Which type of Starfire???

CoralStarfire · Feb 12, 2013

I would really like to know which guitar The Coral's James Skelly is playing here.. it looks and sounds awesome!
Is it a Starfire 4? Or 5, or 6? Does anybody know this after seeing these pics?
And if you do, can you see whether it's a vintage guitar or a reissue as well?
I'm new to Guild guitars but am thinking about buying one.. if I find one of course

Thanks a lot for replying!

Cheers, Thijs (The Netherlands)

(I don't know if I inserted the images correctly, please google 'the coral latitude 2010' or 'the coral melkweg 2010' if you can't see them, thanks)

SFIV1967 · Feb 12, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Hi Thijs, welcome to LTG! You did all correct with the pictures! It's a Starfire V, you see this on following appointments: Guild branded Bigsby, Block inlays, Master volume. It was made after mid 1966, as the neck to body joint is already at the 18th fret (before it was at the 16th fret). Also it has the bigsby with the two bars (a 16th fret neck joint guitar had only one bar)
How old it is exactly I don't know, but it looks like the pickups had a change. I assume it came originally with the Guild mini-humbuckers, like it is also still at the neck position. The bridge pickup was changed to a DeArmond single coil pickup. Also vintage. So it seems to be a after mid 1966 to maybe 1969 guitar. I can't see it exactly as he removed the pickguard, which has a few hints to the age usually.
Hans is the expert for Guilds, he is in the Netherlands as well, get his book, it has many such details in it: http://www.amazon.de/Guild-Guitar-Book- ... 0634009664
Just to give you something to look at (you can open each picture to larger size): Here's a 1968 one in Emerald Green, the one in the Coral pictures looks black however:
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/40U-5275.htm
Also just as reference, the Starfire III (here a Emerald green 1962 model) used those DeArmond Single Coild pickups in the past).
http://rumbleseatmusic.com/images/full% ... merald.jpg
I can't remember a Starfire V with them (but there were probably some), it could have been either a special order from Guild in the 60ies to have a Guild mini humbucker at the neck and a DeArmond single coil at the bridge, or it was a change the player did.
Also you could contact Hans (he's in Breda) via his webpage (under contact): http://www.guitarchives.nl/guitarsgalore/
He probably knows a few sources in Europe or the Netherlands to get a Starfire V.
http://www.tfoa.eu/ in the netherlands is a shop that sells always some Guilds, but before you buy there you shouls ask Hans for advise, as Hans has "mixed opinions" about this shop.
Ralf

CoralStarfire · Feb 13, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Hi Ralf, thanks for the welcome and your useful advice!
So it's a vintage Starfire V, problably an after mid 1966 to maybe 1969 one.. great!
That means it's -ahum- one of the more valuable Starfires, right?

Do you know the differences between vintage Starfires and newer ones, in terms of sound and playability?
And would you say that the Starfire V is at his best with some styles in particular, for example blues or jazz, or is it a more 'allround' guitar that also can be used for, for example, more rock and psychedelic sounds? (as the coral uses it more for those last two styles)

I've got quite a few questions, I might pick up a copy of the Guild Guitar Book, it looks like all the answers are in there already!

Looks great indeed.
And when I'm sure to get myself a new guitar, I'll probably contact Hans Moust for some advice about where to eventually get a Starfire as well.

One more question: what are the main differences between the fully hollow-bodied Starfire 3 and the semi hollow-bodied Starfire 5, again in terms of sound (styles) and playability (apart from the single cutaway)? As you can see below one band uses them both, for the same style of songs.

I'm looking forward to your answer and your advice is appreciated.

SFIV1967 · Feb 13, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Hi Thijs, regarding sound I am not much of a help I am afraid. Yes, I do have a 1967 Starfire IV (which is construction wise the same like a V, just no bigsby), but never played a Starfire III, so not sure how to compare. Also I am not one who plays ons stage, just at home, so I am not the right eprson to ask regarding usability and sound. I hope some other members who have played the V and II can jump in here for help.
Also there are maple Starfire IV/V/VI and Mahogany models. Usually Emerald Green and Sunburst are the laminated Maple bodies and the Cherry red are the laminated Mahogany bodies. Both have slightly different tone. I have a Mahogany one.
Ralf

CoralStarfire · Feb 13, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Hi Ralf,
OK, then to all other readers: if you know some more about the sound and usability of the Starfire 5, and 3 (and the differences between them), and which musical styles they are 'best' and normally used for, please reply to my topic! Any information is more than welcome!

