What to expect from '67 Starfire I with neck PU

[mgod]

Meanwhile, you've said you leave your TIs on forever. I always love to change them. The new sets sound so alive. But recently I've come to be annoyed by how alive they are at first. Gettin' old I guess.

They are the only strings I like the sound of out of the box. Most brands I have to wear down, and I'm so un-acidic that sometimes I have to lend a bass out to have someone else wear them down, but not T-Is. On that other hand though, they are also about the only strings I might change every few years. I mentioned the cryo-treated strings on my Steinberger fretless - they've been on there 25 years. But Klaus Voorman has me beat, he's still got the LaBellas on his P that he put on before recording "Instant Karma".

 

[Happy Face]

They are the only strings I like the sound of out of the box. Most brands I have to wear down, and I'm so un-acidic that sometimes I have to lend a bass out to have someone else wear them down, but not T-Is. On that other hand though, they are also about the only strings I might change every few years. I mentioned the cryo-treated strings on my Steinberger fretless - they've been on there 25 years. But Klaus Voorman has me beat, he's still got the LaBellas on his P that he put on before recording "Instant Karma".

I must have misinterpreted something you posted then.

And, after conplaining in my last post, the new TIs sounded luvverly tonight. On of the guitarists even commended the sound. And that's an amazing moment to be savoured!

 

[GuildaRadner]

Digging your collection, Craig! I'm taking good care of the '97 cherry SF you sold me

Keith

 

[GuildaRadner]

+1 TIs are my favorite and great out of the box. I love them new and old, I leave them on though. I have them on three basses currently (97 SF, P, Stingray fretless). It's a great string for my often called girly extremely light touch which I think helps fundamental but hurts attack. I can see how it works with a heavy hand too. The only thing I would change about the TIs is increase the A string gauge from 70 to 75.

 

[idealassets]

Digging your collection, Craig! I'm taking good care of the '97 cherry SF you sold me

Keith,
I'm so happy to hear that. I bought the 2 Starfire's on the same trip, about 800 miles round trip, thinking that either one might be sold by the time I drove to see them, so I bought both of them.

For me, I discovered that playing bass is not so "easy" as everyone claims. I cannot put down a 12 string or Guild F50, so my bass playing went mostly south as a result.

I hope all is well with that bass for you. I was really very impressed with it, and feel that the later year Starfire basses (late 1990's) are the latest state of the art. All the hardware, wood grain, and the finishes applied were a work of art. I believe that in time the late 90's Starfire basses will be a vintage instrument as much as the earlier issues, but are perhaps more applicable to playing in the current day than the earlier ones. Some have sold on ebay for large prices, one particularly nice maple body for $4100 about a year ago.

Best regards,
Craig

 

[fronobulax]

For me, I discovered that playing bass is not so "easy" as everyone claims.

Who is this "everyone" and why were you listening to them? :lol: :lol: :lol:

In the heyday of garage bands, it was often common that the bass player was the worst guitarist in the bunch. In a world with Jack Casady, Stanley Clark, Dan Schwartz, Jack Bruce, Bootsy Collins, Ron Carter, Jaco Pastorius and numerous other players who have elevated bass playing to new heights, this is no longer as true as it once was.

In honor of your other instruments, I retell a joke that amuses me if no one else.

The bass player and drummer were engaged in fisticuffs. The bandleader waded in, broke them apart and asked what was going on? The bass player pointed at the drummer and said "he moved one of my tuning pegs". "So..." said the bandleader. "He won't tell me which one!"

 

[mgod]

For me, I discovered that playing bass is not so "easy" as everyone claims.

Who is this "everyone" and why were you listening to them? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Git-tar players of course. Which explains so much bad bass playing.

 

[idealassets]

Git-tar players of course. Which explains so much bad bass playing

Folks, as shown is the reason why my bass playing has gone nowhere:

I do have a plan though, to get a Ric 4003 and then have a modern player bass, that will cause me to not want to play the Guild 12 all the darn time. Are there any comments about Ric's here? If I go to rick site I will be encounter by about 10 zillion Ric bass total fanatics, argh.

Craig

 

[idealassets]

mgod,
Will you ever have your M85 up and running, or is its fate known to be as-is? I was just wondering, considering about the time I discovered the Guild Starfire bass'isms, I later found that the M85 was quite the item also, and hard to get one in any condition.

Craig

 

[mgod]

I'm not sure which one you mean. I have five. If you mean the carcass I finally got back from Fender, my plan in the long run might be to get that one restored and sell the black 70. I've had a few offers on it. It was used on a few noted records, so if it goes, the likely thing is that I'd sell it via ebay.

 

[idealassets]

I'm not sure which one you mean. I have five

The M85 bass from Phil Lesh. Do you have just one M85, and the other Guild basses are all Starfire's? What was Fender doing on it?

I have gotten a few "deer in the headlights" looks from luthiers lately on older guitars. As me I'm not too wild about fixing them up (or having a luthier do it) as I may have been at one time.

