Is there a difference in tone between the Starfire IV Mable neck Vs. the Mahogany neck?

[GregS]

I'm looking to buy a pre 2000 Guild Starfire IV, and I've noticed some have a Maple neck, some have a Mahogany neck. I was wondering what the tone difference would be. Any thoughts on which one is better? Anyone selling one? Also, any thoughts on the difference between the Westerly RI and the newer Newark St. Starfire IV.

 

[chazmo]

Welcome to LTG, Greg.

I don't recall anyone commenting on tone difference between two guitars with different neck materials. I would suspect any difference might be experienced as difference in balance of the weight... maple necks tend to be heavier than their mahogany counterparts. However, for most, the difference in aesthetics is a personal issue... I've had Guild jumbo maple-back acoustics with maple necks and mahogany necks... The maple were MUCH heavier -- in fact the JF-30-12 that I used to have from the '90s was the heaviest acoustic I ever had. But, that flame maple neck was to die for.

As for comparing a Westerly, RI built Starfire with a Newark Street... Can't help you there. I just wouldn't.

 

[GAD]

Moved to the proper forum

 

[GAD]

I'm looking to buy a pre 2000 Guild Starfire IV, and I've noticed some have a Maple neck, some have a Mahogany neck. I was wondering what the tone difference would be. Any thoughts on which one is better? Anyone selling one? Also, any thoughts on the difference between the Westerly RI and the newer Newark St. Starfire IV.

I like the mahogany necks better but not enough to worry about it if a maple-necked Starfire shwoed up for sale. For the record I've had many of both.

Westerly Guilds are leaps and bounds better than Newark St. Guilds, and that's saying something because the Newark St. Guilds don't suck. The Westerly Guilds are just that much better.

Lots of articles to help:

GAD's Guilds | GAD's Ramblings

GAD's Guilds: One man's obsession with Guild electric guitars and his quest to buy and review them all. Reviews, sound clips, wiring diagrams, and more.

gadsguilds.com

 

[GregS]

Thanks for the feedback. I bought a Newark St Starfire IV....It just got here. I checked it quick to make sure it didn't get damaged in shipping, looked good, I'll leave it in the case for an hour, those UPS trucks are hot here in Florida. At first glance....It doesn't have the flair my USA built Guilds have.....I really want a Westerly built, they're getting expensive!

 

[GGJaguar]

The Newark Street Starfire IVs are pretty good. I have one and like it a lot. The small humbuckers are bright and chimey. But I also have a couple of Westerly built Starfire IVs. As GAD noted, the overall build quality is better and they also sound different because they have full-size humbuckers instead of mini-buckers.

 

[GregS]

Thank you GG.....I'm on a quest to find a Westerly Starfire that I can afford, some of them are getting expensive. I started reading GAD's write-up on his 2000 IV.....Like GAD, I like a wider neck, 1 3/4, I played my 1980 X500 for years, but when I go back to it now, the neck width is to narrow. Searching Reverb for a Starfire!

 

[GregS]

I checked out Reverb, there's one in WA $1795+115 shipping with binding cracks, is this a problem? Another one in MD, $2200+150 shipping and no case.....??

 

[GregS]

I've had a chance to play the Newark St. Starfire.....Build quality is excellent, this one's a 2018, the last owner only had it for 1 month, the guitar and case look brand new. Nut width is 1" 10/16ths...a bit narrow for me, I prefer 1"3/4.....Can't crank it yet, the wife is in bed!

 

[shihan]

I have a maple neck ‘97 SF4. With a smooth strap, there is a little neck dive, but not much. I changed to a strap with a rougher underside and don’t notice it at all now. It’s certainly not a real problem.

 

[GregS]

I missed a local sale of a '98 SF4 with a Maple neck.....The guitar looked stunning, the flame on the guitar was assume....but that flame on the neck...Wow!!

 

[Harp Tail]

I missed a local sale of a '98 SF4 with a Maple neck.....The guitar looked stunning, the flame on the guitar was assume....but that flame on the neck...Wow!!

Austin Vintage Guitars has a nice 1998 SF-III in cherry. We'd agreed on 1650 + shipping but the deal did not go through as they only ship to addresses that are the same as billing - not my case unfortunately. Make it yours so that it stays in our circle.

It's all mahogany and fully hollow, but since you just bought the NST IV, you may want a different flavor in your palette.

 

[Shakeylee]

They come up under 18 on reverb and FB market.

Reverb had a 97 right now that’s lower .

 

[Harp Tail]

1997 Guild - Starfire IV - Black | Reverb

No. A6000621 weigh 8lbs 5oz. Includes original hardshell case. Made in Westerly, Rhode Island. NOTE- bridge was replaced with a preferred Nashville style Tune-o-matic type. The original Aluminum floating bridge is in the case. The control knobs were replaced and 3 of the original Guild logo knobs...

reverb.com

This is the lowest price on the market

 

[Shakeylee]

That’s the one.

 

[Harp Tail]

Removing my namesake in favor of a stop tail is a major offense, though

 

[Harp Tail]

I'm not religious but I'm fairly dogmatic on harp tails

 

[Wilmywood]

I at one time had both my '72 G37 with a mahogany neck and SJS's '78 G37 with maple neck. Other than the extra weight of the maple neck and the fact that the '78 had not had much playing time, I noticed no real difference in the sound of them.

 

[GAD]

Removing my namesake in favor of a stop tail is a major offense, though

I love harp tails and have many. For me, on a Starfire, I'll take a stop tail every time. What's weird is I'm not even sure why any more. I think at first it was because the stop tails feel more like the S300AD I used to have and it just sort of became a habit after that. In reality, these days it doesn't matter to me much, but my 2000 SF4 (which was my first Guild that led to collection madness) is a stop tail, and it's a favorite.

 

[GAD]

The thing about that '97 is that the body is much thinner than the latter '00 era. That do doubt makes them lighter, but I like 'em thicker.