91 starfire and bigsby

[joped]

Hi,

I have owned a 91 starfire for many years, and I am wanting a bigsby type bar for it. I have looked and waited over the years, and found nothing in the guild variety that would fit, so I am now considering a plain bigsby for it. My questions are, would this reduce the value of my guitar (great condition)? Also, if I happen to come across a guild bigsby down the road, could I replace a plain one with it, or would new holes have to be drilled. Thank you so much.
John

 

[Walter Broes]

What kind of Starfire?

 

[joped]

What kind of Starfire?

IV

 

[joped]

What kind of Starfire?

it's a 91 IV, I blundered the post title with a typo. I'm sorry.

 

[hansmoust]

it's a 91 IV, I blundered the post title with a typo.

Hello joped,

Welcome! So you need a gold plated one, right?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[GAD]

it's a 91 IV, I blundered the post title with a typo. I'm sorry.

Fixed it for ya!

 

[GAD]

Would love to see pics! I love that era of Starfire.

 

[joped]

Hello joped,

Welcome! So you need a gold plated one, right?

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

My guitar is chrome. 91 IV

 

[joped]

Fixed it for ya!

Thank you!

 

[joped]

Would love to see pics! I love that era of Starfire.

I will send some over tonight, just working right now.

 

[joped]

Here is the guitar.

 

[Minnesota Flats]

Not my choice to make, of course, but I wouldn't do it. I have a Gretsch with a Bigsby and an ES-335 with a bar stop and wouldn't give up the tuning stability of the latter for the limited practical utility provided by the talent lever on the former. I swapped the TOM bridge on the Gretsch for an aluminum Tru-Arc and keep the nut slots lubed with Nut Sauce, which helps. The TOM bridge saddles were a problem with a Bigsby, in my experience.

But if you're dead set on doing it, you might look into this outfit's products, which allegedly improve Bigsby tuning stability. I haven't tried them, so can't vouch for them based on personal experience:

BricksBiggsFix | Tuning Stabilizers and Guitar Accessories

Tuning Stabilizers and Guitar Accessories

bricksbiggsfix.com

 

[GAD]

That doesn't look like a '91 to me, but I've been wrong before.

 

[joped]

Not my choice to make, of course, but I wouldn't do it. I have a Gretsch with a Bigsby and an ES-335 with a bar stop and wouldn't give up the tuning stability of the latter for the limited practical utility provided by the talent lever on the former. I swapped the TOM bridge on the Gretsch for an aluminum Tru-Arc and keep the nut slots lubed with Nut Sauce, which helps. The TOM bridge saddles were a problem with a Bigsby, in my experience.

But if you're dead set on doing it, you might look into this outfit's products, which allegedly improve Bigsby tuning stability. I haven't tried them, so can't vouch for them based on personal experience:

BricksBiggsFix | Tuning Stabilizers and Guitar Accessories

Tuning Stabilizers and Guitar Accessories

bricksbiggsfix.com

Yes I have seen that, and I like that idea, read that it helps a lot. . My concern is that it'll reduce the value of the guitar going forward, as it won't be stock. I'm not sure if that's true or not. Another option might be to sell it and find one that has a guild branded bigsby already installed.

 

[joped]

That doesn't look like a '91 to me, but I've been wrong before.

it's what the tech said and I believe him. Not part of my question though, thank you for your input.

 

[GAD]

it's what the tech said and I believe him. Not part of my question though, thank you for your input.

Well, if you get a part for a '91 guitar they might not fit or look right on a guitar that's not a '91. Starfires changed a lot over the years including but not limited to body thickness. There are some surprising differences encountered where even a year makes a difference.

FWIW the *only* source of truth for the year a Guild was made is Hans. Most if not all of the online charts have errors in them, and Hans has the actual ledgers from the Guild plants, so if you send him the S/N he'll be able to tell you exactly what year it is.

 

[hansmoust]

it's what the tech said and I believe him. Not part of my question though, thank you for your input.

It looks like your tech is mistaken. It is relevant because a Starfire IV from 1991 would have gold parts and consequently would need a gold Bigsby to look right. Your Starfire IV appears to be from around 1998 or a year close to that. The Bigsby you would need is a model B-9, or a B-7 if you don't mind the Bigsby brand on it.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[tildeslash]

Send Hans the serial# and you'll know what year the guitar is made.

 

[Smiert Spionam]

If you want to experiment with a Bigsby but don't want to commit to screwing a B-7/9 into the top, you could use a B-6 without a tension bar (or the Guild equivalent), and use a Towner tension bar mounted to the stop tail lugs. Then it's 100% reversible.

 

[joped]

1997, my mistake.