Ralf, you have a 1967 Starfire 4, they also seem really nice guitars to me. I will use mine (?) at least in the beginning mostly at home as well, so how does it sound at low volume? What kind of music do you play on it? It should sound the same as a SF 5 model, if I'm right.. just apart from the bigsby..? If I ever find a maple and a mahogany model Starfire in some store, I will try out the differences in tone this makes too.. hopefully I will be able to somewhere..

Anyway, I'm sure Keith Richards sounded great on that guitar! Nice pic..

Thijs

SFIV1967 · Feb 16, 2013

Kslam · Feb 16, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

That shop in the Netherlands that Ralf linked to, sold a Starfire V with DeArmond pickups, which they claim were original.

http://www.tfoa.eu/the_store/index.php? ... t_id=36715

guildman63 · Feb 16, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Thijs,

Another book is "Guitar History, Vol. 5: Guild Guitars", by Ted Beesley.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-History-Vo ... 0933224788

If you only get one book get Hans' "The Guild Guitar Book", but this Guitar History book is fun to have for those die-hard Guild fans.

CoralStarfire · Feb 17, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

Hi Ralf,

Wow, that's great, thanks a lot for those links! The last couple of days I was watching some video's with Starfires in it already, but this is definitely a fine addition to those vids, or probably a better start haha! I will use my new guitar mostly at home at well (in the beginning) and experiment with it, and I know I'm a bit curious

but I'm trying to get as much information as I can because this will be my first really 'good' electric guitar.. But I'm sure the Guild Guitar Book will answer most of my questions about Guild guitars and Starfires in particular.. @guildman63: I will just start there and when I'm slowly becoming a diehard I might also take a look at the other book! Thanks for the tip..

And Kslam, yeah, I saw that Starfire on their website, it looked good.. but as Ralf said, I will be a bit careful before buying there and ask for some advice first..

So for now my main question is, to all readers who play (or have played) fully hollow-bodied Starfires and semi hollow-bodied Starfires, vintage or newer ones: what are in your experiences the most important differences between the two, in usability, playability and sound? Which styles do you use it for? And which one do you prefer? I'm really curious to know about all this and am happy to read about your experiences!

Afterwards we could discuss which amplifiers are the 'best', and why! (maybe I should just start a new topic about this, but I'll just see how this goes first)

Ralf, thanks again for the links and advice to a possible new Guild addict!

Cheers, Thijs

SFIV1967 · Feb 17, 2013

Re: Which type of Starfire is this???

CoralStarfire said:
.. but as Ralf said, I will be a bit careful before buying there and ask for some advice first...

I don't think there is anything wrong with TFOA, but if I remember correctly sometimes some of their descriptions of the guitars are not fully correct, hence I remember once I had a conversation with Hans where he corrected info there. That's why I said you might want to ask Hans in case you want to buy there. Also TFOA has usually way overpriced first asking prices and I don't know how much they are willing to negotiate. But they are in your country which might save cost on shipping and VAT for importing them in the EU. So, prices cannot be compared to US$ prices in the US.
Ralf

CoralStarfire · Feb 17, 2013

OK, well that's reason enough for me to ask for some advice first and/or look out to other dealers without way overpriced first asking prices.. in the Netherlands if that's possible (that just seems nicer to me instead of ordering one on ebay, for service and to save shipping costs) And I want to try one first of course because I've never played them yet..

Thijs

P.S. The Starfires really sound good in the video's you linked! woehaaa :lol:

guildman63 · Feb 17, 2013

In the first link under Starfire III there is a Guild guitar with a sparkle finish and a single bridge pup. Any thoughts on what that is?

fronobulax · Feb 17, 2013

guildman63 said:
In the first link under Starfire III there is a Guild guitar with a sparkle finish and a single bridge pup. Any thoughts on what that is?

