I got a Starfire with serial number BA2086 (see my avatar). In 1969 the following numbers for the SF bass was used: BA1947 to BA2043. In 1970 they ceased using separate numbers for the different models. The also stopped using the Hagström bisonic. My bass got bisonics. Originally it was a black SF I with a neck pickup. It's been stripped and another bisonic has been added for the bridge.
What's up with that? It has to be from 1969 as far as I can understand, because of the bisonic. Any thoughts on this?
Mungi, cool bass!
I like what LTG member jte is saying. I'd like to add a bit to it:
Welcome to the 1970 Letter Prefix Club!
It's easy to deduce that, since you can't find a record of your Letter Prefix serial number in the records that are published for '69 and there are numerical-only serial numbers for '70, that your bass is from '69. But, I'm betting that your bass is from '70, as in not-shipped-out-the-door, and/or not finally assembled until 1970.
Here is the Key to the Mystery- Guild definitely used Letter Prefix serial numbers in 1970, but those records simply were not saved!
A lot of us have had guitars and basses with the post '69 Letter Prefix serial numbers. My old Duane Eddy DE-400 guitar was like that, an off-the-charts, post '69 instrument. I do think the argument could made that all of the '70 Letter Prefix instruments must be from the beginning of the year.
Look at page 4 of the 1970 Guild catalog:
http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/guild/catalogues/1970_4.php
Notice the Bisonics on the bass guitars? Somebody will be along who knows better than I do about when Bisonic pickups were phased out, but to me it is more than plausible that Guild used up all their old pickups before they switched over to hum-buckers.
Again, nice bass. And welcome to LTG!