Starfire I SC vs Starfire I Jet 90? Which One and Why?

[BurlingtonDave]

Hello Guild Lovers,

I am a newbie at LTG, my first post. Nice to be here.

I am looking for a guitar for playing rock, folk rock, country rock, a bit of jazz and blues, maybe even some rockabilly - versatility is key. I've narrowed my choices down to the Starfire I SC and the Starfire I Jet 90. Since I'm not a fan of any of the finishes that are available with the vibrato in either model - if the antique burst SC came with a vibrato I wouldn't be posting this question! - which is the more versatile sounding guitar, the most suitable for my musical styles?

This is what I want but Guild doesn't sell them like this! :-(

 

[SFIV1967]

Welcome to LTG! You can always try finding a used Starfire III.

Guild "Starfire III Sunburst wih Bigsby Made in Usa in Corona Plant ,Year 2000 CP 000192" Original | Reverb

&nb...

reverb.com

Ralf

 

[GAD]

Honestly I wouldn’t buy a NS Guild if a US made one was available for a similar price, but that similar price is the key.

What’s your budget?

 

[SFIV1967]

Guild USA Starfire III Sunburst 1997

The following specs were carefully collected and recorded by a skilled technician. For a more detailed description and questions regarding sound, feel, or cosmetic condition, please call to speak to one of our experts. Summary Finish: OriginalTop Material: Maple TopBody Material: Maple BodyBody...

www.chicagomusicexchange.com

Ralf

 

[GAD]

Guild USA Starfire III Sunburst 1997

The following specs were carefully collected and recorded by a skilled technician. For a more detailed description and questions regarding sound, feel, or cosmetic condition, please call to speak to one of our experts. Summary Finish: OriginalTop Material: Maple TopBody Material: Maple BodyBody...

www.chicagomusicexchange.com

Ralf

Beautiful example but about $500 more than I'd pay.

 

[matsickma]

The Starfire1 guitars are the most flexible and less expensive models. They have the HB2 pickups, which are standard in size to other pickups, and have coil taps so you can get humbucker, a combination of one pickup as a single coil and the other humbucker and both coil tap single coil tone.

If you want a vibrato and Sunburst finish then you can add a vibrato to the SF1 SC. You could possibly squeez an hollow body Guildsby in the area between the hardstop and base of the guitar or remove the hardstop and add a Guildsby with the tension rod.

Bottom line the SC1 is a great bang-for-the-buck so adding a Guildsby isn't a big deal.

Because the SF1's have a hollowed wood block inside they are a semi-hollow body design but the center block a solid block of wood. This makes it a hybrid between the hollow and semihollow design so are less prone to feedback. I would suggest the SF1 DC because of better neck fret access but they don't come in SB. They come in Mahogany red and walnut colors.

M

 

[BurlingtonDave]

Welcome to LTG! You can always try finding a used Starfire III.

Guild "Starfire III Sunburst wih Bigsby Made in Usa in Corona Plant ,Year 2000 CP 000192" Original | Reverb

&nb...

reverb.com

Ralf

Beautiful but way out of my single dad snack bracket.

The Starfire1 guitars are the most flexible and less expensive models. They have the HB2 pickups, which are standard in size to other pickups, and have coil taps so you can get humbucker, a combination of one pickup as a single coil and the other humbucker and both coil tap single coil tone.

If you want a vibrato and Sunburst finish then you can add a vibrato to the SF1 SC. You could possibly squeez an hollow body Guildsby in the area between the hardstop and base of the guitar or remove the hardstop and add a Guildsby with the tension rod.

Bottom line the SC1 is a great bang-for-the-buck so adding a Guildsby isn't a big deal.

Because the SF1's have a hollowed wood block inside they are a semi-hollow body design but the center block a solid block of wood. This makes it a hybrid between the hollow and semihollow design so are less prone to feedback. I would suggest the SF1 DC because of better neck fret access but they don't come in SB. They come in Mahogany red and walnut colors.

M

i don’t like the DC. I’m not a fan of mahogany electrics or double cuts

Honestly I wouldn’t buy a NS Guild if a US made one was available for a similar price, but that similar price is the key.

What’s your budget?

There are no US made used at a similar price. Why has everyone who has replied completely ignored the post question?

 

[jack.plugg]

Hi Burlington Dave.

I've had my brand new Starfire SC1 for about a month now. I've been playing it every day since.

