Hey ya'll, update on this. Starfire arrived yesterday, looking, playing, and sounding wonderful. I ran it though its paces and only needed to change strings. The store I purchased from must have given it a setup, bc it was fully intonated. The pics from the original Reverb listing are better than any I could take, but I’ve included some beneath my review.
Review:
Condition is basically brand new, the only exception being two reflector stickers on the top of each tone knob fell off in shipping, probably from the heat. I’m gonna super glue them back on.
Finish is so good and tight it looks like poly but is lacquer. I know GAD mentioned difficulty telling the difference, too. For me, the
smell is the quickest indicator tho. It's got that sweet vanilla-ish lacquer smell. Beautiful flame maple throughout.
Neck: narrower than my modern Fenders, but not so narrow as that 70s style Strat I had years ago. Somewhere between. Feels convenient for more complex chording and solo runs. Profile is a nice medium C- not too thin but much faster than my broadcaster-style tele neck. Fretboard is a brighter, less dark rosewood that is beautifully figured.
Frets are the smallest I’ve ever played. Almost feels like a fretless wonder. Makes it very much a jazz guitar, which is cool bc that’s kind of why I bought it. Again, it plays so fast. Maybe when a refret is due in the future I will switch these to vintage tall.
Pickups sound as good as I could likely ever want a humbucker that isn’t a real PAF to sound. Warm, fat, w/ top end retained.
Electronics are decent, but less exciting than an Emerson harness I have on another guitar. Sound is full on top numbers but doesn’t feel like much below 4 really exists.
Original Hardshell Case is amazing. I love that its deep dark brown looks almost black from afar, but detailed upon closer inspection. The red lining is lush, and the latches are smooth and QUIET.
Sorry for writing a book. I suppose I just want to keep up with GAD's standards for a review! Thanks to all for chiming in. Can't wait to get tons of use from this SFIV.
SM