Guild Starfire Bass I Semi-Hollow Body Electric Bass Guitar (1967)
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Item #3978
Guild Starfire Bass I Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Bass Guitar (1967), made in Hoboken, NJ, cherry lacquer finish, laminated mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The 1960's Guild Starfire bass has recently been gaining attention as one of that decade's most distinctive bass guitars. Despite a general resemblance to the more common Gibson EB-2/Epiphone Rivoli line, the Starfire is a completely different animal sonically, putting out a very clear and powerful sound with a wide frequency range and almost piano-like growl unusual in a hollowbody bass.
Starfire basses became a prominent part of the San Francisco sound in the late 60's with both Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead and Jack Casady of the Jefferson Airplane choosing the model for their psychedelic explorations of the low end. Other early prominent users of the model were Steve Boone of the Lovin' Spoonful (who had the first two-pickup model built for him) and Chris Hillman with the Byrds. With an unusually slim and very fast-playing neck, the Starfire is the perfect bass to "take off" on and remains as unique as when first designed.
Guild did not offer any electric bass until 1965, when the semi-hollow Starfire line and the solid body guitar line both had a single-pickup bass added. The solid body Jetstar Bass soon crashed and burned, but the Starfire Bass quickly became one of the company's most popular items. Unlike most 1960's basses, the body is not fully hollow; there is a solid block running through the center in the manner of an ES-335 (and EB-2), giving a tighter response than a true hollowbody bass.
Still, the real secret to the early Guild basses' unique sound is the huge Hagstrom-made Bi-sonic pickup, which looks like a double-coil unit but is in fact more akin to a giant DeArmond Dynasonic. With magnet slugs nearly 1/4" wide for polepieces, this pickup has a very powerful attack and a broad harmonic range quite unlike either the familiar Gibson EB bass humbucker or the later Guild humbucking pickup which replaced it in 1970.
This particular Starfire I is from 1967, the peak production year for these basses, with over 1,000 units shipped from Hoboken. This bass is the quintessential 1960's example with a gleaming cherry-red finish that was originally the defining "Starfire" feature. By the time this one was built, these basses had several detail developments from the earliest models. There is a pushbutton "baritone" switch which cuts low end and increases clarity even further; this feature was added around the time the pickup was moved to the position just under the fingerboard...the earliest Starfire basses feature a single P.U. close to the bridge.
The chrome Hagstrom bridgeplate is extended on the treble side to allow for longer saddle travel; it also looks rather more like Guild's traditional "harp" tailpiece in an attractive, if possibly unintended, touch. The tuners are the typical American-made Klusons where the first models had European Van Ghents. This bass is all original and beautifully preserved; as fine an example of this 1960's classic as we are likely to find.
Overall length is 46 in. (116.8 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
Extremely fine overall; all original down to the last screw with only a few inches of belt buckle wear on the back and some tiny dings to indicate much playing time at all. There is a small laminate crack in the bass cutaway area on the side, and a smaller one on the treble side. These are under the finish and appear to be a factory error, probably the result of bending the laminated side too quickly...perhaps the result of an accelerated production schedule!
The headstock facing has shrunk slightly, but is intact with no peel-up. If not for these small points, this would qualify as a near mint, or at least "Vintage Mint," instrument. Includes a very fine original grey-lined HSC with "Guild" badge. A fabulous-playing and sounding bass, easily the nicest Starfire Bass we have had recently. Generally Excellent + Condition.
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The 1960's Guild Starfire bass has recently been gaining attention as one of that decade's most distinctive bass guitars. Despite a general resemblance to the more common Gibson EB-2/Epiphone Rivoli line, the Starfire is a completely different animal sonically, putting out a very clear and powerful sound with a wide frequency range and almost piano-like growl unusual in a hollowbody bass.
Starfire basses became a prominent part of the San Francisco sound in the late 60's with both Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead and Jack Casady of the Jefferson Airplane choosing the model for their psychedelic explorations of the low end. Other early prominent users of the model were Steve Boone of the Lovin' Spoonful (who had the first two-pickup model built for him) and Chris Hillman with the Byrds. With an unusually slim and very fast-playing neck, the Starfire is the perfect bass to "take off" on and remains as unique as when first designed.
Guild did not offer any electric bass until 1965, when the semi-hollow Starfire line and the solid body guitar line both had a single-pickup bass added. The solid body Jetstar Bass soon crashed and burned, but the Starfire Bass quickly became one of the company's most popular items. Unlike most 1960's basses, the body is not fully hollow; there is a solid block running through the center in the manner of an ES-335 (and EB-2), giving a tighter response than a true hollowbody bass.
Still, the real secret to the early Guild basses' unique sound is the huge Hagstrom-made Bi-sonic pickup, which looks like a double-coil unit but is in fact more akin to a giant DeArmond Dynasonic. With magnet slugs nearly 1/4" wide for polepieces, this pickup has a very powerful attack and a broad harmonic range quite unlike either the familiar Gibson EB bass humbucker or the later Guild humbucking pickup which replaced it in 1970.
This particular Starfire I is from 1967, the peak production year for these basses, with over 1,000 units shipped from Hoboken. This bass is the quintessential 1960's example with a gleaming cherry-red finish that was originally the defining "Starfire" feature. By the time this one was built, these basses had several detail developments from the earliest models. There is a pushbutton "baritone" switch which cuts low end and increases clarity even further; this feature was added around the time the pickup was moved to the position just under the fingerboard...the earliest Starfire basses feature a single P.U. close to the bridge.
The chrome Hagstrom bridgeplate is extended on the treble side to allow for longer saddle travel; it also looks rather more like Guild's traditional "harp" tailpiece in an attractive, if possibly unintended, touch. The tuners are the typical American-made Klusons where the first models had European Van Ghents. This bass is all original and beautifully preserved; as fine an example of this 1960's classic as we are likely to find.
Overall length is 46 in. (116.8 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
Extremely fine overall; all original down to the last screw with only a few inches of belt buckle wear on the back and some tiny dings to indicate much playing time at all. There is a small laminate crack in the bass cutaway area on the side, and a smaller one on the treble side. These are under the finish and appear to be a factory error, probably the result of bending the laminated side too quickly...perhaps the result of an accelerated production schedule!
The headstock facing has shrunk slightly, but is intact with no peel-up. If not for these small points, this would qualify as a near mint, or at least "Vintage Mint," instrument. Includes a very fine original grey-lined HSC with "Guild" badge. A fabulous-playing and sounding bass, easily the nicest Starfire Bass we have had recently. Generally Excellent + Condition.
