Pilot - DeArmond Sound vs Guild

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I just picked up a reasonable priced DeArmond (circa 2000)but had been looking primarily for the Guild (1987).
Wondering how much better sounding the Guild would be?
Anyone have experience playing both? Debating if I need to continue pursuing the real deal for the extra dollars.

Thanks,
JayT
 

fronobulax

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Welcome. No idea. Most folks with a stock DeArmond Starfire either swap the pickups or upgrade to a Guild Starfire. Maybe that applies?

I might suggest you live with the DeArmond for a while. Unless you need a particular brand on the headstock it makes more sense to have a list of areas where the sound could be improved than to keep searching for something that might be "better".
 

twocorgis

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Not so sure about that. I think the DeArmond Starfire sounds great with it's stock (US made) pickups, and round wound strings. I've never tried mine with flats, but I like it a lot with a set of D'Addario rounds. Of course, it's a completely different beast than the Pilot, and I'm not sure exactly what you're asking in the OP. Are you looking for a comparison of the DA Starfire and a Pilot?

Oh, and welcome to LTG BTW!
 
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Not so sure about that. I think the DeArmond Starfire sounds great with it's stock (US made) pickups, and round wound strings. I've never tried mine with flats, but I like it a lot with a set of D'Addario rounds. Of course, it's a completely different beast than the Pilot, and I'm not sure exactly what you're asking in the OP. Are you looking for a comparison of the DA Starfire and a Pilot?

Oh, and welcome to LTG BTW!

Thanks,
Glad to find this community! Yeah I was asking specifically about the Pilot, not sure how Starfire entered the mix. In seeing a few more threads about DeArmond Pilot I ended up canceling the purchase in favor of putting the cost towards the Guild. One of favorite bass players- the late great Gary King, I heard playing what looks like a B-604 back in 1985, but I never knew what bass it was until recently. He played with Bob James and Tom Scott back then.
Andy Irvine on YouTube has a few videos with his upgraded preamp 5 string that sounds amazing. Looking forward to adding one of these babies to my collection.

JayT
 

adorshki

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Not so sure about that. I think the DeArmond Starfire sounds great with it's stock (US made) pickups, and round wound strings. I've never tried mine with flats, but I like it a lot with a set of D'Addario rounds. Of course, it's a completely different beast than the Pilot, and I'm not sure exactly what you're asking in the OP. Are you looking for a comparison of the DA Starfire and a Pilot?

Oh, and welcome to LTG BTW!

Yep, welcome Jay!
I get that he got a D'A Pilot to get a bird in the hand and is wondering if a US- built Pilot will sound significantly better.
I think both you and Frono are pointing him in the right direction, to live with it for a bit and define if there even are any shortcomings, and don't assume it's gonna be inferior just 'cause it's a D'A.
 

mavuser

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if u are patient u can get a nice Guild Pilot bass cheap, they pop up often enough!

I would think a Dearmond Pilot bass to come around much less often than a Guild Pilot, also.
 

twocorgis

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Thanks,
Glad to find this community! Yeah I was asking specifically about the Pilot, not sure how Starfire entered the mix.

JayT

OK, I get it now. I had forgotten that there was a DeArmond Pilot!

if u are patient u can get a nice Guild Pilot bass cheap, they pop up often enough!

As mavuser pointed out, Pilot basses come up for sale often enough, and are criminally undervalued really. That's how I ended up with three of them! I might even be persuaded to part with one of mine.
 

fronobulax

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For those who remember the SAT, I was made the comment in case the following was true enough to be useful:

D'Armond Starfire:Guild Starfire::D'Armond Pilot:Guild Pilot

The only person I know who actually gigs with a D'Armond Starfire swapped the pickups so I am either guilty of misremembering the bass or extrapolating from a sample size that turned out to be one.

This Andy Irvine?



If so you might be amused by my Betts bass, which is a couple years older but was inspired by a Pilot.

img_20160411_154400284_hdr.jpg


img_20160411_154427222_hdr.jpg
 
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