Thoughts on this SF VI?

[GAD]

Someone emailed me with questions about this guitar. I won't taint the conversations with my observations, so I'm interested in the consensus here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GUI...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

EDIT - It's back for sale: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GUI...E-/131331126362?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e93f1f45a

 

[hansmoust]

Hello GAD,

Looks like 1966 Starfire VI set up with '70s pickups and bridge. Could have been altered at the factory, but I can't tell without holding the guitar in my hands.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[twocorgis]

Looks like it sold already. Did you get it GAD?

 

[Kslam]

Hello GAD,

Looks like 1966 Starfire VI set up with '70s pickups and bridge. Could have been altered at the factory, but I can't tell without holding the guitar in my hands.

That's interesting, Hans. So how would that have happened? Do you mean that a body and neck from 66 ended up in the Westerly factory in the 70s and was then retrofitted with pickups and a bridge from the 70s?

 

[hansmoust]

So how would that have happened? Do you mean that a body and neck from 66 ended up in the Westerly factory in the 70s and was then retrofitted with pickups and a bridge from the 70s?

Hello Kslam,

What I meant was that the guitar was completed during the '60s, but somehow was updated later with a 'new' set of pickups and roller bridge. That could have happened at the factory, but at this point I do not know.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Walter Broes]

Shame about the bridge setup on it though, because unless the action is set unusually high on that guitar now, it really looks like an example that would have a really good neck set (angle) to make the original earlier type floating bridge and single roller B6-type Bigsby work. Which is not always the case in my experience.

 

[Kslam]

Hello Kslam,

What I meant was that the guitar was completed during the '60s, but somehow was updated later with a 'new' set of pickups and roller bridge. That could have happened at the factory, but at this point I do not know.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

So at that time the factory might've been open to making those kinds of modifications at a customer's request? That's taking "the customer's always right" attitude to the extreme!

-K

 

[Walter Broes]

Oh, and....if I'm not mistaken.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANS!!!! :friendly_wink:

 

[guildman63]

So at that time the factory might've been open to making those kinds of modifications at a customer's request? That's taking "the customer's always right" attitude to the extreme!

-K

It probably means that whoever owned the guitar had 70's pups and a roller bridge installed at a later date. Full-sized HB-1's did not exist in 1966. It wasn't until 1970 that those were available.

 

[Kslam]

It probably means that whoever owned the guitar had 70's pups and a roller bridge installed at a later date. Full-sized HB-1's did not exist in 1966. It wasn't until 1970 that those were available.

Yup, I understand that. What I thought was noteworthy is that there's a possibility that the Guild factory might have made the mods, rather than a private luthier.

 

[GAD]

Thanks guys, and you've all reinforced what I told him.

No, I did not buy that guitar. The buyer returned it because it was "not original", but I warned him that it could have been altered at the Guild factory or even made by a Guild employee or some such thing. From the pics I could see, the work seems to be exceptional, which is not usually the case when people go drilling bridges into guitars in my experience. Additionally, I would have expected Gibson pickups or SD/Dimarzio pickups in an altered guitar, and not later Guild HB1s.

I thought it was an interesting instrument, and not necessarily a "don't touch" instrument, but from what I understand, he's already returned it.

 

[guildman63]

Kslam, yes, it is possible that the Guild factory made the mods. I agree with GAD, very nicely done whoever did the work. I'm sure it sounds sweet!

 

[twocorgis]

Kslam, yes, it is possible that the Guild factory made the mods. I agree with GAD, very nicely done whoever did the work. I'm sure it sounds sweet!

And it's green!

 

[drc]

so who bought the darn thing?

 

[dapmdave]

And it's green!

Ahhhhh. I was waiting for that!

 

[GAD]

so who bought the darn thing?

Some guy emailed me out of the blue about it. He's returning it, so if you like it, contact the seller and get some preemptive dibs!

 

[Jeff Haddad]

That is a great-looking guitar, original pickups or not.

 

[GAD]

Looks like it's back up for sale: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GUI...E-/131331126362?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e93f1f45a

Question posted on the auction:

Q: Why is this for auction again? What happened the first time? Did the buyer send it back? A: The guy I sold it to was not happy that the pickups were upgraded in 72 and sent it back. I was not happy about it but we do guarantee 100% satisfaction. It is very nice for being 50 years old.

I just noticed that it's in NJ. I've asked where. Maybe I can check it out.

 

[Kslam]

Looks like it's back up for sale: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GUI...E-/131331126362?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e93f1f45a

Question posted on the auction:

Q: Why is this for auction again? What happened the first time? Did the buyer send it back? A: The guy I sold it to was not happy that the pickups were upgraded in 72 and sent it back. I was not happy about it but we do guarantee 100% satisfaction. It is very nice for being 50 years old.

I just noticed that it's in NJ. I've asked where. Maybe I can check it out.

It's actually in Billings, MT. I thought it was in NJ too at first. The ad is confusing -- he means the guitar was made in New Jersey.

 

[GAD]

It's actually in Billings, MT. I thought it was in NJ too at first. The ad is confusing -- he means the guitar was made in New Jersey.

Yeah, I see that now. Oh well.