The earliest Starfire Basses

hansmoust

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fronobulax said:
I will note that February 1965 is usually cited as the "start date" for Starfire Basses but there is at least one documented example that was "on the street" in 1964.

Hello Frono,

The earliest Starfire Bass that I have in my database is # 37942. Do you know what the serial # is of the one that was 'on the street' in 1964?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

fronobulax

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[url=http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=117308#p117308 said:
mgod[/url]]I have what is probably a 65 but has a 64 serial number, so its among the very first SFs. Sunburst single bridge pickup, black plastic bridge saddles. Great bass, but I mostly use my 67 double pickup. Its better.

DS

That's the bass I was thinking of and I presume Dan has already given you the number. I suspect by being imprecise about definitions and remembering things incorrectly I have given a wrong impression. :oops: :oops: :oops:

I think it is safe to say that at least one Starfire bass has a serial number that was assigned in 1964 but at this point we cannot (and should not) say anything about when that bass left the factory or was sold to an end user.
 

hansmoust

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fronobulax said:
hansmoust said:
Frono, whose/which Starfire Bass is the documented one that was 'on the street' in 1964.
[url=http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=117308#p117308 said:
mgod[/url]]I have what is probably a 65 but has a 64 serial number, so its among the very first SFs. Sunburst single bridge pickup, black plastic bridge saddles. Great bass, but I mostly use my 67 double pickup. Its better.
DS

I hope I didn't overstate or misrepresent things. A 64 serial number is not a bass on the street in 64.

Hello Frono,

Yes, that bass is one of the early ones with a 1964 serial number, but just like the lowest number in my database, it was also completed during the first months of 1965.
Maybe I should point out that I have no problems calling them instruments from 1964.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

fronobulax

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From Hans' post here.

hansmoust said:
all of the early 1964 basses that have surfaced so far were indeed 'serial numbered' at the end of 1964, but none of them were completed during that same year. The earliest ones that I've been able to find in the ledgers of 'final assembly' were done in February 1965.
I have no problems calling them 1964 basses, but technically they are from 1965.
Both Glen Cornick's and mgod's early Starfire were from the same batch as this one but there are quite a few more known. Now that I think of it, I believe that the bass krysh recently bought was from that same period as well. And there was also a 'Cherry' finished batch and those all had laminated mahogany bodies.

Also some discussion, particularly mgod's comments on the '64 in his stable here.

Bottom line. (Pun intended and I do this so Hans can remind me when I get it wrong again). There are Starfire basses with a serial number that was assigned to the neck in 1964. But there is no record than any of them were completed prior to February 1965. So it is safe to say there were Starfire basses "from" 1964 but none of them left the factory until 1965 based upon the current state of knowledge.
 

CA-35

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fronobulax said:
So it is safe to say there were Starfire basses "from" 1964 but none of them left the factory until 1965 based upon the current state of knowledge.

Kind of like conceived date and born on date. My parents had a blast in December of '59 but I didn't show up until the end of August 1960. :D :lol: :p
 

fronobulax

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bassmanpatsfan18 said:
Well I just won this bass: http://www.ebay.com/itm/13058254098...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2130wt_1094 on ebay. It's a '64. I assume that that means it came out sometime in '65 then?

Either way, I'm very excited. More reviews, pictures, etc. when I get it.

Congratulations. That bass, discussed over here triggered the comments in this thread. In the absence of any other information the neck of your new bass got a serial number in 1964 but the instrument was not completed and sent out from the factory before Feb. 1965.

Really curious about what the pickup is and what it sounds like.
 

bassmyf

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bassmanpatsfan18 said:
Well I just won this bass: http://www.ebay.com/itm/13058254098...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2130wt_1094 on ebay. It's a '64. I assume that that means it came out sometime in '65 then?

Either way, I'm very excited. More reviews, pictures, etc. when I get it.

Congrats. Patsfan. One of my starfires actually came with that same Dimarzio pickup in it when I got it. Not a terrible pickup, but not the sound I was looking for either. Starfire has a Dark Star now, Dimarzio is in a box somewhere if anybody is looking for one. Anyway, best of luck with your bass, not so much with your football team..........:)
 
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Thanks, guys. I too was guessing that it was originally sunburst and had been refinished. I'm interested in hearing what the DiMarzio sounds like. Even if I like it, I'm pretty sure that I have a Dark Star lined up that I can swap it for. Can't wait!
 
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