Conference napalm::guitar

    The Starfires were the Guild semi-hollowbody guitars; the equivalent
    of the ES Gibsons. I don't know much else (re: pickups,etc). Tom
    Fogerty played one in Creedence. If the guitar is in good mechanical
    condition, I'd say $200 was very reasonable.
    
    -Dave

    I'd have to agree with reply 1.
	
    	<If the guitar is in good mechanical condition, I'd say $200 >
    	<was very reasonable.>
    
    Friend of mine has one, I played around with it when he first got
    it.  It was nice.  I became addicted to it.  He's still got it.
    It must be around 7 years old by now.     

    Pickups if stock, are your standard PAF (dimazio) style pickups.
    Double Humbuckers, a tad on the hot side, not like the Dimazio
    Super Distortions.  Nice Blues/Jazz sound.
    
    Check the neck and the frets, if they look good, and the case is
    also in good condition, pay him the money.  It's worth it.

And if you don't want it, let *me* know who the seller is, and I'll
probably buy it!  I love most of the Guild products I've played, and
am interested in aquiring this type of electric.

-- Sam

    Yeah, well I see that this note is very old, but I figured I'd put my
    two cents in for any future archives researcher.
    
    I have a Starfire V. I got it in '68 and it's been very good to me over
    the years. The Starfire series started with the Starfire III ( there
    may have been a II, I don't rememvber it tho') The III was a single
    cutaway that looked similar to a Les Paul. In fact if you picture a
    semi-hollowbody LP you wouldn't be far off. At the top of the line was
    the Starfire VI. It was a double cutaway semi-hollow body with gold
    hardware. In '68 It listed for about $700. My Starfire V is the same
    guitar except that in has chrome hardware. This turned out to be good
    for me because over the years, the gold plating would have worn and
    looked like sh** long ago. The guitar has a Bigsby "whammy" bar. I
    replaced the original pickups when Dimarzio first introduced their
     super distortion humbucker. Those pickups, in combination with  the 
    neck make this guitar the best playing and versatile sounding guitar
    I've ever played. In fact, the one prevalent fact about Guild guitars
    that seems to apply to any model or any thing the've ever made -
    acoustic, electric, or now bass with the Pilot - is the neck is the
    best of any. They have a special consistent feel like no other.

    There have actually been seven Starfires:
    
    SF I:  Thin hollow, single florentine cut, "chesterfield" inlay 1 pickup
    
    SF II: Same as I with two pickups
    
    SF III: Same as II with Bigsby. Nothing at all like an LP
    
    SF IV: Double cut semi similar to ES-335
    
    SF V: same as IV with block inlay and more binding
    
    SF VI: Same as V with pearl/abalone block inlay,ebony fretboard,gold
    plating, "G" inlay.
    
    SF VII: same as VI, with "tortoiseshell" binding. Never cataloged
    
    Danny W.

    
    	Didn't Guild make a short lived solid body Starfire series?
    
    	I remember that they made some solid bodies with built in
    	guitar stands in the back... don't think that idea lasted
    	too long :-).
    
    	Guy
    

    I forgot one model, the Starfire XII, which was a 12-string version of
    the IV. Easy to forget.
    
    I don't remember there being any solid Starfires. The Guild model
    which, according to Tom Wheeler, looked like a cross between a
    Jazzmaster and a Hershey Bar left in the sun, was the Thunderbird. A
    cheaper version was the Polara. Both had the notorious built-in stand,
    which is why few have survived to the '90's. The Jetstar was similar,
    but sans stand. None of these was very succesful in the market.
    
    Danny W.

    
    	Re: solid Starfires.
    
    	Oh well, I must be getting senile.... Your comment reminds me that
        My local music store had a photo of John Lennon playing a Starfire
    	12 string, which the store owner insisted  was taken in his store,
    	even though the photo had a completely different background....
    
    	This dude would try and convince you that thge sky was green :-).
    
    	Guy
    
    

    Howzis for an ancient note?
    
    In my high school yearbook (circa. 1970 - *whew*!) there's a picture of
    the school orchestra.  The bassist (who had a nice Hagstrom bass - but
    an adventurous spirit) is playing the band leaders recently acquired
    electric bass - a *very* battered Starfire I bass!
    
    Same shape as the Starfire guitars, the I had a HUGE single humbucker
    pickup.  I remember that bass very well - it is THE first bass I ever
    tried to play.  It sounded pretty damn good, too!
    
    					--Eric--
    
    P.S. That bassist wasn't through experimenting - on the same page is a
    later picture of him playing MY Beatle Bass copy!!! ;)

    There was also a Starfire II bass, twin humbuckers.  Phil Lesh and
    Jack Cassidy used to favor them before they went to Alembics.
    
    						Brian

    Good gawd y'all, the "sakman" 's getting old (or already is). Check
    this out; I remember droolin over Guild Starfire anything. I was playing 
    on my Sears Silvertone guitar and amp in the case combination and
    dreaming of when I could get a pro's guitar. In fact, in '69 I ended up with
    one (Starfire V). Still got it, can't bear to get rid of it. Don't play it 
    much anymore. Needs new pickups. Also could use a fret job, but to replace
    the frets would cost more than its worth and difficult to justify given
    how little I use it. I've thought about refurbishing it complete with
    refinishing. I may someday, but not in the forseeable future.
    
    "sakman" - BTW, it's a GREAT guitar. Positively THE best neck of any
    guitar I've ever played.  

    I have an opportunity to buy a Guild Starfire XII. It is sunburst, and
    supposedly in very good shape. I've had the hots for a Ricky 12 for
    a while now. Obviously, a Guild Startfire is not a Rick, but it might
    be an inexpensive way to scratch my itch for an electric 12.
    
    Any comments? 
    
    Mark
    

    You should definitely NOT buy this guitar!
    
    /rick
    
    ps what's the phone number of the seller?
    
    :-) :-) :-)