| Guild X-350 Stratford |
| The Specs |
Year: 2020
Builder: Guild
Series: Newark St.
Model: X-350 Stratford
Color: Scarlet Red
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Serial Number: KSG1903116
Top: Arched Spruce
Body: Arched Maple
Body Finish: Gloss Polyester
Body Binding: Ivory ABS
F-Hole Binding: Ivory ABS
Cutaway: Single
Pickguard: Black Acrylic w/ Gold Guild Logo
Bridge: Guild Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece: Guild Vibrato
Fretboard: Ebony
Fretboard Binding: Ivory ABS
Fretboard Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Blocks
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Vintage Soft "U"
Neck Finish: Gloss Polyester
Nut: Bone
Headstock: Guild Hollowbody
Headstock Binding: Ivory ABS
Headstock Logo: Guild Logo
Tuners: Grover 18:1 Sta-Tite Open-Gear
Neck Pickup: Cream Franz P90 Dog Ear
Middle Pickup: Cream Franz P90 Dog Ear
Bridge Pickup: Cream Franz P90 Dog Ear
Pickup Switching: 3-Way
Control Knobs: Clear Guild Top Hat
Controls: 3 Volume, 1 Tone
Case: Guild deluxe hardshell case
Body Size/Shape: Guild X-175
Frets: 20 Narrow Jumbo
Frets to Body: 14/17
Fretboard Radius: 9.5"
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.6875"
Body Width: 17"
Body Depth: 3"
Strings: D'Addario Chromes ECG24 (.011-.050)
I've always loved the sound and style of hollowbody guitars with Bigsbys... there's just something really cool and classic about that combination for me.
I've owned a number of Gretsch 6120-style guitars over the years, but moved away from them when I started really getting into jazz and was looking for a warmer tone. Then Guild released this X-350 Stratford model, which is based on their model of the same name from the 1950's. The original X-350 was designed for the jazz players in the New York at the time, and although I tend to prefer the thick, warm tones of humbucker pickups for jazz, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give this Guild a shot--especially since it was offered in a candy apple red finish (which Guild calls "Scarlet Red").
One of my favorite guitars for jazz is the Guild T-50 Slim, which has an amazing tone due to its thinline hollowbody design and a P-90 pickup. The X-350 has a deeper hollowbody, a cutaway, and
three P-90 pickups, so I knew I'd be able to get some great tones from it.
The X-350 features traditional 3-way pickup switching with a twist: each of the three pickups has its own volume control. With the middle pickup's volume set to zero, the guitar works exactly like most other 2-pickup guitars with a 3-way switch. But the middle pickup can be blended in with any of those positions, adding additional tonal flexibility. With the three volume controls essentially functioning as on/off switches, there are 7 different usable pickup combinations—and the pickups can be blended to give total control over your tone.
The Bigsby, of course, adds anything from a subtle shimmer to a more pronounced warble, and really contributes to the vintage vibe of the guitar. The X-350 is equally adept at jazz, blues, rockabilly, or classic rock and roll, making it incredibly versatile. And that red finish is absolutely gorgeous!
