Harp tailpiece differences

GGJaguar

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I don't know why I just noticed this now, but... are both of these tailpieces American-made or is one a Newark Street piece? If they are from the Westerly era, when did the change occur from the heavy, cast string retainer to the stamped, spot-welded string retainer? Thanks!

Harp%20tails%20back.jpg

Harp%20tails%20front.jpg
 

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Top one looks like a NS item to me. The harps I've owned are spot welded, like the bottom tailpiece.
 

kakerlak

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My '94 X-700 has the cast string retainer, like the top version. Of course, it's also got the hinged end. I'm not sure I've ever had a guitar with the cheap/simple harp in hand that was newer than 1960s, but it's possible they changed at some point in the 1970s-2000s.
 

GGJaguar

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I should have also mentioned that these tailpieces came off of two 1997 Starfire II's. I was just wondering if one of the tailpieces was pirated and replaced with a NS tailpiece. They sure look factory original to me, but it's strange that two different styles were used in the same year. The one with the cast string retainer is much heavier than the spot-wielded tailpiece.
 

fronobulax

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They sure look factory original to me, but it's strange that two different styles were used in the same year.

Maybe strange but we are dealing with Guild. As an example early Starfire basses had the "straight" bridge. Sometime in '67 they were replaced by the "harp" bridge. But there is at least one bass believed to have left the factory with a straight bridge after (according to serial number order) the harp bridge was introduced.
 
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