Starfire 4 price check

[BlackStrat_Fan]

Hi everyone. I'm in the market for a SF4 and have found one locally. The seller says it's mint and hardly used - 1986. Looks good from the pixs, but he's asking $1950. In my limited research I find that to be somewhat overpriced. Do you agree? If so I'd like to make a fair offer and be able to explain why and not come off as a CL lowballer.

Here's the guitar:

Thanks for the knowledge!

 

[F30]

That's a beautiful guitar but check this one out if you're considering a Bigsby:
http://www.gbase.com/gear/guild-star-fi ... 99-natural
Near Mint only $1200.

I almost jumped but I've got my eye on a D50.

The block inlay may not be your bag and some like the stop tail better
but I thought I throw it out there for ya. :mrgreen:

 

[AcornHouse]

The current Vintage Guitar Guide gives a range of $1400-1800 for an '86 SF IV. So, he's a little on the high side.

(The SF V for $1200, on the other hand is a steal!)

 

[F30]

Here's a dot neck SF 4 NOS:
http://www.gbase.com/gear/guild-starfir ... nt-blonde#

Might have a Factory warranty too.
....I was looking at some blondes the other day :roll: ...

 

[BlackStrat_Fan]

Hey thanks guys. I do like that 5, and the block inlays are pretty sweet, but I'm just not a Bigsby guy. At least not for this guitar.

F30, I did see that one on GBase, along with the burst. Pretty nice considering it's NOS.

So $1800 would probably be a fair offer considering, from what I know, it's mint?

 

[F30]

The way I look at it is if it is the guitar your looking for, you love it when you play it, and you've got the funds to pay a little more than the price guide says why not. If it is in near mint condition and it really speaks to you I say go for it. $1950 is rather high and even at $1800 I would make sure you get everything that came with it and on it.
I thought all the Starfires had Guild pickup covers - If the guy has them get them with the deal. It may not have had a pickguard but if so get that too. Anything so that if down the road you want or need to sell you have all the goods for the next lucky guy.

If he won't budge..I would consider the New Old stock SF 4 that has everything with it at just about the same price that guy is asking.
Most dealers will work with you too.

Best of luck to you.

 

[SFIV1967]

Hi BlackStrat_Fan,
Isn't that one you look at already sold?
Anyway, the pickups seem to be Guild XR-7 hot humbuckers (made by DiMarzio), not Guild HB-1s. EDIT: See correction from Hans below !!!
The XR-7 were used for the Starfire 4 roughly from 1983 to 1986. They never had covers.

Just to compare, this is another 1986 with S/N GA100924:

And here is another one in Cherry red from 1986 with S/N GA100962.

Ralf

 

[hansmoust]

Anyway, the pickups seem to be Guild XR-7 hot humbuckers (made by DiMarzio), not Guild HB-1s.
The XR-7 were used for the Starfire 4 roughly from 1983 to 1986. They never had covers.

Just to compare, this is another 1986 with S/N GA100924:

And here is another one in Cherry red from 1986 with S/N GA100962.

Hello Ralf,

Don't want to confuse the original poster but while Guild did use the XR-7 pickups during that particular period, both the photos you posted ( #GA100924 and #GA100962) do not show the XR-7 pickups. I even think that the blonde guitar in the first posting

doesn't have XR-7 pickups, but I'm not 100% sure because of the low resolution of the photo.


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[SFIV1967]

Look at this Westerly made one from 1996 , good pricing!
Seller said original knobs are included as are two (?) pickguards (?).
Sure, the changed white parts look ugly but can be changed back very easy.
So the knobs seem to be taken care of.
I am not sure if he talks about the original two black pick-up rings, or a pickguard that comes with the guitar?
Now you need a original black Truss Rod Cover, they are available here.
And you need the black pickup rings, you could ask the seller if he has them, same for the pickguard, which is confusing in his add.

Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

Don't want to confuse the original poster but while Guild did use the XR-7 pickups during that particular period, both the photos you posted ( #GA100924 and #GA100962) do not show the XR-7 pickups. I even think that the blonde guitar in the first posting doesn't have XR-7 pickups, but I'm not 100% sure because of the low resolution of the photo.

Oh, I had no idea. They all looked similar and that's why I thought they still came with the XR-7 in 1986 (also they all have the selector switch on the bass side and the master volume on the trebble side.
So if they are not XR-7, do you think they are aftermarket replacements? But I found it strange that 3 from the same area would have all such replacements? Or did Guild use yet another such kind of pickup as option in 1986?
Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

I think I found the answer about the pickups now: http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtop ... =3&t=27886
Thanks Hans! I look forward to Volume II to see the differences between those pickups in the 80ties!
Ralf

 

[BlackStrat_Fan]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Not sure if the guitar is sold. It's on the local CL and just assumed it's still available because it was still up. I never contacted the seller.

After a few email exchanges with GAD, who I know from The Gear Page, he clued me into some things I hadn't noticed. Bottom line: I need to do a lot more research and find the right one for me.

Thanks again for valuable info.

 

[SFIV1967]

You are very welcome! Keep us updated!
Ralf

 

[billy budapest]

Timing is such a funny thing! Up until about a week ago I had an ultra-clean 1980 SF-4 for sale here at $1375 shipped. Block inlays, Master Volume control, HB-1s, original case and owners manual...and no takers!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I think I found the answer about the pickups now: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27886
Thanks Hans! I look forward to Volume II to see the differences between those pickups in the 80ties!
Ralf

Are XR-7 pick-ups always gray? Are the California pick-ups always black?

 

[SFIV1967]

Are XR-7 pick-ups always gray? Are the California pick-ups always black?

Kurt, those XR-7 on Hans' webpage don't look grey to me.
But the pole pieces are different, the XR-7 pickup has 12 adjustable polepieces, the California only 6 to adjust.
I think that is the trick how Hans sees it from pictures.

Here are the XR-7: Left the new one from Hans, right one that indeed looks more greyish and also on other older guitars they look greyish.

And now the Japanese imported "California Pick-up Co.":

It's good to see here:

Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

Kurt, some more on XR-7 here:

Ralf