hardware: Original gold hardware includes engraved Kolb tuners; original Franz adjustable single coil pickups with cream covers; black screen-logo beveled lucite pickguard; six button selector panel; gold reflector cap knobs; compensated Guild harp tailpiece. Vintage correct compensated ebony bridge.
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 push-button era. Introduced just a year after the company's birth, the Guild Stratford X-350 was modeled after the Epiphone Emperor Zephyr Regent, with its highly flamed Venetian cutaway body, triple pickup electronics, and remarkable six button pickup selector panel.
Originally labeled the X-375, the rare blonde version of the X-350 was renamed the X-350B in 1958, with the introduction of the highly flamed maple soundboard. This model was also fitted with the rare and ornate Kolb tuners from Germany, with the rectangular pearloid keys, and the short lived Hoboken 'ghost' label, seen only through this model year. The original style Franz single coil pickups were only used until 1962, and this scarce model was finally retired by 1965.
This handsome example is constructed of particularly intense figured maple, and has been kept in wonderful original condition, with all original electronics, metal and plastic parts. Carefully maintained, the instrument is remarkably free of pick or buckle wear, showing only some normal smooth thumbwear and a bit of weathering in the deeply ambered original blonde finish.
The six button selector panel switches the three pickups in a variety of configurations, and is controlled by the master volume and tone knobs. The neck is a comfy gentle C profile, and the action is smooth and low, as befits a rockabilly machine of such extravagant design. At just 7lb 3oz. the instrument is remarkably well balanced, on the lap or the strap. Nestled in its original brown Guild hardshell case, this honey-colored wonder is an exeptionally rare and eye-catching delight, from the dawn of the Kennedy Era. One only: call now.
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 deluxe brown arched Guild plush lined hardshell case.
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