Just Checking In

[Analogkid]

Hey All,

Another Guild lover and "newbie" to the forum here. I have a quick couple of questions if I may. I have a Starfire IV (serial# CW 00154) and a Bluesbird (Serial# CM 000406) both in "natural", clear flamed maple tops ("10 top killers") and light, "natural" backs. The Starfire IV says on the label inside, " Crafted in Corona, CA" so I assume it was made at the Fender shop in Corona, CA. Does that mean the Fender Custom Shop as I often hear that Guilds were made for a short period after the Fender acquisition? I would appreciate any info the forum could provide as to the approximate dates of my Guilds and their places of manufacture. Finally, what are the stock pups on a Bluesbird of this time? They look like a "regular" Seymour Duncan style and do not sound bad (especially the neck pup). I have not taken them out yet to confirm, but I suppose someday soon I will. In the interim, any info on the Bluesbird pups would also be greatly appreciated. As for the Starfire IV pups, I'm afraid they are the Fender SD-1's??, which sound horrible IMHO and I hope to switch out with Seymour Duncan Phat-Cat's soon. In any event, thanks for reading my first post and thanks in advance for any info the forum could provide.

Cheers - Jeff (Analogkid)

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome - You should know that your first few posts have to be Moderated. I deleted a couple of yours rather than approve because they were kind of offensive although I have said the same kind of things when frustrated. No harm, no foul. Sometimes it takes a while for folks to notice a new poster, especially in one of the lower volume threads but there are folks who stalk me waiting for me to say something stupid or incorrect and I often indulge them if doing so calls attention to unanswered questions

Guild moved all of their production to Corona at one point so there were many guitars with Corona labels that had nothing to do with the Fender Custom Shop. There were some Guilds made in the Fender Custom Shop but if my memory is correct those also had a decal so stating. The resident expert does not have internet access on weekends so my statement will not be augmented or corrected for a couple of days but if you don't have a custom shop decal then it was just a regular production instrument made during the brief period when the Corona factory was where regular production occurred.

I never remember the magic serial number decoder for the times when it works but someone else will and should express an opinion on the one serial number provided. and the other one once we know.

I have no idea what pickups were in those instruments but I'm pretty sure someone else will.

Sorry for a rocky start...

 

[Brad Little]

Jeff, welcome to the list. Lots of good info on all Guilds available here.
Brad

 

[AcornHouse]

Welcome kid!
I'll let others speak about Corona, but the pups in your boid are most likely Seymour Duncans, they are in mine. Here's an article one of our members put together that will help you ID your pups according to size, and screw hole position.
http://www.gad.net/Blog/2011/11/25/guild-full-sized-hb1-and-sd1-pickup-variations/

 

[Los Angeles]

Good to see another southern California representative! We're going to have to arrange a get-together one of these days.

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG!
Your Starfire 4 and Bluesbird were made in the Guild factory in Corona, which was a separated area from the Fender production or Fender custom shop. I am not sure about the exact dates of your guitars, I guess later in 2002 or 2003. Hans would know the exact year, you can contact him via his webpage.
The Starfire is using the Fender made HB-1, the catalog in 2003 called them also "Guild HB-1" but they were Fender made. (See the link Chris posted above).
Regarding sound you might need to adjust the pole pieces and also distance of the pickups to the strings for optimum sound.

If you want to experiment Guild is actually offering new copies of the original HB-1 pickups today! They are different from the Fender built HB-1, even if they are also built in a FMIC contractor factory in Korea for Guild. But original HB-1 pickups were used to create those new copies.
But as GAD wrote, you might have to slightly enlarge the cutout in the top (which would be not difficult on a Starfire 4).
https://shop.guildguitars.com/product/guild-hb-1-neck-pickup-nickel/
https://shop.guildguitars.com/product/guild-hb-1-bridge-pickup-nickel/

The Bluesbird is using the Seymour Duncan Classic Cover™ series '59 model™ SH-1N and SH-1B. (Wax pottend and with cover).

Ralf

 

[walrus]

Welcome!

"Analog kid"? - must be a Rush fan!

walrus

 

[killdeer43]

WELCOME TO LTG!
Stick around and enjoy your time here. eaceful:

Joe

 

[davismanLV]

Nothing to add to above, except, "Howdy!"

