Guild Re-Introduces X500 Line of Guitars

February 3, 2000 -- On hiatus since 1993, the X500 line is back with two new traditionally-styled models, and one all new family moniker - the Paladin series. First introduced in 1953, the X500 was part of Guild’s Stuart series guitars for over forty years. This popular laminated archtop, however, gave way to the carved top X700 in 1993 and has been unavailable ever since.

Guild’s recently-forged relationship with famed luthier Robert Benedetto has redesignated the X700 Stuart as part of the Guild Benedetto Signature line. So with that, Guild has brought back the X500 series to fill the hole left by the X700’s departure, and to continue to offer hollow body enthusiasts a classic jazz guitar with original appointments and a spruce top sound.

The new X500 Paladin is a timeless hollowbody with classic Guild jazz guitar style. Its body is made with laminated maple, while its top is laminated sitka spruce. The two pieces of spruce which make up the guitar’s top are hand picked by Guild’s plant manager Willie Fritscher. They are bonded together for added strength, and then painstakingly molded in an arch for optimal resonance.

The X500 Paladin has a five-piece maple neck with an ebony fingerboard, which features inlays made from genuine pearl blocks and abalone inserts. There are two Custom Design Guild Humbucking pickups which, along with the rest of the classic Guild hardware, are gold plated. Two finish options are available for the X500, which are Blonde and Antique Burst.

For more of a Rockabilly feel, Guild introduces the new X500T Paladin. Identical in material and construction to the X500, the X500T looks beyond the jazz world to reawaken its roots as a rock ‘n’ roll guitar innovator.

The X500T can be directly linked to Guild’s classic DE-500, which was essentially an original X500, but with a Bigsby tremolo and a thinner body. Unfortunately, these models were limited and only a handful were ever made. Vintage guitar enthusiasts the world over have looked long and hard for the chance to add one to their collection.

The new X500T Paladin invokes the essence of DE-500. The same spruce top, maple body and neck, and inlayed ebony fingerboard of the X500 make up this model, which also comes with two vintage P-90 style pickups, gold plated hardware, and a gold plated Bigsby tremolo. The X500T is available with a Tennessee Orange finish in addition to the standard Blonde or Antique Burst options.

Both the Guild X500 Paladin and X500T Paladin are available for order input as of December, 1999, with production set to begin in January, 2000. US MSRP for the X500 is $3,199.99, and the X500T is $3,299.99.

Visit Guild on the web at www.guildguitars.com.