Starefire III Guild/Fender Transition Year Serial?

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I have a Starfire III with an odd serial number that leads me to believe that it was built during the transition year while Guild was being moved to California.

Here is the body label
9z4nf0X.jpg


Headstock Serial, same/same

V0aXarF.jpg


It is a beautiful guitar, as you can see here

WCrZePU.jpg


So, the Serial is Westerly, RI AG302025 but this list claims that AG301083 was the last Starfire III serial made in Westerly, RI in what I'm guessing would have been in 1999. Would this mean that my guitar was made in 2000 as they were actually in the process of setting up in California and shuttering the Rhode Island facility?

Is there a Guild authority that I could contact about this particular guitar to help me understand the significance of this odd-ball serial number? If it is indeed one of the last Starfires built in Westerly, RI then I would guess that it's a pretty rare item. Any help that anyone here could send my way would be great.

-Thanks
 
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Welcome to the forum! I took the liberty of editing your post to show the pics. Fortunately, we have THE authority on Guilds, Hans Moust as a member here, so he should be able to tell you everything you need to know about your Starfire. It looks very much like a SFIII that I own.
 

mavuser

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Nice one. Hans Moust can help you identify that particular guitars year and factory of origin. I believe those lists you referenced are incomplete in many instances. To me, you have a Westerly Guild case (red) not corona (green) but im sure there are some exceptions .
 

hansmoust

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KATO said:
I have a Starfire III with an odd serial number that leads me to believe that it was built during the transition year while Guild was being moved to California.

9z4nf0X.jpg

Hello KATO,

Welcome! The serial number list you've been looking at is rather confusing since it shows the last numbers for 1997, but it gives the suggestion that they are the last numbers for 1999.

Your Starfire III with serial # AG302025 was made at the very end of 1999. After your guitar was made the Guild company still produced guitars for about 1-1/2 year before the Westerly plant was closed and production was transferred to Corona, CA.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

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And my guitar (part of the capnjuan rig) is AG302017, so they were born pretty close to the same time!
 
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Hello KATO,

Welcome! The serial number list you've been looking at is rather confusing since it shows the last numbers for 1997, but it gives the suggestion that they are the last numbers for 1999.

Your Starfire III with serial # AG302025 was made at the very end of 1999. After your guitar was made the Guild company still produced guitars for about 1-1/2 year before the Westerly plant was closed and production was transferred to Corona, CA.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Very awesome! Thanks a ton for this information, Hans!

It will be nice to actually be able to answer my friends accurately when they ask what year it is. I usually just say, "one of the last years the RI facility was in operation". Now I know it is a 1999 which is the same year my favorite Standard Strat was built. Must have just been an all around great year for guitars, I guess.

It's also interesting to note that Guild was still building guitars in Westerly as late as 2001. I thought they mothballed that facility in 2000. Learn something every day, I suppose.

Anyway, thanks again for shedding some light on my Starfire. I absolutely love this guitar.
 

txbumper57

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Welcome KATO! That is a beautiful Starfire III you have. Late 90's early 2000's builds from Westerly are some of my Favorite years for the Starfires. I have a 2000 Starfire V that is the same natural blonde as your Starfire III. The build quality on those years are amazing and the wood selection was really top notch. Hope you enjoy it and Welcome to LTG!
 
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