Which type of Starfire???

[pure_retro]

Hans, I can't believe that you have a pic of the very next guitar off the production line after mine! Thanks once again for your help and expertise on this one. I would like to get a little work done on this guitar as it needs a little bit of a tidy so I'll get some pictures on here once I've had it done...

To Badlydrawnbanjo: Yes, Rich was really helpful and knows his stuff. I'd buy from him again, I quite fancy the Guild Acoustic that he has on eBay at the minute but I need to save a bit of cash this month!

Thanks,

J.

 

[SFIV1967]

There is some evidence of the original cherry color just below the master volume knob where the back color is missing:
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1965-GUILD-S...dB/$(KGrHqRHJEcFEiksFGmQBRI9d!5O,Q~~60_57.JPG

Hans: One question: Why the tape over the removed S/N ? Even if the neck would have been replaced that makes no sense, or?

Ralf

 

[hansmoust]

One question: Why the tape over the removed S/N ? Even if the neck would have been replaced that makes no sense, or?

The only reason that I can think of is that the seller thought it looked better that way. He mentioned 'A piece of tape covers where the serial was scratched off', so if it was there when he bought it, he must at least have taken a peak behind it.
It probably looks terrible without the tape. Now it just looks like a piece of tape on the back of a headstock!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[landminelenny]

There is some evidence of the original cherry color just below the master volume knob where the back color is missing:
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1965-GUILD-S...dB/$(KGrHqRHJEcFEiksFGmQBRI9d!5O,Q~~60_57.JPG

Hans: One question: Why the tape over the removed S/N ? Even if the neck would have been replaced that makes no sense, or?

Ralf

Hi everyone,

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I currently own the guitar being discussed here and would like to clarify a couple of things.

1. Although it’s quite likely to have had a very old refinish, there is no evidence of any cherry coloured paint or signs of any cherry stain anywhere on the body that I can see, even on the sides of the F-holes. What you are seeing below the master volume knob is actually natural wood. I’m presuming this is a mahogany constructed body? Anyway, it’s brown and not cherry.

2. The serial number inside the body is EN-743 which on a Starfire V, according to this site, definitely dates it to late 1966.

3. The ‘black stuff’ on the label is not black, it’s actually brown and looks like a powder or dried out paste, maybe a buffing compound? I’ve tried to clean the label up a bit with a cotton bud and some warm water but it’s pretty stubborn and I don’t want to damage it further.

4. The bridge pickup was replaced by James. He loved the sound of the DeArmond over the original so he swapped it out.

Anyway, lots of interesting reading here so thanks for all your input. I was actually the first person to own this guitar after James Kelly and recently managed to get it back after selling it in 2013 and later regretting it. I was a roadie for The Coral and James and I did a trade on something or other. I can’t remember what though as it was almost ten years ago nearly.

Cheers.

 

[SFIV1967]

1. Although it’s quite likely to have had a very old refinish, there is no evidence of any cherry coloured paint or signs of any cherry stain anywhere on the body that I can see, even on the sides of the F-holes. What you are seeing below the master volume knob is actually natural wood. I’m presuming this is a mahogany constructed body? Anyway, it’s brown and not cherry.

Welcome to LTG! Great story for a first post! Thanks! Regarding the Cherry color. As Hans explains in post number 40, and also what your picture of the label shows, there is "ch" behind the model number which stands for "cherry". And yes, the body is made from laminated mahogany.
Enjoy the guitar!
Ralf

 

[parker_knoll]

Hi everyone,

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I currently own the guitar being discussed here and would like to clarify a couple of things.

1. Although it’s quite likely to have had a very old refinish, there is no evidence of any cherry coloured paint or signs of any cherry stain anywhere on the body that I can see, even on the sides of the F-holes. What you are seeing below the master volume knob is actually natural wood. I’m presuming this is a mahogany constructed body? Anyway, it’s brown and not cherry.

2. The serial number inside the body is EN-743 which on a Starfire V, according to this site, definitely dates it to late 1966.

3. The ‘black stuff’ on the label is not black, it’s actually brown and looks like a powder or dried out paste, maybe a buffing compound? I’ve tried to clean the label up a bit with a cotton bud and some warm water but it’s pretty stubborn and I don’t want to damage it further.

4. The bridge pickup was replaced by James. He loved the sound of the DeArmond over the original so he swapped it out.

Anyway, lots of interesting reading here so thanks for all your input. I was actually the first person to own this guitar after James Kelly and recently managed to get it back after selling it in 2013 and later regretting it. I was a roadie for The Coral and James and I did a trade on something or other. I can’t remember what though as it was almost ten years ago nearly.

Cheers.

Great info there! Btw, I spoke to the seller and he told me it was a factory original pickup by special order, so a bit sneaky. Anyway, great to have all this from the horse's mouth. Glad you got it back again.