I joined this forum a long time ago when I almost bought a Starfire.... Well, I'm getting some Guild GAS. It started with a very nice T-100D on ebay, which I did not get. As I started doing more research, I'm reading that the Starfire III is based on this model. Further, both of these models originally had the old DeArmond pickups (used by Gretsch in the 1950s). In the mid 1960s, the Guild "Mickey Mouse" pickups replaced these in the T-100D. Anyway, I think I'll look for a model with the older DeArmond pickups, and it seems to come down to one of these: Starfire III ---- or ---- DeArmond Starfire Special
There's well over a grand in price difference between these two models, yet they both seem to have the same pickups. The DeArmond is actually a semi-hollow. Can anyone here tell me how these two guitars compare sound-wise, and overall as well? I don't think I want anything with a humbucker, so the Starfire IV and V are out. I have a feeling that the DeArmond pickups would be really cool. Thanks.
BTW, what's the nut width on the 1961 Starfire? I've read of three different widths on the 1960 T-100 & Starfire.
Oh, yeah, the Starfire III has a mahogany body, while the T-100 has spruce (?) -- how significant?
(edited to make sense; it originally deleted For Sale ads for the two different guitars; thought it might violate some forum reg.; there went the logical glue of the post)
There's well over a grand in price difference between these two models, yet they both seem to have the same pickups. The DeArmond is actually a semi-hollow. Can anyone here tell me how these two guitars compare sound-wise, and overall as well? I don't think I want anything with a humbucker, so the Starfire IV and V are out. I have a feeling that the DeArmond pickups would be really cool. Thanks.
BTW, what's the nut width on the 1961 Starfire? I've read of three different widths on the 1960 T-100 & Starfire.
Oh, yeah, the Starfire III has a mahogany body, while the T-100 has spruce (?) -- how significant?
(edited to make sense; it originally deleted For Sale ads for the two different guitars; thought it might violate some forum reg.; there went the logical glue of the post)