When I was looking to buy, price was a very important factor for me. I wasn't in the market for an upmarket guitar, so there was no question about getting a vintage USA instrument or even one of the other ones in the Newark Street range.

The SC1 wasn't expensive to buy and I have absolutely no complaints with it. The neck and the playing action is nice and comfortable, the Antique Sunburst finish is very good and I like the tones available from the pickups, both in humbucking and single coil mode. The weight of the guitar is also just right for me.

I'm not a great fan of vibrato units, so I was more than happy to buy a Starfire without one. The Jet 90 didn't have much appeal to me at all because I really dislike the look of the headstock and I think that its three P-90 pickups give it a very cluttered appearance; (I also think that the middle pickup would impede fingerpicking to some extent). If my new guitar had come with an old-style Guild harp tailpiece, I'd have been pleased with that, but it doesn't.

I've had one or two thinline semi-acoustic guitars over the years, including Gibsons, Gretsches and Epiphones, plus an old '60s Guild Starfire, thirty or forty years ago but to me, this new one is just as good to play as any of them.

Good luck with your search...

 

[GAD]

My review of the SFI SC can be read here: https://gadsguilds.com

Haven’t tried the other one but I think they’re kind of ugly.

As for your question about people ignoring your question, lighten up and get to know how things work here. You’re lucky the thread is still on guitars.

 

[BurlingtonDave]

Hi Burlington Dave.

I've had my brand new Starfire SC1 for about a month now. I've been playing it every day since.

When I was looking to buy, price was a very important factor for me. I wasn't in the market for an upmarket guitar, so there was no question about getting a vintage USA instrument or even one of the other ones in the Newark Street range.

The SC1 wasn't expensive to buy and I have absolutely no complaints with it. The neck and the playing action is nice and comfortable, the Antique Sunburst finish is very good and I like the tones available from the pickups, both in humbucking and single coil mode. The weight of the guitar is also just right for me.

I'm not a great fan of vibrato units, so I was more than happy to buy a Starfire without one. The Jet 90 didn't have much appeal to me at all because I really dislike the look of the headstock and I think that its three P-90 pickups give it a very cluttered appearance; (I also think that the middle pickup would impede fingerpicking to some extent). If my new guitar had come with an old-style Guild harp tailpiece, I'd have been pleased with that, but it doesn't.

I've had one or two thinline semi-acoustic guitars over the years, including Gibsons, Gretsches and Epiphones, plus an old '60s Guild Starfire, thirty or forty years ago but to me, this new one is just as good to play as any of them.

Good luck with your search...

Thanks, Jack, for youor comprehensive overview of the SC.

 

[BurlingtonDave]

My review of the SFI SC can be read here: https://gadsguilds.com

Haven’t tried the other one but I think they’re kind of ugly.

As for your question about people ignoring your question, lighten up and get to know how things work here. You’re lucky the thread is still on guitars.

Now harm was intended. It just seems silly that when it's clear what is being asked, that people decide to take it in a completely different direction. If I had $1800USD to buy a used Starfire III then I'd be asking about that.

 

[BurlingtonDave]

My review of the SFI SC can be read here: https://gadsguilds.com

Haven’t tried the other one but I think they’re kind of ugly.

As for your question about people ignoring your question, lighten up and get to know how things work here. You’re lucky the thread is still on guitars.

WOW! Gad, that is an incredible review of the SC!! Thank you so much! I've read and viewed a dozen reviews, including a couple "in depth" reviews, and NONE touch yours!!! Absolutely fantastic! So now my followup questions:

1. You talk extensively about replacing the wiring harness and pots. I'm a complete newbie to such things but willing to give it a go. Where would you source the parts? Can a tone pot with split coil be found?
2. I'm really in love with the Antique burst finish, but it's a hard tail. Do you think it's built in the same manner as the Guildsby versions, that is, could I add Guildsby down the road?
3. Are there any ways to request Guild to do an Antique Burst with a Guildsby for me? I know, I know, it's a huge ask.
4. Do you think the vibrato and hard taill SCs are built in the same factory? It seems to me that the Antique burst and Walnut would require better looking - and therefore likely better quality - wood than the Snowcrest White and Seafoam models, and more time to finish, hence my suspicion that they're built in a different factory altogether.

 

[BurlingtonDave]

Thanks to everyone who has replied!!

