NGD - 1970 Starfire IV with DeArmonds

[BradHK]

I picked this up earlier today from @twocorgis. Really nice meeting a fellow LTGer and he was great to deal with!

I have been keeping my eyes open for a Starfire IV with factory DeArmonds for a while and have never seen another one for sale. It definitely has been played and has dents, dings, and buckle rash. The previous owner also put a strap pin on the upper horn at one time and one of the tuners were replaced with another brand that left extra mounting holes. I will address the strap pin area on the horn and the extra holes in the headstock but leave the normal play wear as that’s the history of the guitar. The pickguard is also broken and the bridge is not original. I have original spares of these items in my parts box so I will swap those out. I will post “after” pics once I complete this work.

The guitar plays really well (Sandy had his luthier set it up) and it has a nice feeling neck. The nut width is between a 1 5/8” and 1 11/16” and the neck does not feel fat but also does not feel skinny. This is also the lightest Starfire IV I own. I was curious, since it felt so light, and I put it on the scale. 7.2lbs! Here are some photos:

 

[HeyMikey]

Sweet! Congrats Brad. All relatively minor in relation to finding one with those pickups that plays and sounds good. Enjoy

 

[GGJaguar]

A very cool Starfire, congrats!

 

[mellowgerman]

Wow, love that! These Dearmonds are right up there with the Franz pickups for my favorites on Guilds, plus I have a soft spot for 1970 Guilds... both my Starfire and M85 basses are from that year and incredible instruments -- I even embrace the wonky side-dot placement that seems to be commonplace for fretboard markers from that year Congrats!

 

[twocorgis]

I picked this up earlier today from @twocorgis. Really nice meeting a fellow LTGer and he was great to deal with!

I have been keeping my eyes open for a Starfire IV with factory DeArmonds for a while and have never seen another one for sale. It definitely has been played and has dents, dings, and buckle rash. The previous owner also put a strap pin on the upper horn at one time and one of the tuners were replaced with another brand that left extra mounting holes. I will address the strap pin area on the horn and the extra holes in the headstock but leave the normal play wear as that’s the history of the guitar. The pickguard is also broken and the bridge is not original. I have original spares of these items in my parts box so I will swap those out. I will post “after” pics once I complete this work.

The guitar plays really well (Sandy had his luthier set it up) and it has a nice feeling neck. The nut width is between a 1 5/8” and 1 11/16” and the neck does not feel fat but also does not feel skinny. This is also the lightest Starfire IV I own. I was curious, since it felt so light, and I put it on the scale. 7.2lbs! Here are some photos:

It was great meeting you Brad, and I really hope you enjoy the guitar. I didn't really buy it to keep it, because I'm not much of a six string electric type, but I knew it was special and needed to stay here. I'm very happy it went to a good home!

 

[Walter Broes]

Super cool guitar!

 

[rbrcbr]

Damn Brad, you're out here collecting Guilds with DeArmonds as if they were infinity stones...can't blame you for having good taste! Color me jealous of the last several acquisitions hahahahaha

 

[Shakeylee]

i love dearmonds! congratulations!!

 

[Jeff Haddad]

That’s gorgeous, play wear and all! What a cool and unique instrument!
Congrats!

 

[Harp Tail]

There's no way of holding you back, Brad!

Congratulations on this spectacular addition to your already impressive arsenal!

 

[Norrissey]

So nice! Congrats! 7.2lbs! How is that possible? My 1970 Starfire IV weighs almost 9 lbs. Is it hollow?

 

[Shakeylee]

i wonder if , rather than being a IV, if it's some sort of burt weedon variation??

 

[Harp Tail]

i wonder if , rather than being a IV, if it's some sort of burt weedon variation??

The Bert Weedon was indeed hollow bodied.

 

[twocorgis]

i wonder if , rather than being a IV, if it's some sort of burt weedon variation??

I never had the guitar on a scale when it was in my possession, but it honestly never occurred to me. And going by this listing on Reverb, there aren't a whole lot of similarities other than the color, and the pickups.

I guess only @hansmoust would know for sure.

 

[Norrissey]

My 1970 Starfire IV weighs almost 9 lbs. Is it hollow?

I'm sorry everyone. My memory was off. My 1970 Starfire IV weighs 8lbs 3 oz to be precise. Still, quite a bit heavier than Brad's new guitar.
Could the difference be accounted for by the fact that my guitar is laminated maple and Brad's is laminated mahogany?

 

[BradHK]

i wonder if , rather than being a IV, if it's some sort of burt weedon variation??

I just looked inside and confirmed that it is a standard Starfire IV semi-hollow construction.

 

[Walter Broes]

I never had the guitar on a scale when it was in my possession, but it honestly never occurred to me. And going by this listing on Reverb, there aren't a whole lot of similarities other than the color, and the pickups.

Hey....next time you're selling an unusually light Starfire WITH FACTORY DEARMOND PICKUPS......let me know?

 

[BradHK]

I'm sorry everyone. My memory was off. My 1970 Starfire IV weighs 8lbs 3 oz to be precise. Still, quite a bit heavier than Brad's new guitar.
Could the difference be accounted for by the fact that my guitar is laminated maple and Brad's is laminated mahogany?

I also have a black 1970 Maple Starfire IV that weighs just over 8lbs like yours. I put the lighter weight down to just random weight differences in the wood used. The maple and mahogany Starfire IV guitars from 1970 (I believe) have the same three piece mahogany neck and use the same maple center block in the body. Only the front, back and sides of the body would be different. Mahogany (I believe) is slightly lighter on average than maple but I can’t see that coming close to a full pound of weight between a mahogany laminate body and maple laminate body. I have a few Starfire II and III guitars from the 1960’s in both maple and mahogany and I don’t see the maple laminate bodies weighing considerably more than the mahogany bodies.

 

[mavuser]

I'm sorry everyone. My memory was off. My 1970 Starfire IV weighs 8lbs 3 oz to be precise. Still, quite a bit heavier than Brad's new guitar.
Could the difference be accounted for by the fact that my guitar is laminated maple and Brad's is laminated mahogany?

The Guild pickups might be heavier than the DeArmonds, they probably are

 

[Harp Tail]

The Guild pickups might be heavier than the DeArmonds, they probably are

That's a valid point, even if the weight difference may be relative