I'm looking at what I'm assuming is a 2000, but haven't found a serial # to date PDF yet: SN: AG001683. The stamp reads Westerly, but all SN charts I am looking at stop at '99. I'm not interested in a Corona manufacture.
Hi Tom, welcome aboard!
It looks like you may have your ideal guitar selected, but in case it becomes useful to know:
If you think quality suffered in Corona, rest assured it did not although there was a very minor change in dimensions IIRC.
Also, IIRC, the Fender HB-1's were already being used in very late Westerly production so even those have their "weak point".
(Some folks prefer the Guild HB-1's)
If you've been misled by endless internet listings proclaiming Fender ruined Guild, be aware Fender actually purchased 'em in '95 so all those highly regarded late Westerly instruments were built under Fender ownership, but there's a persistent misconception that Fender didn't own 'em until Corona which started production in '02 and the guitars will have Corona labels.
I direct your attention to a recent thread in which a new member inquired about the desirability of a Corona vs one of the Newark street re-issues, note he also had a problem properly ID'ing year of make.
I bring your attention to post #11 in particular from a member who's had a whole lot of guitars go through his hands and paid his dues as a working musician for years, so his opinion is highly credible:
"The Corona SFIV's are awesome guitars".
GAD also knows 'em better than most.
http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?199412-Used-2005-Starfire-IV-vs-New-Starfire-VI/page2
He eventually bought the Corona and was entirely satisfied, post #28.
So trust us, the people who know better than most and who aren't trying to justify an inflated asking price for a pre-Corona guitar have absolutely no problems with Coronas from a quality standpoint.
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