First time poster - 98 Guild Starfire II on the way

fronobulax

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I should add I have heard reports of a limited number of Guild SF basses and possibly Dearmond SF basses from right around 1998 getting Darkstar pickups either at the factory or else immediately after factory, and sold as new w the Darkstars. I may be off on the details but I've heard of and seen what may have been one or 2 of those. They were both mahogany Transparent Red, however.

With all due respect I've heard reports that Fred did not even start making Dark Stars until the early 2000's which means one of us is Wrong. I've also heard that Fred did not make Dark Stars in the quantities bass makers needed for production runs which is why, to the best of my knowledge, the only new basses offered with Dark Stars as a factory option were Lakelands.

Since I don't like either of us being Wrong is there any chance that what you heard about was NOS instruments that had not sold after several years and so an enterprising shop owner put Dark Stars (once they became available) on and sold them as new? Key point here being that they were sold as new but had been modified outside of the factory.

Tangentially there was an eBay scam that kept popping up over the course of a few months a few years ago. Justin Meldal-Johnsen or someone associated with him listed a natural maple 90's vintage Starfire II that had Dark Stars installed. Perhaps because of the Nine Inch Nails connection that bass appeared to have been sold for upwards of $3000. After the listing ended the bass was relisted several times, using the same photos, but a different seller and a BIN circa $1500. If you looked hard enough it was obvious that the relists were a scam by someone who had snagged the pictures but did not actually have the bass.
 

SFIV1967

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And I am sure if Denton sends the serial number to Hans, Hans would tell him when the bass was produced and which pickups were installed from the factory.

Denton: That is a great looking bass !!!

Ralf
 

Denton

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Yeah I will do that later when I get home.

Bass sounds great! I took the Legends off and slapped on the TI's. I'm thinking about going back to the Legends or some LaBella 760FS's. I have tried TI's numerous times on long scale basses and while I love the tone, just can't get used to the tension. I thought it might be different with a short scale, but I'm just not sure. I am also adjusting to a short scale, which is a lot more challenging than I thought actually!
 

mavuser

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I don't really remember the details, only recall that I had read a small handfull of basses had Darkstars, possibly even installed by Fred himself- which is a lore likely story than by Guild at the factory (which I agree probably did not happen). I don't know what year the basses were or really any other details. Have seen a couple TPR mahogany ones w dark stars though, they looked very clean but I suppose that doesn't mean anything. A Guild SF bass savvy dealer/retailer may have taken the task upon themselves as well, and created a few before selling new.
 

Happy Face

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Any chance you are mixing up memories of the Darkstarred D'A Starfires Fred offered on the DudePit? I recall there were three, one of which I bought.
 

mavuser

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Any chance you are mixing up memories of the Darkstarred D'A Starfires Fred offered on the DudePit? I recall there were three, one of which I bought.
Happy- thanks. Yes I've read of those before, but also have seen 3 mahogany Guild SF (90s) that had them, 2 were TPR 1 was black. At least one or 2 of them claimed to have Dark Stars installed by the dealer from new, or somehow ordered that way. And now we see this maple one has them. And of course there are others. I wasn't trying to make any outlandish claims about Darkstars or Guild. Just saying what I've seen online. I honestly thought dark stars were a lot older than 2000. But it sounds like Darkstars were new right around or after the time 98-2000 SF basses were new or hanging in guitar shops. A popular combination of course, so it is only natural one way or another many have been fitted with them...by owners, and possibly point of sale retailers as well. You don't see too many stray 90s bass humbuckers floating around- 99 percent of the time they are 70s humbuckers. So who knows. There is certainly a possibility a few were sold new with dark stars, even if installed by the retailer. But I really don't know!!!
 

mavuser

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I think Mgod has the first Darkstar pickup made. He can tell us what millennium it is from!
 

fronobulax

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You don't see too many stray 90s bass humbuckers floating around- 99 percent of the time they are 70s humbuckers.

Veer - so if I just have a pickup in my hand that looks like a Guild bass humbucker, how do I tell whether it is a 70's or a 90's model? I always thought they were the same although I have no reason to make that claim other than looking at pictures. If they are different I would actually expect to see more 70's than 90's in the after market because I think there were probably an order of magnitude more 70's built than 90's. The former were in production 6 or 7 years and were used in the Starfire, the JS and the M85 basses whereas the latter was in production about 3 years and only in the Starfire.
 

mavuser

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Veer - so if I just have a pickup in my hand that looks like a Guild bass humbucker, how do I tell whether it is a 70's or a 90's model? I always thought they were the same although I have no reason to make that claim other than looking at pictures. .

See post #16 of this thread
 

SFIV1967

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Here's a third version of a Guild HB-2 by the way...Don't know what years this version is from, but it seems to be the second generation HB-2, so Eric posted the first and third generation HB-2 in post #16 I guess.

hb31.jpg
hb32.jpg

Source: Ken Nash

Ralf
 

Denton

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Ordered a set of my trusty go-to strings (med scale Labella 760FS) for this. I think I am just so comfortable with the LaBella tone and feel on my P that I have to have them on everything now. The TI's seem to go quick on the TB classifieds, so at least I'll get some of my money back on those. It's the tension and rough feel on the E and A strings that I do not like. The tone is interesting, but I guess I'm just a LaBella guy.

As far as the Dark Stars, it would be interesting to know if they came loaded with them or not. I'll reach out to the guy I bought it from.

Love the bass. It is so much different than my Bluesman P and even my Gretsch 5123 (32") Trying to get used to the scale! Also the strap peg position...
 
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mellowgerman

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Truly gorgeous. Also, it's always good to see a backdrop of Aguilar cabs! My main cab is an Aguilar 1x12. Best cab I've ever had the pleasure of playing through.
BTW, the Dark Stars are definitely not original to this bass, but will only serve to increase the value.
 

Denton

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I haven't had the Ag cabs long, so I don't have a good review of the DB410. I have used the DB112 with my TH500 and LOVE it.
 

Denton

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Took off the TI's and replaced them with medium scale LaBella 760FS's.. Feels much more comfortable. Super smooth and thick. I need to stop buying TI's because I never stay with them when I buy them.
 

fronobulax

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Took off the TI's and replaced them with medium scale LaBella 760FS's.. Feels much more comfortable. Super smooth and thick. I need to stop buying TI's because I never stay with them when I buy them.

Now I need to go figure out which strings I have on my '67. I think they are TI Jazz flats that Happy Face gifted me but they may be on the Newark Street. But I am working on some Bach that lives at the 12th fret and right now that plays best on the '67. The NS has different strings, the B50 lacks a cutaway (which I never thought would make a difference) and the Pilot's scale length throws me off. Maybe I'll be making you an offer...
 

johnbiscuti

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Now I need to go figure out which strings I have on my '67. I think they are TI Jazz flats that Happy Face gifted me but they may be on the Newark Street. But I am working on some Bach that lives at the 12th fret and right now that plays best on the '67. The NS has different strings, the B50 lacks a cutaway (which I never thought would make a difference) and the Pilot's scale length throws me off. Maybe I'll be making you an offer...

What color is the silk?
 
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