Starfire II bass serial number

[john fox]

I recently bought a what I was told an early 60's Starefire II black bass serial number 151334 Anyone abl;e to confirm the year this was made????

Thanks,

John Fox

 

[dapmdave]

I recently bought a what I was told an early 60's Starefire II black bass serial number 151334 Anyone abl;e to confirm the year this was made????

Thanks,

John Fox

Well, using Guild's sometimes erroneous list, I find that number correlates to 1977. But since they stopped making Starfire basses well before 1977, maybe you need to take another look at the serial number?

Posting a picture would really help...

Dave

 

[fronobulax]

I recently bought a what I was told an early 60's Starefire II black bass serial number 151334 Anyone abl;e to confirm the year this was made????

Thanks,

John Fox

Welcome. My darn browser just ate a nice long overly detailed answer. So you get the trimmed one.

The dating info at here is reasonably accurate for Starfire basses. Your serial number dates near the end of production in 1977. Since I don't know the serials for the 1990's reissues there is a slight chance it could be a 90's reissue. A 60's bass would either have a 5 digit serial number (which is fairly early and rare) or something beginning with BA as in BA-xxx or BA-xxxx.

If you have pics we can confirm the date. While waiting...

If your PUs look like the one below then you either have an anomaly or a bass made after 1970.

If your PUs look like the one below then there is definitely something interesting going on and we'd need more information to figure out what.

Note also the bridge and saddles in the above. If your bridge has metal saddles (unlike the picture) that travel on screws then you almost certainly have a replaced bridge or a 90's reissue.

 

[fronobulax]

But since they stopped making Starfire basses well before 1977

Not quite true. They switched from the Bisonic PU to the Guild humbucker in 1970 but humbucker equiped Starfire basses were being made until some time in 1977.

They stopped making the good ones :wink: well before 1977.

 

[dapmdave]

But since they stopped making Starfire basses well before 1977

Not quite true. They switched from the Bisonic PU to the Guild humbucker in 1970 but humbucker equiped Starfire basses were being made until some time in 1977.

They stopped making the good ones :wink: well before 1977.

Right you are, on all points. I mis-read part of Hans' book.

Dave

 

[SFIV1967]

S/N 151334 is clearly a 1977 made one, probably mid of 1977. (See page 47 Hans book).
Ralf