Help me evaluate this 1960s Guild hollow body?

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In the early 90s, my dad's friend had this guitar lying around his house and didn't play it much. At some point his young son stepped directly on where the nut meets the headstock and broke it. Dad's friend then repaired it with a bolt, nut, and heavy glue. :bi_polo: Here's a link to photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dqgdb13DD4pg1SZj1

The guitar was ultimately gifted it to me. It has sat in a hardshell case since then. I am now in a small apartment with 2 guitars I love and I cannot hold on to this one. I've taken it to a few shops where I live in Brooklyn and they've shrugged. The body is really beautiful and with a bridge/tremolo on it, it actually plays decently, but sometimes slips out of tune.

Anyway... any advice?
 

killdeer43

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WELCOME TO LTG!
I'll go along with Steve's assessment of the repair job....yikes! I might start off by cutting an inch or more off that bolt that's sticking out into the room on the back side of the headstock. That thing looks dangerous.
I've had success with headstock-break repair and I wouldn't mind giving this one a shot.
Alas, Brooklyn is a bit of a drive. :wink-new:

Good luck with this one,
Joe
 

gilded

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Hi Multi',

Thanks for stopping in.

The guitar has no collector value, which means it's worth the value of the parts, plus a small amount of $$$ for the body and neck. Since you don't have pictures of all the possible parts that you may have (tailpiece, tremolo arm, bridge, original tuners, pickups, truss rod cover and a pick guard), it's hard to value them. [hint: take some more pics of what you do have!]

The case sure looks like an old brown Guild case, but I can't tell for sure. The case appears to be missing a strip of vinyl near the edge of the top. If original, the case has value.

The pickups are not original. To be installed, the original pickup cut-out holes would had to have to have been enlarged and that has an effect on value.

They look like DiMarzio pickups from the '70s on up. The bridge/treble pickup should be turned around 180 degrees, so the plastic bobbin with 6 screws in it is closest to the bridge, but that's not a big deal. The replacement pickups do not have much value.

The tuners are not original. Do you have the original tuners and/or pickups? That would create value for you.

It looks like the guitar was repainted black, but again, I can't be positive. The best thing to do is look at the label inside the body and post exactly what it says, like Starfire I, II or III, along with the serial number, which usually matches the number impressed on the back of the headstock. Here is a link to Guild serial numbers:

http://guildguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/history_of_your_guild.pdf

Those particular clear plastic volume and tone knobs were usually used from '59 to '63. The headstock shape is in line with that time period. A brown Guild case could come from that time period, too (I think?).

The headstock and part of the upper neck could be replaced, but it would not create any value. The guy who would want your guitar is a repairman/hobbyist who can't stand the idea that it's broken and knows that he could replace the neck (or just the head-stock and part of the neck) and have a 'player' Guild to keep, or sell with the idea of getting the price of labor (and parts) back.

Take more pics of the case and the parts and somebody here will help you figure out the value.

Best of luck!
 
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hansmoust

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In the early 90s, my dad's friend had this guitar lying around his house and didn't play it much. At some point his young son stepped directly on where the nut meets the headstock and broke it. Dad's friend then repaired it with a bolt, nut, and heavy glue. :bi_polo: Here's a link to photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dqgdb13DD4pg1SZj1

The guitar was ultimately gifted it to me. It has sat in a hardshell case since then. I am now in a small apartment with 2 guitars I love and I cannot hold on to this one. I've taken it to a few shops where I live in Brooklyn and they've shrugged. The body is really beautiful and with a bridge/tremolo on it, it actually plays decently, but sometimes slips out of tune.

Anyway... any advice?

Hello multiplied,

Welcome! What you have is a Guild Starfire III Black or Ebony (depending on the person who was writing up the label) from 1961.

Hope you still have the original Bigsby, bridge and hopefully some more of the original parts, because it would cost a lot to find period correct parts if anyone would want to try and restore the guitar, and bring it back to factory specs.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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CosmicArkie

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Welcome, Multi,

FWIW, Hans^^ is "the" authority around here on all things Guild.

What are your plans for the Starfire? Do you have the original parts?

If you are interested in selling, where are you?
 

walrus

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On the plus side, this guitar would be easy to hang on the wall....

walrus
 

Jough

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I agree, the parts are worth more than the whole at this point. It would make a great player, but I would have a pro re-repair the headstock and put it all back together. As you can see above there is some interest in the guitar here.
 
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