 

[Analogkid]

Thanks Everyone for the warm welcome and great info, much appreciated! I had an idea that my "blondes" were made in the Corona factory (about a 25 minute drive from where I live), by referencing a chart I found on the internet regarding Guild guitar dating. It says that the Fender factory used a lettering system, originally developed by the Tacoma, WA factory, that used the second digit of the serial number to date the instrument. For some reason or another, the letter "B" was used to correspond with the year 1998. That would make my BB with a "CM" serial number an '09. Strange, as I bought it in 2005. Moreover, that would make my SF IV, with a "CW" serial number a 2019 model! One thought I came up with after further research, was the possibility that my SF IV was one of those partially assembled "kits" that were sent from the Westerly factory to Corona after FMIC acquired Guild, where it was then completed? Hence the "CW"??? Finally, thanks for the confirmation of the Duncan '59's in the BB, they actually sound good! The Fender made SD-1's in the SF have to go however. Anyone ever put SD Phat Cats in a SF? Again, thanks to all who have replied and I'm glad to have found some fellow Guild lovers! Oh yeah, big Rush fan "Walrus", good call! - Cheers

 

[richardp69]

Welcome Analogkid. That is one righteous looking dog you have there.

 

[Analogkid]

Thanks for the comment on the pup! She is a Bullmastiff and sadly, I do not have her any longer, but she was one of our Favs (I say that about all of them!)! We also had her litter mate brother as well. He was 170lbs and she was 160lbs. Big gentle sweet giants, but sadly, prone to various cancers! My wife and I currently have three others that are just as big and just as sweet! Sorry for the tangent on my pups, but other than guitars, my pups are what I live for (we don't have kids). I hope to post some pics of my SF IV and BB and I will try to sneak a few more pup pics in. - Regards

 

[fronobulax]

Thanks for the comment on the pup! She is a Bullmastiff and sadly, I do not have her any longer, but she was one of our Favs (I say that about all of them!)! We also had her litter mate brother as well. He was 170lbs and she was 160lbs. Big gentle sweet giants, but sadly, prone to various cancers! My wife and I currently have three others that are just as big and just as sweet! Sorry for the tangent on my pups, but other than guitars, my pups are what I live for (we don't have kids). I hope to post some pics of my SF IV and BB and I will try to sneak a few more pup pics in. - Regards

Dog (and cat pictures) are tolerated by most and encouraged by some so feel free to start a thread just for your pups. Extra credit if they are doing something "cute" and a guitar or case is involved or just in the background.

 

[SFIV1967]

...by referencing a chart I found on the internet regarding Guild guitar dating. It says that the Fender factory used a lettering system, originally developed by the Tacoma, WA factory, that used the second digit of the serial number to date the instrument. For some reason or another, the letter "B" was used to correspond with the year 1998. That would make my BB with a "CM" serial number an '09. Strange, as I bought it in 2005. Moreover, that would make my SF IV, with a "CW" serial number a 2019 model! One thought I came up with after further research, was the possibility that my SF IV was one of those partially assembled "kits" that were sent from the Westerly factory to Corona after FMIC acquired Guild, where it was then completed? Hence the "CW"???

No, you didn't read the serial number chart correctly. The years between 1998 and 2005 are completely missing in the chart, so the time when your guitars were built are missing, hence you can't find them and hence we referred you to Hans Moust. His next book will contain those years however.
Also regarding "the Fender factory used a Tacoma lettering system...": It started in 2005 when FMIC relocated the Guild factory from Corona to Tacoma Washington! Again, as your guitars were made in Corona before 2005, that lettering system does not apply to your guitars, it only applies for guitars made in Tacoma and New Hartford. We don't know yet which serial number system the new Oxnard factory will use.
And no, "CW" has nothing to do with "Corona Westerly"... It's simply a random two letter code which was used by Corona for the Starfire 4 model, same as the "CM was used for the Bluesbird. Westerly used "CL" for the Bluesbirds and you see that that "C" in "CL" also does not mean Corona...
Ralf

 

[Analogkid]

Vielen Dank fur die Korrektur mich SFIV1967 (translation: "Thank you very much for correcting me SFIV1967"), I went back to the chart and re-read it and I see my error. The "missing Corona years", what a mess FMIC seems to have made of the production dates and serial numbers during this period! However, and I'm sure some will disagree with me, but my two "Blondes" out of the Corona shop (custom or regular production) are very well made and the materials (i.e. wood choices) are "top shelf". Plus they sound good (at least the BB with the Duncan's). I just ordered some Duncan "Phat Cats" that I can't wait to get in to that SF IV. Does anyone have any comments on "P-90" type pick-ups or specifically "Phat Cats" in a SF IV? Many thanks to all who have replied and welcomed me in to this group.
- jw

 

[griehund]

Welcome, lots of dog lovers here, from Greyhounds to Corgis.