Starfire bass

[saemola]

I have had acoustic guitar with the headstock broken and then glued back in place.
it was so sensitive to weather oscillation that it was almost unplayable some days.
I'd have to tune it every 2 minutes...
for as tempting as that is (GOOOOOSH how tempting), I'm not gonna fall for that.


... well... maybe... :twisted:

 

[saemola]

what do you guys think of this guy?

cracks and wear might drive the price down... or maybe I'm just dreaming...

what's interesting is they are selling it from their website for $1295.
do you guys think the ebay auction will end that low?
this might be the one, I'm just afraid of all the cracks and stuff.

edit:
hmmm... is there something wrong with the bridge?

 

[fronobulax]

Interesting. Clearly had some customization. Bridge looks fine to me. Is there something specific you were wondering about?

If it is a 1973 it is highly unlikely that those are the factory pickups.

I wonder if it was a I to II conversion? I'm reasonably certain the toggle and master volume are both on the bottom/treble bout on a factory install. Tone switch has been removed. There are holes between the PUs that could have been where the finger rests were removed. However there is the brad by the master volume which is unlikely to be part of a conversion.

 

[twocorgis]

what do you guys think of this guy?

cracks and wear might drive the price down... or maybe I'm just dreaming...

what's interesting is they are selling it from their website for $1295.
do you guys think the ebay auction will end that low?
this might be the one, I'm just afraid of all the cracks and stuff.

edit:
hmmm... is there something wrong with the bridge?

If that's a 1973, weren't Starfire basses all humbuckers by then? Also, the headstock doesn't look right, and there's an awful lot of wear there it seems. I'd hold out for on like mine.

It has a non OEM tone control, but the rest of the patina is nothing short of magnificent!

 

[fronobulax]

P.S. - web site lists the serial as 137 XXXX which is where the 1973 date came from. I wonder if there is sloppy handwriting and it is really BA XXXX which would date it into the 1960's which is much more consistent with the observable physical features.

 

[saemola]

interesting observation.
what actually made me a little suspicious were the high res pics on the web site.
something doesn't look symmetrical to me.
machines, neck pickup.
not sure.
also those cracks at the junction of the body creep me a little.
ask the seller some questions.

oh, and of course that guild logo... what's that?!

the fact that they are listing the item in 4 stars condition out of 5 scares me too.

 

[twocorgis]

P.S. - web site lists the serial as 137 XXXX which is where the 1973 date came from. I wonder if there is sloppy handwriting and it is really BA XXXX which would date it into the 1960's which is much more consistent with the observable physical features.

I'm with you Frono. After looking at the pictures again, it almost has to be an older one, and may even have been another color originally. What's more disconcerting is the binding issues. I'll never (knowingly at least) buy another one with burgeoning binding issues. It never ends once it starts.

 

[twocorgis]

oh, and of course that guild logo... what's that?!

Ugly. :shock:

That alone would be enough to scare me away. Next! :lol:

 

[fab467]

If that's a 1973, weren't Starfire basses all humbuckers by then? Also, the headstock doesn't look right, and there's an awful lot of wear there it seems. I'd hold out for on like mine.

It has a non OEM tone control, but the rest of the patina is nothing short of magnificent!

Sandy, that is one sweet guitar! 8)

 

[twocorgis]

If that's a 1973, weren't Starfire basses all humbuckers by then? Also, the headstock doesn't look right, and there's an awful lot of wear there it seems. I'd hold out for on like mine.

It has a non OEM tone control, but the rest of the patina is nothing short of magnificent!

Sandy, that is one sweet guitar! 8)

Thanks Fab, and it sure is! I think it's the coolest one I own. 8)

 

[fronobulax]

To reiterate...

The master volume knob is missing.
The toggle switch seems to be on the wrong bout for a factory SF II.
That coin thing is not original.
Tone switch is missing.
Headstock has been refinished and may have been reformed or modified in shape.
Truss rod cover and silver thingie on headstock are not original.
Tuning machines look original but are missing screws.
Bridge looks original.
Strap peg is not original.
Binding issues.
PUs may be original if guitar actually dates to 1971 or earlier.
Unexplained holes between PUs.

If PUs are Hagstroms then parting them out makes the bass worth $400-$800.

 

[mellowgerman]

If PUs are Hagstroms then parting them out makes the bass worth $400-$800.

I am almost 100% certain that those are Hagstroms. They're certainly not Dark Stars. The oxidation is consistent with Haggies from the 60's. Also, the mounting rings are wood, as you can see the finish is slightly worn off them -- Dark Stars have plastic mounting rings.

With that said, I am always sort of attracted to these sorta-modified and really worn starfires... as long as they still have the bisonics, are structurally sound, have good frets, and a straight/non-bowed neck. Not that I would pay $1300 for it... but put it down around 800-900 and you've got me scheming :mrgreen:

 

[mgod]

Pre-1970 headstock. so, 68 or 69 bass.

 

[saemola]

it's weird: I've always despised red basses.
but red SFs just turn me on... :!:

 

[fronobulax]

it's weird: I've always despised red basses.
but red SFs just turn me on... :!:

Several red ones here in the internet's only collection of Starfire Bass p0rn. Collector is some kind of fetishist, however - almost never shows the neck and seems obsessed with the bridge.

In the Quieter Kool Kids Club there are 9 Guild Starfires and four of them have the cherry finish.

Just so twocorgi's Starfire doesn't get all of the screen time...

 

[saemola]

looks killer.
also, cherry ones have mahogany bodies, right?
it kind of intrigues me a little more (mahogany, that is).

btw, I got a reply from the seller of that ebay auction:

"There are no repaired cracks structure is good. The starfire plaque appears to be original but headstock was oversprayed and logo put back on. There is a replaced trc that is glued on to prevent access to the truss rod. no problems with the bridge"

 

[bassmyf]

looks killer.
also, cherry ones have mahogany bodies, right?
it kind of intrigues me a little more (mahogany, that is).

btw, I got a reply from the seller of that ebay auction:

"There are no repaired cracks structure is good. The starfire plaque appears to be original but headstock was oversprayed and logo put back on. There is a replaced trc that is glued on to prevent access to the truss rod. no problems with the bridge"

Yeah, we sure don`t want any unauthorized access to that truss rod..

 

[adorshki]

Yeah, we sure don`t want any unauthorized access to that truss rod..

Well depending on the TRC's...orientation....I may be inclined to agree with you... :lol:

 

[mellowgerman]

btw, I got a reply from the seller of that ebay auction:

"There are no repaired cracks structure is good. The starfire plaque appears to be original but headstock was oversprayed and logo put back on. There is a replaced trc that is glued on to prevent access to the truss rod. no problems with the bridge"

Well then, this may be the only factory-original-starfire-dog-tag-on-headstock bass in existence! That easily makes it worth 3x what he's asking!

 

[saemola]

btw, I got a reply from the seller of that ebay auction:

"There are no repaired cracks structure is good. The starfire plaque appears to be original but headstock was oversprayed and logo put back on. There is a replaced trc that is glued on to prevent access to the truss rod. no problems with the bridge"

Well then, this may be the only factory-original-starfire-dog-tag-on-headstock bass in existence! That easily makes it worth 3x what he's asking!

ehm, I may appear a little stupid but... that's sarcasm, right?