Craig

 

[fronobulax]

I'm not sure which one you mean. I have five

The M85 bass from Phil Lesh. Do you have just one M85, and the other Guild basses are all Starfire's? What was Fender doing on it?

I have gotten a few "deer in the headlights" looks from luthiers lately on older guitars. As me I'm not too wild about fixing them up (or having a luthier do it) as I may have been at one time.

Craig

From an old thread.

Heres' a link to my hollow fretless M-85 on youtube, from the Tonight show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S56BXEPUBjU

DS

 

[mgod]

I'm not sure which one you mean. I have five

The M85 bass from Phil Lesh. Do you have just one M85, and the other Guild basses are all Starfire's? What was Fender doing on it?

Craig

That M85 is in regular use and will go with me to my funeral pyre. I have 4 others of different eras, and then a mess o' Starfires. The perks of primogeniture.

 

[idealassets]

That M85 is in regular use

Kudos. I'm certain there are a few out there that are not in such a good state of affairs.

CG

 

[mikko]

I do have a plan though, to get a Ric 4003 and then have a modern player bass, that will cause me to not want to play the Guild 12 all the darn time. Are there any comments about Ric's here? If I go to rick site I will be encounter by about 10 zillion Ric bass total fanatics, argh.

Craig

Ha ha…those Rick fan boys really are something to avoid. Otherwise Rickenbacker basses are really wonderful (but no means perfect) instruments. They have a sound on their own, lots of midrange but the sound is still deep. Fretboard is quite wide so I recommend to try it before buying. Fretboard width as well as neck shape differs between manufacturing years, so if a brand new 4003 doesn´t feel comfortable go try some older ones. I didn´t like my ´10 4003 at all because of neck profile which was way too thin and fretboard was way too wide. My ´03 has a much thicker neck with slightly narrower fretboard and it fits my hand perfectly. This is naturally a matter of personal preferences.
Whether you buy new or used, check the neck. I have had problems with neck (S-shaped etc) with both new and used instruments. Another weak spot is bridge/tail piece. It is made of soft metal alloy according to a bad design and it might bend upwards just because you have strings fitted (like basses usually do).
Probably I have had only bad luck with Ricks and the vast majority of them are more or less flawless. My Ricks had many issues I didn´t expect in that price range. I returned the ´10 and kept the ´03 and once I got all the issues fixed it has been a great player. It does look good, sound good, feel good and even smell good. It has also been a very stable instrument with very little, if any, need for adjustment.

Sorry…now back to Guild.

 

[idealassets]

Sorry…now back to Guild

Yes, the only stipulation being that at any given time plenty of Fender and Ric basses are available, but it may be a long wait to get the Starfire or M85 bass, that you would really want.

I am aware of a replacement bridge for Ric basses, which seemed odd to me that after getting a new one, the first thing that can be done is to spend another $175 for a replacement bridge.

I really like my 66' Guild Starfire bass, but it is in a condition that I would prefer to keep it that way. After all I paid dearly for it and drove 450 miles just to check it out on a "site seen" basis. Whereas I would find no problem with getting a relatively new bass that can easily be replaced on any given day.

 

[jte]

If you're really interested in a Rick, play a bunch first. At least when I was running a store, so many of the people wanting a Rick wanted it because of the look (and because Geddy Lee and/or Chris Squire) used them. They often found they really didn't like the sound of the bass in a whole band. While Ricks can do a lot of stuff other than the twangy guitar-like sounds of those two guys, they are a totally different beast than most other electric basses.

As mikko says, the neck shapes can vary a lot so the best bet would be to be able to play the exact instrument you're buying. Rick has always had, like Gretsch, a strange combination of good ideas and bad ones. Setting intonation on a Rick 400x series bass can be almost as annoying as restringing a Bigsby equipped guitar.

John

 

[Happy Face]

I'll pipe in since I use both a Guild and a Ricky. To my ears, they are totally different animals, at least in the way I set up and use them. (Flats on the Guild, rounds on the Ricky etc.) Since I play in a cover band, it's really useful to have the contrasting sounds. I use a Guild for most songs, but when we play Who or some more racous stuff, I switch to the Ricky.

A long-winded way of saying that I cannot imagine parking my Guilds and using a Rickenbacker instead. They are complimentary.

 

[idealassets]

I use a Guild for most songs

I can recall some time earlier this year that you became the new owner of a very nice 1960's M85 bass. You have other Guild basses as well? Also your combo of Guild/ Rickenbacker seems quite intriguing.

so many of the people wanting a Rick wanted it because of the look (and because Geddy Lee and/or Chris Squire) used them

I do especailly like the look of the Ric 4003 Maple bass, but sorry, have never liked Rush and Getty Lee's playing. More like Lesh, Casidy, Hillman. Not that was some good bass work.

Craig

 

[mgod]

I've got a nice 61 4000. Weighs a ton and sounds like it. I've got long scale T-I flats on it. Super fun, enormo sounding "back" pickup.