The Official Xaviere Guitar Thread!

[Skynyrdpicker]

The Xavieres are good guitars. I loved my XV-500, but I cannot honestly say I miss it. My XV-650 however, is awesome. What an easy playing versatile rock machine! Simple, straightforward, and awesome

[tramber]

Originally Posted by Skynyrdpicker

The Xavieres are good guitars. I loved my XV-500, but I cannot honestly say I miss it. My XV-650 however, is awesome. What an easy playing versatile rock machine! Simple, straightforward, and awesome

Nice! Is that the Red Metalflake finish?

Doug -

[Ride on a Pony]

Originally Posted by Funkwire

My XV-500 has been seen in this thread earlier--but I finally got around to the mods I wanted to do, so here's an update.

I did the dulling-the-poly-finish technique described in a thread in the MLP Epiphone forum. I was planning on re-wiring the XV anyway, so I just stripped everything off the guitar. Used a ScotchBrite bad to knock the shine down, then used auto scratch remover to take out the swirls. It looks like a satin or nitro finish now. The shiny look is gone, fingerprints don't show as much, and the neck is like buttah!

I got a little disappointed on the Crunchy Pats. For overdriven tones, they're awesome, but the clean tone is lacking for me. I kept it in the family and ordered a set of GFS Vintage 59s. I also got Orange Drop caps. The Alpha pots in the Xavieres are fine, no need to replace them. The pickup switch is a cheap box-type that fell apart when I took it out, so I got a WD Gibson-style straight switch. I had some cloth-covered wire left over from a previous project.

I had replaced the stock tuners with Schallers. These had pearloid knobs, and I came to feel they just didn't look right on the guitar. I have a Washburn J-3 with Grover Rotomatic 18:1 tuners, and I never felt they looked right on that guitar. So I swapped them.

Got it all wired up, and...WTF! All of a sudden it starts fretting out at the 16th fret! A closer examination revealed that the 17th fret had popped up on the edges. I tried pounding it back down, but no luck. I dropped it off with a local luthier right before I headed out of town on vacation. I came back a week later, and it was ready to pick up. Took it home, and it's just fine now.

I REALLY like the sound of the Vintage 59s. Much more of a PAF-style pickup than the Crunchy Pats, which is what I wanted. Each pickup setting has its own distinct voice. I'm looking forward to playing it in a live setting.

But enough chatter...pics or it didn't happen, right?

Some of you may have noticed I took the TP-6 tailpiece off. I like top-wrapping the stop bar ever since trying it on my Epi Gold Top, and I wanted to do it on this guitar too. The only thing I still need to do is change the switch tip...it came with a black tip. Since it's a U.S. switch, the white tip from the XV doesn't fit.

Thoughts? Opinions? Scorn?

Nice! How would you compare it to the Epi?

[Funkwire]

The neck on the Xaviere is similar to the Epi neck, just a little rounder. More of a 50s Gibson shape, but certainly not as big. The frets are smaller than the Epi. Some small finish flaws on the Xaviere that you don't find on the Epi...at least on mine, anyway.

The Xavieres are very comparable to Epiphones for much less money. The XV-500 is $209 with a solid maple top. You're going to spend 3 times that for an Epi with similar specs.

[YourBurgerMan]

Hi all! I just ordered one of the last Xaviere XV-700s from GF and have joined this forum. They are not stocking any other burst colors other than lemon drop anymore, so I had to get that color. It really wasn't my first choice, but I would love to see any pictures of current generation lemon drops, either 500s or 700s would be great. I am wondering if the flames and burst really pronounced on these because the lemon drop posted above seems a little sedate, but maybe it's just the angle? I'll post pics of mine when it comes in, but as of right now, I don't have a ship date or tracking info.

[Jason]

Looks like I might not be able to buy one for quite some time now, but I REAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY want this:

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Jason

Looks like I might not be able to buy one for quite some time now, but I REAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY want this:

dude...I like that!

Ah heck...how 'bout some more shots of that model (XV-900)

[Jason]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

dude...I like that!

I need it!!! Unfortunately, my wife just accepted a promotion and we're going to need to move within the next 2-4 months or so... Time to start saving up for that.

Right now I'm GASing hardcore for that thing, as well as for a PODx3 Live. But... if we can find a decent house... maybe I'll finally have a place to play loud again.

[YourBurgerMan]

I have to admit, I would love to have a dark burst XV-900, but before I get that, I would want an XV-580 in tobacco sunburst.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by YourBurgerMan

I have to admit, I would love to have a dark burst XV-900, but before I get that, I would want an XV-580 in tobacco sunburst.

Ooohh...those are nice...



It's too bad they don't make guitars for people like me, though...

[Skynyrdpicker]

I have GAS for this


XV-835 Flamed Maple Solid Woods Fully Bound

[Jason]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Ooohh...those are nice...



It's too bad they don't make guitars for people like me, though...

Yes, I made up my mind I wanted one of those too... I think I "need" the 900 first.

[Jason]

I would WAY rather have that double cut chambered than one of their regular LP's though.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Jason

I would WAY rather have that double cut chambered than one of their regular LP's though.

Yeah....there really is somethin' about that guitar. It reminds me of those old Ibanez models. (StrangerNY has one...)

[YourBurgerMan]

I really like 'em too, but I could not resist a thin line to hotrod. I see that mine has shipped. Jay is out of cases and I was waiting to order when I could have mine shipped in a case, but the lack of continued availability of the guitar forced me to order it now. I wonder if the UPS guy will customize it with a big fat ding for me??

[bigdaddy]

I need it!!! Unfortunately, my wife just accepted a promotion and we're going to need to move within the next 2-4 months or so... Time to start saving up for that.

Wait. Hold on. Just a minute. Let me understand this.

You have a wife with a job?!?

I did not know they were available in that configuration. How do I trade in?

[YourBurgerMan]

What is this? How do adjust my truss rod with no hex bolt?

[YourBurgerMan]

I searched and found some else who had the same issue. Sorry for the post. I is supposed to look like that, right?

[Ride on a Pony]

Originally Posted by YourBurgerMan

I searched and found some else who had the same issue. Sorry for the post. I is supposed to look like that, right?

Hay, I think that was me that you were talking about. I couldn't get it to work as I was trying to use the long part of the allen key (stupid me), and the angle wouldn't allow it in. If you use the short part, you should get it in ok.

I assume you were using one of these types: (I don't know if there are other varieties, but I'll just make sure)



Use the short end! I didn't think it would be long enough to reach, but it is.

['72 Squier Custom]

I am new here and looking for info on Xaviere. I have ordered 3 guitars this week and wonder what the expected wait time is for them - XV500 Surf Green, XV900 Lemon Drop, XV910 Surf Green. Anybody that knows the ins and outs of Guitar Fetish please give me something to go on.

[Ramomar]

Just got my first Xaviere yesterday, a XV-500 in Lemon Drop Love it so far!
(btw, it did come with strings but I was just about to put a new set when I took the pics)

[Ride on a Pony]

I love the lemonbursts! That's beautiful!

[Skynyrdpicker]

Awesome!

['72 Squier Custom]

Wow! When did you order it? And is there any orange along the edge or is it just darker yellow out from the center?
I have an Epi LP (+10 years old) I think it is similar coloring but it is all shades of yellow and i am hoping for some orange on this one, it will be a XV900.

[YourBurgerMan]

Congrats on the new guitar. Check out my review and let us know if yours has the quality issues that mine had.