 

[mavuser]

hey there and welcome. i would stay away from the import Jet-90 (3) pickup monstrosity as u will never be able to sell that for anything later, and in that scenario *yes with patience u actually could score a very nice used vintage true Guild USA jetstar, in the three-figure price range (still more than the import, but not 1800...)

Starfires are another story, and an entirely different beast, and I would say green light on any Newark Street Guild Starfire or Bluesbird/Aristocrat etc, if u are happy with the price, and the way it plays/sounds.

however, the most different beast is the fully-hollow, floating bridge SF-3 (or SF-2)..regardless of what hemisphere it is made in...totally different guitar than anything we are talking about here. u want one of those- for the looks? or for the tone/feel?

 

[fronobulax]

Now harm was intended. It just seems silly that when it's clear what is being asked, that people decide to take it in a completely different direction. If I had $1800USD to buy a used Starfire III then I'd be asking about that.

But sometimes the right answer is to not buy now and wait until you have $1800 USD

 

[BurlingtonDave]

hey there and welcome. i would stay away from the import Jet-90 (3) pickup monstrosity as u will never be able to sell that for anything later, and in that scenario *yes with patience u actually could score a very nice used vintage true Guild USA jetstar, in the three-figure price range (still more than the import, but not 1800...)

Starfires are another story, and an entirely different beast, and I would say green light on any Newark Street Guild Starfire or Bluesbird/Aristocrat etc, if u are happy with the price, and the way it plays/sounds.

however, the most different beast is the fully-hollow, floating bridge SF-3 (or SF-2)..regardless of what hemisphere it is made in...totally different guitar than anything we are talking about here. u want one of those- for the looks? or for the tone/feel?

Tone and feel. I have a fully hollow Gretsch G2420T. I need something with less feedback with a vibrato for occasional gigging.

 

[BurlingtonDave]

But sometimes the right answer is to not buy now and wait until you have $1800 USD

Unfortunately I can't justify a big ticket item when I've got two teens who come first.

 

[mavuser]

here is a brand new Newark Street SF-3 in red with make offer otion on reverb from a seemingly bona fide seller. it comes with the hard case also

Guild Newark St. Collection Starfire III | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

 

[matsickma]

I think I'm gonna add a SF1 SC to my stable at some time in the future. I really like the psudo semihollow aspect of the design and resistance to feedback. Historically I liked the DeArmond SF Special because it was a semihollow SC design but the SD 1 SC with the center block in the area of the bridge is an ideal feature.
M

 

[GAD]

WOW! Gad, that is an incredible review of the SC!! Thank you so much! I've read and viewed a dozen reviews, including a couple "in depth" reviews, and NONE touch yours!!! Absolutely fantastic! So now my followup questions:

1. You talk extensively about replacing the wiring harness and pots. I'm a complete newbie to such things but willing to give it a go. Where would you source the parts? Can a tone pot with split coil be found?
2. I'm really in love with the Antique burst finish, but it's a hard tail. Do you think it's built in the same manner as the Guildsby versions, that is, could I add Guildsby down the road?
3. Are there any ways to request Guild to do an Antique Burst with a Guildsby for me? I know, I know, it's a huge ask.
4. Do you think the vibrato and hard taill SCs are built in the same factory? It seems to me that the Antique burst and Walnut would require better looking - and therefore likely better quality - wood than the Snowcrest White and Seafoam models, and more time to finish, hence my suspicion that they're built in a different factory altogether.

Thanks!

1) You'll probably not be able to buy a complete harness unless you bought one of the ones being sold by Guild. When I say "replace the harness" I would build one myself. Honestly, though, if you're not gigging, I wouldn't worry much. It's not super durable as-is, but if it works it works.

2/4) All the Guilds that look similar in the same line likely start out as the same guitar then they cut them differently to work with different pickups/layouts. They are quite probably made in the same factory, but they're all CNC machined so that shouldn't matter much. If a similarly shaped SFI has what you want, then I'd bet that what you want would be easy to accomplish.

When I say "the same line", I mean that the Starfire-I SC (Indonesia) is a completely different design than the Starfire-III (Korea). Unfortunately Guild has very much muddied the waters with their terrible naming conventions

3) The modern version of the Guild company isn't like the old ones. The guitars are made en masse in Korea/China/Indonesia (depending on price point) and even if they would do it, deviating from their assembly process would likely cost more than a vintage Guild. But I can almost guarantee you that they won't. Couldn't hurt to ask, though! I love being proven wrong.

Sorry if I confused the numbers.