Really seems to be quite a glut...

Minnesota Flats

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...of black NS M-85s on the market right now. I'd hazard a guess that if they were trans red and loaded with TWO Bi-Sonics instead of one, then sales would be a bit brisker.
 

wisconsindead

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I'd like to try one of these basses but I have a feeling I'd find them rather uncomfortable. I hated the viola bass I played for a month. The edge would just dig into my forearm too much. Have you played one?
 

fronobulax

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Ergonomically I prefer the Starfire to the M85. My limited experience with a '70 M85 suggests the tone was similar enough to a '67 Starfire that there was no need for both, in terms of tone. I can imagine the "grail" status of the pre-1971 (or so) M85 made the market for a new one seem larger than it is.
 

Minnesota Flats

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I probably won't be back in the market anytime soon unless I stumble upon a pristine, vintage Starfire at a ridiculously-low price. Since that ain't gonna happen, I think I'm pretty much "Guilded" for the foreseeable future. Not even a two-pup, red or sunburst M-85 would be likely to coax my wallet out of retirement. My gas seems to have gone into remission for now.
 

wisconsindead

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Ergonomically I prefer the Starfire to the M85. My limited experience with a '70 M85 suggests the tone was similar enough to a '67 Starfire that there was no need for both, in terms of tone. I can imagine the "grail" status of the pre-1971 (or so) M85 made the market for a new one seem larger than it is.

Interesting. Do you find the starfire uncomfortable at all? I've heard some people make the same remark about the hard edge digging into their arm that I've made for the Viola Bass.

I probably won't be back in the market anytime soon unless I stumble upon a pristine, vintage Starfire at a ridiculously-low price. Since that ain't gonna happen, I think I'm pretty much "Guilded" for the foreseeable future. Not even a two-pup, red or sunburst M-85 would be likely to coax my wallet out of retirement. My gas seems to have gone into remission for now.

Remissed gas is a good thing. I'm back to being pretty sure I'm going to buy that green starfire when they come out
 

Minnesota Flats

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"I'm back to being pretty sure I'm going to buy that green starfire when they come out "

That was pretty much my status until I got a super deal on the natural finish NS SF-II. The green (if it happens) will be beautiful, but not enough more so for me to justify paying hundreds more for color alone. My gear budget is pretty meager, so bass lust has to take a back seat to the cold, hard facts of economics.
 

fronobulax

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Interesting. Do you find the starfire uncomfortable at all? I've heard some people make the same remark about the hard edge digging into their arm that I've made for the Viola Bass.

I've had the Starfire for fortyish years so it may be that I long ago learned to compensate for the hard edge and think what I do now is normal. Standing I tend to have the bass low and there is almost no contact between the body and my arm. Seated there isn't much contact and hen there is contact it is with the entire width of the bass and not the edge. The M-85 is fatter and I remember having to tilt it slightly to get my RH comfortable. Curiously I played a viola bass for the first time a couple weeks ago and I remember having no idea how to put it on my lap. Either putting the Starfire's waist on a leg works or you find another bass.
 
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