Limited edition Bluesbird made for NAMM circa 2003 and discussed here?

SFIV1967 · Feb 17, 2013

fronobulax said:
guildman63 said:

In the first link under Starfire III there is a Guild guitar with a sparkle finish and a single bridge pup. Any thoughts on what that is?

Click to expand...

Limited edition Bluesbird made for NAMM circa 2003 and discussed here?

There were various series of such special Bluesbirds made, as shown in that post you quoted. Steve Maker has various Guild Bluesbirds and that one was a custom made one for him as far as I understood.
Ralf

SFIV1967 · Feb 20, 2013

Hello Thijs,
now there is interesting news! The Coral's James Skelly sold that black Starfire V guitar! The seller is Richard Henry Guitars. It is on ebay UK currently!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-GUILD-...al_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e778832ce

Now the text in that add has quite some errors (that guitar has nothing to do at all with the black or ebony grain colored SF IV with added Guildsby that Keith Richards played that night and gave to Buddy Guy), also I believe that letter from Guild is incorrect (which is nothing unusual...), as this cannot be a 1965 guitar, unless Hans confirms. The 18th fret neck to body joint dates it to mid 1966 as the earliest, but I could be wrong.
It seems to be a "Starfire V Special", so maybe the DeArmond bridge pickup was original, as was the black color probably.
Unfortunatelly the serial number was removed from the headstock (which was often done by thiefs), now the question is why the guitar has a label with serial number, strange...But there is no picture of the label, so we can't see the serial number...The former owner in 1982 maybe could help to solve that mystery.

Anyway, I thought it is interesting since you asked about that guitar in the first place!

Ralf

Kslam · Feb 20, 2013

SFIV1967 said:
Hello Thijs,
now there is interesting news! The Coral's James Skelly sold that black Starfire V guitar! The seller is Richard Henry Guitars. It is on ebay UK currently!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-GUILD-...al_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e778832ce

Nice sleuthing, Ralf! I see that it's since sold. Did the original poster buy it, perhaps?

SFIV1967 · Feb 20, 2013

Kslam said:
I see that it's since sold.

I never imagined it would sell...Almost $2800 is a quite high price, even if one adds the roughly 23% VAT and duty and shipment cost for importing one from the US in to Europe...but depends what one is used to pay for vintage guitars. Compare it to a later 60ies 335...
Well, maybe we will see a NGD sometimes...I keep my eyes open.
Ralf

CoralStarfire · Feb 21, 2013

Well that's really a good find and a nice coincidence! :shock: But... I didn't buy it, as I've never even played a Starfire yet, and am therefore more hunting for bargains here in the Netherlands! At least the story about that guitar is (almost) clear now (which is great) and I'll keep that in mind while looking for other Starfires. Still wish it was mine though.. Better luck next time! :?

Thijs

CoralStarfire · Feb 22, 2013

There's actually another Guild guitar used by The Coral and sold by Lee (as I found on his Facebook page; Lee is lead guitarist in the band) on ebay currently, just for anyone else interested in guitars with some history behind it.. It's a 1972 Guild D25, although the price is again a bit high I suppose.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-GUILD-...al_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e7788f3f2

pure_retro · Feb 24, 2013

Hello All,

My first post here... I bought the Guild Starfire and want to know a little more about its journey. I'll clear up (or try to) some of the points that you have already raised.

The serial number on the paper sticker inside the F-Hole is consistent with being built in 1965 as per the Guild Serial Number guide. After having a look at some pics on your forum of this paper sticker it appears that the handwriting on it is a consistent style of other Starfires of the same age.

The bridge pick-up seems to be an upgrade/aftermarket addition.

The guitar is black and one of your members suggests that it may be a SPECIAL so any info on this would be good. I've order Hans' book but have yet to receive it so I'm sure there's info in there that will cover many of my questions.

I'm not a guitar expert at all so your input would be valuable.

J.

Which type of Starfire???

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