Vintage Guild Starfire III serial number / dating

[Johnny Starfire]

Hello LTGers!

I recently acquired this Guild Starfire III with Hoboken label and serial number EK 3121 (on label and back of headstock).
I'm trying to get an accurate date on this using this link http://guildguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/history_of_your_guild.pdf but the Guild serial number for Starfire III seems to end at EK 3098 (1969). Can anyone offer any info on this?

 

[jp]

Hey there, Johnny Starfire!

That's a great looking Starfire!

I'm definitely not the expert, but I might be able to offer some insight. Your guitar was constructed during a transition period when Guild was moving from Hoboken, NJ to Westerly, RI, and there seem to be some inconsistencies in record-keeping. On the forum, we've seen some anomalies in the serial numbers of member guitars compared to what Guild publishes on their website. My best guess is that your guitar is most likely from 1970, even though the serial number chart shows a change to the later numbering system.

The person who can give you the most accurate answer is Hans Moust, who wrote The Guild Guitar Book. He's on the forum often and may chime in with a more informed and definitive answer.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[jcwu]

That Starfire looks smoky - bet she sounds smoky, too!

 

[Aristocrater]

Hey JS-You are correct that the last entry for 1969 Starfire IIIs is EK 3098. In the Guild book by Hans Moust, he explains that the records for 1970 have been lost. I would feel fairly confident saying that your guitar is from 1970 and was made before that reinstated the old sequential numbering system. You could also take a mirror and check for the date code of the pots. I would bet that they would be from late 69 or early 70. Hope this helps.

 

[cc_mac]

That is one very cool looking Starfire III. The brown is excellent and I'd be happy to own such a guitar.

I have a 1969 Starfire IV. The label also reads Hoboken. The serial# on the label and the headstock on mine don't match. Hans confirmed it's legit and that despite the Hoboken label the guitar was built in Westerly, RI. Seems they had lots of labels they wanted to use up before starting on the new ones.

 

[walrus]

Beautiful guitar! And welcome!

walrus

 

[mavuser]

Killer Guild!! Big fan of 1970 Guild over here. Welcome to the forum

 

[TVeye]

Seems I was just looking at this guitar.......Reverb.........this morning?

 

[jp]

Different serial number, TVeye, but they're pretty close in age.

 

[TVeye]

Very close.....

 

[Johnny Starfire]

Hey guys. Thanks for the info. Yes, TVeye, this was on Reverb and sold a few days ago. I'm a lefty that plays right handed strung guitars held lefty. The cutaway wasn't "cutting it" for me on this Starfire III so I moved it along. I am a Guild fan though and have a 1969 Lefty Starfire IV in Emerald Finish (strung righty). Here's a pic.



I also have a Korean made Dearmond Starfire IV lefty (strung righty).