Guild Serial Numbers
A question we have been asked about recently is that of serial numbers for GUILD and I wanted to help clarify the situation.
To this day no official GUILD document has been reported that would give any indication into GUILD’s early serial numbering system.
The earliest GUILD guitars that have been reported so far have potentiometer codes that don’t date back any further than the 5th week of 1953 , all of these were electric archtops.
The serial numbers of these early instruments have a 4 digits and no instruments with serial numbers below 1001 are known to exist.
Since the GUILD COMPANY was officially registered on 24th
October 1952, the start of production was announced
On 17th April 1953 , it would be correct to assume that
Setrial numbers 1000 or 1001 would be the first .
All early GUILD guitars have the serial number written
On a label, but since the M 75 did not have a label the
Number was stamped into the back of the headstock.
This does not tally with the list printed in the “ Gruhn’s
Guide To Vintage Guitars “ however the list compiled
After 1955 and further seem to be reliable , so if you
Have any queries , please let us know … from the Essaness
Team … Happy Playing .
I just purchased through ‘Reverb’ what was advertised as a 1997 electric Guild Archtop X 150, although on the headstock there is imprinted: AK 156758 which when entering just the numerals reveals that it was made in 1977. Other than that, I cannot find a model identification nor find it in any 1977 or 78′ Guild catalogs.
Please advise.
Thank you.
Greg Griffin
Hi Greg,
Congrats on your purchase, Beautiful guitar,
the only extra info i can find on it like you is year and where it was made
Serial number: 156758
Production year: 1977
Made in Westerly, Rhode Island, USA
Hope this helps, enjoying playing
regards
Glen