I may be the exception to most of the folks here, as I play post-punk/"left of the dial"/shoegaze stuff on a 60s Starfire III. It is probably the nicest electric I've ever heard unplugged and much of that comes through when amplified (as most here will agree: the old humbuckers are gorgeous). It will work well for jangle stuff (esp with a little compression + chorus, on the bridge pickup) but is much fuller sounding than a Rickenbacker. (My other guitars are a Rickenbacker 360 and Fender Jaguar -- so no Johnny Marr obsession or anything. Both can be heard
here. Perhaps telling: I chose the two guitars other than the Starfire when doing the Smiths for posterity).
Johnny Marr used a
ton of guitars in the Smiths and, although the Rickenbacker is the most iconic, a Guild would have fit right in, too, I'd think.
An old starfire is a wonderful guitar. The III is full hollow with humbuckers (Ric = semi with single coils, albeit hot ones) so it will have a different character. (And feedback like crazy if with enough overdrive and reverb. A good thing, I think).
