GGJaguar's Guitarium and Ampeteria 1953 Guild X-100

All images and text copyrighted and property of Greg Gagliano.

FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Guild Company was founded in October 1952 by Alfred Dronge (d. 1972), a one-time music store owner and professional guitarist. When Epiphone moved from New York City to Philadelphia in 1953, many of the craftsmen chose not to relocate with the company. Dronge hired several of them and by April 1953 started production of Guild guitars in a loft workshop on Pearl Street in Manhattan. The designs of early Guild archtops are based heavily on Epiphone models by virtue of the former Epiphone craftsmen. The guitars made in 1953 were considered experimental as Guild tried out many designs in order to establish its model line. As such, these earliest Guilds are rare and do not have a formal model name to go with the model number as do the post-1953 guitars. The X-100, essentially a non-cutaway version of the X-150, was only made in 1953 with total production of probably less than 25 guitars. Al Dronge must have felt that there was no need for a non-cutaway full depth, 17 inch archtop and that the smaller and more economical X-50 could fill that role satisfactorily. This particular guitar is the 235th instrument made by Guild. A very early and rare Guild indeed.

GUILD X-100 (1953)