Dating my Starfire III

[tonyw]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get some more information about the Starfire III I purchased a couple of years ago. I looked at the Guild dating site, but from the way I'm reading it, my serial number doesn't fit into any of the groups / years. The serial number is 45059, can anyone give me any insight?

Thanks,

Tony

 

[hansmoust]

I'm trying to get some more information about the Starfire III I purchased a couple of years ago. I looked at the Guild dating site, but from the way I'm reading it, my serial number doesn't fit into any of the groups / years. The serial number is 45059, can anyone give me any insight?

Hello tonyw,

Welcome! Your Guild Starfire with serial # 45059 is somewhat unusual, since it has different pickups than what would be standard on a Starfire from that particular period. Instead of the regular 'small' humbucking pickups it has the single coil units that in Guild circles are usually referred to as the 'Mickey Mouse' pickups. These pickups were standard on the T-100 and a few other models, but they are unusual on a Starfire. Over the years I've come across a few Starfires like that and they are definitely original. In the past there have been a couple of threads about single cutaway Starfires with 'Mickey Mouse' pickups. Here's one of the more interesting ones:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=25621
The serial number of your guitar dates to 1965, but I have reasons to believe that your guitar was completed a little after that; probably during 1966.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Default]

Pics or it never happened!

 

[SFIV1967]

Helping out here, I found one picture of 45059:

Ralf

 

[tonyw]

Thank Hans,

That's the kind of information I was hoping to find. I'll go read that thread you linked.
What makes you think it was completed in 1966? Just curious.

Thanks again,
Tony



And Ralf,
That pic looks like my guitar!

 

[walrus]

Hi Tony - nice guitar!

Knowing Ralf, I'm guessing that *is* your guitar!

walrus

 

[SFIV1967]

Knowing Ralf, I'm guessing that *is* your guitar!

Yes, it is.
Ralf

 

[tonyw]

Are there any pickups out there that can drop in a mickey mouse pickup opening without modification?

Thanks,

Tony

 

[Default]

Short answer - no.

 

[jmix]

Are there any pickups out there that can drop in a mickey mouse pickup opening without modification?

Thanks,

Tony

Do you really want to modify your (rare configuration) guitar?
You may sell it and buy another one with the stock pickups that you like. :wink:

 

[Default]

You could probably sell that and have more than enough to get a minibucker version. Westerly version would be cheaper still.

I don't recall seeing more than a couple mm Starfires, especially in the condition yours is in.

 

[tonyw]

No, I don't want to modify the guitar, just curious if anyone made a pickup the same size that could be dropped in. Really just curiosity more than anything else.

Thanks,

Tony

 

[mbrindell]

Hi Jmix, Two of those starfires look very familiar to me. I wonder why? A nice shot of those three red starfires. Next I have a beautiful Brown 1967 SFV with a highly figured mahogany finish to send your way. Let me know when you are ready. The red ones are beautiful, but you need to add some color. MB

 

[jmix]

Hi Jmix, Two of those starfires look very familiar to me. I wonder why? A nice shot of those three red starfires. Next I have a beautiful Brown 1967 SFV with a highly figured mahogany finish to send your way. Let me know when you are ready. The red ones are beautiful, but you need to add some color. MB

I probably will! :wink: