Guild serial numbers

[Matt Austin]

Hi there,

I am new to this forum, and basically joined to find a bit out about my guitar. I *think* from a lot of googling and applying old info given to other people in similar forums (notably TheGearPage) that my DeArmond Starfire Custom was

- built in 1999 in Korea.
- has USA pickups. The s/n is KC9121205. Des anyone have more info on this.

By the way it's a beautiful guitar, I bought over a decade ago now, maybe 2006, in Sydney. It makes some great sounds with a dirty riff! I can't help adding some photos. I don't think it's particularly limited, rare, or expensive, and in honesty I have a feeling I may have paid slightly over the odds at the time (around $1200 Aussie dollars), but it doesn't matter to me, this guitar is such a personal thing, it's like my fingerprint. I'll never sell it, just interested in its history and heritage.

Thanks in advance, Matt

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG! Yes, that is a 1999 built one, based on the Guild Starfire 4 model. At that time Guild and DeArmond were owned by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), so FMIC decided to bring out a budget line of Guild based models under the DeArnond name, shortly after for a short time also under the Squier name.

All the DeArmond catalogs, pricelists and wiring diagrams are still online, you might need to check the 1998 documents to find the Starfire model. I can't remember what the difference was between the "Starfire Special" and the "Starfire Custom". Maybe some other LTG member knows. Stay tuned for more.
EDIT: The "Starfire Special" was based on the single cut Starfire III with bigsby.

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Ralf

 

[DeArmond Hammer]

Hi, Matt. Welcome to LTG! I have the same model, same year, and same color, but with everything reversed as I'm in the Northern Hemisphere. My pickup switch is even broken just like yours. ☹ What the heck was wrong with those switches?



Other than the switch, I agree with all your praise for the guitar. These are nice instruments, and their values have been rising.

 

[Matt Austin]

Welcome to LTG! Yes, that is a 1999 built one, based on the Guild Starfire 4 model. At that time Guild and DeArmond were owned by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), so FMIC decided to bring out a budget line of Guild based models under the DeArnond name, shortly after for a short time also under the Squier name.

All the DeArmond catalogs, pricelists and wiring diagrams are still online, you might need to check the 1998 documents to find the Starfire model. I can't remember what the difference was between the "Starfire Special" and the "Starfire Custom". Maybe some other LTG member knows. Stay tuned for more.
EDIT: The "Starfire Special" was based on the single cut Starfire III with bigsby.

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Ralf

Welcome to LTG! Yes, that is a 1999 built one, based on the Guild Starfire 4 model. At that time Guild and DeArmond were owned by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), so FMIC decided to bring out a budget line of Guild based models under the DeArnond name, shortly after for a short time also under the Squier name.

All the DeArmond catalogs, pricelists and wiring diagrams are still online, you might need to check the 1998 documents to find the Starfire model. I can't remember what the difference was between the "Starfire Special" and the "Starfire Custom". Maybe some other LTG member knows. Stay tuned for more.
EDIT: The "Starfire Special" was based on the single cut Starfire III with bigsby.

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Ralf

Hi, thanks so much ofr that, wow, I should have done this years ago! Thanks for posting the links, I'll do some research, but you'e answered my main question by confirmation. Cheers!

 

[Matt Austin]

Hi, Matt. Welcome to LTG! I have the same model, same year, and same color, but with everything reversed as I'm in the Northern Hemisphere. My pickup switch is even broken just like yours. ☹ What the heck was wrong with those switches?



Other than the switch, I agree with all your praise for the guitar. These are nice instruments, and their values have been rising.

Haha, yeah, I'm a lefty! I'm from UK but have flitted between both countries a couple of times due to marriage to an Aussie. The switch broke in transit when we moved either from Aus back to UK, or back again, I think the former!

 

[SFIV1967]

My pickup switch is even broken just like yours. ☹ What the heck was wrong with those switches?

Looks like a general issue on them. Here's another one from ebay:

And one from Youtube:

And a Starfire Special:

Ralf

 

[dreadnut]

I have a '98 DA Starfire Special, it has twin DA 2K single-coil pickups and a Bigsby style vibrato.