New Chris Hillman Signature Starfire Bass?

johnbiscuti

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Chis is pictured here apparently playing the prototype for his new signature Starfire Bass. Photo by John Jorgenson.

Discuss. :)

 

gilded

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Kool!!! Looks like my bass did, at least, back when they made it! Now, all they have to do is crack the headstock a couple of times, sand the lacquer down to the color coats, overspray it with white Krylon, sand the Krylon back off, throw a couple of clear coats on it and then, it could be the 'gilded signature model'!
 

SFIV1967

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My first comment: Call the TRC Police! It's upside down!

Other than that, it's a Newark St. series bass as it looks, BUT: In Maple with sunburst !!!

Ralf
 
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twocorgis

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Kool!!! Looks like my bass did, at least, back when they made it! Now, all they have to do is crack the headstock a couple of times, sand the lacquer down to the color coats, overspray it with white Krylon, sand the Krylon back off, throw a couple of clear coats on it and then, it could be the 'gilded signature model'!

lol2.gif
Good one, Harry!
 

fronobulax

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Interesting. I presume they didn't ask Jack or Phil. The latter might have said Yes.

Does look like a Newark Street to me. The TRC looks to have the same orientation as mine does which suggests we need better pictures or better definitions of what the proper orientation is for a Newark Street bass TRC :)

It would be very interesting to know how the Signature deviates from an off the shelf bass. What else besides offering it in Sunburst instead of cherry red?
 

SFIV1967

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The TRC looks to have the same orientation as mine does which suggests we need better pictures or better definitions of what the proper orientation is for a Newark Street bass TRC :)
Here'y go:
i2BX8TpCWClsP.JPG


What else besides offering it in Sunburst instead of cherry red?
Maple vs. sapele as it looks.

Ralf
 
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johnbiscuti

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John Jorgenson just added this (via his FB page): "I believe Guild will likely soon make a 2 PU version of the Starfire bass"

More: "Indeed Chris played with a pick back in the Byrds days using flat wound strings with the tone knob rolled back, and usually plugged into a Fender Bassman or Showman amp. His original Guild bass was lost when a van full of the Byrds' gear was either stolen or in an accident late 1966. For the Byrds' 1st album "Mr Tambourine Man" Chris had a Fender Jazz bass (he played on all the tracks except Mr Tambourine Man, that was Larry Knechtel) but by the time the group started doing TV appearances and live shows to promote it in mid 1965 he had gotten the Guild. Its first recorded appearance would be for the "Turn, Turn, Turn" album sessions which started in late May 1965. Guild did reproduce the original style PU and went to great lengths to copy the original sunburst pattern too. The Byrds' logo is inlaid on the 12th fret and Chris' signature will appear on the truss rod cover."

I am not crazy about a Byrds logo at the 12th fret, but a sunburst two-pickup version? I'M IN.
 
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gilded

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Look at the pic again, down at the 12th fret. I bet you guys a Dr. Pepper that there is a logo on that bass! Oh yeah!
 

fronobulax

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I wonder how may CH Sigs they will make and whether maple, sunburst and 2 PU will show up as options (separately or together) in the regular production?

I'm thinking the CG Sig will be a limited production run unless Chris Hillman is way more popular with the under 30 crowd than I am aware of.

It's too early to speculate on the rest because I don't think we know any real sales data on the NS Starfire bass and the anecdotes suggest that the demand is still exceeding the supply that has actually made it to dealers and consumers.
 

SFIV1967

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Aaaaaaaaa.....He's hiding the logo!
But is that an inlayed signature on the 15th fret? The label clearly shows it's a Newark St. bass. And the TRC is still wrongly mounted upside down...

But beautiful sunburst!

Ralf
 
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gilded

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Okay, 'GTC Tracy' at the corner of the pic is 'guitar tech center' Tracy Longo, yes? Friend/Tech/Luthier to Mr. Hillman, yes?

Who is the other guy?

Also, look at the instrument case on the pickup gate. A partial Guild sticker.
 

gilded

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Heard a John Jorgenson Matchless amp the other day. Boy, it sounded good!
 
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